Soma

[The Golden Slipper]

Hello,

I have a question. Is anyone familiar with the drug Soma. I have had chronic neck pain for over a year.  Yesterday I spoke with my PCP and he wants to prescribe this medication for me.

I am having an MRI done next weekend as he thinks I might have a disc problem or possibly arthritis.  I am in the process of tapering off of fiorinal a barbituate which I have been addicted to for a long time.

I do not want to become addicted to something else now. The doc tells me it is not addictive but I have my doubts.  Does anyone know anything about this drug????

Thanks in advance for the responses

Golden Slipper

[sjs56201]

I was on Soma for over 4 years and then all of sudden the pain specialist who doesn't even know me took me off of it - just like that- I am a bit angered because the medication was like a God-Send to me. With all the pain I have. The reason Soma works so good is because it produces sedation with-in the spinal cord, essentially depressing the CNS blocking interneural activity/ it is a wonderful medication for people who have had multiple back surgeries or have implants of any kind in the spinal column. I think it is extremely unfair that patients - such as myself - who have never abused Soma are now taking the brunt for the people who do abuse it just to get high. If people become addicted to it because they are in pain and need the medication to function through their pain that is different. I am just talking about the people who take it for the fun of it - and they have no pain at all ever - those are the people I can't stand, because now they have ruined my chances of getting to continue to take a medication that actually worked. SJS

[sjs56201]

The pain doctors in Minneapolis are really head strong about not perscribing soma - but are willing to give patients "MS-Contin" which is a morphine compound. Can anybody tell me why a pain doctor would switch a new patient that they barely know from Tylenol #3 & Soma to Tylenol #3 & Flexril (which isn't working) and also offer them MS-Contin? This actually makes no sense to me - other than the doctor said that, "Soma is highly addictive, we don't prescibe our patients that, but we could try a morphine compound." I just thought.... what the hell drugs are you on lady? Okay... lets change this girl from being on Soma (350mg/ 6x per day) to a compound of morphine? Not smart! Soma is the only medication I have found that works really well at relieving 80% of back pain in a hurry - I would take 2 at a time with 1 Tylenol #3 and would be fine and pain free for 6 hours. I have had 3 back surgeries & I am only 27 years old. I now have a bunch of metal in my back from a spinal fusion in April. What the heck do you say to a Dr. who is willing to switch your meds and make you feel worse from all the pain your in? Sarah J.

[DemiHigh]

Hi, My Husband had a spinal fracture and his Dr. gave him SOMA'S , PERCOSET, XANAX, XANAFLEX and FLEXARIL. He is addicted to the SOMA'S and XANAX.  The SOMA'S cause him to have short term memory loss and he sleeps all the time and he can be standing up using the bathroom and just fall on the floor and sometimes black out. The SOMA'S seem to be nasty little pill's that give you no control over yourself. But I can't say to much about nasty little pill's because 3 years ago i found out i had Endometriosis and the pain was intense, and my Dr. gave me DEMORAL (100 mg ) every 8 hours.  I took it as prescribed, to narrow it down i only took 2 pill's a day. Today i went to my Dr. for a check up  and he ask me if i had been decreasing my dosage like we had talked about, And i was honest and said NO again. for the past 4 months he has been trying to wean  me from the Demoral but i have not cut down at all i have kept the same dosage. And today he gave me 100 pill's and said i had to cut down and wean myself because this is my LAST prescription. I also need some advice here... Has anyone ever been addicted to DEMORAL ? if so how bad are the withdrawls ? and since i only take 2 a day will it be easy for me ? I have went a total of 23 hours without taking Demoral because the last time i took one was at 10PM last night  and i tried to get it out of my head and tried not to take one but i couldn't do it i had to take one at 9;30. But one good thing is that i was also prescribed VALIUM (10mg)2 years ago, and a week before Christmas of this year I ran out of Valium and my Dr. wouldn't give me anymore and i thought i would not survive without them but I DID and i didn't have any withdrawls at all with the Valium i quit cold turkey with no craving for them. So do you think that it will be that easy for the Demoral? I do take the Demoral alot more than i did the Valium. And get this one... my Dr is taking me off Demoral and is wanting to use XANAX to replace the Demoral..... is this not defeating the addiction purpose???????   Here is ya'll some info that may be of interest to those who are taking SOMA'S. And if anyone can help me about Demoral i appreciate it.

Thanks Laura

[lalagirl]

I AM ADDICTED TO SOMAS, I THINK THEY MAKE ME DEPRESSED TOO

[Rex1]

So what's your next step? Have you told your dr?

