Medical professionals

[soflabbwlvr]

Are there any doctors, nurses, pharmacists, or other medical professionals on this board? I have some questions regarding prescription medications that I need to clarify for a story I am writing. Thank you for your assistance.

 

[infinity706]

I'm not a certified medical professional, but I might be able to answer them anyway.

 

[sweepthefloor]

What is the question? If I don't have the information, I have the ability to find it.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

Thanks for the assistance. I'm looking for the name, usual dosage, duration, lag time, and side effects of the most commonly used muscle relaxer, tranquilizer, and pain reliever. Also, the same information for roofies, and the anesthesia they give during a colonoscopy. Also, can any of these be taken with any others? I think that covers it.

 

[silverwhisper]

if you can locate a copy of the physician's desk reference, that would probably do the trick if your questions are specifically pharmaceutical-related. your local library may actually have a copy in the reference section, incidentally.

ed

 

[sweepthefloor]

Thanks for the assistance. I'm looking for the name, usual dosage, duration, lag time, and side effects of the most commonly used muscle relaxer, tranquilizer, and pain reliever. Also, the same information for roofies, and the anesthesia they give during a colonoscopy. Also, can any of these be taken with any others? I think that covers it.

Are these medications going to be administered orally or intravenously (IV) for the story?

I will try to give you both.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

Are these medications going to be administered orally or intravenously (IV) for the story?

I will try to give you both.

Orally

 

[SweetErika]

Thanks for the assistance. I'm looking for the name, usual dosage, duration, lag time, and side effects of the most commonly used muscle relaxer, tranquilizer, and pain reliever. Also, the same information for roofies, and the anesthesia they give during a colonoscopy. Also, can any of these be taken with any others? I think that covers it.

You can find typical dosages, durations and side effects on sites like drugs.com.

Most common muscle relaxants
FYI, a lot of muscle relaxants have tranquilizing/sedative effects. For instance, 10mg of Flexeril puts me out within an hour or so, and the sedative effect doesn't wear off for a good 12 hours, so I have trouble waking up and getting going the next day (which is why I've switched to a shorter-acting muscle relaxant).

As for the tranquilizer, you'd need to be more specific. Xanax and Valium are very common tranquilizers, and they also have anti-spasmodic effects. But then you also have more serious drugs like Klonopin and Ketamine.

More specificity is needed on the pain reliever (analgesic) front as well. Are you talking about things like Percocet, Vicodin, Morphine, Codeine? Or NSAIDS (prescription or OTC)? Or tylenol or aspirin? What is it being used for in your story?

My husband had a colonoscopy last year, and they gave him IV Fentanyl. When my mom had one several years ago, I believe they gave her a combo of Valium and Demerol or Fentanyl.

Google should yield quite a bit of info on roofies. Rohypnol is the "date rape drug" but several other drugs would be plausible in a story.

*Note: I didn't spellcheck the drug names, but they should be accurate enough for Google to suggest an alternative if some of them are wrong.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

You can find typical dosages, durations and side effects on sites like drugs.com.

Most common muscle relaxants
FYI, a lot of muscle relaxants have tranquilizing/sedative effects. For instance, 10mg of Flexeril puts me out within an hour or so, and the sedative effect doesn't wear off for a good 12 hours, so I have trouble waking up and getting going the next day (which is why I've switched to a shorter-acting muscle relaxant).

As for the tranquilizer, you'd need to be more specific. Xanax and Valium are very common tranquilizers, and they also have anti-spasmodic effects. But then you also have more serious drugs like Klonopin and Ketamine.

More specificity is needed on the pain reliever (analgesic) front as well. Are you talking about things like Percocet, Vicodin, Morphine, Codeine? Or NSAIDS (prescription or OTC)? Or tylenol or aspirin? What is it being used for in your story?

My husband had a colonoscopy last year, and they gave him IV Fentanyl. When my mom had one several years ago, I believe they gave her a combo of Valium and Demerol or Fentanyl.

Google should yield quite a bit of info on roofies. Rohypnol is the "date rape drug" but several other drugs would be plausible in a story.

*Note: I didn't spellcheck the drug names, but they should be accurate enough for Google to suggest an alternative if some of them are wrong.

Thanks for your input. The Flexeril info is precisely what I am looking for.

As for the tranquilizers, Xanax or Valium are probably what I am looking for--something that is widely available, has an easily recognizable name, and is sometimes used recreationally. If you or anyone could describe the usual dosage, general effects, and typical side effects, I would be most appreciative.

On the pain killers, again, I'm looking for something well known and easily obtainable. Percocet and Vicodin meet the criteria. Again, I'm also looking for information regarding usual dosage, effects, and side effects.

I'm not sure which anesthesia for a colonoscopy is the one I am thinking of, but if it is only administered intravenously, then it wouldn't work anyway. What I liked about it is that the patient is awake, feels no pain whatsoever, and has no memory of what happens while being dosed.

