Soma is the brand name for a prescription muscle relaxer called carisoprodol which is used to treat pain caused by skeletal muscle conditions. While Soma is considered safe when prescribed by a doctor, abusing it can lead to addiction.
According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, 2,276,000 U.S. residents aged 12 and older have abused Soma at some point in their lives.[1]
Soma is a short-acting medication that stays in your system for less than 24 hours, however, some drug tests can detect it for several days after your last dose.
What are the Effects of Soma (Carisoprodol)?
Soma is a prescription muscle relaxer that provides relief from muscle spasms, strains, and other injuries. It works by affecting neurotransmitters in the central nervous system and changing how they respond to pain. Since Soma carries a risk of dependency, it is only intended for short-term use.
Typically, the effects of Soma will kick in 30 minutes after taking it and will last somewhere between 4 to 6 hours depending on your dose and tolerance.
The effects of Soma include:[2]
- Drowsiness and dizziness
- Pain relief
- Clumsiness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Reduced alertness
- Sedation
- A rush of euphoria
- Memory loss
- Anxiety or depression
- Insomnia
- Social withdrawal
People who abuse Soma may combine it with other substances to increase the high they experience. Mixing Soma with other drugs like opioids, alcohol, or stimulants can be incredibly dangerous, as it increases your likelihood of adverse side effects and overdose.
What is the Half-Life of Soma?
To understand how long soma stays in your system, you have to be informed about what a half-life is. A drug’s half-life describes how long it takes your body to eliminate half of a single dose of a substance. Typically, it takes 4 to 5 half-lives for any drug to be removed from your system.
Soma’s half-life is between 1 to 3 hours, so it can take up to 11 hours to be eliminated from your body.[2] However, even when the drug has left your system, metabolites remain behind a little longer in various parts of your body such as your urine, blood, saliva, and hair.
How Long Does Soma Stay in Your System?
Exactly how long Soma stays in your system will depend on a variety of factors. For example, while some people have extremely fast metabolisms, others take a longer amount of time to metabolize substances. It could take one person longer to remove Soma from their system than another individual.
Several factors play an important role in determining how long Soma (carisoprodol) remains in your system, including:
- Dosage – The amount of Soma taken can affect how long it stays in your body. Higher doses (or more regular doses) may take longer to clear from the body.
- Method of Administration – The way Soma is taken, such as oral consumption or other routes like smoking, snorting, or injecting, can impact its absorption and elimination rates.
- Frequency of Use – If Soma is used frequently, it may accumulate in the body, leading to a longer presence in the system.
- Metabolism Rate – Individual metabolic rates can vary, influencing how quickly the body processes and eliminates the drug.
- Age – Age can affect drug metabolism, with younger individuals often processing substances more rapidly than older individuals.
- Body Mass and Weight – The body’s size and composition can influence drug distribution and elimination rates.
- Food and Water Consumption – Whether Soma is taken with food or water can affect its rate of metabolism.
- Liver and Kidney Health – The proper functioning of the liver and kidneys is crucial in processing and eliminating Soma from the body.
Average Soma Detection Times by Drug Test Type
While the exact length of time Soma remains in your system can vary, the following are estimates of how long different types of drug tests can detect it.
Urine
Urine drug tests look for metabolites that carisoprodol has left behind in your urine. These tests can detect Soma in your urine for 2 to 3 days after your last dose.
Saliva
Saliva drug tests are not as common as urine drug tests as they tend to be less reliable. However, Soma can be detected in your saliva for up to 4 hours after your last dose.
Blood
Blood tests look for metabolites that Soma leaves behind in your bloodstream. If the test is given no later than 4 hours after you took the drug, blood tests can determine exactly what dose you took. Soma can be detected in blood up to 24 hours after your last dose.
Hair
While hair tests are the most reliable, they are invasive and extremely expensive to send to the lab, so they are not commonly used. However, hair tests can detect any drug (including Soma) in your system for up to 3 months after you last consumed it.
Find Help for Soma Abuse and Addiction
If you or a loved one regularly abuse Soma, it is time to seek professional help. Soma addiction can be dangerous, especially if you are combining the drug with other substances like alcohol, opioids, or benzodiazepines, but drug rehab programs like Mandala Healing Center can provide you with the support and tools you need to achieve a substance-free lifestyle.
To learn more about our prescription drug addiction treatment programs, please contact us today.
References:
- The National Drug Intelligence Center: Soma Fast Facts, Retrieved August 2023 From https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs10/10913/index.htm
- The National Library of Medicine (NLM): Carisoprodol, Retrieved August 2023 From https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553077/