Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Overdose symptoms may include increasing drowsiness, dizziness, sleepiness, trouble focusing on objects, shallow breathing, seizure, or muscle weakness leading to loss of consciousness. You may have withdrawal symptoms if you stop using baclofen suddenly.

Since some baclofen may be kept in a refrigerator, take special precautions to keep it away from children who also use the refrigerator. Do not share baclofen with other people, even if they have the same condition as you. Your doctor may do blood tests to check how well your kidneys are working.

Health Conditions

Baclofen oral tablet can interact with other medications, vitamins, or herbs you may be taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. Don’t drive, use machinery, or do other dangerous activities until you know how it affects you. Also, don’t drink alcohol or take other medications that may make you feel drowsy while using baclofen. Do not suddenly stop using this medicine without checking first with your doctor. You may need to slowly decrease your dose before stopping it completely.

By binding to GABA_B receptors, it decreases excitatory neurotransmitter release, including glutamate, reducing neuronal excitability. This action is relevant in substance use disorders, where excessive excitatory signaling drives drug-seeking behaviors. Although it has less potential for abuse than more conventional addictive medications, physical addiction can result in persistent usage. Long-term use of the drug causes alterations in the neurological system that might raise the likelihood of cognitive impairment, withdrawal symptoms, and overdose. Although baclofen is not considered a narcotic, some people abuse it because of its euphoric and sedative properties, raising concerns about misuse and the possibility of addictive habit formation. Physical dependence, withdrawal symptoms, and an elevated risk of overdose can result from prolonged high-dose use.

• Patients should be carefully screened and treated for any co-occurring psychiatric disorders.
• Diazepam is used to treat anxiety disorders, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, or muscle spasms.
• Some antispasmodics, such as tizanidine, can be used to treat muscle spasticity.
• Withdrawal most commonly occurs due to a delivery system problem.
• Despite this, older adults accounted for 22.2 percent of all muscle relaxant office visits in 2016.

Less common or rare

And muscle spasms can not only be uncomfortable, they can also be a sign of an underlying medical problem. Studies show that certain compounds in cannabis could act as a muscle relaxant, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the substance responsible for is baclofen habit forming the psychoactive effects of marijuana. Side effects of benzodiazepines can include drowsiness and problems with balance and memory. Robaxin (methocarbamol) is used to treat skeletal muscle conditions such as pain or injury … Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine) is a muscle relaxant used to treat skeletal muscle conditions such as … Note that this list is not all-inclusive and includes only common medications that may interact with tizanidine.

Unwanted side effects (eg, hallucinations, seizures, high fever, rhabdomyolysis) may occur if baclofen is stopped suddenly. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine. The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor’s orders or the directions on the label.

Baclofen toxicity signs and symptoms

This article delves into the intricacies of obtaining Baclofen, a medication commonly used to manage spasticity and certain medical conditions. We’ll explore the options, regulations, and considerations surrounding Baclofen access, providing you with valuable insights on acquiring this medication. Pharmacologic adjuncts for the treatment of baclofen withdrawalsyndrome. A simple model of baclofen’s presynaptic and postsynaptic activity mediatedthrough the GABAB receptor. The net result is a reduction in thepostsynaptic motor neuron action potential, decreasing spasticity.

Baclofen side effects

They’re thought to work by causing a sedative effect or by preventing your nerves from sending pain signals to your brain. Baclofen is a muscle relaxant used to treat spasticity and muscle pain in conditions like multiple … Medicines that interact with tizanidine may either decrease its effect, affect how long it works, increase side effects, or have less of an effect when taken with tizanidine. An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of the medications; however, sometimes it does.

What do people use baclofen for?

Your healthcare provider will advise you if you should use baclofen while you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. If you use baclofen on a regular basis during pregnancy, your baby may have withdrawal symptoms that can be life-threatening. Tell your healthcare provider if you used baclofen during your pregnancy, especially near the end of your pregnancy. Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur.

What Are the Most Common Baclofen Side Effects?

Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. It is not known if or how baclofen could affect pregnancy or harm an unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you are or plan to become pregnant.

• Acetaminophen is available in generic and brand-name versions.
• If you drink alcohol, talk to your doctor before mixing with baclofen.
• Users might unknowingly increase their dosage, which puts them at risk of respiratory depression, coma, or overdose.
• Our state-specific resource guides offer a comprehensive overview of drug and alcohol addiction treatment options available in your area.

The most common side effects of baclofen include weakness, drowsiness, dizziness and headache. More severe baclofen side effects include nausea, vomiting, low pressure, constipation, confusion and seizures. Some people may experience respiratory depression, sleep disturbances and urinary retention.

Intrathecal delivery—via an implanted pump that administers baclofen directly into cerebrospinal fluid—is used for severe spasticity but is not commonly employed for substance use disorders. Research on alternative routes, such as transdermal patches or extended-release formulations, remains limited but could improve adherence and provide more consistent drug levels. Treatment efficacy depends on dosage, metabolism, renal function, and co-occurring psychiatric conditions.

Baclofen relaxes muscles by reducing nerve activity in the spinal cord. Baclofen may also be used for other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider. Examples of drugs that can cause interactions with baclofen are listed below. If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.