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Okay, the saga continues. Turns out, I'm allergic to Flexeril (which I took for over 3 and a half years) and now I'm on Soma. I'm having a flare-up currently so I need an anti-spasm med but the Soma is making me sick. Can anyone recommend from personal experience a good anti-spasm med for back pain related to herniated discs/sciatica?
I took SOMA (Carisoprodol) for 3 months before it started to work for me. Met a nurse who steared me towards it. Being close to Mexico I bought some over the counter. Today I am retired here so even today I'm taking it 1x a day for some leg pain/numbness.
Another is Relafen/Nabumetone 750 mg 2x a day. (muscle relaxer)
I have had back/leg numbness problems for close to 20 yrs and had a Laminectomy 2 yrs ago this month. Threw away the brochure on the side effects of Soma so cannot really help in that respect.
I go to the VA and with every prescription they give a lengthy print out on the product and it's usage and side effects.
I keep a small log of all the medicines prescribed to me in addition on those I hear about.
Okay, the saga continues. Turns out, I'm allergic to Flexeril (which I took for over 3 and a half years) and now I'm on Soma. I'm having a flare-up currently so I need an anti-spasm med but the Soma is making me sick. Can anyone recommend from personal experience a good anti-spasm med for back pain related to herniated discs/sciatica?
I can't take more then a 1/2 of Flexeril - I'm a light weight.
The med I take for spasms is Skelaxin.
I can't take Relafin or Baclofin. (sp?)
There's one more med I can't remember the name of that I can't take.
Have you tried trigger points? I've gotten relief with those as well as a medrol dose pack
Skelaxin works but it's so expensive. Because it's a newer drug there's no generic version.
As I mentioned a few posts up, I reherniated my l4-l5 disc, on both sides, but it's gotten worse since that post. I'm currently having quite a flare-up episode (the pain shooting down both legs) but I was doing well for a couple of months this spring/early summer until I twinged my back from grabbing hold of a falling grocery bag at the end of June. Ever since then the pain has been constant and my med regime is completely out of whack which is wreaking havoc on my body and mental orientation. It's a bit of a nightmare. I don't want the surgery again, not after what I experienced.
Skelaxin works but it's so expensive. Because it's a newer drug there's no generic version.
My insurance covers it.
(copied from my database) Skelaxin 800mg I paid $31.54 insurance saved me $279.79 90 pills
There actually is a generic -
Skelaxin (Generic Metaxalone) 800mg Mail away 300 pills cost is free
It's possible they want you to use the mail away service. We have been forced to mail in every monthly maintenance medication. I don't know what 90 pills of brand would cost me; I will find out next time because I'd rather have brand.
I've had hip and sciatic pain for the last couple of years, and it's been getting worse. My pain was such that I knew I needed to see a doctor, but I was uninsured, so I saved up my "issues", and paid to see my family doctor. Unfortunately, I was so stressed out by the expense and general life problems that my blood pressure was high in the office (it's not high at home). The doctor was much more concerned about the blood pressure than anything else, and sent me away without any answers, or even consultation about my worsening lower body pain.
I got insurance this summer, and my family doctor wasn't on the plan. This didn't bother me, since I was not thrilled with her treatment of me on the last visit. The new doctor seemed to take my pain complaint much more seriously, and did an exam to see what my range of motion was. He then sent me for hip x-rays, which came back that I have the very beginnings of osteoarthritis in my hip. This result didn't jibe with the level of pain I was experiencing, so he sent me to an orthopedic surgeon.
After a few more x-rays (of my back, this time), and a neurological exam that reveals significant weakness in my affected leg, she told me that I have a herniated disk between the L2 and L3 vertebrae. While I'm waiting for the insurance to approve (hopefully) the MRI and physical therapy I apparently need, I thought I'd ask you all if you have had any experience of this type of injury.
And if you read to the end, thank you for your patience!
Last edited by Emeraldmaiden; 08-22-2010 at 12:24 AM..
Reason: added location
I had a herniated disk at L4-5 and had surgery to take out the disk and fuse the joint. It was amazing - when I woke up in recovery, the pain in my legs was gone! Of course, I had a hellacious pain at the site of surgery, but that was temporary. I had close to 10 yrs before L3-4 started going bad. This time, I took Neurontin for a few years and now that's gone, too.
I've had hip and sciatic pain for the last couple of years, and it's been getting worse. My pain was such that I knew I needed to see a doctor, but I was uninsured, so I saved up my "issues", and paid to see my family doctor. Unfortunately, I was so stressed out by the expense and general life problems that my blood pressure was high in the office (it's not high at home). The doctor was much more concerned about the blood pressure than anything else, and sent me away without any answers, or even consultation about my worsening lower body pain.
I got insurance this summer, and my family doctor wasn't on the plan. This didn't bother me, since I was not thrilled with her treatment of me on the last visit. The new doctor seemed to take my pain complaint much more seriously, and did an exam to see what my range of motion was. He then sent me for hip x-rays, which came back that I have the very beginnings of osteoarthritis in my hip. This result didn't jibe with the level of pain I was experiencing, so he sent me to an orthopedic surgeon.
After a few more x-rays (of my back, this time), and a neurological exam that reveals significant weakness in my affected leg, she told me that I have a herniated disk between the L2 and L3 vertebrae. While I'm waiting for the insurance to approve (hopefully) the MRI and physical therapy I apparently need, I thought I'd ask you all if you have had any experience of this type of injury.
And if you read to the end, thank you for your patience!
FWIW, high blood pressure can be the result of pain. Some doctors like to prescribe pills for blood pressure without dealing with the real problem; which you complained about.
I have L5S1 problems; have done physical therapy & injections plus botox. I have been fused twice. Fusion 1 used something called an LT Cage - fusion 2 added lots of hardware. While my pain was better after each surgery, it got worst after a year. I don't know any people that have successful fusions at my level.
I just went to Philadelphia & was told that the LT Cages used are crap & that people with this product are in my shape. There is nothing they can do for me; he suggested I go back to my pain management & get the implanted stimulator or the pain medication pump. I wanted to see what else was out there before I do either.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah
This time, I took Neurontin for a few years and now that's gone, too.
You're lucky you can take it because I can't handle it.
It was good for pain.
I took 300 mg at bedtime as it is quite sedating. I know pain patients on much higher doses but I could only tolerate the 300 mg. The pain is now gone, I hope permanently.
Good info, thanks. I really hope to see improvement with treatment; this is severely limiting my activities.
I'm on a strong NSAID right now, but only temporarily. It does help. As to the blood pressure - yeah, I'd considered that the pain might be contributing to it. When I went to the orthopedic surgeon's office, my BP was normal, and I'd been on pain meds for almost 2 weeks at that point.
Roselvr, you're in New Jersey? I come from the area - grew up in southeastern Pennsylvania, lived in PA, NJ, DE, and MD before moving to Tucson. I hope they can offer you some good pain relief, at minimum. I've had a couple of surgeries in Philadelphia, at Children's Hospital and at Will's Eye Hospital, due to a congenital eye defect. Of course, that was many years ago.
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Herniated Disk - Any Experiences?
