March 26, 2007 - 1:32pm
I have been taking Norco for years due to chronic neck pain. Today I had to switch doctors due to new insurance and he told me that I should be taking Flexeril instead of Norco. Has anyone experienced this medicine before and how did it work for you? I have taken soma and it did not work well and made me feel gross.
March 26, 2007 - 2:07pm
#2
flex
Has some potentially bad drug interactions, I would read up as much as you can. You've taken hydro for years, but doc does not offer a step down plan? Any chance of another doc? Codeine, better yet Temgesic, (the real low dose ones, .2's, that go by that call brand). Come in blister pack of 10. Take 4 at rising from bed, (or trying to) 3 at lunch, and 3 at end of day. Try to get 7-10 days worth.
The Flex I think interacts with some of the old school psy. drugs. Again, read.
March 26, 2007 - 3:05pm
#3
Are you confusing Temgesic
Are you confusing Temgesic with Suboxone?
Both contain buprenorphine, but only Suboxone is used or opiate dependence.
Gtrplayer
March 26, 2007 - 3:42pm
#4
I personally cant stand
I personally cant stand flexeril. Nasty stuff. As far as muscle relaxabts go, Zanaflex is a good one as is a more hardcore relaxant like valium (diazepam). Valium works the best for me as a muscle relaxant but I take it with oxycodone. You might suggest to your dr. that your are willing to try the flexeril to see if it is helpful but that you wuold like s refill of your norco to fall back on in case the flexeril doesnt releive the pain. Also be sure and let your dr. know that norco has provided consisent relief and you understand the ricks of dependence, addiction and abuse. If your previous doc had no problem giving you norco for an extended period of time than I find it interesting he/she would have a problem with it. You are also not stuck with one doc, you can always seek out a second opinion however I would go to more than one other dr. or you might be considered a "drug seeker". Also, does your new dr. have all your old records showing that you were prescribed norco for an extended period of time, or do you have any imaging studies to back up your claim of neck pain? I wish you the best of luck
PDX
March 26, 2007 - 6:08pm
#5
I am currently on 4mg of
I am currently on 4mg of Zanaflex and it is the best musclie relaxer for my back that I've ever had - relives the tension everytime although it knocks me out. I do that 7.5/750 hydrocodone APAP for pain if I need it, but flexiril does nothing for me.
March 26, 2007 - 6:22pm
#6
Flexeril
Flexeril leaves me feeling strange. Slow, stupid and tired all the time, not to mention it does nothing for pain. However flexeril in combo with Norco is an excellent pain killer. Could you have your doctor lower your Norco and add the flexeril, instead of swapping one for the other?
March 27, 2007 - 12:16am
#7
We'll See..
I have an appointment on thursday so we"ll se what he says. I'm not really one to tell the doc how to do his or her job. I usually just go with the flow and what they perscribe. But if its not helping like other medications then I am going to tell him. Thanks for all the replies.
March 27, 2007 - 1:17am
#8
dazed
Not confused. Temgesic is name brand outside US. Like methadone they are both pain killers as much as anything else. Both are used for opiate w/d.
The US pills are horse pills. 8 mg. vs. 2ug. US pills are overkill, and could more easily lead to a new dependence.
March 27, 2007 - 2:10am
#9
Seriously, once I got on
Seriously, once I got on Zanaflex my back problems got a LOT better and I didn't have to take the Vicodin ES'sas much. I also do Pilates so that helps
March 27, 2007 - 8:19am
#10
Only good, I can not find
Only good, I can not find anything that says that Temgesic is anything other than buprenorphine. Suboxone contains Naloxone, and I am having trouble finding anything that says Temgesic contains Naloxone, or any opiate antagonist for that matter.
If the Temgesic has nalpxone in it, then yes, I agree it could have been used as a method of maintenance for opiate abstinence. However, if the pill only has an opiate agonist in it, you are essentially just substituting one addiction for another. And please, before I get flamed for this, I know that Methadone is not only an opiate addiction drug. I know it is used for chronic pain as well. I am not knocking Methadone.
Gtrplayer
March 27, 2007 - 7:23pm
#11
Like I said before and
Like I said before and undertakeress obviously agrees with me, I think zanaflez is worth asking about. I also take the 4mg zanaflex along with 20mg oxycontin twice daily and percocet 10/325 for b/t pain. The zanaflex is almost as effective in treating my back pain, due to numerous bulging/herniated discs, as is the percocet. Granted, I have the baseline relief of the oxycontin but I went solely with zanaflex and percocet for months before starting with the oxycontin. I also use valium as a muscle relaxant (mostly at bedtime) as zanaflex doesnt really sedate me is seems to do to others. This is nice because it does not effect my concentration during the day.
