<s>[INST] why do the medicare people want to take me off soma, a drug that has helped my various back problems for years with no side effects at all. They say I am too old 65, this is crazy because thet list such drugs as oxycodone in their list. Soma isn,t harmful or addictive, but I know the other stuff is. It sounds to me that hey are trying to destroy my quality of life. I only take my 2 pills a day. this makes no sense to me. with my herianated and degenerative disc what am I suppose to take when a spasm prevents me from laying straight on the bed. It s painful to straighten out, and now they want to hurt me worst. I am not a drinker or a doper..just a wanna be artist & animal rights activist.. I guess that is kinda boring but...it s who I am. [/INST] Hello!Welcome on HCM!I understand your concern and would explain that this drug belongs to a pharmacological class called muscle relaxants. All these drugs are usually not recommended for a long time because of possible addiction and tolerance. I agree with you that this drug is not so addictive like other drugs, but it can lead to a low grade of addiction. That is why they have adviced you to stop the drug. But, you should know that drugs are not the only way to reduce muscle spasms. Physiotherapy is the most appropriate treatment for the long term treatment of muscle spasms. So, I would recommend considering to switch from this drug to physiotherapy. Hope to have been helpful!Kind regards, Dr. Aida </s>