Cyclobenzaprine and Dry Mouth: What Users Say

• Wor...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 16, 2014

Cyclobenzaprine for Muscle Spasm "I find Flexeril 'tops' for killing muscle pain associated with spasm, knots and/or injury. Compared to Valium (which I also have), the Flexeril does a better job for the actual pain & spasm. However, Flexeril does have heavy side effects which could discourage first-time users: - Dry mouth and eyes. - A 'tight feeling' of the upper chest & bronchioles (very similar to what a high dose of Benadryl does). - Slightly blurry vision. - A substantial drowsiness which, for me, occurs about 4 hours after taking the dose. It becomes a struggle to stay awake. Definitely never go above the recommended dose - because of the harsh side effects."

• Ani...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 3, 2018

Cyclobenzaprine for Muscle Spasm "I injured my back at age 24 and have had flare-ups over the years. I'm now almost 60, and back pain is almost a daily thing. Being barely able to walk, I went to my PCP to get something for it, but she's a die-hard 'no opioids or controlled substances of any kind.' Instead, she gave me Flexeril - 10 mg twice a day. I had never taken them before and didn't have much hope for pain relief. But, I was wrong. After taking them for a few days, I felt like a different person. Now I only take as needed. I've had no side effects except for dry mouth. Not even the 'loopiness' or drowsiness she had warned me about."

• sle...
• December 11, 2014

Cyclobenzaprine for Muscle Spasm "Yikes! I don't like taking medication of any kind. I've had a frozen shoulder for 8 months and am ready to gnaw off my own arm from the pain and lack of mobility. My PCP prescribed this for shoulder impingement. I took half of a 10 at 8 pm and slept all night. I do have a very dry mouth and feel hung-over this morning. I'd reserve this for bedtime use only."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 11, 2015

Cyclobenzaprine for Muscle Spasm "My doctor prescribed 10 mg Flexeril three times per day for a painful and crippling muscle spasm in my lower back. The dosage helped relax my back, but it also relaxed everything else in my body. I had difficulty controlling my extremities, as if they were detached from the rest of my body. Sometimes I didn't have enough control of my tongue to speak clearly. Sometimes I felt weak and uncoordinated, for example, I had to take my time going up and down stairs. I felt generally sleepy and spaced out most of the time, and felt thirstier than usual. I also needed more sleep than usual, 10 hours. Overall effective for helping my condition, but the side effects were a little frightening."

• NNG...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 15, 2013

Cyclobenzaprine for Sciatica "Well, I was just prescribed Flexeril yesterday for the pain I was experiencing from a L5-S1 herniated disc & sciatica. It made me feel like a zombie about an hour & 1/2 after taking it. I took a shower, and after getting out, I had no strength in my arms or legs. Dry mouth & lower leg pains when laying in bed later. It did help with the pain but will be taking only 1/2 a pill as needed vs the 10 mg 3 times daily."

• Div...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 4, 2019

For Sciatica "I take this at bedtime for piriformis syndrome (which caused compression of the sciatic nerve) and associated sciatica problems. The cyclobenzaprine works great. No grogginess the next day and no trouble waking to my alarm. The dry mouth is annoying but tolerable. It has been a godsend as I can exercise once again without pain in my butt all the time!"

• TYK...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 30, 2019

Cyclobenzaprine for Muscle Spasm "I was involved in a rear-end collision, experienced extreme neck, shoulder, and arm pain. Ibuprofen 600 mg and 10 mg Flexeril for my neck sprain, then told to stretch the muscles to keep them from locking up. I took my first dose last night, I don't even remember going to sleep, but I didn't have the pain anymore. I woke up today feeling like I have a hangover, dizziness, and my mouth was extremely dry. So, I tried to avoid taking the meds this morning for a couple of hours. Now, it is midday and the pain hasn't stopped, so I took another pill. In my opinion, Flexeril is a good pill for relaxing your muscles, especially if you're going to physical therapy. I don't recommend driving or doing anything while on this medication."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 16, 2025

Cyclobenzaprine for Muscle Spasm "For context, I had an issue with my hip for about 2 months that was diagnosed as SI joint inflammation; I also have several chronic conditions. I was prescribed a Medrol dose pack and 5 mg Flexeril three times daily as needed for muscle spasms. Because of what I do for work, I have only been taking it before bed. The cyclobenzaprine makes me mildly tired, blocks most of the pain signals, and I wake feeling energized with a little bit of dry mouth. The troubling side effect is the weird dreams. They are mundane in nature but take weird and violent turns. In one dream, I was at work and was almost killed by a new coworker who turned out to be a serial killer; in another dream, I had bought a house and was moving things in, but now had to take care of some $8k marine fish that was left behind; and in another, I was in a panicked frenzy looking for my socks so I could go home. I don't mind the dreams once I wake up and realize they are dreams; it's just a little jarring in the moment."

