Baclofen and Dizziness: What Users Say

• Kim...
• April 26, 2016

For Muscle Spasm "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."

• Bha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 13, 2016

For Alcohol Withdrawal "Fantastic for Xanax withdrawals. 12 years on Xanax, 4 months trying to come off. Worst 4 months of my life. Baclofen solved it overnight. Blurred vision & dizziness is a small price to pay. 90% of the inpatient rehab industry could be replaced by Baclofen."

• zip...
• May 8, 2011

For Muscle Spasm "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."

• Jul...
• December 24, 2014

For Chronic Spasticity "I take baclofen (20 mg 3 times a day) for muscle twitching, spasms, and spasticity. It has helped some (for instance, I can still feel the muscle twitching, but it's no longer visible twitching). It hasn't seemed to help with the spasticity, though. As for side effects, at first, I had a lot of drowsiness and dizziness. Now, I am horribly depressed and think it's from the baclofen, so I may discontinue soon."

• it...
• February 16, 2018

For Neuralgia "I have been taking baclofen for 5 years for my sciatic pain and neuropathy, it has helped me a lot. I take it daily, 3 times a day. It helps relieve my back pain better than any other relaxer and doesn't get me dizzy or tired or affect me in any other way but helpful."

• usa...
• October 20, 2011

For Muscle Spasm "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."

• iow...
• December 22, 2011

Baclofen for Migraine Prevention "I have been taking it for 90 days. The medication seems to have leveled off the severity and frequency of my migraines. I take several medications, and along with this medication, it seems to be really effective. The side effects are a lot better than taking opiates or anything that makes you dizzy and ineffective. I take Topiramate, Bupropion, Amitriptyline, and Gabapentin. When a headache hits, I take a Sumatriptan and let it dissolve in my mouth."

• sco...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 20, 2019

For Alcohol Withdrawal "I actually haven't used this medication but was wondering if you have to be sober when you start taking it. I've attempted to use Revia (naltrexone) for alcohol abuse, however, the side effects were extremely intense, which included severe weakness, dizziness, and unbelievable negative and depressing thoughts. I want my alcohol cravings to go away as I fear the amount I drink on a daily basis just isn't close to being reasonable or healthy. I look forward to any info. Thanks!"

• Ste...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 25, 2019

For Muscle Spasm "I used baclofen for headaches due to injuries from a car accident. I was doing well on 10 mg once a day. A month later, my doctor bumped it up to 20 mg 4 times a day! That caused dizziness. I also missed a day, and oh boy! Withdrawal was miserable! It truly was the worst! Anxiety and heart palpitations throughout the night kept me up and I couldn’t sleep, felt like I had to go to the ER. I felt like this for days even though I was taking it like normal (20 mg 4 times a day). It did not help with sleep even when I didn’t have the withdrawal problems. Definitely would not recommend this drug if you don’t have severe muscle spasms!"

• dow...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 23, 2023

For Periodic Limb Movement Disorder "I was prescribed 10 mg of Baclofen twice a day for muscle spasms after a fall a year ago. I didn't really experience any relief from pain by taking it and consequently had many left over. My Restless Leg Syndrome has gotten worse recently in spite of taking 0.5 mg of Pramipexole, and I've had trouble falling asleep. I decided to try the Baclofen to help. It definitely helps me fall asleep and stay asleep, but it makes me incredibly tired, lightheaded, and dizzy the next day. If I take it around midnight, I sleep until around 3 pm the next day. When I wake up to use the bathroom, I feel like I can't move and have forced myself to get up."

• Cox...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 21, 2019

For Muscle Spasm "Have been taking baclofen med for about three weeks at 10 mg. Helps with pain, but the side effects stop me from living and doing what I need to. I am dizzy, disoriented, sometimes feel like a small electric shock to the brain, and this is day two. I may need to take 5 mg and see if my body handles it better, waiting on my doc to decide what is best."

