[Businessman1]

Hi Robert

I looked at the interactions checker again and put in multiple drugs like you said. It just seems to split the results into two's. If I put in oxy, flexeril and valium it shows me interactions between oxy and flexeril, flexeril and valium and valium and oxy. It doesn't tell me what happens if I take all three...

All I want to know is if I can take oxy, flexeril, tylenol pm and valium at the same time without killing myself.

Will I be able to get this information from that interactions checker?

I'm trying to find a combo to help me relax/sleep in the eve as I reduce my oxy dose and I'm scared of ambien.

What am I doing wrong?

[Robert_325]

RX opiates, muscle relaxers and benzos is the drug-of-choice cocktail for most pill heads. NO I would not recommend that combination especially one day into a taper. You've got to accept that this isn't going to be comfortable and you're going to have to deal with it. You can't take enough pills to make an opiate detox disappear without endangering yourself. You're talking about a reasonable potential for adverse interaction between them all for respiratory and CNS depression. You could stop brething basically. God bless.

[Businessman1]

Thanks for your help.

If I drop the flexeril will that make it safer or is it the tylenol pm that's a problem as well?

I like the "you could stop breathing, god bless" it goes well together!

I know I can't make this pain free, I just hate not being able to sleep.

[melinda7.5]

Hi Businessman

So how much are you taking now??? and how much are you going to reduce by...
You know I did a taper also...it sucks, but just get thru it...
just remember it is only temporary.

Everyone has been talking about ambiem lately...so I was wondering what it is that you don't like about it...

talk to you later, Melinda

[Businessman1]

Hey Melinda

I've only just started So I've taken myself down to 75mg/day. I'm going to go down to 65mg on Sunday. I was taking 90mg+. I know it's only temporary. I'm looking forward to not waking up craving it.

I don't want ambien for a few reasons:
It makes you hungry
It is also addictive so more problems in the mail
It can make you sleep-walk
It only lasts 4 hours

Someone in my office tried it and she sleep-walked into the kitchen and ate a whole box of crackers and woke up in a pile of crumbs.

My doctor gave me a prescription for it when I stopped taking vicodin but I never filled it.

[melinda7.5]

HI businessman...LOL
Robert told me to tell you, when he took it one time he was grilling steaks and eating peanut butter crackers and doesn't remember it...LOL...
I still take ambien sometimes...If I don't go right to bed after I take it I forget what someone said but that is all...
Its good that you don't want to take more drugs than you have to...
There really are a lot of funny stories about ambien...

Talk to you later, Melinda

[Businessman1]

yeah I don't need something that makes me eat while I'm asleep - I have enough problems

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by Businessman1

Thanks for your help.

If I drop the flexeril will that make it safer or is it the tylenol pm that's a problem as well?

I like the "you could stop breathing, god bless" it goes well together!

I know I can't make this pain free, I just hate not being able to sleep.

The worst potential interaction is between the valium and the oxycodone. The flexeril probably wouldn't be that big of a deal without the valium. Try exedrin pm rather than tylenol pm. It works better for me. Also add in some valerian root and sleepy time tea before bed.

You're taking oxycodone and JUST NOW beginning your taper. You don't need to be adding these other drugs to the oxycodone one day into the taper. That's the bottom line. If you take these other meds it should be much later in this process, not right after starting the taper. Sleep is the last thing that becomes normal. Get used to it. You still have a long ways to go. God bless.

[Businessman1]

I haven't just been taking the meds for the detox, my doctor prescribed them for muscle spasm after my back operation.

If valium is the most dangerous part I can easily drop that in favor of the flexeril - this helps me sleep better anyway.

Thanks again for your help.

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by Businessman1

I haven't just been taking the meds for the detox, my doctor prescribed them for muscle spasm after my back operation.

If valium is the most dangerous part I can easily drop that in favor of the flexeril - this helps me sleep better anyway.

Thanks again for your help.

I think that's a great idea. If the flexeril gives you relief for your back AND helps you sleep while you taper off the oxycodone I think that is totally cool. That is a no-brainer for sure!

You really shouldn't need a benzo at this point unless you were already taking it regularly before your back surgery. Tell me how you've been dosing the valium and for how long if you would. Wanting to make sure you haven't been taking them for too long yet.

