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Addition of a muscle relaxant

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Posted 12/20/2007 8:13 PM (GMT 0)
I was considering asking my PM doctor for an addition of a muscle relaxant hoping that I may be able to decrease the use of some BT meds.  Does anyone find these useful, or is it just adding unnecessary pills? 
Posted 12/20/2007 9:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Sue. By BT I assume you mean bed time meds. My PM doc prescribed soma to help me sleep but has since switched me to lunesta. I take it along with seroquel. The soroquel and soma wasn't giving me enough relief to sleep but soma during the day does help the back spasms.

Have a Blessed Day and a Wonderful CHRISTmas!!
Posted 12/20/2007 10:01 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry, by BT meds, I meant breakthrough (my Norco). Either way, you did answer my question about it helping you. My hope is that I will be able to take Norco and Soma (or other muscle relaxant) and not have to take as many Norco each day (I now take 6 a day and still have pain).
Posted 12/20/2007 11:31 PM (GMT 0)
Mochiah - What is your pain from? I'm assuming that your having some sort of muscle pain?

For me muscle relaxers are something I simply have to have. Without them my back spasms very painfully around where they did my spinal fusion. You can literally put your hand on my back and feel the muscles jumping.

If the pain your experiencing isn't from muscle pain - a muscle relaxer won't help. If it is, it could help decrease the number of pain medication pills you take by a bit. Just be wary that taking pain medication and muscle relaxers at the same time could knock you out quickly - and depending on the pill - each comes with it's own side effects. The soma that I take I can feel it hit my system, and I don't like the feeling it gives me when it does. For about 15 minutes I'm very talkative. When I first started taking it I had to be very careful as when it hit I felt as if my legs had turned to rubber.
Posted 12/21/2007 12:48 AM (GMT 0)
TD - Well, the original pain is from my back surgery, however, along with the deep ache in my back and leg from the radiculopathy I can actually watch the muscles dance or twitch. The pain is so bad at times that I literally can see and feel my toes curl. It feels like a charleyhorse from the back down the leg and then my second, third, and fourth toes stiffen and then curl down by themselves.

As far as side effects, I really don't need to worry too much since I am always home, I work from home, I leave the house once a week to replenish the food supply around here...even then my son drives my car.

I had posted in another thread about not really wanting to up my narcotics since I know I am going to be on them the remainder of my life and I don't want to be 70 and be out of avenues of controlling the pain, so I was thinking this might help some. I know that I was on Soma right after my surgery but that was prescribed by the surgeon and once I was done with followup I didn't get them anymore.
Posted 12/21/2007 1:33 AM (GMT 0)
I take zanaflex and It's the best no more spasms Deb
Posted 12/21/2007 2:28 AM (GMT 0)
Mochiah - I can relate I have my L4-L5-S1 fused, and have the same type of muscle spasms - mine are mostly in my lower back though. the radiculopathy for me is bad as well - in both legs. The best advice is to ask your pain management doctor. If you mention that you want on them to see about lowering your pain medication, I'm sure they would jump on that. :) There are several great muscle relaxers out there - each with it's own side effects, discuss them with your PM doctor.

Good luck!
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