Baclofen Side Effects - Please Help

[Vera]

Hi there please can anyone advise me on some of the side effects I am having whilst taking Baclofen. I am currently on 120mg and have go to this point slowly (haven't reached my switch!)

I just don't know what to do I really want this to work for me but am feeling terrible. Have constant noise in my left ear, insomnia, I seem to be able to fall asleep but an hour later I am awake and can't get back to sleep. Also am having electric shock feelings in my hands. Can anyone tell me does this go away.

Feeling very low and tired.

Thanks in advance
Vera

[Lo0p]

Baclofen Side Effects - Please Help

It sounds counter intuitive but many people find that the side effects abate or get better with an increase in dosage.

I got the electric shocks in my hands and arms the day before I hit the switch. It's a common SE. Try not to worry about it.

[Lo0p]

Baclofen Side Effects - Please Help

And yes, it all went away. What brand are you taking?

[Vera]

Baclofen Side Effects - Please Help

Hi LoOp
Thank you so much for your reply. I am at the end of my tether, I am soooo tired not in the way that I am fatigued from tabs but from having NO sleep & the noise in my ear. I can put up with everything else but this is driving me mad! I will stick with it for a bit longer & pray that it's going to work.

I am self prescribing - not ideal I know but my GP won't prescribe I have got two brands one is Pacifen 10mg & the other Lioresa 25mg.

Thanks again for reply

[Lo0p]

Baclofen Side Effects - Please Help

I remember thinking Pacifen was just fine. Lioresal, on the other hand, drove me up the wall and I think I distinctly remember the ringing in the ears (but it's been years). This, superficially, would seem to be odd because Lioresal is the name brand and original patent holder. But it's still just another pill with a bunch of fillers that us "high dosers" take a lot of.

Where is the support people? There are enough of us around who've hit the switch and could offer some guidance or helpful words.

Where are all of us who've been there telling her to JKTTGDP?

[MaryGoRound]

Baclofen Side Effects - Please Help

Vera-

I suggest you get something for the insomnia. Lack of sleep was one of the many things that got me into my alcoholic mess and continues to be a huge trigger. You don't want to have insomnia be a reason to quit BAC especially if you can find a way to mitigate it.

Ambien (or its generic) works great for me. It may not get you totally through the night but it could get you a good 6 hours. It is different for everyone. It is not suppose to be additive like benzos. You may not even have to take it for a long time because, as LoOp said, the SE's may go away as you go up.

[Lo0p]

Baclofen Side Effects - Please Help

Once you hit it the switch, you will know that even if it were harder, it was definitely worth it. Here, read Neva's story for inspiration:

https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...-ne-46757.html
https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...fen-47958.html

She had it rough, reeeallly rough. Look at her now! There is soooo much knowledge and experience already in these forums. I swear, there isn't any question that hasn't been answered or at least had 30 thoughtful opinions thrown at it. We just need a few of the old timers to show all the new ones the way. All it might take is bumping threads.

[TexasAg]

Baclofen Side Effects - Please Help

Vera,

I didn't have the ear ringing but I did have the electric shock (I called it spidey senses), insomnia, red eye, and weird muscle pain. They started right at 120 but got pretty intense a bit higher at 160 so I didn't go up any more but stayed there for quite some time. It was after a few weeks that I realized that I wasn't giving alcohol a second thought. I went down after a while and my SE's subsided.

Are you still drinking? You said you hadn't hit the switch but can it be mostly habit and not craving?

Cheers!

[MaryGoRound]

Baclofen Side Effects - Please Help

Vera-

I suggest you get something for the insomnia. Lack of sleep was one of the many things that got me into my alcoholic mess and continues to be a huge trigger. You don't want to have insomnia be a reason to quit BAC especially if you can find a way to mitigate it.

Ambien (or its generic) works great for me. It may not get you totally through the night but it could get you a good 6 hours. It is different for everyone. It is not suppose to be additive like benzos. You may not even have to take it for a long time because, as LoOp said, the SE's may go away as you go up.

[lostsole]

Baclofen Side Effects - Please Help

@Vera

I will weigh in. Too bad this forum isn't what it once was but I think people still need help so we should help.

I had tinnutis. Had it for a long time in both ears. Sometimes it was almost unbearable. White noise and sound in general helps. You will get used to it. It will go away, eventually. Mine did.

Get ready for all kinds of SE's. They will get better in time. There will be times you wonder if you can go on with it. Stick with it. It does get better and once you are on it at a steady level for a while things settle down.

Don't drink if you can help it. SE's are worse, much worse. Other meds, too! I have a back problem and was given hydrocodone. It makes my SE's worse.

