You may have started taking Flexeril to help with pain. If you have, you might not have known that it could be addictive. In fact, pharmacies are not required to put warnings on the bottles that indicate this. This means that accidental addictions happen pretty frequently with Flexeril.
There are also those who abuse this drug because they like how it makes them feel. That could also be the case for you. Either way, you need to learn more about it. The more you know about the dangers of Flexeril, the better. If you do have an addiction, we can help you find out how to get help.
Flexeril is a medication that belongs to a class of drugs called muscle relaxers. It is not an opiate drug or a benzodiazepine. In fact, it isn’t a controlled substance at all. In most cases, it’s a medication that is considered to be perfectly safe. People expect to take it for a short period of time to help with their pain.
Most people understand that it’s only supposed to be used until they’re no longer in pain. Because it’s considered to be safe, this medication is prescribed by doctors frequently. Many of them consider it to be their go-to drug of choice when a patient complains of pain.
Flexeril does go by a few other names. It is available in its generic form as well, which is cyclobenzaprine. It can also be found under its brand names, Amrix and Fexmid. On the street, Flexeril is usually referred to as “Flexies.”
No matter what you call it, this medication should be taken with extreme caution. All of the brand names are essentially the same drug. They work the same in the body.
Cyclobenzaprine is an excellent muscle relaxer. At times, serious injuries cause the muscles of the body to spasm. When this happens, Cyclobenzaprine can help to relax them. Back injuries and sciatica pain are often treated with this medication.
Usually, it works best to pair a muscle relaxant drug with another pain relieving drug. Medications like Oxycodone, Percocet and Vicodin are often given alongside muscle relaxants. As you are probably aware, these opioid medications can also lead to addiction.
Cyclobenzaprine isn’t for long-term use in most cases. For the majority of individuals, their muscle spasms will subside after a few days. At that point, the medication can be discontinued.
The typical dosage for Fexmid is 10mg. This dosage is usually considered to be therapeutic. Doctors believe there to be a low risk of recreational use at only 10mg. Someone who weighs less, or who is new to muscle relaxers might even do well at Fexmid 5mg. Likewise, someone who has been on this drug before might be given 20mg after an injury.
Another reason why Amrix is often chosen for certain injuries is because of the low risk of side effects. There are some, of course. However, they are relatively mild and not dangerous at all.
This medication won’t lead to weight gain or similar negative side effects. However, there are some serious complications that can result from using it. These side effects should be reported to your doctor if you experience them:
Flexeril should not be combined with certain antidepressant drugs. Your doctor should have a full list of your medications prior to starting you on this one. If you take an antidepressant and Flexeril at the same time, you could suffer from serotonin syndrome. This can be a fatal condition.
Some of the symptoms of serotonin syndrome include:
The normal side effects of Flexeril may start to improve after you’ve taken this drug for a few days. When you use this drug as prescribed, all side effects should stop when the drug is stopped.
You may find that you experience a day or two afterwards where you feel a little groggy. Some users think of this like having a hangover from Flexeril. It really isn’t a cause for concern. You should start to feel clearer once the drug starts to leave your body.
Flexeril’s half-life is about 18 hours in most people. This means that it takes 18 hours for half of the drug to leave your system. After it has been eliminated, that hangover feeling will go away. There really should be no lingering effects.
Of course, this information is for those who are taking this muscle relaxant as prescribed. For some of those who are abusing it, it’s possible for side effects to last longer.
Read great recovery stories, learn about the latest treatments, and find out how addiction affects yourself and your loved ones in our blog.
Read Our BlogYes, muscle relaxers can make you feel high. This is the main reason why most people don’t mind taking them, even when they’re taking them appropriately. Taking even 5mg of Flexeril is likely to produce a mild high sensation. This feeling will only be intensified with larger doses of the drug.
The Flexeril high is very euphoric and relaxing. People tend to forget about their problems and concerns. They feel calm and serene while taking it. As you may have guessed, this feeling is intensified when the drug is combined with an opioid pain reliever.
Even though this isn’t your “typical” drug of abuse, online forums like Bluelight and Reddit have information about misusing it. Forum users will instruct others about the best ways to increase the euphoric experience. By altering the dosage, the high can be altered as well.
Using any drug to get high is a bad idea. Using a muscle relaxer to get high can be especially dangerous. We’ll talk about why that is in just a moment.
The accepted use of this medication is just to take it as prescribed for muscle spasms. When people take Flexeril appropriately, it’s not dangerous. There really are no risks involved at all. However, abusing Flexeril is dangerous, and it comes with many risks.
When you drink alcohol while taking Cyclobenzaprine, this will enhance the drug’s effects. It can lead to serious nervous system impairment. This can result in excessive drowsiness, problems with concentration and dizziness. You may find that you’re not able to think clearly, or make good decisions.
