ZANAFLEX

[mandm3243]

Has anyone ever tried Zanaflex?If so how did it work for you and what side effects did u have?
Thanks,
mandm3243

[KoKo]

Hello Mandm

I have used Zanaflex in the past, prescribed for spasticity. I didn't care for the way it made me feel, somewhat drowsy and weak - and I stopped taking it.

I have leg weakness, and a neuro at Cleveland Clinic told me (when the Zanaflex was prescribed) that sometimes with leg weakness some spasticity is beneficial for standing and walking. He was right. The Zanaflex took away the spasticity, but the leg weakness caused more difficulties.

It's been awhile since I've taken it, but I wonder if the results would be the same now. I don't weigh much, so maybe a much lower dose would be ok now.

In any case, that's just my experience. I'm sure many members have had good results. Remember, we all respond so differently!

Let's see if other members respond to how Zanaflex works for them. Good luck to you, and hopefully you get positive benefits, should you decide to use it.

Take care,
KoKo

[barryrado]

zanaflexzzzzzzzzzz!!

hi all, i tried baclafen and zanaflex. They both work, but zanaflex left me feeling drowsy. barry

[Shashi]

I've tried Zanaflex a couple of times (once the regular and once the newer extended release). Both times, it knocked me out. I slept the whole time I was taking it.

I take baclofen instead for muscle spasticity and have for almost four years with very few side effects. But I certainly know if I forget to take it! Ouch!

[kudos]

I took this for a few years, 4mg tablet instant release, usually at night. It worked great for spasms and also migraine headache prevention somewhat, but had some side effects--drowsiness, dry mouth, and fatigue the next morning. Also I noticed some muscle weakness but not much, and improved sleep. Usually if I took it during the day I would end up just taking a nap instead of fighting the sleepiness. I also tried the capsule/delayed release formulation but it caused more side effects and is more $$. It has some anti-convulsant properties too so it might also help some w/ nerve pain.

I switched to Soma recently which doesn't work as well but has less side effects so I can take it more often. I might try Baclofen instead since it seems that works well for alot of people.

[kmallory1]

I took Zanaflex (2mg) for spasticity. I couldn't tell if it helped the spasticity because it put me to sleep. I mean, out like a light, sound asleep. I actually dropped a half-full cup of coffee as I went out once.

I did find that if I took it at bedtime, after 4 hours, when it wore off, I'd pop wide awake and couldn't go back to sleep. It seemed to have a sort of bounce-back effect.

Dry mouth is a big side effect, especially if you take other medications (like DitropanXL) that also cause dry mouth.

Beware of its interaction with Cipro and related antibiotics. Cipro causes Zanaflex's half-life (how long it takes to clear out of your blood) to increase by as much as 12-fold, leading to possible overdose.

My on-line pharmacy actually called me on the phone to warn me when I filled a Cipro prescription locally while I was on Zanaflex. I told the urologist who had prescribed the Cipro, and he'd never heard of any interaction, and was unfamiliar with Zanaflex, so don't depend on a doctor to catch this.

[beckyd]

I tried Zanaflex years ago,, and it made me so dizzy, I quit taking it after a short time. All you can do is try it and see if it works for you - everyone's so different, there's no way of knowing how you will react. I hope it works for you1

[rdmc]

Zanaflex works for me. I take a low dose (2 mg) about 3 times a day, then at bedtime I take 4 mg.

It can make you sleepy. When I first started taking it it made me drowsy, but that side effect seemed to have worn off.

I call it my "walking" pill, because it relieves my spasticity, so that my gait is much more normal, and not so stiff.

[kerrief]

Same reaction

as kmallory1. My new dr. prescribed diazapam at night and I take Baclofen during the day. Zanaflex would make me fall asleep if I took it during the day-I actually used it as a sleeping pill at night, basically.

[agate]

Hi mandm3243,

I have a bottle of Zanaflex that I've never opened. The neuro prescribed it back in January. I'm really reluctant to start any drug I haven't ever taken.

When I found so many posts about how it made people drowsy, I just didn't want to try it. I'm tired enough already.

Somebody mentioned Soma. I've had good results with it sometimes though I try to take it only when I won't mind being drowsy.

[Tom Lewandowski]

I've been on Tizanidine 4mg for about ten years and it has helped with spasticity. Because of its drowsiness side effect, I only take it at night, before bed. When I haven't taken it, my wife says my arms and legs are sometimes pretty active during the night....though I don't use it every night.

Like kerrief, I also use it as a sleeping aide. Very effective and doesn't give you that hung-over feeling in the morning. I've never experienced any other side effects from it.

[Chestnut4173]

Zanaflex

My doctor prescribed Zanaflex for my for spasticity and I have been very leery about taking it because of the drowsiness side effect. Can anyone who has been taking it tell me how much time passed before that side effect went away?

[Tom Lewandowski]

The 'drowsiness' side-effect has never gone away for me, after ten years. And I've never built a tolerance to it and still only take 4 mg.

It's not an overpowering drowsiness like some meds. If I need to be alert after taking it, I'm still able to do so.

[rdmc]

The 'drowsiness' side-effect has never gone away for me, after ten years. And I've never built a tolerance to it and still only take 4 mg.

It's not an overpowering drowsiness like some meds. If I need to be alert after taking it, I'm still able to do so.

That's been my experience as far as the drowsiness (I only take 2 mg though.) If I'm active and doing something, I don't notice the drowsiness. If I sit down to relax, I might notice I nod off for 15 or 20 minutes about an hour after taking it.

I've been at the same dosage for years, and haven't had to ramp it up in order to get the same effect.

[kudos]

I just switched to baclofen (10mg) instead of zanaflex(4mg). Not sure if I built up a tolerance to the beneficial action of zanaflex (like one doc suggested) or if my spasms just got worse. I took zanaflex few times a week for about four years. The Baclofen is working somewhat better of me now though, at least so far, and seems to be less sedating.