Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. If too much is taken, it may become habit-forming.

Dosing

The dose of meprobamate will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of meprobamate. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so:

• For regular (short-acting) tablets:
  • Adults and children 12 years of age and older: 400 milligrams three or four times a day, or 600 milligrams two times a day.
  • Children 6 to 12 years of age: 100 to 200 milligrams two or three times a day.
  • Children up to 6 years of age: Dose must be determined by the doctor.
• For long-acting dosage forms (extended-release tablets):
  • Adults and children 12 years of age or older: 400 to 800 milligrams two times a day, in the morning and at bedtime.
  • Children 6 to 12 years of age: 200 milligrams two times a day, in the morning and at bedtime.
  • Children up to 6 years of age: Dose must be determined by the doctor.

Missed dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine and remember within an hour or so of the missed dose, take it right away. However, if you do not remember until later, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

To store this medicine:

• Keep out of the reach of children. Overdose of meprobamate is very dangerous in children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.

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

• 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