Special information

The effectiveness of Flexeril in treating acute injuries to the musculature would make it attractive to use across all age ranges. Unfortunately, its ability to affect the central nervous system requires some degree of care.

There is a generally accepted view among primary care physicians that Flexeril should not be prescribed for anyone under the age of 15.

There have been a significant range of tests carried out using mice, rats and rabbits. During pregnancy at dosages up to 20 times that likely to be prescribed for humans, there was little or no evidence of damage to the fetus. There was also no evidence that subsequent fertility was affected in any way. While this is encouraging, animal tests are not always reliable predictors of drug behavior in humans. The FDA therefore recommends that Flexeril should only be used by pregnant women if clearly necessary. There have been no tests performed to see whether Flexeril is transmitted to a baby by a nursing mother. Given that tricyclic antidepressants are excreted into human milk, it is probably unwise to use Flexeril if you are breastfeeding.

The elderly who, for these purposes are defined as any people aged over 65, are more strongly affected than any other age group. Under normal circumstances, no dose above 5mg should be administered and then only if there is careful monitoring of the reaction. There are two areas of difficulty. There can be dizziness and a loss of physical co-ordination. Falls are not uncommon with the inevitable potential for broken bones. The tendency to fall is increased because adverse side effects include changes in heart rhythm and, in rare cases, heart attacks. Secondly, there is a risk of confusion and disorientation. In more rare cases, there can be mood changes tending to aggressive behavior, hallucinations and abnormal thinking.