Don't be afraid that you are telling your doctor how to do his or her job. You are the one experiencing pain, not them. You are paying them to treat you and why bother if you are not taking an active roel in your treatment. Dont be afraid/hesitant to tell your dr. that norco seems appropriate for you and that it helps you function better on a daily level if thats the case. Also tell him/her you are willing to try other therapies aside fomr narcotics but that with your past experience you know that you benefit by having norco around top releive pain not relieved by the non opioid therapies. (i.e., muscle relaxants, NSAID's, physical therapy, stretching, massage therapy, etc.) You have every right to know all the options available for your treatment and the means to use them. If norco has been documented as an effective and appropriate therapy, your doctor should be willing to do everything and anything necessary and available to him/her to releive/reduce your pain and other symptoms. Unless they feel you are "seeking drugs," any compassionate doc I would think would be willing to give your suggestions a try. (I am not giving medical advice however I have 5 physicians in my immediate family) Also, some clinics and/or doctors have a policy not to prescribe narcotics to new or unknown patients. It could be on your next visit once he/she gets to know you a little better he/she will be more comfortable in prescribing narcotics. Just trying to give you a ew ideas as to why you are in this predicament. I hope your appt. Thursday goes well and just remember not to feel like you cant ask questions or make suggestions of your own. The best rapport between doctor and patient is one where they both have an open communication and understanding. Also, be persisent with what you need. Persistence will show that you really are in pain and in need of something that will treat the pain more effectively than flexeril. Sorry to ramble and once again good luck with your dr.
PDX
March 30, 2007 - 2:13pm
#12
hi everyone. long time no
hi everyone. long time no see.... well i have found many of my back problems out now. going in for another mri just on my spine(i've already had one), and then one just for muscles. basically- i am very, very young!!!!!! i am in pain daily, and have been thru a few docs now, done pt, and may be doing injections soon. i hear they are better than any painkiller... that person may be wrong though. anywho, my spine and lower back KILL me! ahh!!!!! i have gotten so depressed and been out of work. i mean i am really depressed.... i got on an antidepressant and freaken about killed myself. i'm off now. ugh anyways, about flexaril- where i should have started... well i was on that in the beginning of trying to figure out why i hurt so much, and was put on it. i HATED it! omg i couldn't even sleep on it anymore after like 2 weeks. in the beginning it would help me sleep. i have a bad insomnia problem from my pain now, yet noone will give me a freaken sleep aid! i hate doctors sometimes. they are sooo afraid to give me something i will get addicted to, yet i am on a ton of zanaflex a day. i am NOT addicted to that, but seeing how it is a very strong muscle relaxer, who wouldn't get addicted to something like that if they were looking to be a stupid idiot who can't speak after taking so much? trust me, there are muscle relaxant addicts out there. anyways, %?#$$ the 4mg of zanaflex. i am taking 8 at a time. 4 doesn't do much. but i am sick of being in BED all day!!!!!! ugh zanaflex may work, but it WILL put me to sleep. however, i can't NOT take it. i am STILL in pain when taking it but i am on percocet for that.... that is for another post though. anywho, everyone is different! i hate flexaril and would not even finish them when i had them, they were worthless and a WASTE of money for me. zanaflex works but puts me to sleep no matter WHAT i may be doing......unless of course i am trying to sleep at night, then i can't! what do you guys in here think of soma's for me? i went straight from flexaril to zanaflex 4mg to 8mg in a hurry.... i have never asked about another, and i fear if i change, nothing will work, and i should just take the stupid zanaflex and sleep my life away... i feel like i am a waste of human life the way i live now.... btw, when i said i have bad insomnia- i do, and i still sleep my days away but will wake up at like midnight and not go back to bed until 8am even if i take more zanaflex. and i don't sleep all day, i will sleep about 3 hours at a time and wake up to eat and take more... watch tv, and get up online some during the day. i just take naps, and NEVER get a full night's or day's sleep.... it wears me down all day, and when i want to sleep i can't :(
so basically, i can't live the day without them, and i can't live the night with them. i cannot go about a normal day with none, my pain is KILLER. i am soooo sick of it and over it. my freaken spine is pulling my muscles to one side of my back, and the part being pulled is suffering profusely... plus i have a baddddd pulled muscle in the middle back that wont heal b/c of it! i am screwed, blued and tattooed......(a great 80's sleez beez song...)
sorry for the novel everyone....
