Having some trouble again with my back I was reading about soma and on Wiki, there is a graet deal of info that says that it has heave abuse potential. I don’t understand this. It isn’t an opiate or other substance which would act as addictive. It mentioned that Soma contributed to theaddiction of hydrocodone etc. but but question is, what is it that causes the addictive/dependence in humans? What reaction is caused? Is it a benzodiazapine like sedation? Or maybe just the sedation?
Insight?
It’s metabolized into a barbiturate by the body.
Barbiturates are physically and psychologically addictive. Barbiturate withdrawal can be fatal.
It’s a crappy drug on top of that, too.
stating it’s a crappy drug is indeed a broad statement. Aside from the above mentioned reasons, could you specify as to why it’s crappy?
It’s marketed as a muscle relaxer, but its utility there is dubious at best, with scientific evidence limited to it being “possibly effective” for short-term treatment of muscle spasm (short term being a few weeks). There are definitely more effective meds out there for true muscle spasm problems.
Despite this, folks get placed on/demand to take it for months or years, usually because it’s a primary mood-altering sedative, that causes mental relaxation & somnolence, and can also improve the buzz that goes along with opiates like hydrocodone.
So:
it’s a drug looking for an actual legitimate medical problem to treat.
it’s a popular drug of abuse. By that I mean it has street value, and is also sought after by opiate addicts who can’t get their opiate fix.
It’s got a fairly significant side-effect profile too.
It causes dependence and has a withdrawal syndrome which may include seizures.
Fits my definition of a crappy drug.
Damn. I guess that about covers it… :eek:
stating it’s a crappy drug is indeed a broad statement. Aside from the above mentioned reasons, could you specify as to why it’s crappy?
Okay, you’re convincing me thus far. Could you elaborate on a few of the things you said?
your #2 states that it is sought after by opiate addicts who can’t get this fix. however, since this isn’t an opiate and doesn’t even haven opiate-like properties such as say, tramadol…how would this get them their ‘fix’
Also, can you elaborate on #3? what are the major significant side effects.
Finally, and completely unrelated to the above conversation, WHY is this medication so easy to get due to its bad rep? This drug is unregulated or unscheduled or both (im sure someone can correct me)
Why do they keep drugs like this, tramadol and other muscle relaxants unscheduled and in turn, so easy to get ?
Soma is metabolized into meprobamate, a schedule IV sedative used for anxiety. That’ll calm down an opiate withdrawal.
Mixed with alcohol, it’s an even stronger sedative, helping those withdrawing from opiates to sleep through some of the worst symptoms.
Dizziness, paresthesias, headache, lethargy, lightheadedness, seizures, & somnolence all are major side effects for this med. Dependence and withdrawal are seen.
I don’t know why it’s not more strongly regulated, at one point, it was recommended to be a controlled substance, Schedule IV, like benzodiazepines.
Yes, but one cubic centimetre cures ten gloomy sentiments!
Moreover, a gram is better than a damn!
(Come on - it may be a crappy drug, but even the good Mercotan must admit that it has the best drug name possible.)
Anecdote time: I’ve used Soma for chronic back & shoulder pain, and it’s extremely effective. On the other hand, I’ve never been prescribed it, only borrowed pills from the crowd I used to hang out with, where the drug was indeed quite widely used recreationally.
When I tried to get my own prescription, though, the doctor insisted on giving me Flexoril instead. Which (1) wasn’t nearly as effective as Soma, and (2) kicked my ass from here to Wednesday. (Seriously, on Soma, at least I could still drive. On Flexoril, no f’ing way.)
So…which is the crappy drug here??
I don’t know why Carisoprodol is addictive, but Qadgop answered that question already. However I know it is.
Carisoprodol is not a scheduled drug by the DEA, so it is not a controlled drug throughout the U.S. However, many states have scheduled it themselves. In my state (Georgia) it is treated as a schedule V drug, same as such things as Tylenol #3 and Robitussin AC.
It is also one of the most forged prescriptions in my experience working in a Pharmacy. In fact, I would say it is second only to Hydrocodone 10/500.
I took it once for a very severe back pain episode, combined with something called feldane. There was a third drug that I do not remember, perhaps flexeril. My impression was that the Soma was not very helpful. Feldane and flexeril I was impressed with. Oh, and I was also deeply impressed with the ER one time injection of demerol for the same episode. So impressed that all 220 pounds of me swooned into the surprised arms of the tiny ancient female who administered the drug. She was so surprised that she failed to catch me and was very concerned that I had bashed my brains out on the way down. Not to worry, no blood, and I was as fine as I had ever been. At least that was what appeared to me to be the case as I came to and saw her looking down at me with a very concerned expression and an explanation of what happened.
Ahem – Feldene. The brand name for piroxicam, an non-steroidal anti-inflammatory.
As far as the Soma, we dispense a lot of it at work, and I believe it’s over-prescribed and not terribly effective. A lot of the people we dispense it to show drug-seeking behaviors and I believe many are abusing it.
In addition, it has potentiating effects on opiates, so it’s often abused in combination with things like hydrocodone.
Soma, definitely.
Flexeril is more effective at relaxing spastic muscles. It just doesn’t make people feel as good as Soma.
I read somewhere recently (can’t find it again though, dammit) that there’s been a lot of revisionist thinking lately about the role that benzodiazepines play in inducing criminal behavior. While until recently their role was thought to be insignificant when compared that of cocaine and opiates, new research is showing that a substantial number of arrested individuals test positive for benzos, and particularly alprazolam. Is it likely that the majority of those who test positive are in fact actually opiate addicts using benzos to ameliorate the discomforts of withdrawal?
Is this the same drug that George Orwell had in 1984 , or just a coincidence.
Declan
I was given both at different times for a spasming back … Ill take flexeril over soma any time at all. Soma made me all muzzy, and I couldnt focus on anything at all for the 3 days I took it. I can function just fine on flexeril. Though parafon fortis [i think that is what it was called] seemed to work just as well.
I am one of those who unfortunately prefer to be undermedicated if what they want to give me makes me unable to function reasonably normally. Not good for healing, but I hate not being me.
You’re thinking of Brave New World and the Soma in it is entirely fictitious, though based on a unidentified drug of the same name in ancient Indo-European lore. The company’s decision to use it as a brand name seems like a somewhat questionable marketing decision to me.
The name is certainly taken from 1984, but the drug in the novel was a complete work of fiction, not a real thing.