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Are Soma/Vicodin HP safe together?

I have been taking one Vicodin HP at night to help me sleep for over a year now.  My pain has gotten worse (sacral fusing/degenerative disk disease in my low back) and my dr. upped me to 3 a day and added Soma at night to help me sleep as I have a terrible problem with sleeping w/pain.

I took my first Soma tonight with a Vicodin and 2 Naprosen as prescribed by my dr.  I woke up feeling extremely drugged and drowsy.  I was afraid to go to sleep as I felt almost too relaxed.  I am 5'4 and weigh 190 so I'm not a lightweight but drugs do affect me easily.

So my questions are.....1. are these drugs safe together in the dosages I mentioned above and 2. is anyone else taking this combo and successfully managing their pain
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1701886 tn?1307225564
I have been taking soma 325 4's a day in conjunction with norco not sure on dosage prob.the lowest yellow pill ..I was in a hot If balloon accident and have chronic back pain and have become partly disabled from it
Recently I was diagnosed with PTSD from a extremely traumatic experience . I am now taking in addition to my pain Meds ,200 mg of zoloft and seriquil to be taken before bed .
Now I believe I also have ADD and think I've been that way my whole life ...I'm currently working on building a website ,(no experience ) I can not stay focused I barely can get anything done after spending 4,5,6 hours with my partner who has ADD BUT IS ABLE TO STAY FOCUSED THE WHOLE TIME .I asked of I could try one to see if it helped ..I only took half and I felt calmer and was ready to work .....is it safe ?can I ask my doctor to do something different that can include adderal during the day so I can get things done?, most of the time I don't even want to walk out the door, change clothes ,nothing. My brain feels like its in jail and I can not get out unless someone makes me ..even at that I'm not happy to be leaving .the adderal made me productive
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i live in Rochester mn. the home of the mayo clinic not much help here pain wise top hospital in the world and they can't keep me put of pain i just don't get it . pain meds are abused ,by people who usually don't need them.those of us who do need them have to go with out.fact: people who live-in chronic pain don't become addicts they become able to function as best as they can like me rite know i can't even get outta bed with out a norco,ahot cup of coffee,&a hot bath [that's just getting to the point of getting dressed and navigating the stairs to get to breakfast] the day hasn't even started[pain for me is constant non stop taking meds is the only way i can function at all]i'm now with out any meds and can't stand living way i need a good pain managemnt group some where hereor the twin cities
. if any one can let me know how to find one please e-mail ***@****
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Avatar universal
I live in chronic pain.L5/L4 times 2 surgery I been dealing with this pain since 1996 i'm now 39 and worse than ever the pain is absolutely unbearible the dr.streat me like a drug addict when i ask/beg for my medication i also have a serious shoulder issue 2 surgeies 1 to go i need help with the pain what do i do.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Am i psychicallly addicted?
On fridays and saturdays i like to eat about 10 Acetaminophen: Hydrocodone Tablets 500 mg, 5mg (vicodin) these pills are def a narcotic and 10 of them is nothing short of a BAG OF DOPE!! i also drink mabye 10 drinks on friday and 10 drinks on saturday with them at the club and when its time to go to sleep ill take two .5mg xanax its been a routine for me for the last 4 months or so.. i know its bad but i enjoy it so much that i dont plan on stopping any time soon. The funny thing is that mon thru fri i can work and excercise normally and sleep semi normally. (im not bragging) I dont really get psychical withdrawls like people talk about. i may get a little anxious but thats about it. I eat normal and joke around normal and can maintain my daily scedule without any drugs or alcohol at all. What will happen f i keep up this routine??
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you for your info about Soma and about Flexiril.........I will be looking into that.  The Soma definitely doesn't have the same effect as the first couple of times I took it so I feel better about taking it then those first handful of times......but I'll still look into Flexiril.