March 30, 2007 - 2:27pm
#13
Ilovemegadeath, First
Ilovemegadeath,
First off, you are not a waste of human life. Don't start thinking that way about yourself. It will only cause more trouble in the long run. Second, you mentioned that you went from 4 to 8 mg of Zanaflex. Just out of curiosity, did you do this on your own or under a doctor's order? I don't know much about Zanaflex, but have seen family members on it and they do just as you described, zonk out for about 8 hours at a time, and wake up tired.
One thing I noticed is that you said that the muscles in your back are pulled to one side. That really caught my eye because my back is the same way. Through physical and occupational therapy, I have been able, to some degree, actually retrain my muscles. I know we all want that instant gratification to be free from pain, but just from experience, watching your posture and doing the mind numbing PT will have an effect if you stick with it long enough. Not just 3 X week, but every day, on your own at home, doing simple things like sitting straight up, walking straight, making sure appliances are ergonomically sound. Trust me, it is a long, and boring process. But, the results are mildly worth it. One of the exercises they had me do, since my muscles were pulling everything to the left (due to me being right handed, and sports) was to do reverse twists. Since my muscle were pulling to the left, I would stand next to the wall, right side against the wall, and while standing straight, would turn at the hips, with my left arm making an L shape, and tap the wall with my left hand.
I'm just trying to offer some help from the therapies I have had good luck with. I'm not a doctor, physical therapist, or otherwise health professional. I have just had a lot of PT and procedures over the last 2 or 3 years. Give it time, my friend.
Gtrplayer
March 30, 2007 - 2:47pm
#14
Hang in there
Listen to gtrplayer, the exercises and proper postures work. They are boring and painful but they work. Have you gone to a Chiro? I did epidurals, zanaflex, potent opioids, and chiropractic adjustments all at the same time. I think the steroid epidurals and chiropractic adjustments helped more than the meds. I went from flexeril to zanaflex but only took 2-4mg, 2-3/day and I was constantly falling asleep throughout the day but not at night, I was given Ambien for that. I never thought the zanaflex helped with the pain, neither did the Fentanyl and Oxy, after a while. I was only 25 when I went through this but the problems started at 17, so I know what it's like to be young and in pain. Meds are not the answer at that age, use them to battle through the PT pain or post op pain and get off them before you become a junkie, like I did.
March 30, 2007 - 2:52pm
#15
hi gtrplayer!thanks for
hi gtrplayer!
thanks for that.
i went from 4mg's to 8mg's back to 4mg's then back to 8mg's. two different doctor's fighting over what to do to me... i hated going back to 4mg's and marched straight in there and got my 8mg's back... i've HAD it with these doctor's.... umm and the orthopedic SURGEON put me on 8 and my pcp put me on 4... the irony is that the pcp STARTED me on it, and the ortho moved it on up.. then the pcp took it down, then i MADE him move it back up. i have NOT changed a bit since going to the hospital for my pulled muscle, to get x-rays and finding out i have severe scoliosis.... it is RUINING me.... :( scoliosis ususally ISN'T painful, except for of course, my case.....
i've done physical therapy the electrolosis way, and now am doing physical therapy the old school way. not doing anything. but i am giving it time. man i don't want to do ANYTHING, my back feels soooo tight and just hurts. i want to rip my hair out. i try to stretch and can't seem to do it right. the one muscle that was/is pulled will NOT heal and i can't seem to stretch it. it bothers me sooo bad besides my whole other back.. i am in a reallllly bad place considering they are scared of what to do for me. one wrong move will hurt my pulled and/or whole side of pulled muscles... that one muscle is in my mid back and in my ribs... VERY hard to stretch. my spine hurts from being EXTREMELY curved and being rotated inside of me... i want to cry. wait, i HAVE been crying. nothing will truly work for me, and i think i am getting surgery. i saw a spine surgeon who told me he can't even guarantee i will come out of surgery better than i will go in before.. in the state i am in NOW~! let alone make me handicapped doing one wrong thing. i'm telling you my problems are not normal.. my spine is so jacked up that i went downhill within 6 months. it took so long for my spine to get to this point, that now it is STILL not at it's top peak. they think it will keep turning as i get older. ???$*- i am not even 21 let alone 30 or 40! i think i will end up shutting down inside over the next couple of years and not make it. i wish someone would fix me.
any info. on surgery or thoughts anyone?? it IS spinal therapy, so i am verrrrrry afraid and not wanting to do it.