• Nic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 27, 2019

For Migraine "This cyclobenzaprine is the only thing that helps my headaches. I have the 10 mg tablets, and I was told to take a dose of ½ to 1 pill 3x a day as needed. If I take it before bed, I sleep like the dead and wake up groggy. I stay groggy all day. It seems to unfilter my mouth, and I tend to be grouchier than usual. Now that I've been on it for a few weeks, that has calmed down somewhat. The dry mouth is the worst of any medication I've had. One pill can dry me out more than 1 whole day."

• mom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 3, 2013

For Muscle Spasm "I have taken this a few times for muscle spasms due to whiplash and other injuries over the years. I am currently prescribed it once more for a pulled gluteal muscle, but this time I am only on 5 mg once a day at night for two weeks. 10 mg simply knocks me out and leaves me feeling completely hungover and drained the next day. I gave it a 9 because sometimes it wakes me up with horrid dry mouth and it takes me a little longer to fully wake up in the morning."

• Art...
• April 22, 2017

Cyclobenzaprine for Muscle Spasm "Stay away from this garbage. I was stupid enough to try it for 3 days, 10 mg before bedtime. All those days, I was like a zombie. Dry mouth. Crazy dreams. Constant nausea. Stomach stabbing pain. No energy at all. Sleepy during the day and crazy at night. I don't know who's writing positive reviews, maybe pharma people, lol. Do your research. Stay away from this drug!"

• boo...
• December 2, 2009

Cyclobenzaprine for Fibromyalgia "I have had fibromyalgia for over 15 years. When my muscles feel extremely tight, I definitely hurt more. Thank God for Flexeril! I take 10 mg before bed, and this helps me to sleep and feel less muscle pain. I tried to live without this medicine for 1 week, and my pain level went up considerably, along with many more muscle spasms and tightness. I do have a dry mouth, especially after I wake up. I do work night shifts as a nurse, this helps me to get better sleep, in turn making me feel better after I get up."

• Rus...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 21, 2018

Cyclobenzaprine for Sciatica "Bad disc in neck causing severe muscle spasms. This provided great relief, but had all the side effects. Dry mouth, bloating, brain in a fog. I only took 0.5 per day for 5 straight days. I am stopping now to clear my brain."

• Oka...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 22, 2019

Cyclobenzaprine for Muscle Spasm "I have severe back spasms in my lower and mid back sections. This medication works, however, I feel like a complete zombie when I wake up. I'm super tired for another day or two after a 15-milligram dose. Dry mouth is a huge factor for me, but staying hydrated is a great way to keep dry mouth at bay."

• Mys...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 4, 2019

For Muscle Spasm "Went to urgent care because my stiff shoulder muscle was causing pain/headaches. I was prescribed cyclobenzaprine 5 mg three times a day. Overall, it worked, but made me very tired the first few days. On days one and two, I slept most of the day. So, if you have work to do, it can make things difficult. Days six and seven, I had dry mouth and dizziness when standing. It took away pain I had been trying to massage out for months, and I’m now pain-free. Therefore, I would still recommend this medication despite the side effects."

• Wav...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 21, 2019

For Muscle Spasm "I started taking this for back pain, and yes, it did relieve it, but the side effects were tough on me. I would wake up with dizziness, dry mouth, and sometimes I couldn't get out of bed at all! I would take it at night and literally sleep the whole next day!"

• whi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 12, 2013

Cyclobenzaprine "Took for lower back pain. Definitely made me drowsy, dry mouth, and throat. It did not relax me. I found myself tightening the muscles all over my body to compensate for feeling so tired and weak to be able to move, stand, and walk with the pain. Did nothing for the pain and was so drowsy I had difficulty focusing through it to function. I did lay down to try to relax and breathe through and ended up passing out for over 4 hours. I guess it was good to get some rest, but not having a choice about it... very uncomfortable with that idea."

