Baclofen?
 

Please help me what this medication is all about. I have severe vertigo with numerous MS symptoms but that is beside the point. Can anyone make sense of this? Please help... Answers??

Baclofen is prescribed for muscle spasticity -- stiffness (rigid muscles) and spasms. My spasticity affects my gait and makes it more difficult to walk.

Barb:

I increased my Balcofen to 10 mgs/day just to see what would happen to my body. I've noticed it has helped with the inbalanced/incoordinated gait considerably. Is this why and what you are referring to?

Baclofen is not a medication for vertigo. It's a medication for spasticity. Spasticity is probably best described as muscle stiffness. Like muscle spasms in the leg (i.e. charley horses) and The Hug, which is a sensation like someone is hugging you around your ribs. Usually it's not a very comforting "hug".

Baclofen relaxes the muscles and sometimes helps with the pain that spasticity can trigger.

One of it's listed side effects is actually dizziness. I know when I take too much that it can make my head spin a bit more and I'll feel more wobbly.

If you're having vertigo, you can ask your neuro/doctor for an anti-emetic, like Meclizine or Dramamine.

There is a med called Anti-vert of meclazine for dizzyness. Baclofen is for muscles.

I would ask your MD why he gave you that for dizzyness. :confused:

I'm going to call the doctor and ask about the vertigo. I've tried dramamine and it does not help at all. :( Thank you for the suggestion -wish it would have worked!! That is how bad it is. :rolleyes:

The treatment of Balcofen definitely has helped my walking/gait tremendously since I increased the dosage- though I shouldn't have done without talking to the doctor. Just wanted to see if an increase would help-and ironically it did. So I am assuming this is why he prescribed the Balcofen.

As for the vertigo- need to find more out about it and how to treat it.

Thank you for the information about the drug and helping make sense of things. It has helped tremendously.

Coffeegirl

10 mg is apretty low dose. I was on 60 mg a day with no results.

I take 2 1/2 baclofens every night before going to bed. (two 10mg pills, plus one that's broken in half) and it makes me wobbly and lightheaded most of the time (which is preferable to having my legs try to kick me in the butt with my heels)

I've never heard of baclofen being prescribed for vertigo.

Is it possible that he prescribed it for spasticity, and the spasticity was making your legs stiff and making you walk weird. (I know I walk weird when my legs are all stiff feeling) and since you upped the dosage, the spasticity has gotten better and that's what you were feeling?

The antivert (meclizine) is available over the counter as Bonine motion sickness medication. It never helped me with vertigo or dizziness - even though that's what they had me try it for. The only thing that has really helped is Klonipin and an added bonus is that it also helps with the spasticity, so it supplements the Baclofen for me.

You are right Erin. The drug was prescribed due to spatisticy with my legs. Since I increased the dosage my gait/crashing into everything/falling all over everything in sight- has lowered tons. The vertigo- it comes and goes.

So, maybe the gait problems were from the spasticity?

I had problems walking earlier this summer when I had some serious problems with spasticity and numbness. The walking seemed better from taking some extra baclofen then.

Sometimes I feel really off balance, but it's not quite vertigo. Vertigo always feels like it's coming from my head/ears. When I was really off balance last week, literally walking into walls, that didnt feel like it was coming from my head/ears. It felt like it was coming from my arms and legs. Like I wasnt coordinating my movements very well. Like my arms and legs were not sure of where they were going and someone was pulling me in different directions every time I get up to walk across a room.

So, I think balance issues arent always from vertigo. It might come from some weird incoordination in the rest of the body. Vertigo feels worse...It's all you can focus on when you have it.

The incoordination problems seemed to be ok if I was sitting down and not moving around much. I didnt focus on it much unless I was walking around and faceplanting myself into the drywall. (we're having work done in our house right now. I keep falling into the wall in my bathroom, which still needs to be painted. Keep getting drywall dust on my clothes)

That makes sense to me Erin. Thank you for posting and helping me think thru this med issue/stuff. I have had severe vertigo off/on for days on end then it will go away for a day/two- come back again. Sometimes it is exactly what you described- 'not vertigo'- but balance problem. Totally!!!!

So can relate falling into things, running into walls, everything possible. This summer I've been to outpatient due to two bad falls- fear of broken ribs/ankle/foot. That does not include all the other falls/crashes that have occurred daily.

You I will say are the winner for best prize of landing with a fall!!!:D Nothing could top falling into fresh drywall!! That would really stink! But you have the right idea about it- you have a great sense of humor. My DH keeps telling me to wake up - he means- 'get with the fun program'- 'let loose about it all'- and I'm slowly learning to do it. Some days are better than other days.

Today my DH came home early and took me out for lunch. The best thing next to him doing that- I felt good today- but I limited what I did so I wouldn't tire early. Need to save reserved energy for tonight with family.

Thinking of you with the drywall and paint project. Been there- continue to always be in process of doing that. Wonder when my home will ever get finished?

hugs

Coffeegirl

Unpainted drywall is so...dusty!

And both times I've fallen into it have been when I'm wearing a black t-shirt...and black shorts. I end up looking like I was attacked by a horde of powdered donuts!

At least I havent hit it hard enough to damage it. The contractor would be really peeved if I did. I dont think I'll hurt it tho, he's got huge pieces of 2x4's behind that drywall that he used to reinforce it for when I get grab bars in my bathroom. (two outside the shower, 3 inside the shower)

He's on vacation right now, so I just have to keep trying not to crash into the walls. Then when we get everything painted, I'll have to be really careful. I dont want wet paint on my clothes. It's a lot tougher to get paint off my clothes than drywall dust.

Hi

I know that this thread has not been used for some time, but I feel that it is important to recognise that in my patients (all anxiety-related alcoholism), high-dose Baclofen can actually cause vertigo in a small number of patients.

I take 140mg's/day every day. Swam 1600 laps in my pool so far this year. I forgot to take my morning 40mg's once & you don't want to know how bad my spasms were. Scary the way I get them even taking 7 20mg's a day.
I'd be dead without them. edit- Baclofen. We get along well.

My thinking has always been that Lioresel/baclofin had to build up in your system to a theraputic dose and then maintain that dose forever..:eek: I was a built up to dose of Liorisel for about a month, then brought myself down off of it.

My spastisity had lessened some and was no longer a major SX that I could not manage, with exercise/stretching. I never went back on it and would not, because it made me feel loopy, weak and tired.

For those of who it helps, there is no better med and I am so glad it works for you. :grouphug: