Balcofen?

Hi, my name is Savannah, and I have mild C.P (walking un-aided but with notice, having to use a laptop with my school work, but still ledgible if I go slow) I am 15 years old.

My sister is going to Med school ,and she told me that one of her proffesors was talking about a drug called Balcofen, and said it had amazing results, I was wondering if anybody had tried it?

[mommyofnathan]

Baclofen is a muscle relaxant and is highly beneficial to spastic CP people.  My son uses Baclofen to reduce the spasticity.  It is however something you need to discuss with your doctor.  Ithas side-effects and should be controlled by a doctor.  If the dosage is just a little too high for my son, his stridor is 10 times worse.  
Good luck, you seem to be doing great!

[alwaysbelieve]

My son was also on oral baclofen before getting an Intrathecal Baclofen Pump. The oral baclofen helped some, but there was a dramatic change after the pump.
He was spastic/dystonic quad.
I would talk with your doctor about BOTH options. I am not sure where in the world you live, so I cannot refer you to anyone and I am sure your doctor would have referrals for you if you need them.

[veggiepunk1363]

see, my cp is just so mild that I even stopped with the o.t and p.t a few years ago, and never have really learned what kind I have, probably spastic, but like I mentioned it is very mild compared to  most cases, and I was just wondering if it would be worth my time and if it could even really do anything for me (wow, is that a charles dickens sentence?). I really detest people poking and proding me, but my older sister was very optimistic and wanted me to look into it. Any help or advice, or even commentary would be greatly apperciated!

[alwaysbelieve]

In my opinion (as a nurse and a mom) the oral baclofen would be worth a try. It can take a few weeks to determine the effects. Worth a try. Keep me posted.

[jalexand69]

Hello.  My father and best friend have tried baclofen with different results.  My father now takes nothing because the side effects bothered him more than spasticity.  He'd taken clonazepam, Valium, and another medicine that slips my mind but those side effects bothered him as well.  Botox injections made him very weak, so he's discontinued them.

My friend, though, takes some powerful medicine, due to pain issues.  My friend has endured some very cruel remarks from people who think he's drunk, lazy, you name it....It's deplorable that others would do someone that way.

You might want to talk to your doctor who can help you decide whether bacoflen would help you.

[Dr_Aparna]

Hi,
Baclofen (brand names Kemstro and Lioresal) is a derivative of gamma-aminobutyric acid primarily used to treat spasticity.Its beneficial effects result from actions at spinal and supraspinal sites.
It was found that in certain patients spasticity decreased. Baclofen was and is still given orally with variable effects. In severely affected children, the oral dose is so high that side effects appear and the treatment loses its benefit.
Baclofen affects the spinal cord, which is the main connection between the brain and the rest of the body. The spinal cord plays a role as a reflex system that functions as a feedback loop.
ref:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baclofen
You need to discuss with tour doctor whether pros outweigh the cons in your case.