Meprobamate and Aspirin (Systemic)

Brand Names : Epromate-M, Equagesic, Heptogesic, Meprogesic, Meprogesic Q, Micrainin

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 and aspirin combination, 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, or to aspirin or other salicylates, including methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen), or to any of the following medicines:

• Diclofenac (e.g., Voltaren)
• Diflunisal (e.g., Dolobid)
• Etodolac (e.g., Lodine)
• Fenoprofen (e.g., Nalfon)
• Floctafenine (e.g., Idarac)
• Flurbiprofen, oral (e.g., Ansaid)
• Ibuprofen (e.g., Motrin)
• Indomethacin (e.g., Indocin)
• Ketoprofen (e.g., Orudis)
• Ketorolac (e.g., Toradol)
• Meclofenamate (e.g., Meclomen)
• Mefenamic acid (e.g., Ponstel)
• Naproxen (e.g., Naprosyn)
• Oxyphenbutazone (e.g., Tandearil)
• Phenylbutazone (e.g., Butazolidin)
• Piroxicam (e.g., Feldene)
• Sulindac (e.g., Clinoril)
• Suprofen (e.g., Suprol)
• Tiaprofenic acid (e.g., Surgam)
• Tolmetin (e.g., Tolectin)
• Zomepirac (e.g., Zomax)

Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Meprobamate (contained in this combination medicine) has been reported to increase the chance of birth defects if taken during the first 3 months of pregnancy.

Studies in humans have not shown that aspirin (contained in this combination medicine) causes birth defects. However, studies in animals have shown that aspirin causes birth defects. Some reports have suggested that too much use of aspirin late in pregnancy may cause a decrease in the newborn's weight and possible death of the fetus or newborn infant. However, the mothers in these reports had been taking much larger amounts of aspirin than are usually recommended. Studies of mothers taking aspirin in the doses that are usually recommended did not show these unwanted effects. However, regular use of aspirin late in pregnancy may cause unwanted effects on the heart or blood flow in the fetus or in the newborn infant. Also, use of aspirin during the last 2 weeks of pregnancy may cause bleeding problems in the fetus before or during delivery or in the newborn infant. In addition, too much use of aspirin during the last 3 months of pregnancy may increase the length of pregnancy, prolong labor, cause other problems during delivery, or cause severe bleeding in the mother before, during, or after delivery.

Breast-feeding - Meprobamate (contained in this combination medicine) passes into the breast milk and may cause drowsiness in babies of mothers taking this medicine. Although aspirin (contained in this combination medicine) passes into the breast milk, it has not been shown to cause problems in nursing babies.

Children - Do not give a medicine containing aspirin to a child with a fever or other symptoms of a virus infection, especially flu or chickenpox, without first discussing this with your child's doctor . This is very important because aspirin may cause a serious illness called Reye's syndrome in children with fever caused by a virus infection, especially flu or chickenpox. Children who do not have a virus infection may also be more sensitive to the effects of aspirin (contained in this combination medicine), especially if they have a fever or have lost large amounts of body fluid because of vomiting, diarrhea, or sweating. This may increase the chance of side effects during treatment.

Adolescents - Teenagers with fever or other symptoms of a virus infection, especially flu or chickenpox, should check with a doctor before taking this medicine . The aspirin in this combination medicine may cause a serious illness called Reye's syndrome in teenagers with fever caused by a virus infection, especially flu or chickenpox.

Older adults - Elderly people may be especially sensitive to the effects of meprobamate and aspirin. 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 and aspirin combination, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Anticoagulants (blood thinners) or
• Carbenicillin by injection (e.g., Geopen) or
• Cefamandole (e.g., Mandol) or
• Cefoperazone (e.g., Cefobid) or
• Cefotetan (e.g., Cefotan) or
• Dipyridamole (e.g., Persantine) or
• Divalproex (e.g., Depakote) or
• Heparin or
• Inflammation or pain medicine, except narcotics, or
• Moxalactam (e.g., Moxam) or
• Pentoxifylline (e.g., Trental) or
• Plicamycin (e.g., Mithracin) or
• Ticarcillin (e.g., Ticar) or
• Valproic acid (e.g., Depakene) - Taking these medicines together with aspirin may increase the chance of bleeding

• Antidiabetics, oral (diabetes medicine you take by mouth) - Aspirin may increase the effects of the antidiabetic medicine; a change in dose may be needed if meprobamate and aspirin combination is taken regularly

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

• Methotrexate (e.g., Mexate) - The chance of serious side effects may be increased

• Probenecid (e.g., Benemid) - Aspirin may keep probenecid from working properly in the treatment of gout

• Sulfinpyrazone (e.g., Anturane) - Aspirin may keep sulfinpyrazone from working properly in the treatment of gout; also, there may be an increased chance of bleeding

• Urinary alkalizers (medicine that makes the urine less acid, such as acetazolamide [e.g., Diamox], calcium- and/or magnesium-containing antacids, dichlorphenamide [e.g., Daranide], methazolamide [e.g., Neptazane], potassium or sodium citrate and/or citric acid, sodium bicarbonate [baking soda]) - These medicines may make aspirin less effective by causing it to be removed from the body more quickly

• Vancomycin (e.g., Vancocin) - Hearing loss may occur and may lead to deafness

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of meprobamate and aspirin combination. 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

• Anemia or
• Stomach ulcer or other stomach problems - Aspirin may make your condition worse

• Asthma, allergies, and nasal polyps (history of) or
• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease - The chance of side effects may be increased.

• Epilepsy - The risk of seizures may be increased

• Gout - Aspirin may make this condition worse and may also lessen the effects of some medicines used to treat gout

• Hemophilia or other bleeding problems - The chance of bleeding may be increased by aspirin

• Porphyria - Meprobamate may make the condition worse