Rohypnol is a good choice because, once again, it is well known and widely available.

Just to be clear, the story isn't all about drugs. However, in one scene a character is going to be offered a choice of drugs, and I want to make the description as accurate as possible.

Thanks again.

 

[SweetErika]

Thanks for your input. The Flexeril info is precisely what I am looking for.

You're welcome!

Keep in mind that user experiences are highly subjective. You can probably get a general idea of the effects from user reviews on sites like drugs.com.

Also, muscle relaxants usually cause drowsiness (from mild to extreme), but they typically do not put people out or cause memory problems.

As for the tranquilizers, Xanax or Valium are probably what I am looking for--something that is widely available, has an easily recognizable name, and is sometimes used recreationally. If you or anyone could describe the usual dosage, general effects, and typical side effects, I would be most appreciative.

I primarily take Xanax occasionally for severe anxiety caused by dental work because it's far cheaper than Nitrous. If I'm stuck in a pain cycle due to muscle spasms and severe headaches, it can also be helpful. The typical dose is wholly dependent on what it's used for. For moderate to severe anxiety, I believe the usual starting dose is 2mg, and that provides relief and drowsiness for 6-8 hours. To really relax and/or put someone out, you're probably looking at a dose of 2.5 to 4mg. I'm not sure about Valium dosages, but I was prescribed some years ago, and its effects were pretty similar to Xanax from what I recall. I experience both as kind of "melting" my anxiety and physical tension away and they definitely induce drowsiness (from more of a twilight relaxation/sleep state to actual sleep, depending on a bunch of factors).

I'm not into recreational drugs at all, but Xanax is likely far more common on the street than Valium.

On the pain killers, again, I'm looking for something well known and easily obtainable. Percocet and Vicodin meet the criteria. Again, I'm also looking for information regarding usual dosage, effects, and side effects.

Those aren't good choices if you want your character awake and feeling no pain. Yes, opioids are analgesics, but new pain breaks through them quite easily and the dosing wholly depends on the severity of the pain (which is why like cancer patients can be given an amount that would typically kill them several times over and be just fine). The main effects are analgesia and euphoria. The major side effects are drowsiness, nausea and respiratory depression. For post-op pain, for instance, people are typically prescribed 5-10mg of oxycodone (percocet is oxycodone plus tylenol) every 4-6 hours.

I'm not sure which anesthesia for a colonoscopy is the one I am thinking of, but if it is only administered intravenously, then it wouldn't work anyway. What I liked about it is that the patient is awake, feels no pain whatsoever, and has no memory of what happens while being dosed.

Fentanyl is only available via IV for non-cancer pain. Demerol is available in tablet form, as well as via injection. It sounds like you're describing what's commonly referred to as a "twilight sleep" which is what they do for colonoscopies and the like. Your character COULD be administered oral morphine, demerol or dilaudid plus xanax or valium to produce a twilight sleep state.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

You're welcome!

Keep in mind that user experiences are highly subjective. You can probably get a general idea of the effects from user reviews on sites like drugs.com.

Also, muscle relaxants usually cause drowsiness (from mild to extreme), but they typically do not put people out or cause memory problems.


I primarily take Xanax occasionally for severe anxiety caused by dental work because it's far cheaper than Nitrous. If I'm stuck in a pain cycle due to muscle spasms and severe headaches, it can also be helpful. The typical dose is wholly dependent on what it's used for. For moderate to severe anxiety, I believe the usual starting dose is 2mg, and that provides relief and drowsiness for 6-8 hours. To really relax and/or put someone out, you're probably looking at a dose of 2.5 to 4mg. I'm not sure about Valium dosages, but I was prescribed some years ago, and its effects were pretty similar to Xanax from what I recall. I experience both as kind of "melting" my anxiety and physical tension away and they definitely induce drowsiness (from more of a twilight relaxation/sleep state to actual sleep, depending on a bunch of factors).

I'm not into recreational drugs at all, but Xanax is likely far more common on the street than Valium.


Those aren't good choices if you want your character awake and feeling no pain. Yes, opioids are analgesics, but new pain breaks through them quite easily and the dosing wholly depends on the severity of the pain (which is why like cancer patients can be given an amount that would typically kill them several times over and be just fine). The main effects are analgesia and euphoria. The major side effects are drowsiness, nausea and respiratory depression. For post-op pain, for instance, people are typically prescribed 5-10mg of oxycodone (percocet is oxycodone plus tylenol) every 4-6 hours.


Fentanyl is only available via IV for non-cancer pain. Demerol is available in tablet form, as well as via injection. It sounds like you're describing what's commonly referred to as a "twilight sleep" which is what they do for colonoscopies and the like. Your character COULD be administered oral morphine, demerol or dilaudid plus xanax or valium to produce a twilight sleep state.

Thank you. You have been a tremendous help.