Soma contains carisoprodol to relief discomfort and pain resulting from acute musculoskeletal conditions by inducing muscle relaxation and calming the nervous system. Carisoprodol works by intercepting pain signals from the nerves to the brain.
This drug is also used to treat pain from injuries such as spasms, sprains and strains and is normally used in conjunction with rest and physical therapy.
This medication will produce withdrawal symptoms such as sleep problems, nausea, headache, convulsions and stomach pain when a user suddenly stop taking Soma altogether. Therefore, it is important to gradually reduce dosage of carisoprodol before stopping the medication entirely.
Considerations when using carisoprodol
Soma should not be taken by people who are allergic to carisoprodol or meprobamate found in drugs like Miltown and Equanil, or have high presence of porphyrins in their blood. One with epilepsy, seizure disorder as well as kidney and liver disease should seek out doctor's advice before taking Soma.
If you are pregnant, or plan to be pregnant, do not take this medication as its effects on unborn babies is unknown. For the same reason, breastfeeding mothers must also consult a doctor before using carisoprodol. Avoid giving this medication to children below the age of 12.
Directions for use
Soma can be taken 4 times a day with or without food, or as directed by your doctor. It is alright to miss doses but not taking double doses to make up for it. In the event that you forgot to take it, just disregard it and follow with the next dose.
Overdosing on Soma will result in vision problems, fast heartbeat, feeling light-headed, fainting, muscle stiffness, confusion, hallucinations, shallow breathing and convulsions.
Precaution when using Soma
Some side effects associated with the use of carisoprodol are temporary impaired thinking ability and slow reactions. Hence, it is best to avoid activities requiring alertness such as driving or operating heavy machineries. Using Soma in conjunction with other medicines such as sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and so on may magnify its dizziness effect.
What others have to say about Soma
To give you an idea of what other users think of this drug, here are some unsolicited comments posted by members on drugs.com:
One member who suffered from arthritis and degenerative disc disease on her back and neck for over 18 years, Mersue, comments "I have tried Tizanidine, Robaxin, Skelexin and now Soma. My new rheumatologist prescribed it and I feel it works the best out of all the muscle relaxers I have tried. I don't seem to have any side effects to speak of. I need four orthopedic surgeries and Soma has helped my pain tolerance."
Another user by the name of Bikerhoney agrees, "Soma (carisoprodol) 350mg has been the best muscle relaxer that my Doctor has ever given me and I have tried them all. They are not coated, a bit hard to swallow and taste absolutely awful but are very worth these setbacks. They don't upset me even when taken on an empty stomach. I would highly recommend speaking with your Doctor on trying this medication as it has been a wonder drug for me." Bikerhoney went to to state that she takes Soma together with Tramadol for pain relief and the combination has worked better for her than Vicodin. An anonymous member offer her endorsement for Soma with a little caution, "I have recently started having back pain and my doctor started me on Soma. I have been pain free ever since. It really does take the pain away, and fast. Just do not drive on it. It relaxes your muscles and you can easily lose focus." Generally, the 15 feedbacks posted are found to be positive.