Anyone doing a Carisoprodol/Soma taper?

Hi all! I'm almost 1 year benzo free and feel great! I can't believe I actually got through as there were days that I thought I wouldn't live to the next day.

 

I am writing today because was given carisoprodol/soma 250mg to take for muscle spams after I hurt by back two months ago. My rehab doctor told me that it fine to take it when I has spasms. Its been about two months and I've taken 1/2 tablet once or twice a week at night. It helped me sleep when things where tight.  I only  started to realize that my body needed more to get the same effect.    a few days ago and I called my doctor. He told me to try the flexeril instead. I'm not sure if I really want to be taking anything at this point. 

 

I believe my long term benzo (lorazepam) use has made me so sensitive to chemical dependency since my consumption and dosage are relatively low.

 

I tried to go cold turkey but that hasn't work. I've been trying to taper with 1/4 tablet but it has been hard. I don't sleep period! So this reminds me of my benzo withdrawl days.

 

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Anna

 

Has

Hi Anna,

 

It's wonderful to see you again, I wish it weren't under these circumstances though!  I've heard many people talk about Soma, there have been lots of threads started about it.  Here's one I found by typing Soma in the search box.

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=16181.0

 

I'd sure be careful about starting Flexeril, I've heard others talk about that one too, maybe you could do a search.  I'm sure some other members will drop by with their experiences, it seems like Leena has taken that for pain, you might want to ask her about it.

 

I sure hope you can get off of this stuff, I don't want you feeling like your benzo symptoms have returned.  Keep us posted okay?

 

Pam

My mom has to have a muscle relaxer, and the doc would not give her Soma because of the abuse potential. And she was given Vicodin.

 

While the limited use you had is not normally addictive, Soma works on the same type of GABA receptors as benzos. It may not work in the exact same way, but I could see the addiction working faster on receptors that have been compromised by benzo withdrawal. (Dr. Ashton, for example, says to wait at least 2 years before using similarly acting drugs.)

 

Flexeril is a much better choice. It doesn't work on the same receptors at all. It's actually a tricyclic antidepressant. The main problems with it are side effects, and a discontinuation syndrome similar to the SSRIs, but only if you take it consistently for a while.

trlkly and Pamster - Thanks for sharing what you know. Holy cow! I can't believe what a small world this is...and the gaba receptors. I can't believe I didn't think about the type of drug this is. I managed to get some natural sleep last night so I am keeping my fingers crossed that I am on my way to normalcy.

I'm glad to hear you slept well, the world looks so much brighter when that happens.  I believe we're especially sensitive after this, in many ways.  I've noticed that when I get upset about something, I get that old familiar buzzing I hated so much.  It's not as bad, and it leaves very quickly, but it's a reminder I don't care to have.

 

I hope you begin to feel better and better.