Where can you find that article that you mentioned???
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I stumbled upon this site tonight and noticed your question about Soma. I've suffered from chronic pain for 17 yrs now and have herniated disks and a peripheral nerve disorder...anyway chronic pain. I've been given a lot of different meds and have a great Mom that reads a lot. I'm not a medical professional but one thing I can tell you for sure is that Soma can be a very dangerous drug due to how severely it depresses your respiratory system.  I've always battled a weight problem and have sleep apnea in my family so I refuse to take Soma. I saw some of the comments about "if your doctor prescribed it then it must be ok. But my Dad had shoulder surgery recently and the dr gave him Vicodin, Percocet and Soma for pain.  My Dad has sleep apnea-I don't know if the dr missed it or didn't know about it, either way I told my Mom about the problems with Soma, she called the nurse-who was very relieved that she called and made them aware because that could have been very serious. Also, after my accident I had the most painful muscle spasms of my life and the dr gave me Flexeril. Flexeril is technically a tri-cyclic antidepressant but it works better than any muscle relaxer I've ever tried. They are also just about the only meds that make me tired. So I would recommend telling your doctor about them and asking what he knows. If he doesn't know about them I would think about getting a second opinion-maybe from a pain specialist.

Sorry to go on so long.  Hope this helps you sleep.
Lady V.
P.S Hey have any of you read "Prescription Pain Medications: Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for Health Care Professionals and Law Enforcement Personnel" ? If you've ever had trouble getting treatment or meds for chronic pain you'll want to read this.  It will reassure you that you're not crazy!!!
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
I'm over 60 years old and for the past 15 years I take one .05mg xanax, one 350mg soma, one 7.5 mg hydrocodone, one 50mg amitriptyline along with niacin, aspirin, and pletal along with once in a while a good shot of rum. I'm the first one up in the morNings and the last one in bed at night. I take nothing during the day or evening all the while taking care of four grandchildren, cooking, cleaNing and laundry for all. I've not died yet and yes I know the holy trinity of opioids, soma and xanax is hillbilly heroin. However without it at Night I'd never sleep and with it can't sleep more than six hours.
193953 tn?1272075026
I take the Adderall for ADHD. I do have ADHD. I find it to be very helpful in just paying attention. It has nothing to do with the pain. However, I have heard cases of docs putting people on a strong narcotic that would normally knock them out and will prescribe Adderall as a stimulant to counteract the drowsiness. If you don't have ADHD it will have a stimulating effect on you but if you have it, it just chills you out. I take Hydro 7.5 1-2 TID PRN, Lyrica 75 mg BID, Alprazolam 1 mg HS PRN, Adderall 30 mg BID and right now, an antibiotic! WHEW!!!
Helpful - 0
195469 tn?1388322888
Anjel,

Would you tell me a little more about the drug 'Adderall.'  I have an appointment with my physician on Tuesday about trying a new schedule of pain medication, since the ones that I have been on, are not controlling my pain.  Would appreciate any personal comments you have about your use of Adderall.  Is the Adderall prescribed for pain?

And how have you been feeling Anjel?  I do think about you alot, dealing with all the discomfort that you suffer from.  I sincerely hope that you can find a way to get your pain under control.  Living in chronic pain, is the pits, isn't it?

Best Wishes,
Heather
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Avatar universal
Sounds like you might be ADHD.  Stimulants and depressants have the opposite effect on those with ADHD as they do on people without.
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193953 tn?1272075026
Well, anything in the family of muscle relaxants are not very helpful to me anyway. My body is just too weird. My muscle respond to Alprazolam and that is about it. I have even tried Baclofen... nada! It just ain't for me! My body reacts weird to all meds. Vicodin does the oppisite of drowsy. I am up all night when I take it so I try to make it a point not to take it at night. Ritalin.... lol.... makes me so sleepy, on my first dose I nearly passed out at a staff meeting. Try to explain that to someone! "I'm sorry I am so sleepy, I just started a stimulant called Ritalin!" People just won't believe you! I have switched to Adderall. It doesn't make me sleepy but it chills me out. Is this what they have nicknamed the next legal cocaine? For me though, it is good. Chills me enough to be able to get projects done. I can take Nyquil and I hit the treadmill for hours....lol
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well, last night I took 1/2 a Soma at 8:30pm, then took 1/2 a Vicodin at 10pm.......I then took the other 1/2 of both the Soma and Vicodin at 11pm and it seemed to work very well.  I didn't have that "coma" feeling like I did the night before and I slept well throughout the night and wasn't overly groggy this morning.

