Baclofen and balance

[COSGringo]

And I mean standing up and walking kind of balance. Anyone else having issues with their balance at times? I am up at 250mg and sometimes I walk worse than I did when I was drunk. I am actually concerned about driving sometimes. So anyone ever get that SE and did it just go away after a while?
Thx :nutso:

[GingerDust]

Baclofen and balance

It is one of the side effects reported here and listed as side effects of baclofen. I have no advice for dealing with it because I didn't get that high in dose. From what others have said (I wasn't in a position to give HDB much time) side effects often lighten up given time. Some people try to plan in advance for driving by cutting down the dose when they know they have to be on the road.

Anyway, I admire your tenacity. Has your drinking continued to reduce as your dose increases?

[COSGringo]

Baclofen and balance

Thx ginger. Well the drinking is down. I don't get the itch until late in the day now and it's really an itch just to deal with feeling kind of lousy from the Bac and insomnia. The alc for some reason does seem to give me a boost for a hour or so but I am sure it's only making things worse. I am not drinking a lot and I almost think I just need to let it go. It's almost more habit than anything. If I kept busy I probably would not drink but when I start making dinner I tend to pour a drink. I am not real motivated except to cook as I am tired or "off" most of the time. I think once I stabilize and start to exercise again I will be on the right track. I am going up slowly on dose like 10mg every 4 to 7 days now.

[azurmyst]

Baclofen and balance

what is it with the making dinner and drinking I do it too.... It is the hardest time of the day.

[COSGringo]

Baclofen and balance

Dont know. I got into the routine. Plus I do a lot of cooking as I was in the restaurant biz for a while and got a taste for good food. Then I train with a chef and he breaks out wine but the one time he broke out some small batch tequila. I fell flat on my face when I got home. Still have the scars to prove it. Sick of hearing "how did you get that?". My answer, mountain biking.

[ifulovelife2]

Baclofen and balance

azurmyst;1309958 wrote: what is it with the making dinner and drinking I do it too.... It is the hardest time of the day.

Tell me about it. I always used to drink when cooking dinner. Even after I became indifferent to alcohol at all other times, I still felt the need to have a drink when cooking. It worried me so much, I increased my dose from 175 to 350 just to try and kill off that once a day drink. It was an incredibly hard habit to break. But after several months of trying to deal with it by increasing baclofen, I realised that was the point: it was a habit. Baclofen won't break a habit, you need to find other ways of doing that.

[COSGringo]

Baclofen and balance

Agreed. It's a habit like smoking but I had no problem quitting that. Darn it. Well 'bout time I do what I have to do and really try.

[Grommet]

Baclofen and balance

Hey COS,

Yes, Bac balance can be a challenge. I have had some episodes, always sober, and always a couple days after an increase in dose.

We live in an older farmhouse style home with a steep staircase, solid brick at the landing, and hardwood steps with no tread. I am 6'5" (shrinking by the year) and am more concerned about taking a tumble down that staircase than any other Bac side effect...

I've learned to take a moment and get my bearings rather than just charging down like I used to. Probably not a bad habit as I age any how, bac or no bac.

Just went up to 250 mg

[COSGringo]

Baclofen and balance

Interesting. When I get up from a nap or some sort of sleep I am noticing I really have to take my time. Worse than any stupor I ever had. Steps are tricky. I messed my foot up twice the other day and it brought on some gout. That's lots of fun.
Well at least I know I am not alone.

[YouKayBee]

Baclofen and balance

Baclofen affects muscle tone (tensing), and the ears (tinnitus). Both of which are linked to balance so not unexpected.

[spacebebe01]

Baclofen and balance

Nothing to do with balance but someone said, I cant remember who that they have a protien shake when they come in from work because of the drinking while cooking thing. That way they are not hungry, and also he is changing his habits. He seemed to say it was working.

[COSGringo]

Baclofen and balance

Yes, I am definitely losing muscle tone which stinks as it was one my few redeeming features.

[jessiesbaby]

Baclofen and balance

hi all
i'm only at 40mg/day and having balance problems. could it be my age(63) or the fact that i am female. have not had a drink since Jan 2012. thx for any feedback.

[COSGringo]

Baclofen and balance

Hard to say. Different dose levels affect people differently. I am kind of used to it but it's a real pain. I would say to go up a little say maybe 10 mg and see if it still happens. It's a strange drug and the effects come and go at different dosages. I see you are not drinking so perhaps that is bad advice. Maybe you can go a little lower say 30mg. I don't know how bad your symptoms are but the benefits might outweigh that issue.

[jessiesbaby]

Baclofen and balance

thx COS
i will decrease by 5mg every 7 days and get to 30mg. fingers crossed.