• Slo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 2, 2017

Baclofen for Neuralgia "I have been taking Lioresal (baclofen) 10 mg 3 times per day for 3 days now. The side effects are immense! After 20 minutes, I lose all sense of balance, get a major headache, and need to urinate frequently (which is difficult when lack of balance screws up walking ability!) It knocks me out for hours. Side effects last approximately 6 hours. I have cut down to twice a day now because I can't handle the side effects. The only positive is the pain eases (I have intercostal neuralgia), but not 100% pain relief-maybe 70%. I plan to visit the doctor and get off it as soon as possible."

• H_M...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 4, 2018

For Spasticity "Almost five years ago, I was diagnosed with hereditary spastic paraplegia of unknown origin. My neurologist has prescribed 3×5 mg and to gradually raise it to a maximum oral intake dosage of 3×25 mg. Through the adaptation period, I was slowly raising my intake, with up to 10 days between the next rise. I have found that 3×15 mg relieves me of spasms without compromising balance and muscle strength, and leaves me the option to increase dosage if needed. In the beginning, you may have some side effects, like dizziness and muscle weakness, but they'll disappear. We all have different tolerances to the drugs, so prescribed dosage is just for orientation. This is not a painkiller, and for that purpose, you have to find a different drug."

• Tas...
• August 14, 2017

For Migraine Prevention "Taking it for a week, 10 mg twice a day. I have spasms in the back and migraines. This has increased my headaches and does nothing for my back pain. I am weaning myself off of this medication. I am constantly sick to my stomach and dizzy. Worst med ever."

• Acg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 20, 2020

For Alcohol Withdrawal "Be very careful with baclofen - the side effects for me were awful. At 60 mg, I was nauseous, dizzy, and felt like I was kind of losing my mind. It definitely took away cravings, though, but so not worth it if you can’t even function, bed-ridden. I’m on Naltrexone now, which seems to be working, and there are no side effects, so I’m going to stick with that and hope the 'extinction' effect will help me control my drinking."

• PET...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 30, 2020

For Chronic Spasticity "Baclofen has dangerous side effects, including bradycardia. I took 20 mg twice a day for 12 years and had to stop. My pulse had gone below 60 beats per minute and so I could not get a valid blood pressure reading. I also had severe vertigo. Now, I am two weeks without it, and I am okay. I was also taking Norvasc 2.5 mg with it."

• SHE...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 7, 2021

For Cervical Dystonia "Where do I begin? This medication actually saved me. My dystonia started getting worse, I didn't know I had it. Since 2009, the doctors brushed it off until I was referred to a neurologist. My head kept twisting to the right, I had to use my hand to keep it straight. I had arthritis in my neck, so the twisting made it worse over the years. This medication I take 20.5 x3 three times per day. If I don't take it 7 hours apart, my muscles sure let me know. My back would just spasm, but now it's my legs, feet, neck, face, head, arms, abdomen-it's my entire body but different parts at different times. I find the spasms are worse when I'm cold. I get extreme dizziness. I take Gravol. My body feels heavy and swollen, but I'm not. Extreme nerve pain. I have had steroid and Botox injections. If I get a high dosage, it works. The procedure of steroid injections is very painful. So yes, the drug is worth the effects versus management."

• sar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 10, 2019

"I do believe baclofen works wonders for people with anxiety, and I recommend trying it for yourself. I took it for approximately 1 month for anxiety, and it works. The results were better than Xanax, Paxil, or Lexapro. As I worked my dosage up weekly, I became calmer and felt like myself again. However, 3 weeks in, I became very sick: nausea, dizziness, strange vision/focus issues. I was pretty much bed-bound for 5 days. I figured it was the baclofen. I cut back from 30 mg 2x a day to 20 mg 2x a day. I felt better, but not great. In the 4th week, my tongue swelled, my throat began to burn, extreme thirst; there was also a burning sensation in my chest. I am thin-my stomach was swollen and gassy. My left hand began to twitch, and the left arm would get numb while I slept. I suppose I am allergic, and it took a month of building up in my system to discover that. I have begun to taper off."

