Zanaflex and Hallucinations: What Users Say

• can...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 18, 2014

For Muscle Spasm "I was prescribed this medication for muscle pain related to rheumatoid arthritis and chronic tendonitis. Personally, I'm VERY sensitive to this medication and suffer the 'rare' side effects: slurred speech, hallucinations (only at night), disorientation (I've gotten lost in my own room twice when I take 4 mg), low heart rate. The highest dose I have taken is 8mg with Xanax for my anxiety. Once I stayed awake, although drowsy, I watched a movie; the second time I woke up in the ICU for bradycardia, hypotension, and change in the level of consciousness. Despite taking this daily for 2 months, I still have side effects. My husband says this medicine makes me drunk. I have been taking 1mg at a time. It does work well."

• Cer...
• November 1, 2013

For Muscle Spasm "This medicine helps me sleep, but that's the best I can say about it. It doesn't relieve pain or help relax my spasticity. If your pain and problems are only at night, this is good for you. I hallucinate a lot, once I adjusted to the dose, it changed, but if I ever have to take more than usual, then I start to hear and see things. I had conversations with my husband in the middle of the night when he wasn't there, and many other accounts. I would suggest you use caution. I have a very high level of muscle pain for many reasons, and I'm very spastic, so it's not a surprise that Zanaflex doesn't work as well as I'd like for me. I will continue to take it while I explore other options. It isn't a bad medication."

• Pun...
• August 4, 2014

For Muscle Spasm "My mother had taken this for years for leg cramps. She started having hallucinations. She started by having a dream every night for about a month that involved the same people. When she woke up in the morning, her dreams had become reality for her. I finally convinced her to go off the medication and now no more problems. Her cardiologist suggested she go off the medication about 6 months before."

• con...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 23, 2012

"Zanaflex works when I use it for my tight shoulders leading to my back; however, I seem to be having some side effects that most people are just laughing off. I think my husband thinks I'm a little off. I have hallucinations - yes, I realize they are real. The other is when I start to move around all of the joints seem to be tight and the muscles spasming around them. It is about 5-10 minutes long. I lose my balance and one more thing, I have acute hearing loss at times too. That could be unrelated."

• cra...
• February 18, 2013

For Muscle Spasm "This medicine helped for fibromyalgia but caused hallucinations and fatigue."