Tizanidine and Dry Mouth: What Users Say

• Dar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 29, 2020

For Muscle Spasm "I'm using 4mg tizanidine for muscle and severe, chronic back pain. The pain prevents sleep but using this drug has helped a lot. During the day, I only take 1/2 (2mg). I'm sleepy but I can still function and I don't leave the house. At night, I take 1 tablet (4mg) and it wipes me out for 4-5 hours. It's wonderful to be able to sleep again. Conclusion: It works for severe back pain, muscle spasms, muscle pain, and aids with sleep. I'm so grateful. Cons: It gives me a dry, scratchy throat. I'm too relaxed to do anything. Leaving the house is not an option. It's got to be better than taking more pain meds."

• iso...
• March 27, 2009

Tizanidine for Muscle Spasm "I have degenerative disc disease, with anterior cervical discectomy with fusion (bone graft/metal plate and screws) of C5, C6 & C7; for 10 years. I suffer from frequent migraines, severe muscle spasms of the neck, left shoulder and left arm. I have tried every muscle relaxer on the shelf and Zanaflex has been the only one that actually gives me relief and comfort to function and sleep through the night. The only side effect that I have experienced is dry mouth. I just drink more water. I have constant pain and work 12-14 hours per day, six days a week. Zanaflex along with my pain medicines have allowed me to make it through the day without total misery. Also, upon waking in the morning, I don't have that 'hangover' feeling as with others."

• mic...
• February 7, 2015

Tizanidine "Zanaflex is the best muscle relaxer besides Xanax. It will dry your mouth out but the good outweighs that. This will put you to sleep in 30-45 minutes. No hangovers, memory loss, and getting up in the middle of the night and eating like Ambien makes you. Can take 1/2 during the day when required for tight, knotty, hard muscles that hurt so bad from multiple bad surgeries."

• FED...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 20, 2017

For Muscle Spasm "I have been taking carisoprodol for about 6 years (1 at bedtime) for muscle spasms and a perfect 8 hours of sleep. My doctor will no longer prescribe it due to the FDA interfering in my health. Tizanidine does make me drowsy, but it is only good for about 6 hours, and then I am awake 2 hours before I should be. Severe dry mouth while sleeping is not good. Overall blah feeling due to lack of sleep. Drugs aren't addictive. People are. The Feds need to get out of my healthcare. They can't even balance a budget."

• RN...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 17, 2018

For Cluster Headaches "I suffer from tension headaches, migraines, cluster headaches, you name it. I take Fioricet when I feel a migraine coming on. Sometimes it doesn't help, and that's when I realize I have misjudged the type of headache I have at that time. As the symptoms progress to a classic cluster headache, I take between 4 to 8 mg of tizanidine, and in about 30 minutes, my pain goes from a 9 or 10 to a 2 or 3. Many of my headaches come from my neck and cervical spine issues. This medication helps the stiff, sore muscles in my neck and upper back, which goes along with some types of my headaches. Sometimes it's hard to tell as I go through a cycle of cluster headaches with other types mixed in. This medication, above all my other headache meds, is the most effective. It does have side effects of dry mouth and sedation. At night, the sedation is great, but it's tough to function during the day. I can take 2 mg without getting sleepy, but it's not enough to help sufficiently with the intense pain."

• roc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 10, 2015

Tizanidine "I'm an active 51-year-old female with severe neck pain, especially on the right, and probably from playing too many games on Android. I have had trigger point injections, facet blocks, PT, massage, TENS, daily heat therapy, and a host of meds over the past several months. I also take Norco regularly. Soma did not help the neck pain. But this Zanaflex works very well to alleviate the neck pain quickly. I only take it if I don't have to drive (or be social) because of the dry mouth and grogginess. My brother, 29, takes it for his back pain and swears by it, too. I just wish I could get rid of the neck pain. I think it's also improved with my new exercise program: 30 minutes on the elliptical, stretches, crunches, and leg lifts, then machines."

• 371...
• July 25, 2008

Tizanidine for Muscle Spasm "I have been on Zanaflex for about 2 months, and it has helped tremendously for migraines, which are caused by bulging discs in my neck. I am taking 4mg three times a day and suffering from only one side effect, which is dry mouth. I really recommend this to others with my condition."

• Anonymous
• April 20, 2010

Tizanidine for Cluster Headaches "I have been taking Zanaflex and Desipramine for my daily headaches for about 1 1/2 years. They have greatly decreased the number of headaches and I am very thankful for the relief. I do experience dry mouth and frequent urination but I can live with that. Much easier than the horrible headaches I was experiencing daily."

