Baclofen Side Effect?

[Guest]

Anyone else had similar experiences?

[bleep]

Baclofen Side Effect?

I know baclofen is supposed to lower BP, but hadn't realised it happened to that degree... A few people here have HBP that baclofen is being blamed for. Bring on some proper testing...

Odd, either way.

[seeking_serenity]

Baclofen Side Effect?

I haven't had a formal BP test, but I can tell that mine is very low as well (heck, it's always low). My pulse is very slow and even my mega-prominent veins are, well, less prominent. I should do a BP check next time I go to Walgreens (tomorrow).

[Guest]

Baclofen Side Effect?

Well my veins are just gone. I suppose I'll have to leave it a while and see if I can go back. I'm not stopping the Baclofen because I do think it's helping, but just something for everyone to be aware of.

By the way I am historically a generally very fit person, even through my recent relapse I've retained a lot of underlying fitness. Wonder if that has any bearing on how the Bac takes people?

[anon]

Baclofen Side Effect?

Well since I have been on Baclofen my running has improved which may be due to giving up alcohol.

One very noticible difference is that I can run longer and further without the post run aches and pains. This I am sure is because of the bac.

Last Wednesday I broke a rib and yes it is sore but as I am training for a Marathon in April I was able to run 10k today This has to be the Baclofen as I have broken ribs in the past year and could not do anything for weeks.

UK when they tried to take blood last week they had real difficulty getting the vein.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Baclofen Side Effect?

Dehydration. I've given blood many, many times, including donated a pint, on bac. Only time it's ever been a problem is when I forgot to hydrate. Which is true for pre-bac also. Nothing to do with my very low blood pressure.

[Bruunhilde]

Baclofen Side Effect?

I agree with NE, I think it's dehydration and maybe for some of you with hypotension, that could be exacerbated. With BP, seems whatever your tendency is (high or low), bac amplifies it.

What you can do is go for a run or better, do some weight training before the blood draw. And drink TONS of water for the two hours prior. Tons.

Good luck UKB, hang in there!

[prancy]

Baclofen Side Effect?

Same thoughts from here.
I have borderline low blood pressure and have had to have lots of blood taken during breast cancer treatment. Also had to have chemo.
The problem is caused by dehydration. Drink tons on water before you go. Pinch the skin on the back of your hand and if the skin is sluggish on going back down, you are probably dehydrated.

[Guest]

Baclofen Side Effect?

Bruunhilde;1057078 wrote: I agree with NE, I think it's dehydration and maybe for some of you with hypotension, that could be exacerbated. With BP, seems whatever your tendency is (high or low), bac amplifies it.

What you can do is go for a run or better, do some weight training before the blood draw. And drink TONS of water for the two hours prior. Tons.

Good luck UKB, hang in there!

I wasn't dehydrated - as someone reasonably serious about my training etc when sober I'm always sipping/drinking water. I'd had plenty of water to drink(tons even) and had weight trained today too. My urine was frequent and a colour indicating I was well hydrated.

So no to dehydration, and the training - well short of pressup and running on the spot right outside I couldn't have done any more. I also had a 5 minute brisk walk from the car to the place I had to be too.

I've actually given blood samples when dehydrated and under the influence or hungover from drinking, but today I was sober and full of water.

I've gone through everything in my head that could have affected it, I'd eaten properly, drank enough water, had exercised today followed by brisk walk prior to the sample. What else could I have done?

[Bruunhilde]

Baclofen Side Effect?

I guess the only thing you can do is pump iron before your appointment for 15 minutes, heaviest weight you can think of, and keep doing it for maintenance. I think my veins are biggest when I'm doing heavy resistance training. But other than that, I don't think you could have done anything except cut out bac two days prior. Which of course, is a whole other discussion.

[Guest]

Baclofen Side Effect?

I suppose I could borrow a pair of dumbells from the gym, but it's really not going to be practical especially since I could run out of energy if I have to wait!

Thanks anyway. I think I shall have to go back when I've got some decent sobriety(only got 6 days now!), and cut out the baclofen for a few days or so.

[Isolde]

Baclofen Side Effect?

I don't know if BP has anything to do with it. I've had HBP for years now, and I've been classified as a "hard stick" for a long time. I've had blood taken both with uncontrolled and very well controlled BP, and it doesn't make a difference. They always have a hard time getting a vein on me. It's got to be someone with a LOT of experience doing it. I had to have blood taken in December, on relatively high levels of bac at the time, and luckily the nurse didn't have a problem, though she had to tap on the vein pretty hard for a bit before it would show itself.
I'm always well hydrated, so can't say how much that plays a role.

For me I can say that, even though I'm a hard stick, the bac didn't have an effect on having blood taken.

[Lo0p]

Baclofen Side Effect?

I've got veins popping out in all kinds of places. When I'm sub 10% bf people look at me like I'm an alien and ask if there is something wrong with me.

It has nothing to do with the baclofen.

[Guest]

Baclofen Side Effect?

When you are fit with low bodyfat you will be vascular. All I know is that I often feel faintish on baclofen, and I've never been like this before. Well actually I did when I was underweight in my late teens-early 20s with very low BP. Never had a problem like this recently and who's to know what it is - my sinking feeling and the way I've been on bac is that it is.

Believe me I don't want it to be, and the last thing I want to do is stop taking it but I have to have these tests done.

[Bill Gorton]

Baclofen Side Effect?

Okay, everyone else has put in their two cents, so I guess it's my turn. Could it be she just didn't do it right? If you can't get a vein, you have to pull the tourniquet tighter. A lot of nurses are wimps about this. Then clench your fist tight (not your whole arm, just your fist) repeatedly until you see veins popping out. Practice at home with a shoe string. If all else fails, you can spin your arm around really fast with the tourniquet on and let the centrifugal force pull the blood down your arm. You might want to tell the nurse what your doing beforehand in this case.

I've encountered some nurses that were just terrible at taking blood. They put the tourniquet on very loosely, they don't tell you to clench your fist, they just can't find veins, etc. Once a nurse pressed on a big blue vein bulging out of my arm, and said, "I'm feeling for a pulse so I know it's not an artery."

I believe light headedness is a common side effect of baclofen.