Meprobamate (Systemic)

Brand Names : Equanil, Meprospan 200, Meprospan 400, Miltown-200, Miltown-400, Miltown-600, Probate, Trancot, Apo-Meprobamate, Meprospan-400, Miltown

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For meprobamate, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to meprobamate or to medicines like meprobamate such as carbromal, carisoprodol, mebutamate, or tybamate. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Meprobamate has been reported to increase the chance of birth defects if taken during the first 3 months of pregnancy.

Breast-feeding - Meprobamate passes into the breast milk and may cause drowsiness in babies of mothers taking this medicine.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of meprobamate in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - Elderly people may be especially sensitive to the effects of meprobamate. This may increase the chance of side effects during treatment.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking meprobamate, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicines that cause drowsiness) or
• Tricyclic antidepressants (medicine for depression) - Taking these medicines with meprobamate may increase the CNS depressant effects

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of meprobamate. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Alcohol abuse (or history of) or
• Drug abuse or dependence (or history of) - Dependence on meprobamate may develop

• Epilepsy - The risk of seizures may be increased

• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease - Higher blood levels of meprobamate may occur, increasing the chance of side effects

• Porphyria - Meprobamate may make the condition worse