• OAM...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 13, 2017

Cyclobenzaprine for Muscle Spasm "I first tried this for severe lower back spasms. The doc warned me I would feel 'hung over' the first few days, which was true. Start with a low dose and ramp up if needed. The first a.m. I shrugged my shoulders and thought, 'Wow-this is what it's like to be normal!' (I had wrecked my neck in a parachute accident several years before). BONUS: I had been waking up at 1-3 a.m. every morning and was not able to go back to sleep. This med solved that problem. At the same time, I was able to get up in the middle of the night, take care of my toddler, then go back to sleep without a problem. CON: it causes dry mouth, which leads to dental problems. Sad. I take it only a few times a year now. (I took it every night for several years)."

• sta...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 2, 2014

For Muscle Spasm "Perfect for severe upper back muscle pain and spasms. I could barely stand by the end of a typical workday. Flexeril has made it possible to work and be more comfortable and able to enjoy life. The only side effects I've noticed are slight irritability, dry mouth, and drowsiness when taken in a large dose or at the end of the day. Dosage is 10 mg three times daily. Usually one on my first work break, then two on my last break. Typically takes 1.5 to 2 hours to kick in, so the timing is perfect. Able to enjoy life again, besides being stuck in bed all the time."

• jra...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 28, 2016

For Muscle Spasm "I was prescribed the 10 mg tablet and made me completely useless. I was so groggy and sleepy all I wanted to do was sleep. I had my Dr. reduce to 5 mg. Still groggy, sleepy. I took one last night because my neck was stiff and my back hurting, and I hadn't taken one in a while. I slept OK, but had difficulty getting up. Once the initial rush of work was over at 10, all I wanted to do was sleep. I went online to see if there were similar experiences, and it appears that in general, this is what to expect from this narcotic. Mild headaches accompany the sleepiness and lack of focus. So does dry mouth. Now I'm just waiting for it to wear off so I can be back to normal..."

• Anonymous
• November 11, 2011

Cyclobenzaprine for Muscle Spasm "I was prescribed 10 mg Flexeril after pulling an abdominal muscle, which led to spasms. The Flexeril made the pain and spasms stop, but gave me severe dry mouth and made me so dizzy I couldn't get to sleep."

• ton...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 2, 2018

For Sciatica "I was prescribed this muscle relaxant along with my other pain medications for L5/S1 disc herniation. It helped with the pain, but the side effects were just not worth it. It made me feel extremely lazy and drowsy the entire day. I tried taking it at bedtime, but I would end up oversleeping and waking up the next day feeling very lazy, with a dry mouth and a headache. I can't even imagine how I would have felt if I had taken this medication 3 times a day like my doctor recommended."

• lmo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 17, 2024

For Muscle Spasm "I was prescribed 10 mg of this as needed by my doctor for the horrible calf cramps and lower back spasms that I get fairly often. I've put off taking them because honestly I'm scared of new medications, but while on a trip this weekend, I was struck with horrendous calf cramps while cramped in the car. I took one of the cyclobenzaprine pills and within 20 minutes, the cramping was letting up and I was able to relax and fall asleep for the rest of the ride. I did have some sleepiness, dry mouth, and very slight dizziness as side effects, but it 100% did what was intended."

• Lau...
• May 11, 2013

Cyclobenzaprine "This drug has improved my quality of life greatly! The first week I had drop attacks at my desk at work, and I was drowsy. The key is to take this medication at 4 PM and consecutively. I do experience dry mouth too. I have four neurostimulators implanted in my head to help with pain, and I take gabapentin, Topamax, Paxil, folic acid, hydrocodone, a special gabapentin/lidocaine cream, and vitamins on a daily basis to function like a human being. For rescue, I take Maxalt, and if severe enough, Butorphanol-Tartrate. This medicine has given me hope again and made me able to decrease pain meds during the day! This med runs about $400 with my insurance."

• chi...
• July 10, 2009

Cyclobenzaprine for Muscle Spasm "I went to my internal medicine doctor on June 10. Told her about my right shoulder hurting - she gave me Flexeril and naproxen together - they work for my condition: rotator cuff. I've taken Flexeril in the past for muscle spasms. The only side effect with it is dry mouth. I don't have any side effects with naproxen."