Baclofen dosage

[alliesmommy]

Hi all,

I was just prescribed baclofen 10 mg 3xs a day for my spasticity. Is this a fairly low dose and if so, what dose is "normal".

[Alpharetta]

Have to modify to what works for u

I started on 10 mg / 3 times per day. My neuro upped it to 1 1/2 but it doesn't exactly time release. You have to listen to your body, if you start feeling tight go with a half 5mg. Keeping it smoothed out over the day helps. If I can get a little workout in at lunch i will do a half before and after. I just haven't figured out the night dose, always wake up so unbelievable tight.

[Redwings]

Hi alliesmommy:

http://www.drugs.com/dosage/baclofen.html
Scroll down to "Usual Adult Dose for Muscle Spasm."

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/abo...fen/index.aspx

[akafearless]

Yep

I would consider it low as I was only taking 1/2 of the 10 mg tablets. Did your doc have you increase slowly? Start with 1 for 2 days then add another for 2 days, etc.
Good luck

[alliesmommy]

Thx for your replies. It helps to know what other people normally take.

[Mynamegoeshere1]

doses

Hello,

My dr. started me off at 30mg twice a day. He got me there by having me do a titration schedule though where I take 10mg for a few days and then 20 for a few until I make it up to the 30mg.

I am now on 40mg 3x a day. I cannot take the middle dose as I am already sleepy enough with my Tysabri. My Neuro and Physiatrist have given me the option at this point to play with my dosage to see what works for me. I have been taking 30mg in the am and 50mg in the pm and that is working right now. I still get a lot of tightness at night and during the day, but this is the best I can get it without turning into a complete zombie.

I am sorry if this post makes no sense. I was woken up after I took my nightime sleep aid so this might be the most random message you have ever read..............I am hoping to get the pump soon.

[knuckle]

I take 20mg Baclofen every 5-6 hours.

Something you may want to consider is taking Glycine, an amino acid which helps with spinal spasticity.

Google: glycine multiple sclerosis spasticity

Two other supplements that help with spasticity are GABA (gamma-Aminobutyric acid) and Valerian Root.

GABA is what Baclofen, Zanaflex and Gabapentin are based on. Baclofen is really just a stronger, faster acting form of GABA.

Valerian Root (the name "valium" is derived from it) will relax your muscles and is best taken at night.

Google both GABA and Valerian Root with spasticity as well or more information.

Glycine, GABA and Valerian Root are all cheap supplements.

Lastly, Magnesium usually helps reduce spasticity.

[rdmc]

Hello,

My dr. started me off at 30mg twice a day. He got me there by having me do a titration schedule though where I take 10mg for a few days and then 20 for a few until I make it up to the 30mg.

I am now on 40mg 3x a day. I cannot take the middle dose as I am already sleepy enough with my Tysabri. My Neuro and Physiatrist have given me the option at this point to play with my dosage to see what works for me. I have been taking 30mg in the am and 50mg in the pm and that is working right now. I still get a lot of tightness at night and during the day, but this is the best I can get it without turning into a complete zombie.

I am sorry if this post makes no sense. I was woken up after I took my nightime sleep aid so this might be the most random message you have ever read..............I am hoping to get the pump soon.

Wow, that seems like a large dose, I wouldn't be able to stay awake either. My neuro wouldn't Rx above 80mg per day, and so it was onto the pump, which looks like the direction you're heading.

I still take oral baclofen, 10 mg 3x a day and have no trouble with sleepy side effects. I still have upper body spasticity and unfortunately the pump only helps from around the level the catheter is (T9 for me) and below. The pump dosages are measured in micrograms, so 1000 mcg are equal to one miligram. When you compare dosages it's amazing how the tiny bit of baclofen directly on the spinal cord is so much more effective than the oral, plus no side effects.

[Mynamegoeshere1]

Pump

The physiatrist said she will do the pump with baclofen and pain management medication. Unfortunately, she wants to try botox first. I am waiting to find out the price first and then tell her that I would rather move on as that is quite expensive. I have already heard the prices of it and I have to pay 10%. That may not seem like much, but added up with the rest of my medical bills + being on disability, you have to pick and choose. I am hoping she will listen.

[rdmc]

The physiatrist said she will do the pump with baclofen and pain management medication. Unfortunately, she wants to try botox first. I am waiting to find out the price first and then tell her that I would rather move on as that is quite expensive. I have already heard the prices of it and I have to pay 10%. That may not seem like much, but added up with the rest of my medical bills + being on disability, you have to pick and choose. I am hoping she will listen.

Where would she do the Botox shots?

Since you mentioned cost, just a word about costs and the pump. just check with your insurance company to find out your part of the cost will be. The surgery, which included the pump was ridiculously expensive...although I just had to pay my ins. Copay for the hospital which was about 500 bucks. but the actual bill was around $100,000....now that's not what my insurance paid the hospital, it was much reduced, but that's what the bill said. I think the high cost has to do with the cost of the device, plus the neurosurgeon.

Also the refills cost more than the visits to just have it turned up, or down. I pay a copay, so I'm not sure what the actual cost is.

[Mynamegoeshere1]

botox/pump

She would start off in my hamstring which is the part that gives me the most problems at night. The back of my legs, along with my butt tends to tighten up and have issues easing up and gets pretty painful. I usually end up waking up. I want to avoid paying a lot of money for botox and then paying a lot of money for a pump. I have met my out of pocket maximum for the year -200 so I would rather get this done and over with this year while that is already met. Wishful thinking I am sure

[rdmc]

She would start off in my hamstring which is the part that gives me the most problems at night. The back of my legs, along with my butt tends to tighten up and have issues easing up and gets pretty painful. I usually end up waking up. I want to avoid paying a lot of money for botox and then paying a lot of money for a pump. I have met my out of pocket maximum for the year -200 so I would rather get this done and over with this year while that is already met. Wishful thinking I am sure

I can understand the wanting to do it if you've already met your deductible. There is lead time involved because you get the trial, where you get to "test drive" the med. Then it's off to the neurosurgeon, and all those pre-surgery tests once you get on his schedule.

Botox in your hamstring...so when it's bad you probably can't bend your knee back towards your butt. The thing about botox is that you have to go back and have it done every few months, right. I know they're using it more and more now for spasticity, just never heard if it's effective.

I have spasticity in my tongue and an ENT I was referred to wanted to do botox in the base of my tongue. I could never get up the guts to try it because of all the warnings about it affecting my swallowing.

Have you tried to find someone on the boards that had botox in their hamstring to find if they had any success with it?

[Mynamegoeshere1]

hamstring

I have asked questions and some said they had success, some didn't. Some said it was more worth it when they got the pump as the botox made it worse for days afterwards and only lasts for a little bit.

[ms er since 06]

I have an appointment with a doctor soon to discuss the pump. The second round of Botox injections made me so weak I could hardly walk, fasten my seat belt, and I couldn't set my home alarm because I couldn't push the buttons hard enough. I didn't connect the weakness to Botox. I happened to see my Primary Care doctor who was so worried about me she spent 2 hours with me instead of 40minutes. At the end of the appointment, I mentioned the Botox and she said, "No wonder you're so weak! When is your next Botox appointment?" I told her June. She told me to cancel the appointment and I would get my strength back. I cancelled it and my strength did come back. I don't know how common this reaction is. Good luck with the pump, hope it works well for you.

[Spydre]

My neuro won't give me above 20 mg three times a day - I think I may need to get zaniflex(?) I think it is, if the baclofen continues to not work.