question for those on Zanaflex and Baclofen

[Rosieva]

I am now on both meds, following an MS attack that left me with severe muscle spasticity.
I have been on Zanaflex (generic Tiz.....) 4 mg x4.
doc added baclofen x3, I believe 10 mg

OK, theses work , but taking these at same time is not good. I am VERY SLEEPY, dangerously dopey.

need to take at separate times, but how is best to do that?

Your experience and advice, PLEASE!

alternately spazzy and sleepy in Virginia

[rdmc]

Wow, no wonder you're sleepy. I'm not sure of the logic of Zanaflex being added when your baclofen dosage is so low, but I'm not a doctor, so you can't go by what I say.

I used to take baclofen, but in much larger dosage, and have Zanaflex for when things got too bad. Now I have a baclofen pump, but I still take some oral baclofen for my upper body spasticity.

In my experience, Zanaflex effects would wear off after about 4 hours, baclofen lasted a little longer, as far as efficacy was concerned.

Before I switched over to Baclofen, I used Zanaflex for years, but since I had to be awake during the day, I took 2 mg. at a time, just took them more often. When I switched over to Baclofen, I took larger doses, but not so often. Zanaflex made me sleepier than baclofen, but baclofen caused drowsiness too.

How are you taking them now, i.e. are you taking them together(4 mg Zanaflex and 10 mg Baclofen), or spreading out the doses throughout the day, alternating drugs? You said need to take at separate times, but that would be popping a spasticity med 7 times a day (if you're awake 16 hours, that'd be a dose about every 2 hours.) Have you told your dr. how sleepy it makes you, how does he Rx them to be taken? Which one seems to give more relief? Which one seems to make you the drowsiest?

[shalimar]

baclofen 100 mgs a day

I take 20 mg baclofen tablets 5 times a day (3 of them during the night while in bed about 3 hrs. a part) and been on that dose for years and does not make me a bit sleepy. However. zanaflex knocks me out and doesn't do much for my spactisity so I rarely take it anymore.

[swiddy99]

Wow! That is a lot...it's no wonder that you're always tired. I took Zanaflex to begin with for muscle spasms but it was not helping. The only thing it did was guarantee me a really great 4 hour nap.
I then quit the Zanaflex, cause I just couldn't stay awake, and started on the Baclofen. Dose was low to begin with (40mg/day) and seemed to be working just fine. It didn't make me tired one bit. Then started having more spasm issues so does was upped to 80mg/day.
Was not helping and my Neuro. decided it was the wrong medication for me to be on.
I now take Soma 3x/day and it seems to give me more relief and no sleepy side effects. Wish you all the best!