Summary
Carisoprodol is prescribed only for short-term relief of acute muscle spasm, yet dependence emerges quickly because it metabolises into the sedative meprobamate. Long-term use or abrupt cessation can precipitate significant withdrawal. Carisoprodol is a centrally acting muscle relaxant with sedative and anxiolytic properties, commonly prescribed for short-term treatment of musculoskeletal pain. It is rapidly metabolized in the liver to meprobamate, a long-acting anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic with its own abuse history, making carisoprodol pharmacologically similar to combining a short-acting sedative with a longer-lasting one. Because of this metabolic pathway, effects may persist longer than expected, especially with repeated dosing.
Dose Information
| ROA | Light | Common | Strong | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral | 100-325mg | 325-500mg | 500-750mg | 750mg+ |
Light
Common
Strong
Heavy
Onset, Duration & After-effects
| ROA | Onset | Peak | Offset | After Effects | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral | 15-60 min | 2-5 hrs | 2-4 hrs | 1-12 hrs | 120-0 min |
Tolerance
Build-up
develops rapidly within days; meprobamate metabolite contributes to dependence
Reset
1–2 weeks
Effects
Positive
- Muscle relaxation
- Physical euphoria
- Pain relief
- Anxiolytic
- Muscle Relaxant
Negative
- Respiratory depression
- Sedation
- Sedative
- Dystaxia
- Hypnotic
Positive
- Cognitive euphoria
- Anxiety suppression
Negative
- Motor control loss
- Thought deceleration
- Dizziness
- Amnesia
- Analysis suppression
- Language suppression
- Compulsive redosing
- Delusions of sobriety
Positive
- Increased libido
- Appetite enhancement
Negative
- Disinhibition
- Acuity suppression
- Decreased Libido
- Acuity Suppression
- Double vision
- Visual acuity suppression
- Dulled perception
- Perception of bodily heaviness