Drug Uses

Soma is a muscle relaxant used to relieve the pain and stiffness of muscle spasms and discomfort due to strain and sprain.

How Taken

Soma is taken orally. The usual adult dosage of soma is one 350 mg tablet, three times daily and at bedtime. Usage in patients under age 12 is not recommended. It is recommended that you take Soma with food, or with milk, to minimize the likelihood that you will suffer an upset stomach as a result of taking the medication.

Warnings/Precautions

Do not take Soma if you have acute intermittent porphyria. Before taking Soma, tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver disease. You may need a lower dose or special monitoring during your therapy. It is not known whether Soma will harm an unborn baby. Do not take Soma without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant. It is also not known whether Soma passes into breast milk. Do not take Soma without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Soma is not approved for use in children younger than 12 years of age.

Missed Dose

If you miss a Soma dose, take it as soon as remembered if it is within an hour or so. If you do not remember until later, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not 'double-up' the Soma dose to catch up.

Possible Side Effects

Soma may cause dizziness, vertigo, ataxia, tremor, agitation, irritability, headache, depressive reactions, syncope, and insomnia. Allergic or idiosyncratic reactions occasionally develop. They are usually seen within the period of the first to fourth dose in patients having had no previous contact with the drug. Skin rash, erythema multiforme, pruritus, eosinophilia, and fixed drug eruption with cross reaction to meprobamate have been reported with Soma. Severe reactions have been manifested by asthmatic episodes, fever, weakness, dizziness, angioneurotic edema, smarting eyes, hypotension, and anaphylactoid shock.

Storage

Store at controlled room temperature 15°-30°C (59°-86°F). Dispense in a tight container.

Overdose

Seek emergency medical attention. Symptoms of a Soma overdose include low blood pressure (weakness, fainting, confusion), decreased breathing, and unconsciousness.

More Information

Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Soma may cause dizziness or drowsiness. If you experience dizziness or drowsiness, avoid these activities. Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol may increase drowsiness and dizziness while you are taking Soma.

Disclaimer

This drug information is for your information purposes only, it is not intended that this information covers all uses, directions, drug interactions, precautions, or adverse effects of your medication. This is only general information, and should not be relied on for any purpose. It should not be construed as containing specific instructions for any particular patient. We disclaim all responsibility for the accuracy and reliability of this information, and/or any consequences arising from the use of this information, including damage or adverse consequences to persons or property, however such damages or consequences arise. No warranty, either expressed or implied, is made in regards to this information.

Other info about Soma at Wikipedia.org and other resources:

Psychosomatic symptoms as biomarkers: Transcending the psyche-soma dichotomy
Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic 74(1): 63-77 Following the advancement in understanding dynamical systems, the author presents a novel metaphor of psychosomatic symptoms as low-dimensional biomarkers. This metaphor, which transcends the old binary of psyche-soma, resonates with classical psychoanalytic concepts and with Matte-Blanco's idea of repetition as indicative of dimensionality reduction. The relevance of this metaphor for explanation, diagnosis, and treatment is illustrated through a case study of a male patient suffering from hyperprolactinemia. (Source: Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic)

Mechanisms and Distribution of Ion Channels in Retinal Ganglion Cells: Using Temperature as an Independent Variable
Trains of action potentials of rat and cat retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) were recorded intracellularly across a temperature range of 7–37°C. Phase plots of the experimental impulse trains were precision fit using multicompartment simulations of anatomically reconstructed rat and cat RGCs. Action potential excitation was simulated with a "Five-channel model" [Na, K(delayed rectifier), Ca, K(A), and K(Ca-activated) channels] and the nonspace-clamped condition of the whole cell recording was exploited to determine the channels' distribution on the dendrites, soma, and proximal axon. At each temperature, optimal phase-plot fits for RGCs occurred with the same unique channel distribution. The "waveform" of the electrotonic current was found to be temperature dependent, which reflected...

Developmental regulation of TRPC3 ion channel expression in the mouse cochlea
Abstract  Canonical transient receptor potential type 3 (TRPC3) ion channels assemble from TRPC3 subunits and exhibit multiple activation mechanisms. TRPC3 has been proposed to contribute to Ca2+ entry supporting Ca2+ homeostasis in cochlear hair cells and to be activated by G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling in spiral ganglion neurons. The present study was designed to determine the spatiotemporal profile of TRPC3 expression during mouse cochlear ontogeny. TRPC3 immunofluorescence of cryosectioned cochleae was performed using E16–adult tissue. We found that prior to birth, TRPC3 expression was strongest in epithelial cells that form the cochlear partition. In the early postnatal period, to the onset of hearing (~P12), immunofluorescence was strongest in the hair ...

Neuropeptides and Large Dense Core Vesicles
We continue to be recognized by for the quantity and quality of our Neuropeptide and Neuropeptide Receptor Antibodies for studying Neurotransmission and Pain.We wanted to feature an new article referencing use of our Guinea Pig Substance Antibody. Dr. Richard Mains and his team shed light on the function and behavior of large dense corevesicles (LDCVs) concluding that under basal conditions, LDCVs move faster away from the soma than toward the soma, but fewer LDCVs travel anterograde than retrograde. Stimulation decreased average anterograde velocity and increases granule pausing. Data from antibody uptake, quantification of enzyme secretion and appearance of pHluorin fluorescence demonstrate distributed release of peptides all along the axon, not just at terminals. Jacqueline A Sobota , W...

HP1 Recruitment in the Absence of Argonaute Proteins in Drosophila
Author Summary One role for silent heterochromatin is to preserve the integrity of the genome by stabilizing regions rich in repetitive sequence and mobile elements. Compaction of repetitive sequences by heterochromatin is needed to prevent genome rearrangement and loss of genetic material. Furthermore, uncontrolled movement of mobile elements throughout the genome can result in deleterious mutations. In fission yeast, one important mechanism of heterochromatin establishment occurs through RNA interference, an RNA–dependent gene silencing process. However, it is unclear whether a direct role for RNA silencing in heterochromatin formation is conserved throughout evolution. In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, which harbors multiple RNA–silencing pathways that are both functionall...