Baclofen for Muscle Spasm User Reviews (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 22, 2025

"I've been on Skelaxin (headaches) and tizanidine (fatigue) and am now on baclofen. Baclofen has been great for my muscle spasms caused by severe foraminal stenosis, and I wish I had been prescribed it earlier. It's really helped with my pain levels."

• ray...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 8, 2023

"Stay away from this drug. It is highly addictive. I never had issues with narcotics or alcohol, but I started this medication and realized it was an instant cure for any depression, gave me energy, took away all anxiety, made me happy. The withdrawal is absolutely horrible. The most extreme anxiety you'll ever feel, and it can be deadly as well, since the withdrawal is similar to the withdrawal of benzos and alcohol. It does completely change your brain. After taking this drug, you'll be very depressed and unmotivated."

• kma...
• March 23, 2012

"I have been taking Baclofen for over 5 years for muscle spasms and sciatica. It helps tremendously for the spasms and overall back muscle mobility but does nothing for sciatica pain. This is an outstanding adjunct to an NSAID or other pain reliever. Baclofen has allowed me to completely bend over and put my palms on the floor; something I couldn't do for years. I share the sentiment of an old post that Baclofen off-label significantly decreases my anxiety associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. I take 10 mg three times a day. Highly recommend this for spasms, anxiety, and increased quality of sleep."

• mik...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 1, 2013

"I had 2 laminectomies at L4/L5, and the first one failed in 6 years. The second has been holding its own, but scar tissue has formed, and the discs above and below are impinging the nerve slightly. After 2 years of trying every muscle relaxer, my pain management doctor used Baclofen 10mg 3 times daily. I noticed improvement within a week, and now, in combination with Cymbalta 60mg daily, I can walk on my right leg without having to sit down every 5 minutes. I don't have any side effects from Baclofen like Flexeril, where I would drag all day and then the next day feel hungover and could not get off the couch."

• c b...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 18, 2024

"I began having severe muscle spasms in each side of my lower back around 8 years ago because of SI joint dysfunction. I was given Flexeril, which did nothing to help. The doctor prescribed Baclofen 20 mg, and boy, what a difference it's made with my muscle spasms. I take 3 a day, and they help me so much. If I didn't have these, I would be in so much more pain or unable to ambulate. They will make you extremely sleepy until you become accustomed to them. If you're being prescribed 10 mg or any larger strength, please remain home. Don't plan on driving or working after you've taken them until your body becomes accustomed to them. I've taken them for years now, and I don't have sleepy side effects, but I guarantee you, you will. They're a very potent muscle relaxer. I had a friend that took a half dose of what her doctor prescribed, and she had hallucinations on them. My father slept for 3 days on a 10 mg. So believe me when I tell you Baclofen is nothing to mess with."

• Onc...
• September 20, 2015

"I have a partial spinal cord injury and have lots of muscle spasms everywhere. For a few months after my SCI, I had minimal spasms and was on 90 mg/day. I am 4 years out from my accident and my spasms are worse. Now I take 120 mg/day (30 mg 4x/day). I still have a lot of muscle tone (spasms) and we are discussing putting a baclofen pump in that will pump baclofen directly onto the spinal cord. How do I know baclofen works? On occasion, I have missed my 10 pm pills and by morning my muscles are so tight I can't move. I believe the maximum dose is 90 mg/day but the doc put me up to 120 mg to give me more relief. I'll be on it for life. Great stuff, wouldn't be able to move without it. I have had no side effects even with the elevated dose."

• hel...
• October 13, 2009

"I have been taking baclofen for a couple of months now for severe muscle spasms. Not only does it help those muscle spasms, but I have borderline personality disorder, and this medication has given me a sense of well-being. I also have severe anxiety. I find when I take the baclofen (80 mgs a day), I do not feel anxious, nor do I have anxiety attacks. I believe more research needs to be done on this drug about its effects on different types of mental illness."

