When do you take your symptom meds?

[marti]

I'm wondering how often you all take things like Baclofen and Neurontin. Do you take them every day or as needed? I'm beginning to see that taking Baclofen daily ( at least once a day ) is better than waiting until I'm in pain and need it.

I've been told by some doctors to take it on a regular basis, every day and even to increase it slowly. I never really understood that, but I am seeing the logic now. I just hate taking medicine. Especially the ones that have that sleepy, hangover effect. I try to time my meds so I am at least at home, in the evening, with no plans. Sometimes I even schedule appointments around the need for the meds. But of course, that's not always possible. You never know when pain is going to hit.

So, anyone else taking meds regularly? Which ones? Any you can use "as needed"?

[rdmc]

I'm wondering how often you all take things like Baclofen and Neurontin. Do you take them every day or as needed? I'm beginning to see that taking Baclofen daily ( at least once a day ) is better than waiting until I'm in pain and need it.

I've been told by some doctors to take it on a regular basis, every day and even to increase it slowly. I never really understood that, but I am seeing the logic now. I just hate taking medicine. Especially the ones that have that sleepy, hangover effect. I try to time my meds so I am at least at home, in the evening, with no plans. Sometimes I even schedule appointments around the need for the meds. But of course, that's not always possible. You never know when pain is going to hit.

So, anyone else taking meds regularly? Which ones? Any you can use "as needed"?

Hi Marti,

In my experience, spasticity is a symptom you want to stay ahead of. In other words, don't wait until it's bad before you take a med. For nearly 20 years I've taken anti-spasticity meds. I started with zanaflex. I was given the lowest dose...2 mg...and told to take it 4 times a day. As the spasticity increased the dose was upped, but was always taken on a regular basis, at about 5 hous intervals. Both zanaflex and baclofen are short acting drugs and my neuro prescribed regular doses.

When zanaflex seemed to lose it's effectiveness, I was switched to baclofen...again taken in regular doses and the dose was increased until I had maxed out on the recommended dose. Now I have a pump, which drops baclofen onto the thecal sac at a consistent dose 24/7. I still use oral baclofen for upper body spasticity ( the pump only alleviates spasticity from the level of the catheter down.). and there again, I take it on a regular schedule.

All my meds are on a schedule with the exception of a muscle relaxer for breakthrough spasm and a bp drug I take if bp decides it wants to elevate, same with an anti- arrthmyia med if my heart rate becomes irregular.

IMHO you might have better results from the baclofen if you take it regularly.

[marti]

Hi Marti,

In my experience, spasticity is a symptom you want to stay ahead of. In other words, don't wait until it's bad before you take a med. For nearly 20 years I've taken anti-spasticity meds. I started with zanaflex. I was given the lowest dose...2 mg...and told to take it 4 times a day. As the spasticity increased the dose was upped, but was always taken on a regular basis, at about 5 hous intervals. Both zanaflex and baclofen are short acting drugs and my neuro prescribed regular doses.

When zanaflex seemed to lose it's effectiveness, I was switched to baclofen...again taken in regular doses and the dose was increased until I had maxed out on the recommended dose. Now I have a pump, which drops baclofen onto the thecal sac at a consistent dose 24/7. I still use oral baclofen for upper body spasticity ( the pump only alleviates spasticity from the level of the catheter down.). and there again, I take it on a regular schedule.

All my meds are on a schedule with the exception of a muscle relaxer for breakthrough spasm and a bp drug I take if bp decides it wants to elevate, same with an anti- arrthmyia med if my heart rate becomes irregular.

IMHO you might have better results from the baclofen if you take it regularly.

Thank you. Great answers. One more question. Do you take any supplements like vitamins or co q 10 or fish oil? Do you take them regularly? It seems like vitamins etc sometimes upsets my stomach so I limit them, but like to take them at least a couple times a week. I have Gastritis so have to be kind of careful about what goes in my mouth. I like to use magnesium oil which helps with constipation and is topical. No problems there.

[ru4cats]

I just started on Zanaflex, 4 mg. once a day. I take it every night since the side effects are dry mouth and sleepiness. I find it helps give me a great night's sleep! I tried just taking it when I had a leg muscle spasm, but I've found it more effective with consistency, and since it's cheap, I'm now doing it daily. After reading rdmc's post, it looks like I'll probably increasing the dose as needed.

