I have a scoliosis (curve) in my upper back and it seems every so many months I develop muscle spasms between my scapulae. Recently, I went to a large party at a banquet facility where the DJ was set up on the dance floor behind me. I kept turning my head for 2 hours to watch him and the dancers then realized that my problem area was getting a little sore and I best stop aggravating it.

Unfortunately, I woke up in the middle of the night with one of my familiar spasms. I iced the area with a gel pack then found some old Flexeril and took one with Tylenol and went back to sleep. It was better in the morning but I went to see the doctor anyway and asked about whether he thought Flexeril or Skelaxin was better to take. Both medications are for muscle spasms but Flexeril is thought to work on the brain’s perception of the spasm and Skelaxin is supposed to work on relaxing the muscles more directly. He thought that Skelaxin might be better to take in the daytime and would be less sedating than Flexeril.

I have take Flexeril in the daytime before and it did make me sleepy so I thought I would try Skelaxin instead. I took a single dose of Skelaxin, 800 mg, and I do not feel it made any real difference in the muscle spasm area as compared to Flexeril so for me; there was no real difference in how it helped the problem.

What I did notice is that I found my heart developed a sensation of extra beats which I have had before from drinking too much coffee. The next day, I thought I would try Skelaxin again and in addition to feeling more sensation of the extra heart beats, I found myself feeling a bit nauseated. I have not had nausea when I take Flexeril. I stopped taking the Skelaxin and decided if I needed to take medication, I should go back to the Flexeril. I also still felt drowsy taking Skelaxin so there was no real improvement in that side effect.

I think everyone may have a different response to these medications but for me, I will stick to Flexeril the next time I have a muscle spasm along with ice and Tylenol.

Rating: 4