Rex

[CrazyDiamond]

I currently take 3-5 Soma's and 4-5 Lorcet 10/500's at a time to get a buzz.  The effect is amazing to say the least.  I have read that combining the two is simliar to taking heroin.  I have a chronic back condition (spondylolisthesis Grade III) that causes me severe pain, but I do not take the meds like I am supposed to.  I started out getting a buzz from 2 Somas and 1 1/2 Lorcets.  Please be very careful with both of these drugs.  I have dabbled in drugs and alcohol since I was thirteen, but have never been so addicted to anything in my life.  All I think about is getting off on the pills.  I have stolen these pills from my friends and family.  I got into trouble for doctor shopping.  I lost my job because I was going to work 'high'.  It is not worth it.  I have no idea what I am going to do with my life.  Please do not let yourself got in this bad of shape.  Once I felt that high I knew that's how I wanted to feel for the rest of my life.  My tolerance is through the roof!  If anyone wants to talk I am here!!!!

[sharonver]

I would defininetly see that she goes to a physician to straighten this out.  If there is an addictionologist in your area that would be even better.  Sounds like the combination of these meds are bad for her. You should discuss this with her first and let her know that you are there for her.  Being supportive in this is crucial.

Sharon

[Jestinlove]

My wife suffers from upper back pain and the occassional migraine headache. She has taken soma and lortab for some time now to better manage her pain. A few weeks ago I arrived home from work to find my wife bathing my one year old daughter with water up to her chin and the faucet still running. I found out shortly after, that 3 different doctors were prescribing her lortab and soma for her symptoms. Since the incident with my daughter, I have seen my wife fall down twice. She also smokes marijuana on a regular basis. I am convinced that she is addicted and I need some advice. If someone has delt with this before, please give input. She might take advice from someone who has been through this before.

[curious1998]

Thank you so much GoldenSlipper, I will do that.

curious

[The Golden Slipper]

You may want to post further up or try to post your message as a new question so people will see it.

I have never taken Soma so I really can't help you.  I'm sure there are many people on this forum who will reply.

Try to post as a new question.

Good Luck
Golden Slipper

[curious1998]

Hi to all, very new here, but need advice, I have gotten myself very addicted to Soma.  First it was Vic's, I kicked those on my own with a tapering system, is tapering off Soma possible?  Going to a detox place is not an option, can't tell my doc either, I have been ordering it off the net, I have bad back pain and migraines.  From my heart, any advice would be so very much appreciated.  

Thanks,
curious1998

[Isis]

New member here, I've been reading a lot of the posts here for quite awhile now, I've learned tons from all of you.  I'm not an addict, but I believe I do have addictive tendencies, as I have a lot of people in my family that have been addicted to one thing or another.  A lot of them have either died as a result of their addiction, or are in jail.  I came to the addiction forums in an effort to make sure I DON'T become addicted, so I can watch for signs & symptoms of addiction, as I am a chronic pain patient.

I have taken Soma in the past for sever low back muscle spasms.  I was prescribed Soma with Ativan.  I took them both as prescribed, and still had some pretty strange things happen to me that I don't remember.  My husband and kids told me that I hallucinated that there were fish in my freezer laughing at me, I had a tree in my bedroom, things like that.  I don't recall any of this.  Like I said, I did not take more than I was prescribed, and I took them EXACTLY as prescribed, and this still happened to me.  There was no way in h*ll I could have driven on these drugs.

On the flip side, my muscle spasms and the resulting pain did go away.  Before the meds I wasn't able to even walk due to the incredible pain.  After taking the meds it was as though I never had a problem to begin with.  The combination definatly worked for the problem, but not without some strange and dangerous side effects.

Hope this helps.

~Isis

[GOD]

Good point about the Soma.

If abused, it can make you into the town drunk without you even realizing how it happened. VERY BAD STUFF! (if abused)

Blackouts
Slurred speech
loss of coordination
inability to reason

To name just a few!

