Baclofen is a muscle relaxant med. It is used for the treatment of muscular stiffness as well as spasms. This drug may also be used for a few other medical conditions such as back pain; however, such uses are largely through an off-label mode. Baclofen however may cause a few undesired side effects or adverse reactions. Younger adults, elderly patients as well as women who are pregnant or those who are nursing a baby may need to be more cautious. But, does administration of baclofen lead to drowsiness or dizziness? It is important to know more about this prior to starting your medication plan.
Baclofen helps treat muscular conditions such as spasticity, spasms or stiffness. These conditions are likely to arise due to injuries sustained in your spinal cord or conditions like multiple sclerosis. These may also show up because of a tear or other such damages in the spinal region. The drug is administered either as a shot or as an oral pill. You need to pursue the medication plan under the supervision and guidance of a qualified clinical practitioner.
It is not safe to stop taking baclofen without consulting your treating doctor or physician. Those who discontinued the intake of this drug abruptly or all of a sudden developed a few withdrawal problems. Symptoms resulting from a sudden withdrawal include passing out, fainting or other fatal outcomes. As a safe practice, your doctor may taper the dosages gradually over a few days, and may then advise you to stop taking this muscle relaxing drug.
Is drowsiness a possible side effect of consuming baclofen?
Baclofen is considered as a safe medication among most users. Many people who took it seldom developed adverse side effects or any undesired reactions. However, a few discomforts are likely to occur; these are increase in body temperature, convulsions or epileptic fits, being in a confused state of mind, having weird dreams or hallucination, shortened breathing cycles as well as dizziness.
Drowsiness is one of the likely side effects of baclofen. You may also experience severe spells of weakness, weariness and migraines. Migraines / headaches can – at times – result in sleeping problems such as insomnia. If you are taking drugs that induce sleep or allay anxieties, these may aggravate the levels of drowsiness. It is highly recommended to talk to your medical team prior to taking drugs like sleeping pills, other muscle relaxing meds or a few opioid-based drugs.
It is always important to share your medication plans that you are currently taking or treatment plans that are being presently pursued, with your treating physician. It is a safe practice to make a list of all the drugs – including sleep-inducers or calming meds. Also, ensure to add all other forms of meds such as over the counter (OTC) drugs, prescription medications, vitamins, cough or cold medicines, herbal supplements as well as dietary aids.
How to manage drowsiness caused by the intake of baclofen?
In general, you are advised not to engage in work that requires a high level of mental attention. For example, you need to stay away from driving or working on heavy machinery. It is a good practice to keep away from baclofen when you need proper balance or coordination of movements. As this drug may soften the tone of muscles, it is better to avoid taking it during any of the aforesaid instances.
You may also need to make a few lifestyle changes; habits such as drinking alcohol will need to be moderated. If you have habits like taking alcohol every day, your doctor may tell you to stop taking it or to gradually reduce the quantum of intake. Intake of alcohol along with baclofen may lead to severe episodes of drowsiness, acute spells of dizziness or respiratory problems like wheezing or gasping, dilation of eyeballs, loss of coordination and impairment of motor function.
Upon experiencing acute levels of dizziness or drowsiness, you are advised to talk to your treating physician or pharmacist as soon as possible. It is highly recommended to seek medical attention in a clinical or healthcare setting without any further delay. People living in the US can call 911 on an urgent mode. The food and drug administration keeps a tab in all the medications it clears or approves for public use. This federal agency also runs a helpline for emergency care. Residents of US can get needful medical care by contacting this agency’s helplines. On the other hand, if you are living in Canada – you can either call Health Canada or reach out to a poison control center as quickly as possible.
Last but not least, never take a double dose of baclofen. If you have accidentally skipped a dose, never take it twice. Instead, skip the dose you forgot and continue with your regular dosage plan. Those who took a double dose of this drug reported severe side effects like difficulties to pass stools (i.e., constipation), urges to urinate more often than normal, severe levels of drowsiness, acute phases of weakness, etc. In some one-off instances, a double dose or an overdose of baclofen has also led to some near-fatal outcomes due to respiratory problems as well as fainting or passing out.
In sum, Baclofen lead to drowsiness and dizziness . These spells may be accompanied by weakness, migraines or headaches as well as sleep-related problems such as insomnia. It is a safe practice to report to your doctor if you are taking sleep inducing meds or anxiety decreasing / calming drugs. Also, never engage in driving, operating heavy machines or other such works that may need a high level of consciousness or alertness. Ensure to change positions very slowly and gradually – especially, changing from a sleeping posture to a standing position or vice versa. If you witness extreme spells of drowsiness, it is highly recommended to call 911 (in the US) or Health Canada (if you are a resident of Canada). If you need any additional information on other likely side effects associated with the administration of baclofen, talk to your medical team about it.
Education: Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Michigan. Experience: Over 8 years of experience writing for health and wellness websites, including WebMD and Healthline, specializing in women’s health and nutrition.
Exclusive 30% OFF for New Customers!
