Baclofen Withdrawal

[PaulX]

I had be persuaded to give Baclofen another go. I tried it in 2014 and didn't get on with it. Since then I have moved, different health authority, different MS nurse.

Since pregabalin didn't cause the same problems when i was previously on it, I figured that perhaps baclofen would be better behaved.

Wrong.

I have had quite an unpleasant month or so, with no sign of me adapting to it. Admittedly it did have some benefits. It did seem to take a bit of the spasticity from my legs, letting me sleep a bit better. Though if any thing I became more tired. 

And dizzy. I suffer from dizziness as it is, but this is getting beyond a joke.

It also seemed to have a positive effect on a bit of ED that was beginning to occur.

Even allowing for those two benefits, it really has diminished my quality of life. 

 

So I have decided to stop with the baclofen and hopefully regain some of the energy and perhaps reset back to how things were a few months ago.

I am expecting a bit of a backlash, but hopefully not too severe or long lasting.

 

Paul

[ptlike]

Hi i dunno if this can aid you but i have an interfecial baclofen pump fitted, it is treatment nice approved for ms. The dose is minute as baclofen goes into my spine  direct. Maybe this is something you need to speak to your doctor about. 

Best wishes

Peter

[Nick]

Interesting what you say Paul,

I do take both Pregabilin and Baclofen but don't get many side affects.  With Baclofen I remain on a low dose but over time are having  to increase the Pregabilin.  This is the one I don't like!  An excellent drug, but the dependancy is horrible.  

 

Nick

[PaulX]

I am not sure I would be happy with injections into the spine.

For now I am happy to quiet baclofen and see what other options become available.

 

A least the dizziness is not so bad today,

[ptlike]

Hi Paul baclofen fed directly into my spine. No injection maybe  an option.?????

Best wishes

Peter

 

[PaulX]

I seem to be through the worst of the Baclofen withdrawal. Things seem to be getting back to normal. Not that normal is good but at least I was able to get by, sort of.

Now its time to see what the alternatives are.

[PaulX]

Spoke with the other MS nurse, the one that covers the north of the county, my south based one was not available. It is so nice to have two nurses I can talk to.

Anyway, after a bit of a chat, she is going to recommend moving on to Tizanidine as an alternative to Baclofen.

If it all works out then this will be a new one for me and hopefully more beneficial.

 

The Baclofen seems to be out the system and everything is back to normal. 

[Shirl]

What an interesting topic. I've been on Baclofen for leg spasms and pain for many years with no side effects from the get-go. I'm on Gabapentin and Tramadol for Trigeminal Neuralgia - it is best to leave the meds as they are because I am NOT keen to do through that again. It seems to me that I am on a lot of meds but I am keeping up with pharmacy and GP reviews and no raised eyebrows. 

 

I am glad you were able to withdraw from a drug that wasn't helping you enough, @PaulX  and I hope you are settling in with Tizanidine well although it isn't a drug I've met with. So I'm clearly not on all that many meds after all.

 

Sometimes the best way to show someone what you do all day is not to do anything one day. Not so with our medicines; if it is working for you, don't ask questions, just benefit from it.

[PaulX]

Hi @Shirl, I haven't actually got the new drugs yet. I am going to have to follow that one up.

For the moment, I am not feeling too bad. Back to what I deem to be normal.

Though today I had quite a lot of leg pain.

In the end I just had to ignore it and get on with stripping out the lower ground floor room, ready for the plumbers tomorrow.