Cyclobenzaprine Abuse: Treatment for Recreational Use of Flexeril

The dangers of taking more than prescribed are much greater than the reward of abusing it. Cyclobenzaprine is a skeletal muscle relaxant commonly prescribed for musculoskeletal problems among other uses. The drug is widely known by the brand name Flexeril, which contains the active ingredient. Cyclobenzaprine is not a controlled substance, however, it is only available by prescription. Despite being relatively easy to obtain, Flexeril does carry a risk for abuse, tolerance, physical dependence, and addiction.

Therapy may be able to help identify triggers and motivations for the use of Flexeril with the aim of recognizing them in the future and being able to fight them. It may also be used to help people reintegrate into their social life and begin to confront work and family responsibilities that may have been neglected during the course of addiction. The hope flexeril vs cyclobenzaprine for someone with an addiction to Flexeril comes from letting go of denial and seeking help. Using the drug and trying to quit alone is difficult, yet many will attempt to quit cold turkey. Withdrawal symptoms make it more likely a person will go back to using the drug to keep from feeling so horrible but it may have lethal consequences if they overdose.

If it is, you can begin to take the necessary steps that you’ll need to recover. At Northpoint Recovery, we know that there are challenges when recovering from an addiction. We’re committed to sticking by your side throughout the entire process. Do you have questions about Flexeril addiction or about how you can get treated? Women who wish to become pregnant should discuss the potential interactions of the prescription with their doctor.

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Flexeril is typically prescribed in moderate doses that only work to ease the pain of some injury or syndrome, but in excess doses (more than 60mg per day) it can cause a euphoric high. The drug is also long-acting, so instead of producing an immediate, intense high, it creates a long-lasting feeling of calmness and relaxation. The DEA found that nearly 25 million prescriptions were given out for cyclobenzaprine, the active ingredient in Flexeril. Flexeril is believed to be much less addictive than other pain killers.

Combing Flexeril with another type of substance can cause an overdose, the effects of which could be fatal. Flexeril abuse could also lead to the development of a physical dependency marked by the need to use Flexeril on a daily basis. When a person has arrived at this stage of dependency, their addiction has gotten out of hand. To overcome any kind of addiction, such as to Flexeril, an individual must consult with a medical professional and learn what their best course of action will be.

Early Challenges in Recovery

Flexeril can be easily dissolved into alcohol or crushed into a fine powder and snorted. Prescription doses of Flexeril will generally be in the 5 – 10 mg range, but recreational doses will likely exceed this and land in the 20 – 80 mg range. According to the DEA, most instances of Flexeril abuse occur when the user mixes the substance with another CNS depressant such as alcohol, barbiturates, benzos, or opioids. If you or a loved one believe that you are dealing a Flexeril addiction, don’t despair. Through learning what’s an intervention and working with interventionist professionals in the addiction field, you can successfully overcome an addiction to Flexeril.

• Alcohol and muscle relaxers are both depressants, which means they slow down your central nervous system.
• However, when abusing Flexeril recreationally, it does become a greater risk to the user.
• Instead of stopping the drug suddenly, these drugs can be tapered off slowly, or their dosage slowly reduced over a period of time to minimize withdrawal.
• Those with relatively less severe addiction issues who wish to remain active in their personal and professional lives during treatment typically prefer outpatient rehab programs.
• If you attempt to quit using it on your own, you put yourself at risk for an overdose.

Withdrawal symptoms may last one or two weeks and include malaise, nausea, and headache. There are no dangerous withdrawal symptoms when ending use of cyclobenzaprine. Cyclobenzaprine is only effective at relieving pain for the first two weeks; after that, the body develops at tolerance to the medication, so it is no longer effective, even at higher doses. The medication is typically not prescribed for more than three weeks.

Why Flexeril Is Not Considered A Narcotic

As management of overdose is complex and changing, it is recommended that the physician contact a poison control center for current information on treatment. Your healthcare provider and/or pharmacist will give you specific instructions on how to take the medication. In general, antispastic medications act on your spinal cord or skeletal muscle directly to improve muscle tightness (hypertonicity) and involuntary spasms. When someone becomes addicted to Flexeril, they will display the usual signs of dependency and similar symptoms of benzodiazepine and opioid addictions. For example, they may show the typical drug-seeking behavior of filling out higher and more frequent prescriptions or setting aside a budget to acquire more of the drug.

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This is often a difficult time, with many changes and developments occurring. Depression, anxiety, and stress are common and often substance abuse seems like the best escape from mental health issues. This is especially true if the substance is combined with other drugs such as alcohol.

A post-marketing surveillance program was carried out in 7607 patients with acute musculoskeletal disorders, and included 297 patients treated with FLEXERIL 10 mg for 30 days or longer. The overall effectiveness of FLEXERIL was similar to that observed in the double-blind controlled studies; the overall incidence of adverse effects was less (see ADVERSE REACTIONS). Concomitant use of monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors or within 14 days after their discontinuation. Hyperpyretic crisis seizures, and deaths have occurred in patients receiving cyclobenzaprine (or structurally similar tricyclic antidepressants) concomitantly with MAO inhibitor drugs. These patients are generally more susceptible to drugs with potentially sedating effects, including cyclobenzaprine.