I suffer from constant muscle spasms. Are muscle relaxants and analgesics safe? I hear all have side effects?

Question

What are some of the side effects associated with these drugs. The label is very scary and i am afraid to take these medications. My doctor assures me it is ok to take in moderation.

Answer 1

It's hard to give you a really good answer without knowing specifically which drugs you are talking about, so I will just speak in generalities.

For analgesics, it depends on which kind they are. If they are drugs that are available over the counter, they are fairly safe, but there are a couple of things you do need to know and of which you may not already be aware.

Aspirin can be hard on the stomach, and it also thins your blood. If you are taking it, you should take an enteric coated brand to minimize stomach problems, and you need to watch for a sour stomach, which can mean you are taking too much or that it is affecting your stomach. Also, aspirin thins your blood. I am on a daily maintenance dose because I had my heart repaired, but I only have to take the 81 mg variety. That is the same dosage that is recommended to people for heart health. Any bigger daily consumption is okay as long as it doesn't bother your stomach too much, but you do need to watch for bleeding of any kind. That includes bleeding from cuts and scrapes, bruising (which is bleeding under the skin), and internal bleeding, which will usually manifest during bowel movements.

Ibuprofen, which is often prescribed for muscle pain, is safe, but it is cleared in the liver, as are all drugs, and long term therapy at a dosage of 2400 mg daily can cause liver problems if it is ongoing. You simply need to be aware of it so you can tell your doctor if you have problems. Regrettably, you can have liver problems without knowing about it.

Narcotic analgesics, such as Vicodin (hydrocodone/acetominophen) or Percocet (paracetamol/acetominophen) are obviously stronger, and they are habit forming. If you have chronic pain from your muscle spasms, it may just be a tradeoff that you need to evaluate for yourself. If treatment is long term, you will need to be weaned from the drugs over a period of time, as with any narcotic. The main side effects include constipation, dizziness, balance problems, and sleepiness.

Muscle relaxants come in so many varieties it's hard to know what to say. One of the most common families are the ones that act on your central nervous system, and which basically work to slow it down. They include the benzodiazepines, such as Valium (diazepam), Ativan (lorazepam) and Xanax (alprazolam). Of the three I mentioned, the one that is usually used to treat muscle problems is Valium. It causes sleepiness, uncoordination, dizziness, and can, if used at high doses for an extended period of time, cause some short-term memory loss. Since the memory loss is specifically linked to taking maximum threshold dosages, and since those are not generally the doses which are prescribed for muscle spasms, you shouldn't have to worry too much about that. The sleepiness and dizziness tend to go away, but you will still feel quite relaxed when you take it, which is why it is also prescribed for anxiety. The coordination and balance problems can be a bit more problematic, but you do learn to be careful quite quickly, and those can be tolerated by most people, especially when the drug is taken at a lower dose. All of these drugs have the potential to be abused, and they can be addicting, so you might need to be weaned off of them.

Another drug which is frequently prescribed is Soma (carisoprodol). It, too, acts on the central nervous system. It is quite a good drug, and like the others, produces uncoordination and sleepiness. Also like the others, those symptoms lessen with time as your body adjusts to the drug.

I could go on and on all night about the muscle relaxants. The basic things you need to know about them is that they relax your mood as well as your muscles, they can make you sleepy, they can make you uncoordinated, and some of them can cause amnesia. Some of them also affect your blood pressure in such a way that you develop orthostatic hypotension, which means when you stand up suddenly, you get really dizzy. Like all the other side effects, you simply need to be careful. If it happens, you usually just fall backwards into your chair again, but you do need to be aware that it can happen. All of them have some potential for addiction and abuse, but that is significantly reduced when you take them carefully and as scheduled by your doctor. Occasionally, a person needs to be weaned from a drug to keep from experiencing withdrawal.

I understand that the label is scary, but since I have taken nearly all of the drugs I have written about for extended periods of time at one time or another, I can honestly tell you that I think they are safe if taken in moderation. Because of personal circumstances, I have usually taken very high dosages of the drugs, and I have done so literally for years. There have been times when I have run out of a prescription, and had to do without for a few days, and I have never shown any symptoms of withdrawal, which is the thing most people tend to worry about most, as addiction itself is scary. If I didn't take the medications, I couldn't get out of bed because of pain issues, so for me, it is definitely worth it. I can also tell you that most of the side effects go away after a while, as your body acclimates to the drug, and what you are left with is a drug that works very well to help control your spasms and pains.

