What is Caridoxen used for?

Caridoxen is a brand name of a combination medicine available in Mexico that contains naproxen (250mg) and carisoprodol (200mg) which may be used to control pain and inflammation and relieve muscle spasms. Caridoxen may be used as a muscle relaxant.

What is the dosage of Caridoxen?

The dosage of Caridoxen is 1 to 2 tablets up to 3 to 4 times a day. It should only be used for short periods (no more than two or three weeks).

Caridoxen should be administered with food.

List of countries that Caridoxen is available in

Caridoxen is available in Mexico.

How does Caridoxen work?

Caridoxen contains carisoprodol and naproxen. Experts aren't exactly sure how carisoprodol works but believe it alters nerve activity and the propagation of electrical impulses in the spinal cord and brain. Carisoprodol belongs to the group of drugs known as centrally-acting skeletal muscle relaxants.

Naproxen relieves pain and inflammation and works by blocking the effects of cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes. This prevents prostaglandin synthesis (prostaglandins elevate body temperature and make nerve endings more sensitive to pain transmission). Naproxen belongs to a group of medicines known as NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).

What are the side effects of Caridoxen?

The side effects of Caridoxen are a combination of each of the ingredients: carisoprodol and naproxen.

Carisoprodol may cause sedation, which may affect a person's ability to drive or operate machinery and increase their risk of falls. Alcohol should be avoided.

• Dizziness, headache, heart palpitations, and a drop in blood pressure on standing have also been reported. Facial flushing, insomnia, nausea, and abdominal discomfort may also occur.
• Carisoprodol may be addictive and carries a potential for abuse. May be sought after by drug abusers or people with addiction disorders. Misuse may cause sudden death or cardiovascular events (such as heart attack or stroke). Sudden discontinuation may precipitate withdrawal symptoms, including insomnia, vomiting, abdominal cramps, headache, muscle twitching, and hallucinations. Tolerance has developed to its effect (this means that the same dosage no longer provides the same relief).
• Rarely, may cause seizures, particularly when used with other seizure-inducing drugs.
• May not be as effective in people classed as "poor metabolizers" as the drug undergoes activation in the liver, specifically through an enzyme called CYP2C19. Poor metabolizers make less of the active form of carisoprodol.
• In the U.S. carisoprodol is not FDA approved for adolescents younger than 16 years old.
• May not be suitable for some people such as those with acute porphyria, kidney or liver disease, reduced CYP2C19 activity, a history of drug or alcohol abuse, or certain psychiatric comorbidities.
• May interact with several other drugs including other drugs that cause sedation, such as benzodiazepines, alcohol, antidepressants, opioid analgesics, and drugs metabolized by CYP2C19 hepatic enzymes.

Naproxen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that inhibits prostaglandin synthesis.

• Naproxen is rapidly and completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract after oral administration. Administering it with food may delay its absorption but does not alter its effect. Peak plasma levels after a dose are reached in 2 to 4 hours, depending on food intake.
• Naproxen may cause stomach-related side effects including indigestion, heartburn, and bleeding. People of older age, taking other medicines that affect the stomach, or who drink more than 3 glasses of alcohol per day may be more at risk. Naproxen is considered to have an intermediate potential for stomach-related side effects compared with other NSAIDs.
• Most NSAIDs have been associated with an increased risk of stroke or heart attack. The risk may be higher in patients with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions and with higher dosages.
• May not be suitable for some people including those with kidney disease, a history of stomach ulcers or other gastrointestinal disorders, with pre-existing cardiovascular disease, or following coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
• May interact with some other medicines such as warfarin, SSRIs, ACE inhibitors, and diuretics.
• NSAIDs, such as naproxen, should not be used during the last three months of pregnancy because they can cause premature closure of the fetal ductus arteriosus. In addition, the use of NSAIDs at around 20 weeks gestation or later in pregnancy may cause fetal kidney problems leading to oligohydramnios (low amniotic fluid volume) and in some cases kidney impairment. If NSAID treatment is deemed necessary between 20 and 30 weeks of pregnancy, use the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time. Avoid NSAIDs after 30 weeks gestation.

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What is the equivalent of Caridoxen available in the United States?

There is not a combination carisoprodol/naproxen medication available in the United States that is the same as Caridoxen but the ingredients contained in Caridoxen could be taken separately as naproxen (Aleve, EC-naprosyn) and carisoprodol (Soma, Vanadom).

What else is there to know about Caridoxen?

• Caridoxen should only be used for a maximum of two to three weeks at a time. Take exactly as directed, do not increase the dosage without your doctor's advice.
• Do not stop Caridoxen suddenly; when the time comes to discontinue it, your doctor will advise you how to taper the dosage down. If Caridoxen is not making your muscle pain any better, talk with your doctor.
• Do not drive or operate machinery if Caridoxen makes you sleepy. Avoid alcohol because alcohol may make sleepiness worse.
• Administer at the lowest effective dosage and take exactly as directed by your doctor; never increase the dosage of Caridoxen without your doctor's advice. Avoid sudden discontinuation as this can precipitate a withdrawal reaction.
• Talk to your doctor if you think you have become addicted to Caridoxen or if you experience any intolerable side effects.
• Always talk to your doctor or pharmacist before buying anything over-the-counter to check if it is compatible with Caridoxen. Caridoxen is a centrally-acting muscle relaxant that indirectly relaxes skeletal muscles. The carisoprodol metabolite, meprobamate, has anxiolytic and sedative properties.

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