Mysoline (Primidone) Prescription Facts
Mysoline, known as primidone in its generic form, is a prescription barbiturate drug that is primarily used to treat seizures. It’s most often prescribed alongside other anticonvulsant medications to help people with epilepsy and seizure conditions. Mysoline works by controlling abnormal electrical activity in the brain that results in a seizure. Some of the side effects of Mysoline are similar to those of other barbiturate drugs. Dizziness, drowsiness, nausea and vomiting are possible. When a doctor is prescribing Mysoline, they will usually start with the lowest possible dose and then, if necessary, increase the dosage gradually. In some rare cases, a person who takes Mysoline may experience psychological side effects such as depression, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, or other mood or mental problems.
Mysoline Regulations
Mysoline is a controlled substance in the United States. Mysoline has therapeutic benefits but it also has a potential for abuse. Mysoline abuse refers to any situation in which someone is using this medication outside of prescribing guidelines. For example, someone with a prescription could abuse Mysoline by using it more often or taking larger doses than prescribed. If someone is taking Mysoline without a prescription, this is considered to be abuse as well.
Barbiturate Abuse
Barbiturates are a class of drugs with a long history in medicine. For many years, barbiturates were freely prescribed by doctors. Unfortunately, this led to problems with addiction, dependence and overdoses for many patients. Many Hollywood celebrities even died from barbiturate overdoses, including Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland. These drugs can be toxic in relatively low doses. Because of the potential for barbiturate abuse, these drugs are no longer frequently prescribed. Instead, doctors use safer medications like benzodiazepines. However, Mysoline is still prescribed for some patients who have seizures, but it’s important for people to be aware of the inherent risks of barbiturates. The best way to reduce the risks of Mysoline is to take it only as prescribed.
How Mysoline Affects the Brain and Body
As with other barbiturates, Mysoline is a central nervous system depressant. When someone uses Mysoline, it affects the brain’s inhibitory neurotransmitter called GABA. This is why Mysoline has a calming effect on the brain and seizure-related electrical activity. Mysoline can cause drowsiness and sedation in some cases. If someone were to take a large dose of Mysoline they might seem as if they were intoxicated or drunk from alcohol. Mysoline causes slowed thinking, impairment of memory and slowed respiration. Over time, the use of barbiturates like Mysoline can cause respiratory and central nervous system damage, cardiac problems, psychological problems like depression and liver damage.
Half-Life of Mysoline
The “half-life” of a drug refers to the period of time it takes for the concentration of a drug in the body to be reduced by half. Half-life is a measure of how quickly a drug is eliminated from the system. Knowing the half-life of a drug can be important if someone is taking a drug test, or to better estimate when withdrawal symptoms could begin. The half-life of Mysoline is around 10 hours but metabolites can linger in the body for longer. A metabolite is something that’s left behind by a parent drug as the body is metabolizing it. For the most part, a drug is considered to have left the system after around five half-lives.
Factors That Influence How Long Mysoline Stays in Your System
While you can find the half-life times for different drugs, there are individual factors that play a role in the specific amount of time that a drug stays in the system. Age is a big factor. Older people tend to take longer to metabolize drugs than younger people. If you drink a lot of water before taking a drug like Mysoline, it can cause the drug to be eliminated from your system more quickly. If you have a fast metabolism, you may also find that drugs leave your system more quickly than they do for someone with a slower metabolism. If you have existing health conditions or impaired organ function, this can also cause a drug to leave your system more slowly than it would in a person with no health issues.
How Long Does Mysoline Stay in Your Urine and Blood?
The half-life of Mysoline is around 10 hours on average and can be detectable in urine for anywhere from 29 to 36 hours. However, since there are other longer-lasting metabolites left behind, in some urine tests it could be detectable up to 252 hours after someone takes the drug. The metabolites that are left behind by primidone will show up as barbiturates. The higher the dose someone uses, or the longer someone has used Mysoline, the longer it’s going to show up on a drug test because it will have built up in the system.
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Mysoline Addiction Treatment & Rehab
The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers.