Using Zanaflex-anyone else??

December 22, 2001

Hi all-I'm a mostly read only list member who appreciates all the info I get

from this list.

About 6 weeks ago my doc started me on samples of Zanaflex. I alredy take

OxyContin (40mg 4 times a day) and Paxil (20 mg) for

chronic back pain resulting from work related injuries over 3 years ago.

In addition to the lower back constant pain, which OC seems to help, I have

terrible sciatica pin. I was getting caudal lumbar

injections of steroid for dealing with this pain but last Feb that quit working

for me....what a awful experience to have to go thru

again. I have had surgery and don't want to consider that again....this is just

info to let you know where I'm coming from.

I have had fairly good results with Zanaflex however I'm afraid that the side

effects-tinnitis, dizzyness, lethargy to start with-

aren't going away.

For me, the whole point of pain medication is to enable me to have as normal a

life as possible, not to spend every day abed, unable

to function...and that's where I have been pretty much the whole month of

December.

Another problem is that I have had weight loss surgery and my stomach is very

small, compared to a normal persons tummy. So I

also get nausea when I take the meds on an empty tummy. Since I take my meds

prior to getting out of bed--so that I CAN get

out of bed if you know what I mean--this has become a real problem.

There is very little information on medication absorption following weight loss

surgery-neither my surgeon or the pain clinic have

any documented scoop. There are a few WLS patients who are also pain patients

on the WLS lists but most of us have " this is

what works for me " info.

The positive side is that I have lost 70 lbs since last August, no longer use a

CPAP, insulin and have cut back from 5 hypertension

meds to 3. There has been no decrease in pain meds or in pain however.

I'm looking for more information from anyone who has used Zanaflex. It's hard

to make a decision on continued use of this med

Wishing all of you a blessed Yule

Crone elle in Oregon

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