March 30, 2007 - 2:58pm
#16
wharfrat thanks for that as
wharfrat thanks for that as well. well to be honest, i WAS a junkie. but that was before i knew what i would end up like... i am not anymore. i had no idea what was happening in my back until it was too late. i will not get addicted again. so that's not a problem. i am very smart when it comes to knowing when to stop and just taking what i should take everyday. i do not agree with you on stopping the meds. i do KNOW young and old people addicted to it. age is just a number. i live by that saying.. anyways, i am trying to live through it and doing what i should, but i am still not anywhere near how i was last year. i was waitressing a ton and thought my back pain was from being on my feet, boy was i wrong.... when it rains it poors. that's what i am feeling now is pooring pain. it will take alot to fix me, and i am not guaranteed to be fixed ever.
March 31, 2007 - 8:47pm
#17
I am rx'd 4-8mg of zanaflex
I am rx'd 4-8mg of zanaflex and it works great and doesnt seem to mek me sleepy, I have valium for that. Weird that everone else seems to pass out on the stuff.
PDX
March 31, 2007 - 9:01pm
#18
ilovemegadeth- I was in a
ilovemegadeth-
I was in a similar situation. May I strongly recommend trying Pilates. I do the 10 minute Solution Pilates DVD - it has 5 different workouts that are 10 minutes long each. The Pilates for Flexibility has completely changed my life. The stretches and breathing techniques they teach are amazing and my pain level has dropped in half since I started doing it every day or other day since January. I actually avoided epidurals by doing this, as my dr. said that I had showed so much improvement he didn't feel it was necessary.
I take 4mg Zanaflex now, but sometimes if I don't feel I need that much I take half a pill - it konks me out in about 30 minutes but it's short term sleep.
April 5, 2007 - 2:11am
#19
me too
I was the same was with zanaflex- I knew after taking it I would be OUT in about 30-45 minutes. I would sleep real good like when you take a sleeping pill, but it was for about 4 hours instead of the usual 8 for sleeping pills. I love being on zanaflex, and actually I might have to talk to my doc again getting on it again b/c I have problems getting to sleep at night but my nights are only about 5-6 hours so I don't want an 8 hour pill. My whole family has a problem with insomnia, and restless leg syndrome. I can't tell you how many times I was dead tired and couldn't sleep b/c my legs kept wanting to move.
April 5, 2007 - 8:08am
#20
The only side effect I've
The only side effect I've noticed from the Zanaflex is that the next day I have some dizzyness. Almsot like not getting any sleep and having to work a full day.
But Zanaflex >>>>> Flexiril
April 28, 2007 - 12:31am
#21
I was switched from darvocet
I was switched from darvocet to flexeril for lower back pain, and I can say that in my experience flexeril is simply not the drug for me.
It does work for the pain, however it knocks me out big time. One pill and I'm asleep for like 12 hours and for the first 4 or 5 I'm awake, I'm groggy and feel like im in a fog. Even when I get a tolerance built up the sleep factor only reduces slightly but the "foggy" feeling persists.
If I could get something else, I would.
April 28, 2007 - 1:11am
#22
that's probably because
that's probably because flexeril is a muscle relaxer and darvocet is a pain killer
April 29, 2007 - 9:17pm
#23
right, Im aware of that, but
right, Im aware of that, but I think flexeril is bad alternative. Not functioning due to walking around in a half asleep daze is about the same as not functioning due to pain.
i personally never had very good success w/ flexeril or soma. if your neck problem is related to a muslce problem then the doctor might find it better to try one of the many types of muscle relaxers, however, if the neck problem is related to a bone type issue then maybe they will decide that the norco is a better idea.
whatever the case, make sure you keep your doctor informed of how things are going and how you are feeling.
i hate to second guess any doctor and would reccomend that you follow their instructions over anything/anyone that you read something from over the internet, but it is odd (to me at least) that one doctor would see it fit to write scripts for norcos for years and then another doctor would approach the same problem with muscle relaxers.
i too have had some problems w/ my neck in the past (thank God i dont anymore) and know that it can be very painful and hope that you find some relief soon.
all thoughts and opinions expressed are those of my own and should not be mistaken for medical advice. i am not a doctor nor a pharmacist. all medical questions should be answered by a licensed pharmacist, doctor, or primary care manager.