My biggest recommendation for you is to do a search on each of the drugs which have been prescribed for you, and find out what the side effects are. Be aware of what the drugs do, and monitor yourself as you take them so that you are aware of how they are affecting your body. I have never run up against a side effect that outweighed the good of a drug.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact me through this site, and I will be happy to try and help you out.

Answer 2

YOu need to talk to your MD about this. Some muscle relaxants and opiates work well together while some can cause a toxic reaction. I can't get within 10 feet of Flexaril no matter what pain med I'm on. The doctor will help you out. I know how great it feels (not high.......just relieved from the tightness and spasams) to take the right combination of a pain med and a muscle relaxant.
Hoss

Answer 3

I have chronic low back pain (disk degeneration, bulging) and have taken a myriad of muscle relaxers over the years when I have a flare-up. I've found that Flexeril works great, but it makes me very, very sleepy. I have a hard time waking up the next morning, and am very tired up to 12 hours after taking one. I only take it if I don't have to work the next day. Otherwise, I have taken a drug called Robaxin, which seems to work, but not as good as the Flexeril does. However, it doesn't make me sleepy, so if I'm working thru my back pain, rather than just lying down at home,I take it along with the pain pills and can still function.

Answer 4

Most skeletal muscle relaxants are relatively safe when used in moderation. I will include a web link to a great scientific article that describes the complete range of side effects. Most commonly these are associated with sedation, fatigue and loss of concentration. However in the suggested dose range these effects are usually self limited. You should not take these medications and drive though. Here is the link to the scientific article that I came by. It lists the toxicity associated with this class of agents. Remember a lot of these drugs contain tylenol in combination so check the label before you chow down more tylenol
http://www.occup-med.com/content/1/1/16 this should help

Answer 5

Yes, every medicine has a side effect and the most common side effect for many of these medicines is drowsiness. There is one muscle relaxer I have used for my fibromyalgia that does not make me sleepy. It is called Skelaxin. I was introduced to it by my rheumatologist almost 11 years ago.

As for narcotic pain killers when it comes to the drowsiness that usually clears up within a few days of taking the medicine every day to keep the pain in check.

Yes, these medicines especially the narcotic painkillers or other similar drugs are ok to take when it's done for the right reason, the reason being that the person who is in pain has a legitimate need for the medication.

If you have other questions please feel free to e-mail or IM me personally.

Answer 6

I would do what your doctor recommends. Has he told you what may be causing the constant spasms? Very often muscle spasms are caused by dehydration - your body loses too many electrolytes (salts and minerals) through sweating, heavy breathing, and just not enough fluid intake. If you are active, you probably should be drinking LOTS of fluids and juices - orange juice with calcium would be good because calcium can prevent spasms - just ask an athlete.

Answer 7

I have had really good results with Flexerol, it's an older and very inexpensive muscle relaxer. But I have a heart condition and am still able to take it without any interactions. My cardiologist recommended it for my back spasms. It did make me sleepy when I first started it, but it did get better. I hope you find one that works for you.

Answer 8

analgesics and muscle relaxants should be taken only for a very short period of time. Only during chronic use it may lead to renal disorder.Check whether drugs like antihyperlipidemia are prescribed to you because these drugs leads to muscle spasm.

Answer 9

Your doctor is right!!

I have been on many muscle relaxants in the past and they can help!!

Some of the side effect are: Drowsiness,euphoria,weakness,headache,insomnia,nightmares,dizzness.
Blurred vision,constipation, dry mouth. Urinary retention. Rash.
These don't happen to every person that takes medication!!
If you would have any kind of side effect you would need to call your doctor.
Good Luck
p.S. Are you getting enough salt in your diet??? This can cause cramps in your legs if you don't have enough salt??

Answer 10

Every drug has potential side effects.

The question is... which is worse in your case? the side effect or the spasm?

The side effect listings are pretty stupid any more.

If one of the people in the test group had a congenital heart defect and dies of heart failure, they list heart attack as a potential side effect.

If one of the test group (even one taking the placebo) gets TB from working in (or living in) a homeless shelter and it doesn't show up until after the test starts... it gets listed as a side effect.

Basically the side effect listing is there to reduce the possibility of lawsuits in case of adverse reactions more than to inform you of REAL risks. Realistically the lists should be much shorter on any drug that gained FDA approval.

Answer 11

Your Dr. is right, they are safe in moderation. The side effects are different for each medication and person, but the most common side effect I hear about is drowsiness. Some of the stronger medications may cause you to feel as if you are drunk. Some of these can be addictive if used for a prolonged period of time, or used out of context with their label.