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and the muscle relaxer is....

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Posted 1/4/2008 10:48 PM (GMT 0)
I went to my dr. today and we discussed the toe-curling cramps I have been getting.  I was also hoping to try a muscle relaxer to help me use less of my breaktheough meds.  At any rate, she put me on Parafon Forte to take 1 tab 3 times daily as needed.  I am waiting until tonight to try it to find out how it affects me.  She did also order a complete blood count and basic metabolic panel to see if maybe I have an electrolyte imbalance causing the cramps, but she believes it is from the spinal cord damage I have.
Posted 1/5/2008 7:03 PM (GMT 0)

Mochiah said...
I went to my dr. today and we discussed the toe-curling cramps I have been getting.  I was also hoping to try a muscle relaxer to help me use less of my breaktheough meds.  At any rate, she put me on Parafon Forte to take 1 tab 3 times daily as needed.  I am waiting until tonight to try it to find out how it affects me.  She did also order a complete blood count and basic metabolic panel to see if maybe I have an electrolyte imbalance causing the cramps, but she believes it is from the spinal cord damage I have.

You sound like you have a good doc!   I've heard of Parafon Forte, but didn't realize it was a muscle relaxer.  I hope you have good success with it and it's helps your pain!   :)
Posted 1/5/2008 9:07 PM (GMT 0)
The Parafon Forte worked well for my cramps last night. At first it didn't seem like it had any effect, but about an hour or so after taking it I could feel the squeezes going away, then it made feel more relaxed and a bit sleepy. I am not sure if I will be able to take it during the daytime when I have to work, so I will have to try that on my days off.
Posted 1/6/2008 8:19 PM (GMT 0)
If its pill form you might try cutting it in half. I do this with my muscle relaxer during the day. My dr does not have a problem with me doing this. Susie
Posted 1/6/2008 8:27 PM (GMT 0)
Straydog- I did just that about 15 minutes ago. I opened the bottle and noted that they are scored and it easily snapped in half. I think that will work well without making me sleepy. This will be the first time I have tried taking the medicine other than at bedtime.

Part of my plight of taking the muscle relaxer is trying to cut down on the breakthrough medicine I take. I think it is going to work for this as well. The first night I took it about an hour after I took my last BT med for the day, last night I did not take the BT med and instead tried the muscle relaxer...it worked.
Posted 1/6/2008 9:41 PM (GMT 0)
Mochiah, I have a pump and Dilaudid is the main drug in my pump. I also have 2mg Dilaudid to take for BT meds too. I stay away from the BT meds cause I just do not want to get on the merrygoround of watching a clock again. Plus, I really cannot tell I get that much relief from them. I discovered that my muscle relaxer which is Zanaflex works awesome for the pain. Its a known fact that many of us have terrible spasms and pain pills do nothing for a muscle spasm. During the day if I need to take one I split it, I have no problems staying awake or driving my car. At night I take a whole one at bedtime and it just works so much better. Susie
Posted 1/7/2008 5:42 PM (GMT 0)
Mochiah - the only thing I can say is until you have adjusted to taking the muscle relaxer - DO NOT TAKE IT AND THEN DRIVE! If you want to take it for work, wait till you get to work and then take it. I have occasionally gotten a muscle relaxer that seemed a lot stronger than the other pills, and ever after taking them for so long it feels as if it hits me much harder than the others.
Posted 1/7/2008 8:50 PM (GMT 0)
TDoern - my travel to work consists of walking to the other end of my house to my home office, so no driving going on here.

I have found that taking 1/2 works without making me drowsy.
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