Patient was educated on the precautions to be observed while taking Methocarbamol as follows:
- Methocarbamol, especially when taken in high doses, can lead to depression of respiratory center in the brain, exacerbation of SOB, and difficulty breathing. Low oxygen levels in the body with elevated carbon-di-oxide levels can contribute to altered levels of consciousness, sedation, slow & shallow breathing, severely compromised endurance and exercise tolerance, extreme fatigue, and development of seizures. Severe cases might also lead to emergency situations, such as, respiratory arrest and can result in serious debility and death. This risk with methocarbamol can be even high when it is taken along with any other products and medications causing central nervous and respiratory depression, such as, alcohol, opioid pain medications, antidepressants, antianxiety medications, and sedatives. Methocarbamol must either be avoided for a better alternative or used with extra caution with close watch on breathing patterns in individuals with history of breathing issues, such as, asthma and COPD, to prevent development of any episodes of severe SOB and respiratory arrest. Notify your physician and seek emergency medical help for any difficulty breathing following methocarbamol intake.
- Methocarbamol use can result in general allergic reactions, such as, skin rashes, hives, and itching. Some patients can present with symptoms of severe allergic and anaphylactic response with methocarbamol, such as, difficulty breathing, swelling of face, lips, throat, and tongue, with consequent difficulty breathing. Seek emergency medical help for such findings, especially with difficulty breathing, for any appropriate measures to be considered.
- Methocarbamol must be avoided for a safer alternative or used with extra caution in individuals with history of severe head injury and brain damage. Individuals with history of head injury and brain damage can be at a high risk to present with severe depression of brain and associated respiratory centers with methocarbamol, leading to complications such as, coma, breathing difficulty, and respiratory arrest, which can be fatal. Individuals must notify the physician regarding history of head injuries and brain damage, if any, to discuss their safety with methocarbamol intake.
- Methocarbamol use can sometimes result in intense muscle weakness and motor incoordination leading to shaking or jerking of one or other extremities. Concurrent administration of physical and occupational therapy can help improve the muscle weakness and independence with ADL performance. Compliance with use of recommended assistive device, if any, is important towards fall and accident prevention.