Sleep, you have mid insomnia. I had that too. Actually I have it now so I have to treat it most every night.

You have options but I will say most of the ones that worked for me are all meds. Herbals never worked for me but I had it bad.

Ambien is so so I think for mid insomnia. However, Ambien CR works better if you don't get the odd SE's some people do. I don't. Don't kid your self that ambien is better than benzos. It is a type of benzo but not as addictive.

Options, for me I can usually fall asleep and wake up around 1 or 2. If you don't get up until 6 am or later I would seriously consider a low dose benzo. Hopefully you have a doctor that will help with that.
.5MG of alprazolam or 5mg of diazepam would work. Halcion would work.

Antihistamines can work, they can give you a bit of that hangover effect. Diphenhydramine works for a lot of people. Hydroxyzine is another one and over the counter in some countries and easy to get online.

The problem with antihistamines is if they don't work you will be feeling more groggy but you should keep them in your aresenal. You should not rely on benzos alone. There are other meds. Some I just don't like.

If you had insomnia before, you will still have it always. If you just have it now from baclofen it will probably get better.

You can try things like melatonin, valerian, chamomile, and kava kava. Don't drink and take kava.

If you can what will probably work is get up when you wake up and do some work. Nap later. Your job or situation will dictate what is possible. I hate energy drinks but they can help on those tough days.

Oh and I would advise not even considering Phenibut. People use it for sleep and anxiety. It is also a GABA B agonist like baclofen. I think that's asking for trouble.

I am not sure I would tell your doctor you are on baclofen. I had a hard time getting any meds for my back pain once I mentioned that. "Oh well you are already on a muscle relaxant so I am not too anxious to prescribe anything else". Well baclofen is a lousy muscle relaxant at any dose if you ask me. Sure does not help with pain.

Good luck!

[Vera]

Baclofen Side Effects - Please Help

Wow thank you all so much for your replies it mean so much to me you have no idea - well you probably do!

I must admit I have always had trouble with sleep & suffer with anxiety but since being on the Bac it is a different kind of problem, if that makes sense. I am on low dose Seroquel (quetiapine) & Lorazepam but not a lot is helping but I will stick with it after reading your replies.

I am still drinking but not as much and I am having days without alcohol, but I really don't think I have hit the elusive switch because drink is still occupying my thoughts all the time!! I did tell my Dr. about Bac & he insisted that I must stop taking it as it's not licensed blah blah, anyway I feel bad about lying to him but I feel I have to give this a go because nothing else has worked for me

Thank you all once again :thanks:

[lostsole]

Baclofen Side Effects - Please Help

Sure thing!

Seroquel is one of the meds usually at a low dose that does help you sleep.

Soooo, you might have to look at ambien or a benzo. I personally like the benzo if you wake up in the middle of the night. I am not trying to push you that way, it just works for me.

Perhaps do the boozing earlier if possible. That hurts the sleep cycle also.

[MaryGoRound]

Baclofen Side Effects - Please Help

Vera-

Bezos work we'll too. I was just trying to steer you to a less intrusive form of medications but we all have opinions and you should understand each one.

Just make sure you get your sleep. Make it work for you. The BAC should be tried in its entirety so don't let the lack of sleep get in you way. There are many options to overcome insomnia problem in the short run. just look for options. Anything is better than the literal poison we ingest each day.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Baclofen Side Effects - Please Help

Hi Vera! And welcome.

I think the input from the other members is spot on! Those are not uncommon side effects. I only got the tinnitus when I was really tired, and it wasn't constant. That one sounds really intrusive! (unintended pun! )

Going up or down may help. (A little bit! No need for big jumps, right? 10mg at a time when you're trying to find a balance with SEs is a good starting point.)

And I think Mary is absolutely right that lack of sleep is really detrimental. I'm glad it looks like you are working on solutions for that one because it makes everything worse if you're not getting good quality sleep. Please keep in mind that whatever solutions you find, if they are medicinal and you take them regularly, it's really important not to stop them suddenly. That can have a negative affect too. And it's hard to tell what's the cause of what when there are a bunch of things running around in your blood/brain, you know?

Hang in there! It absolutely works.

[ifulovelife2]

Baclofen Side Effects - Please Help

Benadryl helps me nod off but waking up every couple of hours is a bit of a given during teh early days of HDB. Sorry about that but you will get used to it and learn to cope. I used to love teh electric shocks. They were so weird, I found them fun. I remember sitting at my computer, trying to type and suddenly I would get these huge spasms in my arms and my hands would smah against the keyboard. When I went to bed I would feel the shocks running up and down my legs. Actually kinda nice. Sadly (or not) the electric shocks, arm spasms and tinglyness didn't last long.