Hello...I was hoping to reopen a discussion on zanaflex...I was wondering if anyone could explain the action of this med and why it has such a different effect than standard muscle relaxants. I tried it twice, and both times it knocked me out...when I woke up an hour or two later, I felt almost as if my throat was paralyzed, and it was very hard to swallow. Scary! After reading your other thread, I looked up the dosage on my bottle. I had taken a full 4mg tablet each time.

I was considering trying it again with a half tab, but am a little nervous about it...it seemed that I read somewhere, though, that it could help some with nerve pain moreso than the other muscle relaxants. Does anyone have advice/info about this?

Also, a word of warning: Zanaflex can interact dangerously with Cipro (ciprofloxacin), a commonly used antibiotic. I recently had surgery and needed cipro for an infection...as I was reading the cipro pamphlet there was a strong warning about interaction with tizanidine. The med name sounded familiar, so I checked my zanaflex bottle, and sure enough, that's the generic name. However, I had both prescriptions filled at the same pharmacy, and no one caught this interaction. Thankfully I was no longer taking the zanaflex, but if I had been, I shudder to think what would have happened. So please, beware, all of you on zanaflex, if you need an antibiotic!

Thanks for any info you can share...

Donna

Hi Donna,
Just stopped in a minute between appointments for De and saw your post. I am copying and paste some information from a previous post I had on Zanaflex. THe medication works on the nerve where it inserts into the muscle to calm it down...
Di

This is the post:
De had side effects the first try at zanaflex, then my doctor perscribed it for me. Now I ran into a Pharmasutical Rep in the doctors office and told him about the side effect that was too much to function in normal life with.

This is what he explained to me....
The med in zanaflex works on the nerve where it inserts into the muscle...calming it down.
But, with the med side efects they strongly inform doc's to start very low and build SLOWLY! Such as 1 mg for several weeks, maybe three or four, then to 2 mgs for several more, taking months to get up to 4 mg...from there as your tolerance builds the side effects will go away.

I told him of a man when at work, was in a daze unable to operate machinery and falling asleep on a dime.

He stated, that is a problem for many. That his on family he urged to try it that way.
I did have good results, but when topamax came available to me, it helped much better.

Thanks, Di...that's probably where I read it. I see Dr. Centeno again next week; I think I'll ask him what he thinks about trying again.

Donna

Ok here is my perspective from a person on 4mg perscribed 8 tid........I am now only taking 2mg....half a tab......I took one mg......quarter of a tab then got used to taht for a few days and then worked up to 2....go easy and yes go down........going up from a script is an issue but down is usually ok if you experience poor side effects,......lets see they give it to MS patients so they can move and their muscles don't lock up let me get some medical info for you........hold on.....lol.......

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/100/105597.htm

http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-1470...gname=Zanaflex
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/tizanidine_ids.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dru...ation/DR207060

hope this helps....if more questions email me....

take care,
Victoria rn

Thanks, Victoria...under "overdose" on the Mayo site, it stated extreme sleepiness and trouble speaking. I guess for me, the 4mg was too much to start with! I'm a little surprised they haven't updated their site with the Cipro interaction. Here's a couple of many links to that, if anyone is interested:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/523695?rss

http://www.innovations-report.com/ht...ort-37884.html

Are you finding the zanaflex more effective than other muscle relaxants for nerve-related pain?

Thanks again for taking the time to look this up for me!

Donna

Hi Donna,

I do find tht this is the BEST muscle relaxant I have tried. I have tried many and this is the best one I can say I ever tried. And I have been through the gambit........Oh I hope that you find the right dose and some comfort!!!!!!!!

best of luck!
Victoria