Miltown is a brand name of the generic oral medication meprobamate. It is also available in other common brand names such as Mb-Tab and Trancot. Dosage forms can include tablets or capsule in both immediate and extended release forms. A member of the carnamate chemical class of drugs, Miltown is an anti-anxiety medication.
Miltown is used to relieve nervousness or tension, but should not be used to address nervousness or tension caused by the stress of everyday life. It is instead intended to be used as a tranquilizer for the treatment of anxiety disorders and for short-term relief of symptoms of anxiety.
Abuses of Miltown
Like many anti-anxiety medications, Miltown can be habit-forming. A person taking the medication can develop tolerance and dependence, which can lead to withdrawal symptoms if the medication is stopped abruptly. When Miltown is used chronically, the development of abuse is much more likely.
Tolerance for Miltown is common, especially among recreational users. The individual will continue to increase the dose to achieve the desired effect – or high. As a result, the body must have more and more of the medication in order for it to be effective. Abuse can be common whether use is according to prescription or for recreational purposes.
Effects of Miltown
When used correctly, Miltown slows down the activity in the brain that can cause nervousness and anxiety. As a result, it can have a sedation effect, making an individual sleepy or impair their ability to work machinery or drive a vehicle.
The medication can also cause certain effects in individuals taking it for medical purposes. These effects can include broken capillary blood vessels, diarrhea, drowsiness, impaired coordination, irregular or rapid heartbeat, low red blood cell count, nausea, rash, slurred speech, vertigo, vomiting or weakness.
Withdrawal of Miltown
As Miltown is often taken for long periods of time, tolerance and dependence are likely to develop. As a result, a user may find they need to take more and more of the medication in order to achieve the desired effect. Such abuse can lead to very noticeable withdrawal symptoms if the medication is stopped abruptly. The onset of withdrawal from Miltown can occur within 12-48 hours following the last dose and can last another 12-48 hours.
Withdrawal symptoms associated with Miltown use can include, but are not limited to:
• Anxiety
• Abdominal cramps
• Insomnia
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Ataxia
• Tremor
• Muscle twitching
• Confusion
• Chills
• Convulsions
• Hallucinations
Treatment of Miltown Addiction
The continued use of Miltown – whether for recreational purposes or with a legitimate prescription – can put a person in significant danger of the effects of severe withdrawal symptoms. This is especially true if they seek to discontinue the drug abruptly or without medical care. Users should taper off the medication slowly under the care of a board-certified physician and board-certified addiction psychiatrist to ensure withdrawal symptoms do not become severe or life-threatening.
To ensure the individual rids their body of the drug completely and has a better chance of staying off the drug in the future, entering a detox center for 24/7 treatment is highly recommended. A quality center will offer a comfortable detox using withdrawal medications that have been proven to be highly effective in the treatment of those suffering a Miltown addiction.