• jul...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 22, 2015

"I have multiple sclerosis and limited use of my right arm and right leg. I was given this drug to help with it. I have more trouble walking, I have to use my scooter all the time and it makes me so sleepy. I find myself sleeping until noon then falling asleep late in the evening. I find this medicine not helpful at all. I take 10mg three times a day."

• Boo...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 29, 2023

"I have been on this medication for many years. It is the only medication that relieves my muscle spasms with no side effects. I have facet arthritis of the spine, degenerative disk disease, arthritis, and 3 mildly herniated disks."

• rob...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 14, 2013

"Last time I had really bad cramps, several months ago, doctor prescribed 10mg, 3 times a day, for 10 days. I remembered I was a 'low doser' so I took only half a tablet for 6 days. Result was wonderful! Spasms in diaphragm, bilateral waistline, bilateral buttocks, back, shoulders, neck, hands, legs, feet, lowest abdomen, all ceased and desisted in two and a half days. This time, a couple of days ago, I called for a new prescription and then forgot to take half a pill--took a whole 10mg, 3 times a day for two days, as prescribed, and got treated to a whole bunch of weird side effects--intense sleepiness, hallucinations, very shallow breathing, edema, but no cessation of spasms and pain. So now I'll wait several days and try half a pill again."

• Mel...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 13, 2016

"I fell and hurt my back 4 years ago. I have suffered from spasticity in my back, legs, and neck ever since. I've been taking 10 mg three times a day ever since. To me, this is one of those drugs that you really can't tell you are taking until you run out. If, for some reason, I miss a dose, I'm miserable. I'm not going to say it removes all my pain because it doesn't, but it does allow me to manage the pain I'm in better. The only side effect I noticed was, when I first took it, I had very vivid dreams for the first few weeks, but that went away quickly."

• osm...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 17, 2024

"I was first given Baclofen in the 1990s for intractable muscle pain and neuralgia. Every other drug had either failed me, given side effects, or gotten me addicted. Initially, it was made for the use in MS and nerve pain patients. My doctor felt I had nothing to lose by trying it. Almost immediately, the difference was incredible. Initially, I was taking the brand name, then generics came in. They are not all created equally, either. I have been taking it for about 25 years, and while I go for periods without it, most of the time, I take 10mg at night. Daytime doses make me sleepy and feeling like a rag doll, so I avoid it. As a person who has side effects and opposite reactions to many, many medications, it has been almost impossible for me to believe this one has zero for me. I’m so grateful."

• lbr...
• December 23, 2013

"I've had sciatica for 20 years. On and off a number of different meds but had negative effects. Had a bad fall on Oct 30, 2013 (I'm 65 and use a walker and canes) and landed square on my coccyx. Oh boy. Doc gave me Toradol pills - nothing, then cyclobenzaprine - bad effect, then BACLOFEN 5MG 3X DAY DOES HELP ME SLEEP AT NIGHT. ON IT NOW FOR A MONTH."

• Kim...
• April 26, 2016

"Was given this drug as opposed to Soma. Started taking 20 mg 4x a day. That was on a Thursday evening, by Friday night, I was not making any sense. My husband finally rushed me into the ER when I couldn't answer questions and would only answer in a single word. I was dizzy, lightheaded, nauseous, vomiting, dry mouth, at one point, I was doing stuff in the middle of the night. I was hospitalized until things resolved."

• Aes...
• January 23, 2016

"I'm taking baclofen for extreme tightness in my neck and shoulders, works fine. However, it is more of a stress relief and sleeping pill, especially if you are already a bit drowsy. I take 10 mg currently, and I personally don't think it's enough because it doesn't do too much, especially at night when I need it to work fastest because my muscles tighten at the end of the day."

