zanaflex

[makina]

Hi

anyone on zanaflex?  does the sleepiness ever go away.

[makina]

about zanaflex.  how does one wean off of it

[Demiguise]

I've read all your posts. You need to follow some of the ideas
that your 9/12 post on the Neuro Forum from the Dr's post 9/14.
You need to google & try to educate yourself on suggestions to
hopefully get better. You have 'cervical dessication' causing
many of your problems. You have been dealing w/ respiratory
infections & allergies w/ all your other problems. If you
google "Benign Fasciculation Syndrome" w/ quotes, read the
url by Wikipedia. Click on high-lighted words/descriptions on
that page & then print out & ask your Neuro-muscular MD to
explain. We try to help but you need to read more about the
Dr's test suggestions & pursue. If you read or call pharmacy,
about Zanaflex, it can slow your heart-rate to calm some of
the spasticity & spasms but will make you sometimes drowsy. You
really need to go back or get a new MD. If you don't understand
terms, then ask for or google. The Neuro Forum doc hit the
problem direct. Some conditions can't be fixed but controlled
& perhaps a new med should be considered. There are many muscle
relaxants for spasms to try. If you are combining Zanaflex w/
allergy meds, you will be in bed all day. I hope you follow up
more w/ a Dr. Your kids need a healthy Mom. I could clearly
read that you have many problems from viewing your reports. You
are 28 & your neck will get worse over the years without meds/
therapy/learning how to cope. I wish you well.

[makina]

Hi
thanks for your hlp.  i have done a lot of reading about every single thing the doc on the forum suggested.  trying to educate my self on tests and treatments as well as types of neuropathy and their causes.  

i went to my origional neurologist as my nuromuscular doc was booked and discussed what the forum doc suggested such as single fiber emg and he said thats just a clinical diagnoses and that everything is normal and he just shrugged his shoulders.  soo long story short i need to get into the neuromuscular doc.

they did do a monoclonocal panel (i checked in my blood test history)in feb 2006 and it was normal.

thanks again

[crystaly]

Hi is zanaflex a benzodiazapine ? Chris

[makina]

it is tizanidine. a muscle relaxer

[crystaly]

Hi Makina, apologies but I don't take muscle elaxants so cant really help you out. Although if its anything like clonazepam which I,m coming off at the moment it makes me really tired and I can't think straight . I know how you feel believe me its rubbish when you don't get any real answers to your problems. Ive read most of your posts so yeah we know our own bodies its just medical science hasnt caught up with a few of us. XX Chris

[makina]

hey

i want to get off of zanaflex because it dosent do anything and it knocks me ouut on 4mg.  i know theres is a lot more to try so i am going to call doc today.  plus why take this one for long term when its not doing anything and in turn can hurt liver pretty bad.  i know which is true for many many meds.  i guess this is why for 7 yrs i efused to take any medicine and just dealth with it.  i dont know if that smart but its nnot like this is a cure.  it supreeses one pain and can in turn cause damage to other areas and create new pain.  who knows. just my thought.  at the end of the day you have to do what ou ave to do and if in too much pain i am ready to take something.

[young at heart]

Zanaflex takes some time to get use to.It will make you drowsie until your body adjust.
Tizanidine is a muscle relaxer its the generic version of zanaflex.Drink plenty of water with it.
If you can't get adjusted to that, baclofen is a little milder when it comes to drowsiness.Both meds are effective when it comes to controling spasms.

[crystaly]

Hi I know what you mean. Trouble with clonazepam is is an anticonvulsant but its highly addictive. I take it for myoclonus ( I start jumping up and down as soon as Im stood up at a thousand miles an hr ) Hmm gross exageration with speed there but thts what it feels like. I,m coming off them so I can if the myoclonus has settled down. Its a catch 22 really sometimes meds help you get on with your life dont they. Chris

[makina]

i have been taking it for more than two months now.  4mg morning, 4 afternoon and up to 8 or 12 at bedtime.  so i havet gotten use to the sleepiness yet?
plus i have restarted lyrica (cousin of neurotin) so thats adding to the drowsiness too.

[crystaly]

I totally appreciate what your saying its a difficult decision but youngatheart is probably right in saying tolerance builds up. Combinations of differnt meds always seem to have sedative effects. I don't know what the real answer is to that. Hope you find some answers Take Care Chris

[young at heart]

If these meds are working,continue them.I have days I'm complety exhausted.I take zanaflex,baclofen,antivert,quinine,valium and vicidon.All sedatives.Your body has to adjust itself.Since adding lyrica it can take a month or so to get over the drowsy stage.Take short naps if possible.
With all your symptoms and really no DX.All your DRs. can do is treat the symptoms.With my MS thats all they can do.
Your gonna have good and bad days.Take advantage of the good ones and rest during the bad ones.

[makina]

hi

thanks for your support.


wow, you take two different mscle relaxats.  if u dont mind me asking how long have you taken zanaflex for.

i called my doc he said to stop the day time zanaflex and only take ot at bedtime.  he wants to see if lyrica by it self will be enough.

plus i have a appt at the pain management center on oct2nd

[young at heart]

I have been on zanaflex since last October.The baclofen since Febuary.
I started out with the zanaflex by splitting them in half 2mg.

Zanaflex kicks in a half hour after you take it and it wears off in 3-4 hours.

Lyrica usually takes 15-30 days before fully effective.

Keep treating the symptoms,it will definatly give you a better quality of life.Sometimes theres no expanation to why we feel the way we do.