Soma Versus Baclofen (Top voted first)

I was recently switched from soma to baclofen. The Baclofen makes me feel very strange and I cannot function as well on it as I can with Soma. It makes me sleepy, and frankly just makes me feel like crap. The Soma works better for me as far as muscle spasms. The Baclofen does help spinal pain but does not work as quickly as Soma on spasms. My doctors in Alabama refuse to prescribe me Soma even though I have been put on different muscke rekaxers, Soma works best with my body. Why will doctors nor prescribe what works best for the individual. Every thing works different on different people. I want to be able to function and not be a zombie. What should I do. My pain clinic doctor only wants to get meds from him, but if he wont prescribe what works, I will get my pain meds from him and soma from another doctor. It would make it easier if he would just prescribe the soma. It works for me. I also have anxiety problems which the baclofen seems to make worse.

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Yeah your doctor is an i****. he is prescribing an opiate pain killer which is a schedule 3 drug meaning it has moderate to high potential for abuse and completely ignoring the root of the problem; a problem that seems can be solved with muscle relaxers. I don't understand his logic, see I worked at a retail pharmacy chain and would see so many addicts on Norco Lortabs and Oxycontin all powerful opiate painkillers. Soma at that time was unscheduled meaning it was thought to have no recreational value or capability of causing physical dependence. Then in 2012 the DEA changed it to a schedule 4 drug meaning that it is less addictive than lortab. There are 5 schedules of controlled substances. Schedule 1; are your illegal drugs, 2 - 5 are available through prescription with schedule 2 being the most addictive like adderall and morphine and schedule 5 drugs are the least addictive. I digress, I had a stint with some bad whiplash from a fender bender, more like fender gone. After my doc gave me flexeril and it didn't work, he prescribed me Soma. It is by far the best muscle relaxer I have tried. The pain in my neck and lowerback was gone. Not only that but it gave me a strange energy like buzz which was good because the flexeril made me super sleepy and useless. I did not abuse the Soma had no withdrawals when I stopped cold turkey. Granted I only took 2 to 3 a day for about 3 weeks but still I don't know why your doctor would give you a much more addictive drug that does not even hit the root of the problem. When I worked at the pharmacy I remember my pharmacist was super reluctant to fill scripts for it , making me call the doctors to make sure they were on it for legitimate reasons; like a written script was not enough. Yet he would give amphetamines (Adderall) to 8 yr old for ADD without a second thought. I once asked him why he did not like to fill Soma scripts; he said something like it turned into a barbiturate in the body and many junkies were using it with morphine and vicodin to produce a H like high. By itself, Soma seemed pretty innocuous to me and it worked like a charm. Shame the damn government has to put its big fat nose in everything including medicine and what is best for the patient.

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Great post Mark!

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I am a retired Marine with Fibro myalgia and I saw someone here talking about the stiffness of the spine. An RPG broke a veteran in my back so I can relate.

I have found that extremely deep tissue massage ( preferably That massage ) increases the blood flow and takes away some of the symptoms of Fibro myalgia. But beware. It is like being tortured, then you take your muscle relaxers after the massage to get the best benefit.

hope this helps at least one of you so pay it forward.

Semper Fi

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One thing I forgot to mention is that I'm in Alabama also. My doctor told me over a year ago, that if I had suggested Soma just 3 months prior, he would have given it to me in a minute, but Alabama now has laws that doctors cannot prescribe Soma. REALLY????? That's crazy, cause like I said, it's the stiffness that's causing me the worst pain and it lasts most of the day too.

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Google Alabama Soma laws. I learned in W Va. Soma is a C3 but it is a C4 controlled med, same as the Federal schedule. Many Doctors have stopped writing for Soma and Alabama does have some strict laws in place. That does not mean you can't find Soma!

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I love baclofen! My dr/chiropractor prescribed me some for the first time and It was amazing! My body felt so good and muscle tension melted away.
Soma make me feel good and drunk , but it didn't relive pain from muscle tension at all and I twitch a lot.
Flexeril was awful because it sedated me so heavily that I wanted to just sleep all day.
Baclofen make me feel floaty and I can't drive on them. I looooove to sleep and take cat naps on this medicine because I feel so relaxed.
I had pain along my spine and this helps it a lot.

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I've had a problem with my doctor not wanting to prescribe soma also. He would rather prescribe lortab, which doesn't make sense to me, because my pain was largely due to stiffness (I have fibromyalgia). I accepted the lortab, because that's all he seemed willing to prescribe, and the other muscle relaxers either didn't work or had awful side effects (usually nightmares). But I KNEW that if my muscle stiffness could be relieved, my pain would be greatly reduced. There was no talking about it though. Really upset me too, because I know people who have been addicted to opiates, and even people who died. I'm not on them anymore, and I was careful taking them, but it still makes me rather angry that I was denied what seemed to be the lesser of the two evils. And for what reason, I do not know.

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I don't see the laws that say it can't be prescribed? It could be your doctor or group policy?

