Patient/caregiver was educated on the side-effects of using Cyclobenzaprine as follows:
Gastrointestinal side-effects
- This medication can induce some nausea, vomiting, and heartburn, especially when taken on empty stomach. Taking the medication with a glass of water and some food or snack can help avoid these unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Cyclobenzaprine can also induce extreme dry mouth and constipation. Sucking on a sugar free hard candy can help with symptomatic relief of dry mouth. Proper hydration measures and compliance with daily fluid intake recommendations can help with relief from constipation. If you experience any further bothersome constipation, report it to your physician for a recommendation on laxative/stool softener use. Observing compliance with fiber intake recommendations in the diet can also help with preventing episodes of constipation with the medication.
Cardiovascular side-effects
- Cyclobenzaprine, especially when taken in high doses, carries the risk of depressing the cardiovascular center in the brain, which regulates the heart rate and blood pressure. Consequently, intake of cyclobenzaprine can result in low heart rate and blood pressure.
- This risk with cyclobenzaprine can be even high when it is taken along with any other products and medications causing hypotension and bradycardia, such as, antihypertensives, antidepressants, antianxiety medications, and sedatives.
- Cyclobenzaprine use can also result in fast and pounding heartbeat. Individuals with history of cardiac arrhythmias can be at increased risk for precipitation of arrhythmic episodes with cyclobenzaprine use.
- Individuals taking cyclobenzaprine must be increasingly watchful to report worsening symptoms of arrhythmias, such as, chest pain, low blood pressure, confusion, dizziness, increasing shortness of breath, and worsening fatigue.
- Hypotension and irregular heartbeat, secondary to cyclobenzaprine intake, can contribute to the confusion and dizziness, thus significantly increasing the risk for fall and accidents.
- Individuals with history of hyperthyroidism can inherently be at risk for cardiac arrhythmias. Use of cyclobenzaprine is such individuals can increase the risk for arrhythmias significantly. So, cyclobenzaprine use is either avoided in such individuals for a safer alternative or used with extreme caution and close follow-up for any signs of developing or worsening arrhythmias.
Withdrawal
- Individuals on sudden withdrawal from cyclobenzaprine, especially after prolonged use or use in high doses, can present with unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, such as, listlessness, lack of energy, exacerbation of depressive symptoms, anxiety, agitation, sleep disturbances, confusion, appetite changes, delusions, hallucinations, mania, bad muscle spasms, and seizures. Discontinuation on cyclobenzaprine use must be slow and gradual, using tapering doses, and only on your physician recommendation.
