Do muscle relaxants effect Crohn's?

[Malice67]

I've been on muscle relaxants for about three weeks due to back pain -- helps me be able to sleep at night while I wait for my PT referral. I rarely have any typical Crohns symptoms - other than one severe bout of anemia - so have no real clue what a flare would be for me. This week I have found I am very bloated (granted, I am about 25 pounds overweight - but now I look like I am fat AND 6-7 months pregnant). I don't feel like I am obstructed, as I am actually having about twice the number of bms a day than usual, and quite a bit more urgently. (My PCP specifically put me on the relaxants because I can't take NSAIDS and already take Percocet a couple times a month for cramps, didn't want another pain killer. ) I was wondering if the muscle relaxants could be somehow effecting the Crohns?

 

[DJW]

Hey. I know muscle relaxants can get the bowels moving more than your normal amount. My doctor prefers I avoid them.

 

[Malice67]

Thanks -- I was just thinking they would slow things down, not speed anything else. I'll double check with doctor tomorrow when I go pester her staff about my PT referral (somehow writing the referral for ZERO visits isn't helping me get an appointment-- ugh!)

 

[samuel786dean]

Yes, you can. It does the same thing in your brain, chemically speaking, as alcohol. It has to do with endorphins I believe.

Hubby is currently in detox for this very thing - he was taking 60 to 100 muscle relaxants a day.