Carisoprodol and Insomnia: What Users Say

• Mim...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 30, 2022

Carisoprodol for Muscle Spasm "I have chronic back, neck, leg, and coccyx pain. Soma, like any medication or narcotic, works or helps everyone differently. Soma helps to desensitize my pain, helps my cramps, and insomnia. I’ve been clean and sober for 16 years and now a substance abuse counselor. Years ago, I was not prescribed any medication for my mental health disorders and chronic pain, so I got it from friends, family, and the streets. The stigma of my past was a red flag for most doctors to prescribe narcotics even though I was a candidate for them, so I did what I needed to do. I was never trying to get high, just take the pain away and sleep. Twenty years later, after getting clean, doctors started to earn my trust because I was honest, educated, and in legit pain. Soma is the only muscle relaxer that helps, even better than pain meds at times. Take as prescribed and be educated about the risks of dependence and abuse of prescribed meds. Be true to yourself and your doctors. Good luck and God bless all of you who need help."

• Hur...
• February 11, 2018

For Muscle Spasm "Morons who come here warning 'Beware or you'll OD if you take with benzos' is why we reliable, zero issue, chronic pain patients can't get our required med dosage! Because you're an irresponsible idiot who keeps taking too many drugs repeatedly and OD'ing, don't give meds a bad rap! Ask someone to please help dispense your meds! I take 3 mg Xanax, 4-30 mg oxycodone split every 4 hrs. & 3 Soma daily. (Was on 4 recommended dose & just cut back, thanks to abusers!) Now suffering through the night, as they last just 3 hours! Prescribed Buspar for sleep, but it doesn't equal 1 extra Soma I had. ONLY muscle relaxer that relieves 6 herniated discs, sciatica, osteoarthritis, and migraines. I've been on meds 30 years with no issues! People like this guy we can thank for harsher guidelines and our never-ending suffering. Unfairly stereotyped due to loser stupidity! So take your warnings elsewhere before you ruin it for the rest of us old folks who just want to sleep and function pain-free until we die!"

• bai...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 21, 2016

For Muscle Spasm "I have fibromyalgia. Bulging disc C2-C7 spinal neuroapthy. Stenosis. Plantar fasciitis, severe migraines. Lost my last job, could not take opioids or Xanax to stop pain and clear fibro fog. Had been in a bad accident in 1995. Pain level 10. Pain clinic doctor just told me to stop soma since I'm on opioids and morphine. Started tapering off. My MD told me yesterday soma is not going to be prescribed anymore. I haven't been having withdrawals, but my spasms are back to a 10. My sleep is disrupted again, and my sciatica is tightening up. I will be taking the new muscle relaxers, but nothing but soma and Zanaflex combined totally stopped spasms. I will take as prescribed, but it is taking the effectiveness of my pain meds. I also have depression, anxiety, panic, and PTSD."

• Anonymous
• July 21, 2009

Carisoprodol for Muscle Spasm "Suffer back pain and sciatica from pinched nerve caused by herniated lumbar discs. Prescribed Soma by new orthopedic doctor for pain. Does not work any better for my pain than ibuprofen and comes with a multitude of side effects. I am discontinuing use after one week due to headache, dizziness, nausea, and insomnia. I don't know if my emotional reaction is due to the drug or the three months of chronic pain and recent lack of sleep, but it is making me irritable and angry."

• Cya...
• April 8, 2021

For Muscle Spasm "I get generic, and I know I'm lucky I have a doctor willing to prescribe it because so many won't. The problem is, I've tried every muscle relaxer, and all but Soma and Flexeril are well documented in my allergies, from blackouts (while driving!) - Baclofen to chest pain - Tizanidine. Flexeril is one of the only medications that knocks me out (sleepiness), and as others have said, isn't really effective. That being said, I do alternate between Soma and Flexeril, because as we know, Soma is only really effective for two weeks, three max. So, when the effectiveness starts to wear off, I switch to Flexeril. I'm aware it's labeled as the 'most addictive muscle relaxer,' and if you're predisposed to opiate addiction, I'd stay away. However, for me, I don't have that gene/predisposition, and I don't go through withdrawals. I will say the only negative, aside from short-term effectiveness, is sometimes, especially if you use them at bedtime (sleep issues due to pain), I can have difficulty sleeping the first couple of nights off."

• dlp...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 4, 2015

For Muscle Spasm "They call these muscle relaxers, they don't do that for me. All these pills are, to me, just a sleeping pill. That's all they help me with, so I only take one at night so I can get some sleep."