Baclofen

Everyday living
1

Hi, I’ve been taking Baclofen (30mg) for a couple of months, but I’m getting some pretty unpleasant side effects and I want to come off it.

I started to take a lower dose yesterday (on GP advice, I know you can’t just stop taking it), but the spasticity I was taking it for is back already, and I wondered whether that’s just something that will pass in a couple of days? If not, I need to find another remedy.

So, does anyone use magnesium spray for spasticity, and do you find it helps? (I’d really rather not take another drug unless I have to). Or does anyone have any suggestions for what else I could ask to try?

Thanks

Jo x

2

I have recently changed from baclofen to tizanidine - weaned off one while slowly increasing the other - so far so good

3

Hi Floopy, did you have to contact your MS nurse to get the tizandine, or just your GP?

4
  • Hi there.I had the same problems with those tablets,my neurologist put me onto your new tablets.there has been quite a difference with my spasms.I take 10mg a day my doctor was told to increase gradually if needed.I also got d o lo x I t I n e to take at bed time.
5

Hi Jo

It was the MS nurse that suggested it - she gave me a prescription to start off with and wrote to my GP to get it added to my repeat prescriptions

Chris

6

I’m about to start on Tizanidine.

Baclofen did nothing for me in regards to spasticity, I was also on 10mg 3 x times daily.

Probably the only noticeable thing was my legs where weaker, in fact my whole body strength was weaker.

I’m now getting help in regards to spasticity & spasms direct from a spasticity clinic and consultant, NOT the MS clinic, which makes far more sense to me.

You wouldn’t ask your fishmonger to sheer your sheep.

I think each to their own is far better.

I’ll only now contact the MS clinic if I feel a definite change in symptoms, ie relapse ect.

The spasticity consultant said that Tizanidine has less side effects than Baclofen, when taken orally, however Baclofen is apparently very good when administered by ITB, no side effects as its not absorbed into the bloodstream like orally taken meds, and as it works directly within the spinal nerves it gives an all-round better result.

I’m thinking of starting the Tizanidine this weekend on a low dose, 2.0mg, the consultant wrote out 2 plans that I can follow to trial the drug, basically one is a slower trial time than the other.

Oddly enough my spasticity is the best it’s been in a while without taking anything, sods law eh !!

7

Hi Jo, I was given Baclofen a few years ago and I suddenly became very angry. I stopped and now take Dantrium but I also find magnesium supplement very effective. Regards, Anthony

8

Sorry for not replying sooner, had a mad day at work yesterday and was too late to log on last night.

I’m with you, jactac, I have a neuro physio coming round later today and I’m going to ask her about it, as I’m not convinced my problem is spasticity anyway.

Anthony, I tried a mag supplement, but it just upsets my stomach - which is a pain, as I would really rather just take a supplement.

Baclofen made me too tired to be angry (angry has been pretty much my normal mode since I was diagnosed anyway )