• L E...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 4, 2015

For Muscle Spasm "I was given this because I fell and landed on my ribs against a day bed, which is a very little bed and mostly metal. Not sure if it worked since the side effects were such a problem. I was very emotional and bawled like a baby for 3-4 hours. I had chest pains, weight gain, stomach pain, unsteadiness, and blurred vision. I quit taking the drug on the 5th day after I googled the side effects (since the drugstore information didn't say anything about any of these side effects). Oh, and I still have what feels like a bad yeast infection with blood."

• Fac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 26, 2023

For Neuralgia "My doctors have prescribed me this medication for about 3 to 4 months now, and I had mixed reviews about it for a month going off it and then asking them to prescribe me it again. They prescribed me this medication for cocaine cravings, and it seemed to work sometimes, while other times it didn't, and I would relapse to get cocaine. Nonetheless, I'm an ex-heroin addict currently on Suboxone, and I deal with a lot of pain. When I was offered this, I definitely jumped right in, willing to try it. I read it might take several weeks to work, but when I take it, I take 20 mg a night or 30 mg, and I feel like I notice a very slight relief. Nothing too powerful or special, which sucks because I would really like to have it work. I will notice some dizziness sometimes when I take it too, unfortunately, but I'm not going to give up on it and continue to keep trying it every night for a few weeks as it says and see if it works better for me. For now, I give it about a 3/10 in terms of cravings and muscle pain relief or sedation."

• Jam...
• May 13, 2016

For Dystonia "I have an undiagnosed muscular condition coupled with JRA and borderline personality disorder. I only just started baclofen a week ago, 10 mg 3 times a day. I don't think I've ever NOT felt pain-it's amazing. My pain level was so high all the time, and it helped with the overall/daily pain as well as the cramping. Only downsides being that I appear to have side effects like dizziness, confusion, balance problems, and worsening psychotic symptoms. I've experienced some low-level hallucinations/spatial distortions (the floor looks like it's moving or the walls are breathing), which is more confusing than concerning. Only downsides to this medicine besides sleeping (which I love as an insomniac)!"

• Jam...
• May 13, 2016

For Dystonia "I have an undiagnosed muscular condition coupled with JRA and borderline personality disorder. I only just started baclofen a week ago, 10 mg 3 times a day. I don't think I've ever NOT felt pain-it's amazing. My pain level was so high all the time, and it helped with the overall/daily pain as well as the cramping. Only downsides being that I appear to have side effects like dizziness, confusion, balance problems, and worsening psychotic symptoms. I've experienced some low-level hallucinations/spatial distortions (the floor looks like it's moving or the walls are breathing), which is more confusing than concerning. Only downsides to this medicine besides sleeping (which I love as an insomniac)!"

• Sys...
• January 12, 2016

For Dystonia "I have focal dystonia as well as 2 failed back surgeries on my cervical spine that left me with nerve damage at the root level. I have been having very painful and disruptive muscle cramping in both arms and feet, even in my sleep. My pain management team suggested baclofen, so they started me on a course of 10 mg 3x daily. So far, I'm experiencing sleepiness, balance issues, memory issues, and other neurological problems, but no painful spasms. It is my hope that, as with other medications, the side effects should decrease over time."

• pat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 28, 2018

For Muscle Spasm "Yeah, the drug works. No more back spasms, and no pain at all. Side effects many, this is my first time using it, will not use again. Dizzy, stomach aches, sleepiness. A doctor at the VA in Atlanta, GA, recommended it to me. I am not a disabled veteran, if I was, I would be able to get my teeth fixed."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 29, 2025

For Neuralgia "I have had peripheral neuropathy for years. Tried gabapentin many times for relief, but it made me dizzy and upset my GI tract. I started baclofen 10 mg for leg cramps at night. After 3 or 4 days, I noticed my pain and the pins and needles sensations in my legs were better. After a week, they were gone. I'll have mild sensations when the weather changes. All in all, the only side effect has been sinus congestion in the morning. I've been taking it every night for a month, and all is good so far."