Tizanidine and Drowsiness: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• December 3, 2012

For Muscle Spasm "Since taking this, I've noticed that I do not have to take as much of my prescribed pain medication. It does cause drowsiness, and I do not recommend driving while on this medication. For my condition, it has helped improve my quality of life until I get my surgery."

• Anonymous
• March 19, 2011

For Muscle Spasm "I have a stiff neck from birth-some call it torticollis. I have rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia diagnosed in 2005. I have severe neck and shoulder tightness, which causes a headache similar to a migraine. Nothing short of a chiropractor could ever relieve this pain. Having rheumatoid arthritis, I can no longer go to a chiropractor. This medication is a lifesaver for me. It did make me drowsy and a bit goofy the first few days. Do not drive until you are used to this medication. It has been a month now, and I take 2 or 3 pills only when the neck gets stiff and sore, and it relieves the pain, and the headache disappears. This is the first time in 5 years I have had relief from this pain."

• Ton...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 20, 2017

For Muscle Spasm "At first, when I took tizanidine at night and then in the morning, I had to leave work and go back to sleep. I was so tired and couldn't do anything. After that, I only took it at night, which was helpful. I discovered I needed to take it just before I went to bed. It makes me drowsy and unable to walk. I even fell out of bed and hit my head while I was trying to sit up. The good thing is it did stop the muscle spasms. I would recommend it but would warn about the side effects that could happen."

• Hel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 13, 2018

For Muscle Spasm "I hate this drug, will not be taking it again. Within 20 minutes, I was either in a coma or knocked out sleeping. I have no idea which sedation I was under... pretty scary. I had hallucinations, where I saw a devil over me, red lights, just weird. Woke up, and I could barely move, my body was weak. No muscle pain, but a dangerous drug that puts you in a slight coma."

• Anonymous
• December 8, 2011

For Muscle Spasm "I've taken tizanidine for almost a year now. I LOVE it! I have painful muscle spasms and cluster headaches. It helps incredibly with both of those. It does make me a little drowsy, but nothing severe. It doesn't help me sleep at night, however. I'm still having chronic insomnia issues."

• con...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 25, 2019

"I have Burning Mouth Syndrome along with fibromyalgia, my doctor recommended I take Tizanidine 2 mg. They knocked me out, and I felt depressed, so I cut them in half. I cannot take them during the day, as they make me so drowsy. I also take a sleeping pill at night, and I still have problems sleeping. I have been to several neurologists, and they don't know how to treat Burning Mouth Syndrome. I have had two surgeries from a doctor from UC Davis, which did no good. I have had all my old crowns and fillings replaced (very costly), still no relief. I find chewing sugarless gum really helps with the burning. As for Tizanidine, I don't like it, I have only been on it for a couple of weeks. I will be talking with my doctor."

• dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 11, 2023

For Muscle Spasm "For me, it helped to a degree (may be misdiagnosed). It lessened the pain I have in my chest muscles, but it is still there. The side effects for me are unusual. It makes me extremely drowsy and heavy feeling. Plus, when being woken up while asleep on this medication, I feel like parts of my body are vibrating, my heart is racing because I feel panic. As I'm woken suddenly, I am hallucinating random objects (sometimes with only one eye?). And when I go back to closing my eyes, it's like I'm still dreaming? Maybe a weird version of sleep paralysis? Then I've been having bad/dark/stress dreams. By the time I wake up, I'm in pain again =/. It has been moderately scary but heightens my side effect anxiety."

• Opl...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 19, 2019

For Muscle Spasm "I was prescribed tizanidine following the replacement of a spinal cord stimulator. The med made me so dizzy and drowsy it is difficult to evaluate its efficacy. I will follow the path of other reviewers and try a smaller dosage and re-evaluate."

