Baclofen severe side effecfs at low doses

[jaxon]

Has anyone had VERY bad side effects, unbearable, at only 30mg/day? I'm taking 10mg tid (three times daily). Bedridden. Consequently have tried to go back to 13mg/day, but feel like I am suffering withdrawal. Really stuck

[Xadrian]

Baclofen severe side effecfs at low doses

Eh, each pill is 10 mg, not 1 mg.

I can not imagine you took 30 pills at once, but how would you otherwise manage get 13 mg? Seems pretty undoable to cut a pill in 3.

Anyway, I think not many of us had severe SE's while on 30 mgs.
With how much did you start and for how long did you take that dose? In other words, what's your schedule?
Did you also have severe SE's at your lowesr dose?

Maybe you shouls start at 10 mgs per day, stay there until SE's subside, take 5 mgs per day more, stay there until SE's subside, etc.
You could also take lower doses during the daytime and a higher dose before going to bed, if sleepiness is your only SE.

[jaxon]

Baclofen severe side effecfs at low doses

Xadrian,

Thanks a lot for replying. You are right they are 10mg pills, I made a typing error when I wrote 13mg, it should have been 15mg ie 5mg x 3 times a day ie 1/2 a pill x 3.

I was on 15mg/day for 1 week, no SE. Doctor then increased dose to 30mg.

I think Baclofen is ok for anxiety, but I've found it VERY debilitating. See below. I really don't want to stop it. but I need to be able to funcion a bit.

Will reduce dose and see how I go. Thanks again

Extreme fatigue can barely function at all. Muscles aching and weak.
Short term memory and ability to concentrate virtually non existent, confusion?. dreadful. Very worrying, especially if permanent
Vision blurred, eyes burning and itchy
Persistent cough, leading to dry retching and vomiting. Nausea
Severe sleep disturbance, insomnia
Night sweats and chills
Anxiety and depression,zonked out
Ongoing sneezing and a runny nose Other symptoms that have arisen since increased Baclofen dose increased from 5mg to 10mg/3 times a day
Dissociative type of symptoms that I never had prior to Baclofen
Feeling disconnected from self
Problems with handling intense emotions
Sudden and unexpected shifts in mood ? for example, feeling very sad

[Xadrian]

Baclofen severe side effecfs at low doses

How much and what do you drink?
Do you also take other stuff?

The combo baclofen and alcohol could worsen SE's.
Perhaps you could try a few alcohol free days to see if the SE's are less.

[jaxon]

Baclofen severe side effecfs at low doses

Thanks again,

I havent had anything to drink whilst Ive been on the Baclofen. Stopped drinking a week before I started Baclofen, and am not taking any other medications. I think it is helping me be abstinent, but I just feel so dreadful. Been off alcohol for 6 weeks

I've done poorly on "brain" meds in the past, eg antidepressants...big SEs. I know baclofen affects GABA

[Xadrian]

Baclofen severe side effecfs at low doses

When I was at 80 mgs, I divided my doses in 20-20-40.
Because my main SE was sleepiness, that way I had less problems during the day time and at night I'm sleeping anyway.

You could try 5-5-10 or even 5-5-15 to see how that goes.

Otherwise, you could just stay at a dose where the SE's are acceptable and stay there until the SE's subside before you go up (and then go up 5 mgs at a time).

Indeed baclofen mimics GABA and works specifically on the GABA-B receptors.
Did it cost you a lot of effort to stay off alcohol for 6 weeks?
I couldn't have done that before I reached my switch dose.

[jaxon]

Baclofen severe side effecfs at low doses

I really appreciate your words. I have felt like I've been foundering in the dark. The first 8 days I was in hospital, alcohol related, anti withdrawal medication diazepam. I'd been drinking a huge amount of alcohol. Then I was on baclofen which absolutely knocked me. I think about drinking a lot, but am too exhausted to even get out to get alcohol. The "switch" thing gets me and the seemingly megadoses of Bac some people seem to be on. Also the trade off between SEs and being at a therapeutic dose.
I like the sound of your "5-5-10 or even 5-5-15 to see how that goes."

I've tried lots of times to get off alcohol, pretty sure it is biochemistry that hinders me.

[bleep]

Baclofen severe side effecfs at low doses

I agree with Xadrian, it looks like you will have to go really slowly. If you are still suffering huge SE's, perhaps drop back a bit and only add 5 mg's when the SE's have reduced.

[jaxon]

Baclofen severe side effecfs at low doses

Thanks bleep and Xadrian. I'm not great at navigating this site yet. I've read a few posts amd it seems some people on high doses are having strife moving up and down on baclofen