• mjd...
• August 30, 2014

For Muscle Spasm "Worked great when I first started the meds, but slowly had to increase the dosage for relief. I have fibromyalgia. I take 12 to 16 mg at night. I have started having hallucinations and terrible nightmares. It causes really bad dry mouth. It doesn't help me sleep anymore. I will see if there is something else out there."

• Dew...
• February 1, 2020

For Muscle Spasm "I took 1 dose of tizanidine 4 mg and wham! Not with any warning, it hit me. This drug should be taken off the market!!! I almost fell, literally fell asleep standing and just made it to a chair! I had a hallucination, I guess they call it, I saw green lines, my heart rate dropped, my mouth became extremely dry, I could hardly talk, I blacked out for a few minutes, was extremely tired, and the pain! I felt 100 times worse than before. There was a nasty taste in my mouth, then my heart was having palpitations. I became extremely tired very fast, hallucinated, and had no relief, just tired! I have an autoimmune disease (adrenal hypofunction) and was afraid to take ANY med until this got out of my system, it gave me a whopper migraine or pain in my head, anxiety, and my heart rate dropped. Never ever will I take this."

• Ky5...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 11, 2017

For Muscle Spasm "Tizanidine is an excellent muscle relaxer compared to ones like Flexeril, Robaxin, Baclofen, etc. Soma does work better, but now it's hard to be Rx'd because of FDA overregulating. Anyway, it helps me, gives me great sleep, and helps with headaches. The only side effect I get is dry mouth. Overall, though, I highly recommend this over all the other ones out there! It's done an awesome job for muscle spasms."

• Anonymous
• April 13, 2012

Tizanidine for Muscle Spasm "Been taking this for months for DDD/DJD (neck). I notice severe pain when I don't take this nightly but still have muscle pain even when I do. Main side effect is severe grogginess and dry mouth/hungover feeling. I have to be in bed about 20 mins after taking it or I am walking into walls, literally. I have to drink a lot of water before bed to combat the hungover feeling. Recently switched back to Flexeril. Have also taken Robaxin, but that didn't help much either. I get headaches when I take Tramadol and any narcotic, so I take Tylenol during the day."

• Anonymous
• November 5, 2010

Tizanidine for Muscle Spasm "I have disc disease. I take 4 mg only at night. It knocks me out. This is the only medicine that has helped with my pain and my muscle spasms. I sleep well all night, and it lasts through until the next day. I've only been taking it for 3 days. Finally, I've found a good muscle relaxer. The only side effect I have noticed is dry mouth. I think it is great."

• Geo...
• October 22, 2010

Tizanidine for Muscle Spasm "I have been using Zanaflex since 2003. I suffer from chronic pain and spasms due to herniated discs in my neck and back. I have already had fusion done on my neck, and the pain and spasms never went away. That was due to the discs below the fusion herniated just after the surgery. I also have fibromyalgia. I am supposed to take 4 mg 3 times a day, but I only take it at night since it makes me sleepy most of the time, and I am already on Percocet and Savella. I need to function during the day. My doctor says I can take all 3 at bedtime if I want, but I have only taken 2 at a time. Dry mouth is a side effect, and sometimes I will have grogginess in the morning, but I found that it is mostly due to taking it so late and getting up early."

• Las...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 28, 2016

For Muscle Spasm "I have a bunch of issues in the cervical and lumbar spine. I'm delaying neck surgery indefinitely and am still in the injection phase of attempted treatment for lumbar. I take pain meds and had used Flexeril, but it didn't work well at all. So, the doctor replaced Flexeril with this at 4 mg 3 times a day. It helped, but not enough. Now on 8 mg 3 times a day. This dosage helps the spasms, but had to lower the AM dose back to 4 mg or I can't stay awake. The second dose I take either 4 or 8 mg, depending on pain and spasms. At bedtime, I take 8 mg, which pretty much knocks me out. At least this way, I get a couple hours of deep sleep, which is hard to come by with constant spinal pain. Side effects: sleepiness, very dry mouth, some constipation. Worth it - it helps!"