• lam...
• October 20, 2015

"Baclofen gave me terrible dreams/nightmares, and I would 'walk in my sleep' during them, that is, getting out of my bed and literally trashing my bedroom, knocking everything off the nightstand, flipping over my computer chair, and trying to crawl under a TV tray... crazy stuff that I NEVER did before. As soon as I quit the baclofen (thinking that must be it), those dreams never happened again. PS, since baclofen did this to me, they tried prescribing Tizanidine/Zanaflex, and I had the SAME reaction from those, so I just don't have a muscle relaxer anymore."

• tuk...
• May 18, 2008

"This medicine saved me during a sudden, incredibly intense muscle spasm in my neck/back. Side effects were mostly drowsiness but it gave me time to heal and let me sleep during the painful period. Great medication."

• too...
• June 8, 2013

"I too suffer from back and leg pain. I have had 3 surgeries and a pain stimulator implanted as well. The back and leg spasms have gotten so bad starting around 2 pm until I wake in the morning. Some nights I'm up all night. I started medications as directed for the first time. But I had some very strange reactions, like I couldn't breathe, almost paralyzed, then hives. So I stopped. However, the spasms became so bad, I just couldn't bear to go on anymore this way. I started again taking 1/2 a pill 2 times, then 3 times. So far, I just itch, I can deal with that. It is helping with spasms, that is the best part of all. And, oh my God, if it also helps with migraines, that would be even better, since I am also being treated for them as well. Life can be unbearable. Thanks for your help."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 2, 2023

"I was prescribed baclofen after being in the hospital for MS. I have tried many times to get off of this. The withdrawals are not like being an addict, more like you have to keep taking it because of the myriad of things you can’t take from stopping or weaning off of it. The worst is how you can’t breathe or the pains that develop when you try to stop."

• zip...
• May 8, 2011

"I have been struggling with fibromyalgia for more than five years. Finally accepted my diagnosis almost 3 years ago. My doctor and I have been working together to establish a pain management program that works for me and still enables me to work and live a 'normal' life. Baclofen is by far the best muscle relaxer I have used and true to my doctor's recommendation, has the least side effects (dizziness, sedation, etc.). I am more than just pleased with this medicine. I am THRILLED because it helps to control the muscle spasms I cope with while allowing me to be an active participant in my life. After two years of taking it, I am taking 10mg four times a day."

• Emm...
• March 14, 2009

"I have severe muscle spasms due to Multiple Sclerosis. I don't know where I would be without this medication. I will most likely have to go up a notch on my dosage very soon, but it helps greatly, so I don't care as long as it keeps helping me."

• bue...
• July 23, 2015

"I have extensive nerve damage in my spinal cord and was prescribed baclofen for spasms. It works great on the spasms, however, I can take the prescribed dose, and when I run out of Vicodin, then it causes me restless leg syndrome, so be careful if you're also on opioids and run out. For cramps in the legs, it is great, though."

• usa...
• October 20, 2011

"I was given this medication post-hysteroscopy when I suffered severe hip, knee, and leg pain. Nothing touched it. I had major painkillers to no effect. Baclofen was a lifesaver. I also have fibromyalgia, and the bonus is I can feel a massive difference with that now as well. I am a bit dizzy, I hope it will pass in time because the benefits are worth it! No other side effects at all."

• Mr ...
• September 21, 2015

"No side effects except mild drowsiness. I'm not impressed by how this drug is supposed to work on muscle spasms. I have been on it for a week and a half at 10 mg, 3 times a day. I feel my spasms are almost as bad as prior to taking this Rx."

• aik...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 17, 2013

"Taking for neck and back pain and sciatica from being in a MVA. Seems to make my hearing sensitive -- when I read to my daughter, it's like my voice is too loud, so I have to speak very softly. Absolutely no drowsiness, but I have had a killer headache in the back of my head for days. It has not made any drastic difference in my muscle pain and sciatica, but I have only been on it for less than one week. Will keep trying it until my follow-up in a week. So far, so good, except for the bad, bad headache in the back of my head. Sleeping good and waking refreshed, unlike when I took Soma."