Chlorphenesin, Oral

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: skeletal muscle relaxant

Generic and brand names: chlorphenesin, oral; Maolate

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is a skeletal muscle relaxant. It is used to relax your muscles to relieve pain from sprains, spasms, or injuries.

What should my health care provider know before I take this medicine?

Do not take this medicine if you have any kidney or liver problems.

Tell your health care provider if you have had anemia or any other blood problems.

Females of childbearing age: Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant because it may harm the baby. Tell your health care provider if you are pregnant or if you plan to become pregnant while taking this medicine. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your health care provider's approval.

How do I take it?

Take this medicine exactly as your health care provider prescribes.

Some tablets are rather large and may be hard to swallow whole. Ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you can break or crush the tablet and mix it with food.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is within 2 hours of your next scheduled dose. In that case, skip the missed dose and take the next one as directed. Do not take double doses. If you are not sure of what to do if you miss a dose, or if you miss more than one dose, contact your health care provider.

What should I watch out for?

This medicine may cause clumsiness, dizziness, or drowsiness. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert.

This medicine increases the effects of alcohol and other drugs that slow down your nervous system. Check with your health care provider before drinking alcohol or taking other medicines, including nonprescription products.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your health care provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Serious (report these to your health care provider right away): Depression, black tarry or bloody stools, swelling, fever, irregular heartbeat, rash, weakness, trouble breathing.

Other: Blurred vision, drowsiness, dizziness.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your health care provider if you are taking:

• antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton), clemastine (Tavist, Tavist-1), brompheniramine (Dimetane), dexchlorpheniramine (Polaramine), and promethazine (Phenergan)
• barbiturates such as phenobarbital (Solfoton), butabarbital (Butisol), amobarbital (Amytal), pentobarbital (Nembutal), and secobarbital (Seconal)
• narcotics such as codeine, morphine, meperidine (Demerol), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), and oxycodone (Roxicodone, OxyContin, OxyIR)
• propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvon-N, Darvocet, Wygesic)
• sedatives such as estazolam (Pro-Som), flurazepam (Dalmane), and temazepam (Restoril)
• tranquilizers such as diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), lorazepam (Ativan), and alprazolam (Xanax).

Do not drink alcohol while you are taking this medicine.

Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, nonprescription, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins) with you. Be sure that you tell all health care providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your health care provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.