• jok...
• February 21, 2014

For Muscle Spasm "My insurance company decided to stop paying for the medication I was on, so my doc is trying something else, and that something else is tizanidine. I had hopes that it would work, as I have several medical issues, but unfortunately, all that has happened is I have the worst case of dry... well, I was going to say dry mouth, but it's more like someone cut the top of my head and filled it up with sand. I have the worst case of dry head. I know it sounds funny, but my eyes, nose, and mouth are so dry. I can't remember a medication making me feel quite so dry. It isn't helping the muscle spasms at all, but as a sleep aid, it works pretty well."

• Chr...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 28, 2023

For Muscle Spasm "After 2 1/2 years of being my mother's caregiver during her battle with terminal cancer, I was put on this. Having to lift her and all the nights sleeping on a hospital couch or chair really did a number on my neck and back. I was always tense and in a lot of pain. My doctor put me on tizanidine 14 mg at night and it worked very well for about 2 years. Unfortunately, it no longer helps. It has actually made the pain worse, and I am hurting in places I never was before. I started having horrible leg pains (cramps, spasms, and a pulling feeling). I could hardly stand or sleep. Along with the new leg issues, I started experiencing very vivid and unpleasant dreams. Anxiety, depression, extremely emotional, and moody. Constant headaches, dry mouth, constipation, and visual disturbances. In the process of weaning off. I do not recommend this drug for long-term use."

• Mam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 18, 2018

For Muscle Spasm "I took Tizanidine for muscle spasms, and it knocks me out at night. Now my throat is dry, plus it burns and is very painful. I have a runny nose also, and my knee, ankle, and feet are swollen and in pain. I’ll never take this medicine again. I take Percocet 7.5/325, no problems. I took Flexeril in the past, and this never happened. This medicine isn’t for me."

• Fri...
• August 3, 2011

For Muscle Spasm "This is my 3rd month on Tizanidine. Was on 2 mg four times a day for severe low back and neck spasms and pain from an injury sustained while in Iraq. Also been on many types of relaxers and other pain medicines with no significant relief until my doctor wrote me a prescription for tizanidine. Since I've been on it, daily activities have increased, taken 2-6 hour road trips with no major problems, and been able to increase my nightly naps and turn those into dream-filled lapses in reality for close to 6 hrs/night! Cut Ambien use in half. Now on 4 mg three times a day. The only negatives I have for this medicine are it doesn't last long enough, dry mouth is bad, dreams are sometimes too vivid, causing nightmares, and hallucinations have occurred due to user error. Follow doctor's orders while using this medicine."

• Tin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 26, 2023

For Muscle Spasm "I just got this on Thursday, 3/24/23. My first dose was a real eye-opener for me. Within 30 minutes, I was ready for bed, and let me say that was a good sleep for about 4 hours. I got up and took another one, and then I had a dry mouth and sipped some water. I went back to bed and had some scary and crazy dreams, one side effect of this medication. I also felt dizzy. We have to take the good with the bad, and I am hoping my sciatic nerve settles down because it's way off its chain."

• Anonymous
• September 21, 2011

For Cluster Headaches "This has been great so far. I've been on it for 7 months and it has helped reduce the amount of migraines and constant neck and shoulder tightness/pain. I can only take it at night, as I still will become sleepy even after this long, but it's way better just at night than not at all. The dry mouth hasn't lessened either, but it only lasts about 4 hours, so if you don't fall asleep right away, it can be annoying."

• KRD...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 8, 2022

Tizanidine for Cluster Headaches "It knocks me out, but it’s the only thing that works when I have a migraine and triptans aren’t working. I use it as my “Big Gun” when everything else fails, and I’m not planning to drive any time soon after taking it. I also use it for cervical and thoracic radiculopathy when Flexeril and meloxicam aren’t enough. Gives me dry mouth and constipation, but I take a stool softener and a big glass of water with it."

• gir...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 10, 2018

For Muscle Spasm "Very first dose last night. It caused severe dizziness, dry mouth, my heart was racing. I couldn't sit up without fainting. Spent several hours on the bathroom floor since I also felt nauseous. This med is not for me."

• 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."

• Sbe...
• December 20, 2009

For Muscle Spasm "I was prescribed Zanaflex 4 mg after my ACL reconstruction. My doctor advised me to take the medication when or if I had spasms in my leg. Shortly after surgery, I had spasms, and I took Zanaflex. Within 30 mins after taking it, my spasms went away. Now I am taking it about every 4 hours, and I have not had any spasms. The medicine did make my mouth dry, but I would much rather have dry mouth than leg spasms. All in all, this drug is awesome!!"