You really shouldn't need a benzo until you actually stop the oxy and jump off. At that point valium would help with sleep and anxiety from the w/d. Even then it will only be for a week max. Let me know about the valium if you would. God bless.

[Businessman1]

They gave me the valium about 3 weeks ago. I've been taking 5-10mg /day. Maximum 15mg but only a few times. I've been taking them after walks when my back hurts and at night to help me relax before bed.

They seem to be harder to get than the Oxy. My drugstore made me wait an extra 3 days before filling my second prescription.

The only issue I have with the flexeril is that it can make me a bit mean for some reason. Does it do that anyone else or is this just in my head? Also, sometimes it makes me feel like I'm paralyzed when I'm sleeping which is terrifying.

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by Businessman1

They gave me the valium about 3 weeks ago. I've been taking 5-10mg /day. Maximum 15mg but only a few times. I've been taking them after walks when my back hurts and at night to help me relax before bed.

They seem to be harder to get than the Oxy. My drugstore made me wait an extra 3 days before filling my second prescription.

The only issue I have with the flexeril is that it can make me a bit mean for some reason. Does it do that anyone else or is this just in my head? Also, sometimes it makes me feel like I'm paralyzed when I'm sleeping which is terrifying.

I totally understand your reason for taking valium/benzos. I'm not judging, I had a legitimate reason I took them too for the entire time I took them. But it ended up running on for over 25 years. Today I'm a semi-militant anti benzo nutcase. Benzos are okay but only for using a SHORT time unless there are some major circumstances involved. They almost killed me. I'm talking horrid dreams, seizures, electric shock syndrome and all kinds of fun stuff. It sucked big time and it was because of benzos.

You're at a critical spot with the valium. You've been taking 10-15mg daily "to relax before bed" for almost a month. That's not a HUGE dose but if you continue it much longer you will develop a dependency. Not an addiction but a dependency and you will suffer physical w/d when you stop. You can probably still stop right now without incident but if you go much longer it will be uncomfortable if/when you stop.

I would stop the valium now. I'm not saying you can't ever take one forever but for now you need to stop them entirely if you don't want the dependency. It's the way I started and it's no fun.

I never cared for flexeril. Some people do well with it, I've heard others say it sucked the life out of them. It's pretty much an individual thing. I wouldn't take too many of them but it should be okay to use in moderation while stopping the oxycodone and recovering from surgery. God bless.

[Businessman1]

But there's no risk of physical dependency on Flexeril right?

It's funny my doctors never discussed dependency before they gave me the valium. They just don't care do they - it's just a job....

[Robert_325]

I hate to even imagine how much flexeril you would have to take to become addicted. I suppose anything is possible but I wouldn't be overly concerned about it. Just be reasonable and the flexeril shouldn't cause a dependency.

Valium and other benzos are as addictive as lots of the heroin on the street. And the detox off benzos is very serious. Opiate detox can leave you feeling like you want to die. In a benzo detox you actually can die. Seizures are not uncommon, I've had them.

Don't mess with the valium. It's so not worth it. Taper off the oxycodone and get on with your life without that trash. God bless.

[Businessman1]

Ok I've got it. No more benzos for me!

Perversely, prescription drugs are harder to come off than street drugs.

9 years ago I stopped taking speed and weed after having both every day for years and never had these kind of issues to think about. As soon as I started working and finished college I just stopped and never had them again - wasn't even tempted once.

You don't think to question what your doctor gives you because you trust them. I think it is worse in the US than in Europe (I've been treated in both).
Really, they are just legal drug-dealers who are badly equipped to deal with the after effects of the problems they cause. My doctor even told me that stopping opiate meds is no big deal. There are thousands of people on this forum that would disagree....

I may as well have just bought a bag of pot for the pain, at least it's not addictive.

I wonder if there are any charities that aim to raise awareness on these issues. Most the people on this site aren't homeless winos who sleep on a park bench craving a buzz, they are normal people; mothers, fathers, business men and woman, senior citizens etc.

[vampire024]

the valium shoudl have helped you sleep somewhat better.

im not sure how well the flexeril helps with the muscle problems since i never took it but what helped me was clonidine for the muscles and trazadone for sleep....helps but as robert said no matter what meds you take you are still going to be uncomfortable. kinda sux but its life.

good luck