Tizanidine

I was prescribed a new medication to help with my muscle tightness and soreness called tizanidine. It helps me to fall asleep really easily but I wake up in the middle of the night, wide awake, and can't go back to sleep unless I have another 1/4-1/2 a pill. I want to know if anyone has any bad reactions to this medication or any advise? I also take 3 norco a day.

[dominosarah]

This is Zanaflex right?  Is it helping your muscle tightness?

[avisg]

Zanaflex is safe as  Muscle relaxers go. Are you waking becuse you are in pain from your mucles or are you just waking up and using them as a sleep aid?????

[Princessey]

I have taken Zanaflex for 4 or so years and LOVE it. If I don't take one before bed I can barely move my head the next day. I have never had any side effects---other than drowsiness for a few months. Try them for a couple weeks, they should offer you some relief.

[stephaniejo]

Princessey, are you taking any other medications with it? I take 3 norcos a day usually and I feel like they don't even do anything for my pain now that I have the Zanaflex, which is actually a good thing because I would like to stop taking them. Also, has your doctor told you about any long term side effects? Will you have to taper down if you ever stop using them? THank you.

[stephaniejo]

I am using it as a sleep aid as well because it puts me right to sleep and I don't think about my pain. Is that a bad thing??

[ClaudiaKishi]

I use to take zanaflex a lot back in 2003 and the same thing would happen..It would pull me so far into sleep..At first I would sleep blissfully all night..Then as my body was getting more and more use to it, I would only sleep for a few hours then my eyes would pop open and I wouldnt be able to go back to sleep for a long time! I'm sorry to say but with my experiance, it only got worse the longer I took it..The sleep lasts shorter and shorter and you have to take more and more..I just stopped taking them because by that point I was getting better sleep without them! I don't take muscle relaxers anymore though and havent since then..Believe it or not, I'm a huge lightweight for that stuff lol!

I would ask the doc for something different..I truly believe it will only get worse. Good luck!

[ClaudiaKishi]

and no..That is absolutely NOT a bad thing..You are human, it is natural to want to feel good..Please don't hate yourself for it..My mother takes Flexiril and that really helps her..It eases you into sleep and you sleep all night. It is also a muscle relaxer and not so 'hardcore' Or maybe try Skelaxin?

[AngelFilly]

I have been taking Tizandine for many years and they are highly addictive.  Be very careful using them.  I have gone through withdrawels from hell and think I almost died trying to get off them.  I suffered a small stroke during the time I tried to stop taking them.  I can't even slowly lower the dosage without having the withdrawel symptoms.  I wish I never started them and would have never if I knew they were addictive.

Please be careful.