The first night I took both full pills at the same time and I seriously was afraid to go to sleep as I felt SO sedated.  I think felt groggy all day yesterday.  I did read later on that the very first dose of Soma can cause that exaggerated effect, but that it doesn't last.  So by cutting in 1/2 and staggering my pills last night I had a much better sedation for sleeping without feeling oversedated or groggy this morning.  I will play with it some more and see what works best.

Thank you for the input everyone, very helpful!

Although I've been taking Vicodin for 3 years now, the Soma thing is new and is mostly to help me sleep.  I have horrible sleep habits.  If this doesn't work they are talking about moving me to a longer acting pain medication.........she mentioned Percocet, but I"m not sure what my other options would be out there.

Rachel
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195469 tn?1388322888
I am currently take BOTH Soma and Vicodin.  (And have been for some time) It is very true about SOMA.  It is sedating; so may I suggest that you take SOMA with your Vicodin at a time, when you are able to lay down and rest.  This combination of drugs is especially helpful to me at night.  I suffer from continual muscle spasms due to Multiple Sclerosis.  SOMA has been a HUGE help, in my life of chronic pain.

SOMA can leave you with a "hangover" feeling.  As with all drugs, your body does adjust and the hangover effect will lessen with time.  But I have told that these two drugs in combination are very effective in controlling spasms and muscle pain.

I would never promote ANY medication on this forum.  I only share with you; what works in my case.

As always, you and your doctor, know best.

Best Wishes,
Heather3418
Helpful - 0
193953 tn?1272075026
I am by no means promoting the usage of these meds either. However, if the dr. prescribed them, then he did it in your best interest and that whatever side effects occur are measured less than what your condition is. You said you have taken Vicodin. Is that sedating to you? Have you ever taken Soma? Is it sedating to you? It may just be the combo if that is the case. However, DO take a dose only at night for a while so your body can adjust. I found that to be the case with me. I would only take it at night so my body would adjust and within a week, I could take them like I was supposed to. You may also want to try taking Vicodin and then a few hours later Soma and span them out like that. That may cut the sedation as well. Soma nor Vicodin makes me sleepy anymore. However, I do have my few meds that my body won't adjust to no matter how I take them to get used to them. Flexaril is one of them.... Whew! I just can't get used to it. I can take 2-3 Somas at a time and pain meds with them and am not the least bit sleepy. One Flexaril, you mine as well put me under for surgery. Ultram makes me sleepy. Can't get used to that either. I have suffered with my back for years and been through the whole line of meds and I know what I can take and what I can't. When someone is like that, they can easily be labeled as drug-seeking. If I have an ER visit, I can tell them what works for me and what doesn't. I don't ask for high powered meds so I hope that makes them think that I don't drug seek. Only pain med that works with no side effects... Vicodin. Muscle relaxant, I never want them to give me those because my muscles are not my problem but they push them on me anyhow. I take Xanax anyway and that is the best muscle med for me. It DOES have those qualities to it but is not prescribed for it. It works and it doesn't make me sleepy. They still feel like that want me to have one, so I tell them Soma.
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Avatar universal
If your doctor prescribed them together then it should be safe.  However, if you are feeling *too relaxed* why not tell him?  Maybe he will lower the dose(s)
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193953 tn?1272075026
My old doc, since has retired, always prescribed these 2 together. He said that it was the best combo of pain med and muscle relaxant
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