Baclofen - Has anyone had side effects

   I have been having terrible charlie horses in my thighs, calves and feet every day especially at night. I told my doctor at my last visit and she said that they were ms spasms. She gave me a script for baclofen. My insurance makes me mail my Rx in to a mail order pharmacy unless it is a script for 10 days or less so it takes awhile to get started on any new med. I finally started on it and noticed immediately that I am having less spasms and not as painful but I am also suffering insomnia and a racy feeling. I already take other meds for those horrible issues and am wondering if anyone else has had similar side effects. What else does everyone take for these terrible/painful spasms?
Thanks for your experiences / input. Erin0313

[LLWB]

I haven't had those side effects with Baclofen. If anything, it usually increases sleepy feelings. Did you start anything else along with it that might be the culprit? Were your symptoms listed as side effects?  Sorry I can't help you, but now I'm curious too.

Maggie

[mokibear]

I just started on Baclofen and the information sheet the pharmacist gave me with it said that insomnia can be a side effect as well as drowsiness.

It does state though that a racing or pounding heart should be reported immediately to your doctor.

Call your doc!!

Moki

[Erin0313]

Ladies,
   Thanks for your posts. Since Moki knows more than I do and has Rx info I guess I will call the doc first think on Monday. I am soo bummed though because I want the spasms gone.
   Moki how has the Baclofen been for you? Success or side effects or both?
Is it me or is everything a trade off. Fix one thing suffer another lol.
   Maybe someone with spasms that has had success with some other med will post and I can ask the doctor to switch me to that one for a try.
   Thanks again - Have a great weekend
   Erin

[mokibear]

I just started it last night so it is too early for me to tell. I did find that it made me really drowsy but so far that is the only difference. I've been tired all day as well but then I'm always tired so it may be hard to tell if it is just me or the med.lol

These are the side effects that are listed on the info sheet.

Drowsiness, dizziness, weakness, tiredness, headache, insomnia, constipation may occur. (That's all great, because I got most of those lol)

Tell your doctor immediately if and of these occur

Mental/mood changes (confusion, depression, hallucinations etc.), hearing/vision changes, seizures, racing or pounding heart, fainting, black/bloody stools.

Seek immediate attention if any of these rare but serious side effects occur

Chest pain, shortness of breath.

The pharmacist did say that sometimes on higher doses, people have to cut back a bit on how much they are taking until their system gets used to it. I don't know if that is the case for you, but do let your doc know and see what he says.


Have a great weekend too.
Moki

[pennst8r]

I've been on baclofen for over a year now and aside from the initial drowsiness, which WILL subside, have had no ill effects. We are in process of titrating me up to double my former dose (10mg 4X daily), so my drowsiness is back, but nothing else.

Let your doc know about any effects you have that are very bothersome or do not subside. Take care.

Penn

[Erin0313]

Penn,
   I'm taking 5mg 3x per day. I have a habit of wanting to quit new meds as soon as I feel anything creepy. None of us need more discomfort than we already live with lol.
   I am going to run it by the doc tomorrow but unless she recommends going off of it I think that I will stick with it for awhile and give it a chance.
   I quit neorontin years ago because I didn't like the disconnected feeling it gave me and suffered for years with burning and tingling in my arms and legs. Then my new doctor talked me into trying again and it has helped big time. Maybe my fatal flaw is expecting everything to "fix" me on the first try.
   Thanks for your post - take care
   Erin

[Erin0313]

Maggie,
   Thanks for the info sheet. Keep me posted on how you are doing. As I told Penn, I think that I am going to try and stick with it (after calling the doc to check). I already have confusion, depression, hearing & vision changes and a racing heart without the baclofen so how would I know if it was new right, lol. I have to laugh so that I don't want to cry - I'm sure you have been there.
   Thanks again - take care of yourself and keep me posted on how the baclofen works for your spasms.
   Erin

[sllowe]

Hi Erin, welcome.

I'd stick with the Baclofen for now, it takes time for the dose to work up in your system.  If these spasms are coming from your CNS, I think you should experience some improvement.  Though these meds do not work for everyone.  5mgs 3 x's a day is not all that much.

Like Penn says, the sleepiness will subside, mostly.  I have had sleepless nights that I felt could have been the baclofen too.  Are you titrating the dose? Are they working you up to 10mgs 3x's per day?  I hope you get some relief.

Moki, I hope you get some relief from these meds too. I felt like a truck hit me each morning for at least 3 weeks when I started mine.  It has changed though since then.  I'm actually down to 1 or 2, 10mgs ea. daily now. And, I take those in the evening.  So, it has done it's job for me.  I'll keep my fingers crossed for you honey.

ttys,
Shell

[Guitar_grrrl]

I know, it's an old thread, but I had to look it up.  My neuro started me on Baclofen, 20 mg/day, to be tirated weekly to 60 mg/day.  The way I feel on 20 mg makes me feel like I'm not going to increase it until after the holidays, as I have a couple of major gigs (including a cocktail party at my Neuro's house LOL!).

I take it at night, and it's helped a little with my spasms, but I wake up in the morning feeling weirdly wired, off balance, and TOTALLY weak!  And BRAIN FARTS - holy smokes, I'll try to practice my guitar, and I need to take a 5 minute break between songs, and I'll be playing and wonder all of a sudden - how does this passage go?  What am I doing?  I find myself doing a lot of word searching as I'm talking to people, too.

It gets better in the afternoon, so maybe until these two gigs are through, I'll practice in the afternoon and get what ever exercise I can in the morning.  Then I'll try titrating up as I need.

[sllowe]

Hey Gurrl,

The side affects took a few months for me. I didn't have brain fog as much as the weakness and feeling like I couldn't move a muscle in the a.m. Heck, I could have had the brain fog but didn't notice it so much from my butt dragging on the ground ha/ha

I was only titrating to 1/2 that dose. To 30 daily.  Maybe 60 is too much? I'm down to only 10 mgs a day now after over a yrs time. So far, so good.

Are you seeing any improvement w/spasms?

I'm glad you looked up the thread. We've got a lot of really oldie but goodies out there.
-shell