Question posted by mitjason on 21 Dec 2009
Last updated on 7 May 2025
I'm about to start a skeletal muscle relaxant for physical therapy and need your help! Here are a list of skeletal muscle relaxants. Please select the one you have had the best results with and let me know about it! I would appreciate it so much! Thanks in advance!
-Carisoprodol (Soma)
-Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril)
-Metaxalone (Skelaxin)
-Tizanidine (Zanaflex)
-Dantrolene (Dantrium)
-Baclofen (Lioresal)
-Chlorzoxazone (Paraflex)
-Orphenadrine (Norflex)
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
Soma worked the best for me when I had it. My Dr, in his infinite wisdom, switched me to 10 mg flexaril. He decided Soma was too addictive...
I agree 100%. Soma works better than any of the other muscle relaxers but because people started using it to get "high" no docs want to rx it anymore. It's crazy. I'm on Fentanyl and Oxycodone (at the time OxyContin and Oxycodone) and Soma is too addictive!!! My pain mgmt clinic took all their patients off it. I'm still mad as hell...
Soma is the ONLY med that has ever worked for me!
These docs are just crazy to tell us that IT is more addictive than narcotic pain meds!!
Since Soma is SO cheap, I think maybe the drug companies are helping to steer the docs away from it, and towards the others...
Hi Mary - I was in my pharmacy the other day and the person ahead of me had their insurance denying to pay for their Soma. Since it is so cheap, I am thinking you are right about these companies trying to push the other more expensive muscle relaxers. The pharmacist told me that this is happening a lot. Insurance companies denying to pay for Soma. It's just unbelievable to me. My pain mgmt clinic won't prescribe it to anyone anymore. Luckily my primary care doc doesn't feel the same way. I really went through hell the 5 months that they tried me on all the other muscle relaxers. I am so disappointed with the way our medical care is provided these days. It is all about the mighty dollar not what is best for the patient. Well I have said my piece and will get off my soap box now. I am glad you found a good doc that has you on the right meds. Take care sweetie and have a great day.
Much love -Terri-
Thanks, Terri... YOU have a good day too!
I think one of the last times I bought the generic Soma, I got 90 tabs for under $15.00. That was probably December, as I only take one a night.
My ONLY complaint with Soma is what someone else mentioned--it tastes awful--very bitter--BUT a VERY small price to pay for great pain relief with no other side effects!!!
Mary, madhatter.
I like soma over flexeril. I think it works better and it doesn't leave your mouth as dry. Soma may give you a dry mouth but not as bad as flexeril.
i've used baclofen, flexeril, and soma and i loved soma the strongest worked the best to relieve pain. But be warned doctors say its the most addictive of all of them ... hope all goes well
I've tried every one on you're list, and my personal opinion is either Soma or Zanaflex. The Zanaflex worked the best for my severe muscle spasm's.
Short term use (not exceeding 2 weeks) Flexeril 5 or 10mg tablet hs (hour of sleep) is highly effective. Do not combine with other anti-spasmodic meds and caution when combining with pain killers. Added benefit with rest and local physiotherapy.
I found Robaxin during the day, and then Soma at night works best for ME. Flexeril and Skelaxin were absolute crap, and did NOTHING. When your back literally balls up and you can feel the muscles protruding in spasm, you need something with kick. Parafon Forte also helped, as well as Ativan. I have been lucky to find doctors not afraid to experiment til we found what works. Alot of drs will not prescribe Soma or Ativan for fear of the DEA. Which is crazy, because drs are supposed to do what's best for the patient, and the government should stay out of that relationship, in my opinion. But I was on Ativan for over a year, had no problems stopping, no withdrawal, because I took it correctly. So no matter what you get, always ALWAYS follow the label, and you'll be fine:) Good luck!
I've been on Ativan on and off for over 20 years. Same dose, 1mg taken twice a day. I used to take it for anxiety, but now I find that it does work very well with my interstitial cystitis pain (among a list of other pain issues, of course). I just put one and two under my tongue and they genuinely help with the burning, stabbling pain. I've been given valium for the same purpose, but the ativan works much better for me. I build up a tolerance to valium, and 10mg does nothing for me. I also take Soma and ms contin (usually Avinza 120mg, but it costs $50., whereas ms contin is only $10).