If you do drink while using Cyclobenzaprine, it should be limited amounts of alcohol. You should not drive or use dangerous machinery. Continuing to drink alcohol while you’re taking Cyclobenzaprine is associated with serious health side effects. People have become temporarily paralyzed with this combination. For example, they use these drugs together, and they’re not able to move their legs. Other complications can result as well.
Using muscle relaxants along with opioid painkillers is pretty typical. This is the combination that most people are placed one when they’re given a muscle relaxer. As a result, it’s also the combination most frequently used to get high.
Opioid drugs carry risks of their own. Using them to get high will lead to euphoria and sedation. People are also prone to other, more negative side effects with these drugs. Chronic constipation is typical, as are breathing problems, itchiness and nausea.
Continuing to abuse this combination of drugs can have devastating consequences. You could eventually suffer from heart problems, kidney or liver damage, or a number of other effects.
Snorting or injecting Amrix is popular among people who abuse this medication. These methods of administration cause the drug to enter the bloodstream more rapidly. The high that’s experienced as a result of this is much more intense than just swallowing the pills.
In fact, some people may refer to it as being too intense. Online forums like Erowid go into great deal about what this type of Amrix abuse is like. They detail sometimes horrifying hallucinations and delusions.
The aftereffects of using the drug in this way are concerning as well. The next day, people tend to feel extremely drowsy and fatigued. Many find it difficult to function well after taking Amrix using these methods. The recovery from the high is much more difficult than simply swallowing the pills.
People who start taking Flexeril for therapeutic purposes or for abuse purposes often ask the same question. They want to know if Flexeril is addictive. The FDA states that this is not a drug that causes a physical dependence or addiction. This is because it doesn’t result in changes in the brain the way that other drugs do.
However, you should know that it is possible to form a psychological addiction to Flexeril. When this occurs, you may experience physical cravings for it. When you stop taking it, you may go through withdrawals as a result.
A Flexeril addiction results because you’ve conditioned your brain to believe that you need it. Without it, you may not feel like yourself. You may begin to feel anxious or depressed. After some time has gone by, you don’t feel normal unless you’ve taken Flexeril. This is how abusing Flexeril can lead to an addiction.
Unfortunately, the use of muscle relaxers like Cyclobenzaprine is increasing.
The number of people using muscle relaxers to get high has more than doubled in recent years. These are individuals who end up in the emergency room due to complications from abusing them. In 2004, there were close to 16,000 ER visits because of the misuse of muscle relaxant drugs.
By 2009, that number increased to close to 32,000. About 77% of these emergency room visits also involved another prescription drug. Prescribed opiates were found to be the most common.
47% of these cases involved benzodiazepines. 35% of these individuals needed to be hospitalized as a result.
The problem is that these medications are highly underestimated. Because the bottles don’t need to be labeled as habit forming by law, people assume that they’re safe. This simply isn’t the case.
Any prescription drug is going to be powerful, and even more so when it’s being abused. Muscle relaxers like Cyclobenzaprine directly affect the central nervous system. This makes them very dangerous.
If you believe that you might be an addict, it’s important to identify the problem. While you know that you can’t have a physical addiction, a psychological addiction can sometimes be even more powerful. You need to know Flexeril’s addiction symptoms. Once you learn the symptoms, you may be able to understand your relationship to this drug.
If you’re addicted to Flexeril, you will continue to use it even though you experience negative consequences. For example, this drug might be affecting your work, your relationships and your responsibilities. You may be having health problems that are directly linked to its use. Even so, you’ll continue to use it because you think you need to.
There are a few other ways you can find out if you’re addicted to Flexeril. Maybe you’ve taken a look at the above list of addiction signs. However, you’re still not completely convinced that you’re dependent on this drug. If that’s the case, you should try one of both of the following.
You may want to consider taking a drug addiction quiz. Answering some more questions about your drug use patterns might help you. You’ll find that at the end of the quiz, you’re able to get your results right away. This will immediately allow you to find out what your relationship with this drug is.
You could also opt to talk with a professional about your Flexeril use. It may make you feel a bit nervous to talk with someone about it, but there’s no need to be scared. No one is going to judge you; they only want to help you. Many drug rehab facilities provide free addiction assessments over the phone. It could also put your mind at ease to talk with someone in person. That way, you’ll know for sure if you’re an addict.
Because this drug is considered non-addictive, people often think that they can just stop it. More often than not, they find out that it’s much more difficult than they thought it would be. It’s best to consider a Cyclobenzaprine treatment center for your recovery needs. There are a few reasons why this is probably the best option for you.
So many Cyclobenzaprine addiction stories include people trying to stop using it on their own. Please know that this is never recommended. If you attempt it, you probably won’t be successful and you put yourself in serious danger.
