What is Baclofen used for?
Baclofen is prescribed for the treatment of muscle symptoms caused by spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, or other spinal cord disorders. These symptoms include pain, stiffness, and muscle spasms. It can be administered orally, or intrathecally.
Baclofen Information
How to Use Baclofen?
Always take your medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Read and follow the prescription label as these instructions may be different than what your doctor tells you.
Baclofen is typically prescribed to be taken orally 3 times per day. Baclofen can be taken with or without food. In order to reduce the risk of negative side effects, your doctor might direct you to start baclofen at a lower dose and gradually increase your dose.
Use baclofen regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, take it at the same time daily. Do not stop this medication if your doctor has not told you to as some conditions will worsen when this medication is stopped suddenly.
What are the drug interactions with Baclofen?
Drug interactions can affect how your medication works. You may also experience a higher risk of side effects. Some medications that interact should never be used together. In other instances, your doctor can change the doses or take other precautions so that you can safely take two medications together that would otherwise interact.
This is not a complete list of interactions. Therefore you should always provide your doctor with a list of the prescription and non-prescription drugs as well as herbal products and vitamins you are taking. This will help your doctor to properly watch out for drug interactions. If you have questions about interactions, you can call us at 1-844-416-4282 and ask to speak to a pharmacist for counselling.
What are Side Effects of Baclofen?
Along with the regular effects of baclofen, there is also the chance of experiencing negative side effects. Check with your doctor about how to manage different side effects as they occur.
Check with your doctor right away if the following side effects occur:
Less Common or Rare
- Bloody or dark urine
- Chest pain
- Fainting
- Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there)
- Mental depression or other mood changes
- Ringing or buzzing in the ears
- Skin rash or itching
Symptoms of Overdose
- Blurred or double vision
- Convulsions (seizures)
- Muscle weakness (severe)
- Shortness of breath or unusually slow or troubled breathing
- Vomiting
There are some mild side effects of baclofen that do not require medical attention. They will usually go away with treatment as your body adjusts to the medication.
Contact your doctor if the following side effects persist or are bothersome:
More Common
- Confusion
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Drowsiness
- nausea
- unusual weakness, especially muscle weakness
Less Common or Rare
- Abdominal or stomach pain or discomfort
- Clumsiness, trembling, unsteadiness, or other problems with muscle control
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Difficult or painful urination or decrease in amount of urine
- False sense of well-being
- Frequent urge to urinate or uncontrolled urination
- Headache
- Loss of appetite
- Low blood pressure
- Muscle or joint pain
- Numbness or tingling in hands or feet
- Pounding heartbeat
- Sexual problems in males
- Slurred speech or other speech problems
- Stuffy nose
- Swelling of ankles
- Trouble in sleeping
- Unexplained muscle stiffness
- Unusual excitement
- Unusual tiredness
- Weight gain
After you stop baclofen, it can produce some side effects that may require medical attention.
If you experience any of the following, check in with your doctor immediately:
- Convulsions (seizures)
- Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there)
- Increase in muscle spasm, cramping, or tightness
- Mood or mental changes
- Unusual nervousness or restlessness
This is not a complete list of side effects. If you experience any side effects that do not appear here check in with your doctor as soon as possible.