I do take fish oil, magnesium, vitamin D, and Amprya every day, but I haven't had any stomach problems. Can't help on that one.

[mercadies25]

I take my meds on a regular basis. I take baclofen, zanaflex, tegretol and neurotin 3xs a day every day. My pain and spasticity is excruciating so I stay ahead of it. None of it takes the spasticity or pain completely away so I don't wait. As for vitamins etc... I don't take any of them, I just don't feel like they make a positive impact on my health so I don't waste the cash.
Good luck to you.

[marti]

Thank you all again. Can you tell me how you handle the sleepy, groggy effects when you take so much medicine every day?

[Skidder]

Baclofen

I take (tablet) Baclofen on an as needed basis. I am supposed to take 60mg per day. The way I do it is take one first thing in the morning and then another every couple of hours, but not exceeding the max dosage. I find it keeps the levels more stable in my body this way. I also don't use the stop watch method of set times. I take each subsequent tablet as I notice "the need".

My body doesn't always metabolize them at the same rate so I wait until my body starts to behave a certain way. Hope it helps.

[marti]

I take (tablet) Baclofen on an as needed basis. I am supposed to take 60mg per day. The way I do it is take one first thing in the morning and then another every couple of hours, but not exceeding the max dosage. I find it keeps the levels more stable in my body this way. I also don't use the stop watch method of set times. I take each subsequent tablet as I notice "the need".

My body doesn't always metabolize them at the same rate so I wait until my body starts to behave a certain way. Hope it helps.

Thank you skidder. Very sound advice. Same goes for all the advice I've had on this post.

[rdmc]

Thank you. Great answers. One more question. Do you take any supplements like vitamins or co q 10 or fish oil? Do you take them regularly? It seems like vitamins etc sometimes upsets my stomach so I limit them, but like to take them at least a couple times a week. I have Gastritis so have to be kind of careful about what goes in my mouth. I like to use magnesium oil which helps with constipation and is topical. No problems there.

Hey Marti,

I take my supplements at the same time everyday...I don't know that it matters with them. I do it out of convenience. I, personally, take Vit D, Calcium, a probiotic, D-mannose, and lots of vitamin C, but with the vitamin C I take it throughout the day (the reason I take the vitamin C is as a preventative for UTI...high PH helps inhibit bacterial growth in the bladder, that's why I take it throughout the day.)

Sorry about your gastritis. I'm on a dose of Zantac a day, I imagine it would help with acid reflux, but I take it as a supplement to my other allergy meds...evidently it works for hives too.

As far as the drowsy feeling from the anti-spasticity meds...I found it helpful to take the smallest therapeutic dose, but take it throughout the day, as I mentioned. With a baclofen pump there is no drowsiness because the med is delivered straight to the spine.

It seems I've become quite immune from the drowsiness factor with any med I take that warns of drowsiness. Don't know why that is, but I don't get the drowsy feeling from any med I'm on, even though most warn of drowsiness as a side effect. I think early on I did, but I guess I've gained a tolerance to the meds.

Hope you find something that works for you.

[mercadies25]

Thank you all again. Can you tell me how you handle the sleepy, groggy effects when you take so much medicine every day?

The fatigue hits meds or no meds, Depending on whats going on. Usually take a good nap or two. Did it before taking the meds so I think it's just fatigue. I also have other health issues.

Just started taking the baclofen, it has not made me any groggier. In the evening I also take hydrocodine. (Sp) as needed if pain is really bad. That alone or added to the others helps me sleep a good 4-5 hours.

[Ivy_Sprite]

Hi marti,
I take all my meds on a pretty strict schedule, and keep a written log to make sure
I don't forget any, or take any twice.
I take baclofen and gabapentin 3x day, at pretty much the same time.
I take a cyclobenzaprine (flexorill) with my third dose (at night).
I do take vitamins every day after I eat lunch. I get pretty bad nausea if I take
vitamins on an empty stomach. I take vitamin D3 and a multi vitamin every day.
Along with fish oil, cranberry extract and glucosamine.

I can get kind of spacey from the gabapentin, but it's not too bad. I take
300mg x3/day.
At night, if I wake up and need help sleeping, I take 1/4 of a 50mg tablet of trazodone .
It's not every night, but a "now and then" thing. I don't feel groggy the next day as long as I don't take it too late at night (no later than 12:30am).