I no longer like the "druggy" feeling. I only want pain relief and as clear a head as possible.
hey there soldiers girl, your comments are well said and i feel exactly the same as you do. what business or should i say what right does the DEA have to interfere with how a dr. treats and prescribes rx drugs to each of his or her patients. it's just wrong. they sould keep their nose out of this, afterall, the treating dr. knows what rx's to prescribe each individual patient and it's up to him as far as how to treat their patients. the DEA hasn't a clue what each patient requires as far as the prescribing of meds. for them to dictate to dr's that they cannot prescrihe meds. the dr. feels the patient can benefit from is strictly between patient and dr. oh well, hopefully the DEA, CDC, etc., will read our posts and reconsider the decision they have made regarding the prescribing of SOMA. perhaps they can clear their heads and think more clearly and reconsider the whole issue.
if enough of us vent our frustrations, and disappointments, maybe they'll get a grip on themselves and realize how unrealistic their decision concerning SOMA is and change their stance on it. thanx for your input soldiers girl. good luck to you too. be well. wish you the best and hope to communicate again in the future.
I take Baclofen, but used Flexeril before. I found that I developed a tolerance to Flexeril rather quickly, so Baclofen seems to be the best for me.
Just my opinion.
In a word, Flexeril!
i have taken flexiral, and i have taken somas, i found that for me somas work alot better
My husband & I both use Flexeril as a muscle relaxant. Please when you make a decision, check out this sites drugs A to Z & read about the one you are going to take. You may have constipation, be sleepy & other side effects depending on what other conditions and/or meds you take.
I have taken flexeril, which made me groggy and did not work well (the only pain med I am on is Tramadol). So the doctor put me on Baclafen, which I had horrible reaction. I could not control my muscles and had emtreme muscle lack of control. I ended up at the ER and saw my doctor the next day. She agreed with the ER docs and tapered me off. I have been on Soma ever since. It is a litlle milder than the Baclofen, but no side effects. My doctor told me that Baclofen is actually the "preferred preferred medication" over soma, but I will never put that stuff in my body again.
I found soma 350mg to be the best out of all muscle relaxers I have been on and off them for years for chronic back pain between that and norco but off for three weeks trying to quit them, but the motrin is doing nothing so back to the soma,,
there are a few others one I can think of is Robaxin 500mg, another is Parafon Forte one that is used as an antiinflammatory and does well is Motrin but I am not talking about the one that you buy over the counter they have one that is stronger by prescription wishing you all the best
Everyone can give you different answers because drugs all work slightly different in everyone and what works well for one is horrible for another. Many Drs dont like to prescribe Soma because they can be addictive. The feeling on Soma for a lot of people can be almost like alcohol, slurred speech, lack of coordination etc. I like Soma-they work well if you take them at night. I could take them or leave them though so I know I never got addicted to them but they do have addictive properties. As far as actual evidence based studies-there is no better muscle relaxant than Valium but most Drs will not prescribe those either. Studies have shown they have the best actual effect on the muscle tissue but unless you have contractions or seizures you are probably not getting those.
Flexeril are good but they give me EXTREME dry mouth, they made me sleepy at first but that got better the longer I took them but I couldn't take the dry mouth!! Skelaxin are ok-they make you less drowsy, actually for me I felt a little jumpy with them but they are not a bad choice if you dont want to be sleepy. Tizanidine is what the Dr has me on now. They work well but only for a few hours. These do make me very sleepy and I have been on them at bedtime for over a year now and that sleepiness is still there. I cant take them in the daytime because of excessive sleepiness. Baclofen works well for some but it made me very nauseated! Yuck... Paraflex is ok some slight drowsiness there too. Norflex did not work at all for me. It is also supposed to cause less drowsiness. I've never tried Dantrium.
I agree, I have had many reactions to drugs that were almost opposite of the desired effect.
I have only tried soma and flexeril. My doc prescribes flexeril for me, but if were my choice i'd go for the soma instead. Cathleen
dantrium, flexeril, lioresal, norflex, paraflex, skelaxin, soma, zanaflex, pain, back pain, muscle pain, neck pain, carisoprodol, breakthrough pain
Still looking for answers? Try searching for what you seek or ask your own question.