Take it easy tonight,
~~~~Jess~~~~
(no... I'm not employed by Medhelp, It's just my new handle!)

[DubeMechanic]

Heh, somas, my favorite.

They are good when taken as directed but beware abusing them, they sneak up on you.

Woke up in jail because of those suckers. Duh..

DM

[The Golden Slipper]

Jeez.... maybe I should try acupuncture for my neck pain.  I am so glad I asked about this drug.

The neck pain is pretty intense but I really don't want to run the risk of getting hooked on something else, especially where I am trying to taper off of the barbituates.

Thanks to everyone for their responses

Golden Slipper

[PING]

hi to all of you, as some of you know i am tapering off oxy'was planning on going today with just one 10mg, my
brother came by from out of state, had just took the one that i had planned on taking, but i asked him if he wanted a beer, so when he said yes, i took another oxy, what an excuse, hating myself now that i did, pull for me that i will get stronger.
did anyone ever have bad bad dreams and nightmares, while taking
these? anytime i have taken them in the eveing, thats what happens. sorry about the rambling. wish all a good day.
                                  lee.

[Starraven]

I was posting the same time you were.   Thanks for your input on your experience on Soma.  You are so right about the memory loss. I don't ever want to go out to dinner and forget I went. :) Can you imagine having a nice dinner with your husband or wife and NOT remembering it.  I tried so hard to bring up a memory of that evening, but nothing.  I don't remember getting in the car, eating dinner, coming home or going to bed.  Everyone is different.  You are right about that.  The doctors think it is a safe drug, but in reality, for some it is not safe at all.  
Hugs,
Star

[Starraven]

It still is a mystery to me because I had been on this mixture of lortab and soma for a couple of weeks.  My husband said I had terrible memory loss while on the soma and although my memory tells me I only took the two and two combination, I wouldn't have put it past myself to forget that I took a previous dose and dosed again too soon.  The effect it had on my memory was terrible.  I remember having a discussion with my husband when I was not on the Somas after my collapse and telling him we hadn't gone out to dinner in a long time.  He looked at me like I was nuts because apparently we had gone the week prior and I don't remember it at all.  I was also on two different antideprssants at the time.  Wellbutrin and a low dose of Paxil.  Not sure if that might have contributed to my black out or not.  I hadn't had any of these problems until I was prescribed soma.
At any rate it opened my eyes to the dangers of the medications I was taking.

[vikequeen]

we think of doctors as these really smart guys that know it all, for one the PDR is there bible and in the PDR it says it is not addictive so they think that if its ok in the PDR its ok, I no longer take them and they are very easy to get, I cant because I will take 2 then nothing then 2 more then nothing then in 3 hours I am out cold it kind of builds up after hours and I had a mini seizure on it, I cammot remember **** while on it so its out for me , it also has a mind of its own I used to be able to take 2 and be f'ed up now 5 will not do a thing so why bother you know what I mean so be careful but also remember everyones body chemistry is different Love Badd

[groovygirl]

Wow, I never knew that taking only 2 hydros and 2 somas could do that to you.  I used to take a fistful of hydros at a time...sometimes I'd take a valium at the same time.  I never experienced that, although I have experienced "blackout" types of episodes.  I was on the phone once, and call-waiting beeped so I clicked over.  I never went back to my original call, and had completely forgotten I was even talking to someone.  My friend called me a few minutes later to ask where I went.  I had totally blanked on that I had spoken with him...didn't even remember our conversation...very strange feeling.  I stopped the hydros shortly thereafter.

[Starraven]

Absolutely correct Hellbent.  Didn't mention this before because it is so embarrasing to me.  I took two lortabs with two Somas.  Fixed dinner for my family,  was fine almost to the end of the meal.  Started feeling very lethargic.  Got up to start cleaning up the table.  Next thing I know I wake up on the couch.  My family said I was fine one minute and they heard a crash and I was passed out in the kitchen.  Very scary because I had no warning that I was ready to fall out except feeling a little out of it.  This had never happened to me and indeed it was a wake up call not to mix these two drugs.  For some it might not have this effect, but it was a dangerous combination for me.  
Hugs,
Star

[hellbent]

I never did somas, but I have many friends who did. In combination with prescription opiod painkillers, I have seen them literally fall on their head. One friend has been to the ER more than once from just passing out on his feet, but he is pretty hardcore. Be careful mixing them.

[Starraven]

My doctor put me on Soma.  I thought it was just another muscle relaxer like Flexeril. (which just makes me sleepy)  I took two Somas and I felt like I had taken a bunch of xanax.  For me it produced a very calming and sedative effect.  When I went off of it after a short period I did not suffer any withdrawal symptoms luckily.  I recently read on a website that Florida is soon or has scheduled this drug and it is a controlled substance in  two other states.  I also read that Soma (carisoprodol)is related to the schedule IV drug mepobramate. (a strong and addicting sedative agent) I did the research because of my addictive personality.  After the feeling of Eurphoria that I was experiencing, I was just certain it was a controlled substance.
Just my experience with Soma.  Take as directed.  and follow the advice of the others, it is dangerous to operate a car or in my case ,walk. :)  
Good luck.
Star

[The Golden Slipper]

Thanks for the info.  I had a feeling it might have some addictive potential.  It seems like some doctors just don't have much knowledge of what is addictive and what isn't.  My doctor told me it was not addictive and I wouldn't feel high from it.

I will have to think about this one. My sister was on it for awhile and found it to be a very effective drug.

I'm just beginning to get cleaned up and don't want to start playing with fire again if I don't have to.

Thanks Guys