Cyclobenzaprine and "0" AHI

[DariaVader]

I took Cyclobenzaprine last night for a ferocious knot in my neck. It is always a last resort, because it causes such a lousy hangover.... Since learning more about apnea, I have surmised that the hangover might be due to a more relaxed airway causing a higher AHI - but last night I came up with a 0! (the hangover is not too bad either... just slightly groggy) Max and median pressures are in the normal (for me) range - toward the low side. My AHI is usually < 1 on CPAP, but only one other time with a 0.

[PaulaO2]

It could be that you fell asleep on your side and stayed there. Flexaril would knock me on my arse (as opposed to Vicodin, which doesn't) and I slept like the freakin' dead. Then wake up feeling worse because I hadn't moved all night.

But regardless, congrats on that smiley face! Never seen one before. Never will. Sigh.

[DariaVader]

I always sleep on my side. If I roll onto my back I wake immediately, even on cpap. Before I had my first child (> 30 yrs ago) and gained a bunch of belly weight, I was a front sleeper with occasional rolls to the side - never could breathe while laying on my back - hard when awake, much less asleep (should have been my first clue wrt apnea.)


lucky u with the vicodin... that stuff gives me a bad case of hives. dunno why, I take other opiates fine and acetaminophen as well.

[PaulaO2]

It could be one of the inert ingredients. Speaking of hives, I had a BAD bad reaction to Ultram. Holy cow. Forgot how to breathe. Not choking, just didn't think breathing was necessary.

I take a lot of Vicodin. If I have to take one close to bed time, I snap it in half. I see more of a rise in AHI on nights I go to bed in pain than on nights I take something. Me and pain are old friends.

[OpalRose]

DariaVader,

Congrats on that 0.0 reading!

I've come close, but doubt I'll ever see that.
OpalRose

[nativedancer]

I love vicodin, but it makes for some baad constipation here. Still. I do dream about the good old days, pain and all.

[DocWils]

Probably a fluke of the combination of events - don't read anything into it. And don't use it as reason to keep taking Cyclobenzaprine. Not a good idea.

[DariaVader]

I am a rare user of flexeril, but for those times I need it, I need *something* and that is what my doc gave me. Took me 4 yrs to use up 30 so that when I asked for a new script I got a lot of questions I have used it a couple more times since this thread... now that I am on cpap, the consequences are not as dreadful - but no more 0s.

[DocWils]

After 4 years, you should get a new script anyway - they don't keep that well and lose efficacy. Good to know that you only use it when really needed.. Shows good discipline and high threshold. Well done.

[TyroneShoes]

Probably a fluke of the combination of events - don't read anything into it. And don't use it as reason to keep taking Cyclobenzaprine. Not a good idea.

I'm with Doc.

Consider it coincidental rather than causal. It also may indicate that your pressure is simply wrong. It might be exactly right for when your CNS is under this particular influence, so not exactly right when your aren't. Or not.

Or, maybe we should all just take that stuff and throw away our masks.

Doubtful.