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Soma contains the active ingredient Carisoprodol and Baclofen is the generic for Liorisal, they are both used as muscle relaxants, but are different classes of medications and work a little differently.

The Baclofen is known to work better for spinal pain and spasms. That may be why your doctor wants you to use, another reason could be that Soma is more commonly abused.

Another issue is that some doctors just don't always want to admit that certain medications don't work as well for everyone that uses them. I've run into this, before, myself. Some of them tend to think that what they know has worked well for other patients will work well for all of them. Unfortunately, medications don't work that way.

What worked great, with no problematic side effects, doesn't always work as well for someone else and they could also experience all of the side effects.

The only thing I can think of suggesting is perhaps switching doctors.

Learn more:

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Baclofen/­

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Soma/­

Are there any comments or questions?

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My dr prescribed me baclofen and it does not really work for me. I take more of it . Because it doesn't help. Soma worked the best for but I can't get my dumb dr to realize that.

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Yes they can give u somas. I've been on somas for 17yrs with no problem. It's your doctor. So u just need to find a different one. And there is NO LAW that states that they can not give that to their patients. If that was my doc i would ask him to show me the law or report saying they can't and i put money on it that he will give it to u. But he is just being an a**hole. Hope this helps.

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I have a few questions and concerns regarding Soma and Baclofen. I have episodes where my entire body locks up in one position and makes involuntary movements. First I was given Zanaflex which did nothing. Then I was given Soma, I only took the Soma when I felt the above start to happen. It worked like a charm within 15-20 minutes. My neurologist called me today and recommended that I try Baclofen. I have no problem giving Baclofen a try. I'm just concerned that it won't work. I've never felt myself getting addicted to Soma. I thought if I didn't agree to try the Baclofen like my Dr suggested, he would think I was drug seeking the Soma. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

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Kind of strange that the doctor called you to change your medication. Most doctors stopped calling years back. Just another example of being taken off Soma. You will find the Zanaflex is like the Baclofen?

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Binc, unfortunately studies have shown that the number of patients who are prescribed Soma and opiates and die has risen in recent yrs. Of course these stats have no specifics, like the actual cause of death, just that the patients were prescribed the meds together.

If it were me, I would want a dr who was willing to read more on the subject and treat me as an individual. I am assuming that this dr is on the younger side and doesn't have many yrs of experience.

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I am going to the suboxone clinic Monday and taking a cup U/A. My neurologist prescribes me somas 350mg 4 x a day. The other gives me klonopin 1mg 4xaday. Sub doc doesn't even like tramadol. Do I need to stop somas, and when? HELP!

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I also live in Albama, Birmingham area, and know plenty of people that still get prescriptions for somas.So unless their Drs are breaking the law that is a lie. MY doctor prescribes them.

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I've also been taking Soma ( 4 X 350mg daily) for 6 years along with OxyContin and Ativan
Medicare part D stopped paying for it and I mentioned it to my doctor.
He's tried flexiril, and now trying baclofen and it's not helping.
I had no bad experience with Soma. My doctor explained that recently studies have shown people taking Soma along with Ativan ( or Valium or Xanax) and an opiate pain med have been dying because it stops your brain from telling you to breathe while sleeping.
I'm a single dad so he is just trying to make sure I stay safe.
He did say in February that if Baclofen didn't help he'd prescribe Soma again but I'd have to promise not to take in the evening so worrying over possible interaction would be less likely
Maybe the people I've seen post here if you are honest with Doctor and trust me I know 3 months on meds that don't help is tough but since I was nice about trying the 3 for him , he trusts me to be careful with soma.
I feel bad for everyone posting here. Pain every day is not fun I know. I'll pray everyone here finds relief soon. Good luck to all of you.
Pain is awful but warmer weather is coming and that always helps my pain a little?

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Please do not blame your doctor - blame the government. I am a doctor and have been ORDERED by my medical board to not prescribe Soma with any opioid and to taper off any patient now taking the combination. With ObamaCare on the chopping block, now is the time for a letter-writing campaign to Congress, the Surgeon General, President Trump, etc. This nonsense filters down from the DEA, CDC, and FDA and only the Federal government can rein in the out of control bureaucrats! The Trump administration claims to be intent on removing unnecessary regulations. Time to hold their feet to the fire!

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Ya I was prescribed Soma and tizanidines for my back problems in Missouri. Moved to Florida and these stupid doctors will not prescribe Somas to me even though I take them as needed. They really help my back feel better and I can function on them just fine. The tizanidines knock me out. The ***** pain specialist told me I will not prescribe you Somas and I told him they work well for me and I can function and I only take them as needed but he said he will prescribe me Baclofen 10mg once a day and I can take the tizanidines which puts me to sleep. What an *****. If I was addicted to Somas I would take them everyday but I don't. I just want a doctor to prescribe me what works for me, not what he thinks works for me!

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I've looked for the laws as well, but finding the actual laws seem to be obscured on the internet, whether deliberately or coincidentally. I really do wish I could see this "law" for myself, but I had no reason to not believe my doctor when he told me this. I hope someone else will post if they know something more about this.

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