anyone using Xanax or Valium for pain?

Hi girls,
Well, I talked to the doctor covering for my doctor this week, and instead of pain meds, I was given Xanax. I have taken it before for anxiety, and know it is listed as being used for muscle spasm. The doc thought that this lingering pain may be due to spasm, especially since it is at the end of the day mainly, and I just wasn't comfortable taking the narcotic pain meds anymore. I just figure that if they guard that stuff like they do, that there must be a good reason they don't like to prescribe it unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. So I'm going to try this.

I know Xanax can be addictive, but I have been on it before, and I don't get the "chilled out" feeling that some people get addicted to. It just basically puts me to sleep, so I haven't had a problem with it. I don't take enough of it to get physically dependent on it, as I don't take it on a regular basis. I've never had any withdrawal symptoms from it before. I didn't get that loopy feeling with the pain meds toward the end either, I guess I had gotten used to them, which also scares me...I don't want to become dependent on them.

My doctor prescribed some Valium in the hospital along with the pain meds when my bladder pain wasn't controlled with the oral narcotics. It seemed to work well, but because he didn't prescribe it when I was released from the hospital for me to take at home, it wasn't in my chart, and they can't refill something that he never prescribed in the first place, even though I was talking to a doctor covering for him (She was very nice, by the way!). Since they're pretty similar, I'm hoping that they will have a similar effect on muscle spasms.

Anyone else on a benzodiazepine for pain/spasm?

I have not heard of anyone taking benzos for muscle spasms specifically, although I guess they would work.

Are you getting relief from Xanax with post-op pain and/or muscle spasms. There are specific meds out there for muscle spasms, such as Flexeril. If you don't want narcotic pain meds, there are some good prescription non-narcotic pain meds if over the counter ones don't work. Most of them are the anti-inflamatories, like Toradol.

The Xanax doesn't seem to be doing much. I have looked in one of my drug books, and it is an labeled use for Valium, though I don't see it on Xanax specifically. I started it last night, and though it did knock me out, I was awake four hours later, in worse pain than before, which I'm dealing with today...there is a question of an infection around my op site with some temperature and pain and swelling. So it may be doing what it is supposed to, but I can't tell through the rest of the pain.

The prescription pain meds do help...a lot. I don't feel that I get goofy or mentally woozy from them, but they definately take the pain away. They don't make me tired, but I still won't drive after taking them...just in case. However, I have had a problem since week two getting my doctor to prescribe anything, and I do understand how they have to protect themselves. Personally, I am in enough pain to ask for them right now, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I figure that if they guard that stuff so heavily that there must be a good reason not to take them too long. The Xanax was a last-ditch effort to try something new, and it was actually my suggestion.

Unfortunately, I am deathly allergic to Toradol. I really hate that, because I've heard from EVERY person who has ever taken it (and tolerated it) that it is the best thing they have ever taken for pain, better even than the strongest narcotic.

I have Flexeril at home for my fibromyalgia pain. I take it when I absoluetly have to, but I think I've developed somewhat of a tolerance to it, as it isn't touching this pain. It will help somewhat with sleep, but I am "hung over" the next day until about 2 p.m. I am so sleepy that I can't function. I also have Feldene, which works for my fibromyalgia, but I can't take any advil while on that for breakthrough pain, and it wears off too fast for me not to be without backup. I was on Vioxx in the hospital (the week that it was taken off the market) and I noticed that I didn't get long enough relief from it, though it was helpful the first 4-6 hours.

Of course, it could have been this infection possibility that I was feeling when I requested the Xanax instead of the narcotics. I may just have to clear up the infection to get rid of the pain, then I will be done with the postop pain all together. That would be a dream come true. After dealing with pain for the past two years (and there are poor souls out there who have dealt with it for much longer) I'm ready to just get on with my life.

Thanks for the suggestions!