• eye...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 3, 2017

For Muscle Spasm "Severe insomnia due to muscle spasm. Fibromyalgia since 2001. Began tizanidine June 2004. Also, 3 bulging discs from negligent car wreck (driver ran stop sign) since Jan 2015. Somnolence, dry mouth most common. I've always noticed visual disturbances (enhanced colors and patterns of whatever I'm viewing before falling asleep after taking tizanidine). Experienced noticing 'monkeys and grapevines in ceiling while watching a Tarzan-like movie when began drug in 2004. I still can see the enhanced color and pattern of tile or carpet as I walk from bathroom to bedroom shortly before falling asleep. I'm an optometrist with a history of excellent ocular health. May 2017 retinal photos revealed 'Bear-Track'-like pigment patterns: both eyes. 12 mg hs."

• Lha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 7, 2025

For Muscle Spasm "I have been taking tizanidine for 3 months. I have to say it's the best muscle relaxer I have taken. I have never slept better in my life. I like that it's fast acting. When I feel the muscles start tightening up, I take one, and it keeps it from going into spasms. You don't feel like you're groggy the next day at all."

• Lin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 8, 2017

For Muscle Spasm "Someone mentioned that the Zanaflex made her whole body relaxed, not just take away her spasms, but the medication is a muscle relaxer and has more than one usage. Like, I use it to sleep because if I use it as a muscle relaxer, even a little bite would knock me out during the daytime."

• Bun...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 6, 2018

For Muscle Spasm "Prescribed for a muscle pull, and I've taken it for two days, doubling the dosage, and the 4 mg just doesn't do a thing. Doesn't even make me sleepy. Dug in the cabinet and found some out of date, by 2 years, 10 mg of another relaxer, Flexeril. I finally get relief. I added Aleve to each muscle relaxer."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 19, 2022

For Muscle Spasm "I had ACDF (anterior cervical discectomy and fusion) surgery and was having muscle spasms. I was prescribed tizanidine. Did little to nothing for spasms, made me groggy and tired, but offered zero relief for what I needed it for."

• Pai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 15, 2022

Tizanidine for Muscle Spasm "I've been on Zanaflex for about 2 weeks. I have a herniated disk. This helps a bit. I just wish that the side effect wasn't drowsy. I can only take it when I'm at home, which defeats the purpose, I need it during the day. Other than that, it's fine. Makes me sleep so well."

• Anonymous
• October 22, 2009

For Muscle Spasm "I've been taking Tizanidine tablets (4 mg) every 4 hours when required for the past three months after failed laminectomy surgery. I've been taking them along with various other pain medicines (Norco, Lyrica, and Neurontin), and so it's difficult to report on the efficacy. But I do feel relief when I wake around midnight and take that Tizanidine tablet that is always by my bedside. Dry mouth and drowsiness might be a problem, but since all the other medicines cause the same sort of symptoms, it is hard to say. When it came time to refill my second prescription, I debated whether I should or not for a few days, and an increase in discomfort made me opt for the refill. I'm glad I did."

• Che...
• July 8, 2019

Tizanidine for Muscle Spasm "Tried Zanaflex today for the first time. It works really good. Took the pain away. But it made me sleep for 10 hours, so I won't be taking it anymore."

• dal...
• March 10, 2015

For Muscle Spasm "It helps with my nerve pain, but it does put me to sleep for a couple hours."

• Lad...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 5, 2017

For Muscle Spasm "This medication works so well for me. It doesn't leave me groggy and unable to wake up or function, like others have that I've been on."

• Anonymous
• March 19, 2009

Tizanidine for Muscle Spasm "I recently began taking Zanaflex, and it has helped with my lower back spasms somewhat, but I can only take it at night. It makes me drowsy, and I had to stop taking it during the day."

• Jul...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 4, 2017

For Muscle Spasm "Really don't help any pain from my fibromyalgia for me, but do put me to sleep. If I'm sleeping, then I'm not hurting, I guess."

• Bla...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 6, 2021

"It made me sleep for 2 hours, and that's it. Didn't work for pain whatsoever."

• Anonymous
• November 3, 2009

For Muscle Spasm "Spasms are pretty well kept at bay if taken 3 times a day. Refill has expired, so I will see if they're still needed. No drowsiness whatsoever. If taken with 4 mg Dilaudid, Darvocet, and Xanax."