Baclofen my best friend

[GayGay]

Neuro. prescribed Baclofen because I felt like my legs were stiff and he said I had some spasisity. Only taking it for 4 days now and starting out with 10 mg. twice a day. Today being the fourth day..I am very nauseated ( since first day) dizzy and vomiting started today. I wanted so much for this RX. to be beneficial to me. Will these side affects get better to where I will be able to tolerate it? Should I put a call in to my Neuro?

[salamandertom]

Well, I am fairly certain that the vomitting is not from the med (well not an allergy persay) b/c it would have started right away. Are you taking it with plenty of water? Is it being taken on an empty stomach - full stomach? I take mine at night. I think mine makes me a little queasy too - but it is night so I don't really notice b/c I go to bed.

Vicodin will make me vomit sometimes, so I was mindful of taking it with food - and if I do that I will not vomit or feel sick. I dont know if that is the issue for you, but just in case.

I have been taking baclofen for almost 2 weeks and it isn't really helping. I am starting to up my dose tonight to 15 mg from 10. I am having a hard time describing the leg issues I am having. So I (and the neuro) are confused about if it is weakness or spasticity in my legs.

[Nick]

I switched to Tizanidine

I had problems tolerating Baclofen, although they were different. My neuro switched me to Tizanidine. It has two side effects --slightly sedating (more than slightly in larger does) and dry mouth, but I can tolerate both and take very small doses except at night. It works for me almost as well as Baclofen.

[SpringOwl]

Thinking of trying again

I hated Baclofen when I tried it. I was too weak to walk and I started to have cramping in my legs ( I was on the lowest dose pill which I cut in half).

It has been a year and the bottle is hidden up in the cupboard with DO NOT USE written in red marker. I swore this stuff made things worse for me so I vowed never to take it again....................

Well I can't stand this pain anymore. My feet and legs are killing me. It rarely lets up.

I take generic Klonopin (low dose) three times a day and sometimes it helps and sometimes it does not.

I broke down and tried Zanaflex cut into quarters. I took it at night and could not stay awake for about three days. That bottle is now in the cupboard too!

I am interested in the pump as I understand that the dose is very low but I am in so much pain right now that I am thinking of getting the old bottle out of the cupboard but I am scared.

I am very sensitive to medication but if I am going to try something I like to try it on a weekend when hubby is home so I can sleep or be miserable when he can help with the kids.

I wash there was a magic pill and I know baclofen has helped so many I just wish it were for everyone.

I like to hear peoples experience with baclofen and other meds to know if my side effects match-up.

Best of luck,

Amy

[erica1000]

I am ultra sensitive to medication and I had very similar experience with oral Baclofen when the dosage was more than 20mg in a day. At 20mg the dose was too low to help my spasticity and pain. If the dose was higher I was nauseous, dizzy, and just out of it.

In April of 2010 I got a baclofen pump and love it. I am at a very low dose with the pump and love difference it has made. I still have some stiffness in my legs but nothing like before. I am able to walk and do the things I need to do. The doctor explained that when we take Baclofen orally it has to get into the blood stream to work and with my high sensitivity to medication that is why I get the icky feeling. The pump delivers the Baclofen directly to the spinal cord so that is why none of the side effects.

[GayGay]

BACLOFEN ISNT MY FRIEND AFTERALL

Thank you for all your responses. Did put a call into Neuro. He switched me to Zanaflex. Maybe I didnt give it much of a try (only 2days). I was still nauseated, dizzy, and weak so discontinued it as well. I do think the Baclofen helped with the pain though but the side affects were so severe I felt I was worse. So now Im back to my same old routine of just Neurontin and Amitriptyline. Waiting for the approval of Ampyra but not sure I want to try it either at this point. Without the Baclofen and Zanaflex I can drive safely again and going to lunch with friends today.