Muscle relaxants: should I be careful now?

[ChrisC]

I *really* pulled my neck/back out tonight and would commonly take a muscle relaxant or two before I go to bed after hurting myself. Now that I know all about my sleep apnea should I, in turn, be more conscious of muscle relaxants?

[momadams]

It's a valid question.
I use the occassional Robaxin or two and haven't noticed a difference in AHI.
Everyone's different, though.
Shari

[GumbyCT]

In a word - YES. I would say be aware of anything that depresses any brain activity. Any CNS depressant.

[ozij]

Be careful - but careful does not mean "avoid". Sleep is necessary, and pain can disrupt sleep too. You used to take the stuff when you did not know you had sleep apnea, and your airway was not stented by pressurized air. Now you've got the support of your machine.

It's your call - either to gauge your pain and make the decision, or to call your doctor and ask if there is one medication better that the other, or to raise preemptively raise the pressure on your machine gently.

O.

[Kiralynx]

I don't do well with opiate pain killers... the blasted things don't wear off.

Over a period of around 30 years, I've found that a combination of salmon oil (Omega 3 fatty acids), evening primrose oil (GLA), and bromelain (derived from pineapple) works best.

This is what I've used since about 1988 for the muscle spasm from my fall which damaged back, hip and knees. It's also what I used when the symptoms of hip pain which led to my apnea diagnosis developed.

I also used it after the cancer surgery... to such good effect that they took my morphine pump away from me after about 24 hours because i wasn't using it enough to warrant having it.

Oh, and when my husband went head-first down a flight of steps, I gave him this combo... and he was only mildly stiff for about a week.

[datracer99]

I asked my sleep doc about alcohol and sleeping tablets (OSA plus Insomnia is a real curse) which are both a no-no with untreated apnea.
He had no issue using either, his advice was that while on the CPAP neither will have a material effect on the treatment.
Of course you don't want to overdo it, but I would expect the same thing goes with some mild painkillers or an anti-inflammatory.

[kebsa]

everyone reacts differently to medication but it is true that this medication comes under the heading of a class to be careful with, but as has already been said, be careful does not mean do not use! the best thing anyone can do when faced with this situation is "seek medical advice" because that advice will be specific to your situation and made with the knowledge of you medical history- i understand this is the the nurse in me speaking but even if this medication were not deemed appropriatte you would then be told of something that would be

[Catnap]

I totally agree with the "seek medical advice" angle, but just for the record, I have used both narcotic painkillers (propoxyphene, hydrocodone) and muscle relaxants (methocarbamol, i.e, generic Robaxin), together and separately, in conjunction with CPAP without any problems.

[riverdreamer]

I have found that changing my level of pain medication, or adding in an occasional muscle relaxer DOES change both my 95% pressure and my AHI. Not hugely, but noticeably. That was part of the justification for an APAP for me, the fact that I take changing amounts of medication that impacts the central nervous system. Just as the response to the medications is individual, so will it's impact on apnea. I even find my own response changes, depending on things I have not been able to identify.

[Driver59]

Kiralynx,
Curious about the formula that you posted. I fell on the ice this winter and injured my left knee and hip. Still having pain from that. Do you take this as supplements individually or mix together for a completed recipe. What proportion do you use as far as mgs of each? I would like to try this as I don't use RX medications any more than I have to. Already have enough of them for diabetes, blood pressure, and colesterol. Thanks,
Don

[Kiralynx]

Kiralynx,
Curious about the formula that you posted. I fell on the ice this winter and injured my left knee and hip. Still having pain from that. Do you take this as supplements individually or mix together for a completed recipe. What proportion do you use as far as mgs of each? I would like to try this as I don't use RX medications any more than I have to. Already have enough of them for diabetes, blood pressure, and colesterol. Thanks,

Don,

I use supplements from The Vitamin Shoppe, because my GP first told me that if I'd just stop stuffing my face and lose some weight, I wouldn't hurt, then prescribed codeine, then prescribed Skelaxin, which turned me into a hysterical wreck. I kind of got tired of emergency room visits for demerol and vistaryl.

Salmon Oil
http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/b ... id=CL-1496

Evening Primrose Oil:
http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/b ... id=VS-2110

Bromelain:
http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/b ... id=VS-1278

Cod Liver Oil
http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/b ... id=CL-1562

Some interesting information on:

Salmon Oil (Omega 3 fatty acids)
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/omega-3-000316.htm

Evening Primrose Oil (GLA)
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/gamm ... 000305.htm

Bromelain (caution if you are allergic to pineapple)
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/bromelain-000289.htm

Cod Liver Oil (Vitamin D)
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/vitamin-d-000340.htm

I balance the amounts I use depending on how I'm feeling in any given day. My husband, who weighs about 150 pounds, used 3 salmon oil, 3 EPO, 3 bromelain, and 2 cod liver oil about three times a day after he did his head-first down a friend's basement stairs.

I was using 6 salmon oil, 6 EPO, 6 cod liver oil and 3 bromelain at the suggestion of my oncologist for pain issues when we discovered the Motrin she prescribed had lactose as an "inactive" ingredient. Note that bromelain taken with food acts as a digestive enzyme. To get anti-inflammatory effect, you need to take it on an empty stomach.

I'm not a doctor or a health-care professional -- I've learned about these through experimentation, lots of research, and asking a million questions. If you read the articles, you may note that some of these supplements can be useful for conditions you have, and therefore I would recommend balancing supplements with your regular meds under the supervision of your doctor. You might, for instance, find that you don't need as much of certain prescription medications when you are taking the supplements, so it's wise to monitor very carefully.

That said, I've used these supplements for over ten years with no problems.

[roster]

........ the Motrin she prescribed had lactose as an "inactive" ingredient. .........

I see lactose added to so many products. Are the manufacturers that ignorant of how many people are lactose intolerant? It is a large proportion of the population.

[Driver59]

Kiralynx,
Thank you for the information. Interesting reading on the sites you provided. Plan to research the effects with the meds I take and see if I can reach a dosage appropiate for me. Would prefer this to prescription or over the counter pain medication.
Don

[Kiralynx]

........ the Motrin she prescribed had lactose as an "inactive" ingredient. .........

I see lactose added to so many products. Are the manufacturers that ignorant of how many people are lactose intolerant? It is a large proportion of the population.

Rooster,

Quite frankly, I don't think Big Pharma cares. They want something cheap so their automated filler machines can work well. Another gem is corn starch -- and there are an awful lot of people who are corn and/or starch sensitive, even if they don't know it.

I can tell you that leaping out of bed with a 24" incision across your gut and trying to make it to the necessary before you explode is something which I could wish on the people who come up with these formulations!

[Kiralynx]

Kiralynx,
Thank you for the information. Interesting reading on the sites you provided. Plan to research the effects with the meds I take and see if I can reach a dosage appropiate for me. Would prefer this to prescription or over the counter pain medication.

Don,

Hope you find it helpful! I have!