Cyclobenzaprine

[DaveFoster]

I threw out my back doing deadlifts a few days ago, and I'm prescribed 10 mg cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) to lower the inflammation. Structurally, it's similar to the tricyclics (such as amitryptaline) and can cause serotonin syndrome if combined with other serotonergic drugs.

Has anyone had any experiences with it? I'm hesitant to take it.

 

[aguilaroja]

... I'm prescribed 10 mg cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) to lower the inflammation. Structurally, it's similar to the tricyclics (such as amitryptaline) ...

Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) is usually regarded as a “muscle relaxant”. AFAIK it has no major anti-inflammatory action.

I don’t think much back pain is from muscle “spasm”. And cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) does not work for treating spastic muscle in severe neurological disease.

In effect, cyclobenzaprine, even when it works, can make people sluggish, sedated, confused, or diminished in clear thinking. Though it has three rings, its effect is usually quite different from the tricyclic antidepressants, like amitriptyline. Cyclobenzapine does not perk people up, either short or long term. AFAIK cyclobenzapine for back pain has not been shown to be effective long term.
Cyclobenzaprine - Wikipedia

Among those I know, there has been little major success with this substance.

 

[DaveFoster]

Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) is usually regarded as a “muscle relaxant”. AFAIK it has no major anti-inflammatory action.

I don’t think much back pain is from muscle “spasm”. And cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) does not work for treating spastic muscle in severe neurological disease.

In effect, cyclobenzaprine, even when it works, can make people sluggish, sedated, confused, or diminished in clear thinking. Though it has three rings, its effect is usually quite different from the tricyclic antidepressants, like amitriptyline. Cyclobenzapine does not perk people up, either short or long term. AFAIK cyclobenzapine for back pain has not been shown to be effective long term.
Cyclobenzaprine - Wikipedia

Among those I know, there has been little major success with this substance.

I appreciate the feedback. I don't have chronic back pain; this is just an acute injury, and cyclobenzeprine has been shown to speed up the healing time by reducing inflammation (in conjunction with naproxen it was effective).

Cyclobenzaprine and naproxen versus naproxen alone in the treatment of acute low back pain and muscle spasm. - PubMed - NCBI

"Two groups of 20 patients each, with mild to moderate acute low back pain with associated muscle spasm of ten days' duration or less, were treated with a combination of cyclobenzaprine and naproxen or naproxen alone in a randomized, 14-day open-label trial. Cyclobenzaprine was added to the naproxen regimen as an adjunct to rest and physical therapy for relief of muscle spasm associated with acute, painful, musculoskeletal conditions. The clinical characteristics of each study group, including the number of worker's compensation patients, were comparable. Combination therapy was associated with less objective muscle spasm and tenderness and greater motion of the lumbosacral spine (P less than 0.05). There were trends toward faster resolution of functional deficits and pain with combined therapy. Combination therapy was associated with more side effects, due primarily to drowsiness from the cyclobenzaprine. The results of this study demonstrated that patients with muscle spasm associated with acute low back strain benefited from the use of combination therapy consisting of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent (naproxen) and a muscle relaxant (cyclobenzaprine)."

I've been using aspirin, progesterone, pregnenolone, and coffee to reduce the inflammation, along with B-vits (particularly niacinamide has been shown to dissuade the development of scar tissue in spinal cord injuries). It's day 3, and I feel almost okay.