You may need to go through a period of Flexeril detox when you are ready to work on your recovery. This is usually the very first step for those who want to quit using this drug.
Drug detox is important for almost every drug. It allows your body the time it needs to adjust to not having the medication. When done properly, detoxification can remove toxins that lead to withdrawals. It makes your recovery much easier on you, both physically and mentally.
At first, you may be tapered off the drug slowly. This is done by gradually decreasing how much you take. You may or may not be given other medications to help with withdrawal. This will all be dependent on how much Flexeril you have been using, and for how long. Your own personal medical history may factor into this as well.
Withdrawing from Amrix is not easy. As the drug starts to leave your system, you should begin to develop symptoms. These can include:
While these symptoms usually aren’t dangerous, they can be bothersome for most people. Occasionally, more severe symptoms may appear, such as seizures. Sometimes people get very depressed, and even begin contemplating suicide.
In order for you to successfully recover from your addiction, you will probably need professional treatment. There is no shame for getting help for an Amrix addiction. This is something you need to do for yourself if you truly intend to stop using this drug long-term.
You will most likely find that choosing to go to an Amrix treatment program is very rewarding for you. You’ll be working with professionals who understand this type of addiction. They’ve seen what worked well for others in your position in the past. You’ll benefit from their expertise as you move forward with your own recovery goals.
There are so many benefits associated with going to a Flexeril rehab facility. You’ll find that you experience:
It’s possible that you only occasionally abuse Cyclobenzaprine. You’ve taken a quiz, you’ve talked with a professional and you’ve looked at the list of addiction signs. It has been determined that you’re not an addict. However, you’re not sure what that means about how you should proceed.
It would greatly benefit you to at least consider professional counseling. There are therapists who specialize in drug abuse recovery. If you can identify the root issues involved, you may be able to avoid an addiction. Also, the quality of your life will improve as a result of therapy.
When you go to a Fexmid treatment center, it’s nice to know what you can expect. In fact, maybe you’ve put off getting help because no one has told you what rehab will be like.
First of all, you should know that you are an individual. This means that you have problems and issues surrounding your addiction that are unique to you. The professionals who will be treating you are aware of this. They will provide you with your own unique treatment plan. Your treatment plan will address your needs as they pertain to you.
You’ll participate with several forms of therapy during your recovery. As we’ve already mentioned, detoxification will most likely be the first step. After this, you’ll be ready to move forward. You’ll meet with a counselor for individual therapy sessions regularly. Group therapy will also be a major part of your recovery.
Your family has probably been impacted by your use of Fexmid as well. It’s important to address this situation because you need their support as you recover. Family therapy sessions will help you improve your relationship with them tremendously.
Of course there will be other forms of treatment during your stay. You’ll also have plenty of time to relax and reflect. Above all, you’ll learn that it’s possible to live your life without being dependent on any medication.
Yes, you can overdose on muscle relaxants. This often occurs when people relapse. They experience cravings for their medication, and they will give in and start using again. What they don’t understand is that they can no longer tolerate taking as much of it.
For example, someone who was using 80mg of Flexeril may relapse and take the same amount. They don’t realize that tolerance levels can change very quickly. It takes much less of their medication for them to feel its effects. As a result, they overdose.
An overdose on Flexeril is a medical emergency. It’s important to know the signs to look for if this happens to someone you love. They could experience:
Sometimes overdoses symptoms can be extreme with this medication. People may have chest pain that could accompany a heart attack. They may start having seizures as well. They could also develop a fever and experience muscle rigidity.
If you suspect that a loved one has overdosed on Flexeril, acting quickly is vital. You need to call 911 right away if you think an overdose has occurred.
If you’re sure that you need to go to a Flexeril treatment program, you’ll find that there are many choices. Even doing a simple online search is likely to uncover a lot of opportunities. It can be pretty confusing trying to sort through them all.
You may find it helpful to know what to look for when you’re researching Flexeril rehab centers. The following are some really good characteristics:
Don’t be afraid to ask questions before making a commitment. Remember, your Flexeril addiction recovery is on the line in this situation. You deserve to have your questions answered.
It’s possible that Northpoint Recovery might be the Cyclobenzaprine addiction rehab facility for you. We offer all of the above, plus you’ll get so much more. Our facility is modern, and our treatment methods are always being updated. We’re careful to provide our patients with excellent care. That’s because we’re just as invested in your recovery as you are.
More than anything, you’ll find that we care about you. Our expertise will guide through the recovery process every step of the way. We also have no problem answering any questions you might have about your treatment.
Our admissions coordinators are here to help you get started with treatment the right way. They'll verify your health insurance, help set up travel arrangements, and make sure your transition into treatment is smooth and hassle-free.
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