Baclofen is a muscle-relaxing med. It is administered when you have muscular spasticity – especially those triggered by damage to your spinal cord or due to conditions such as multiple sclerosis. The key function of this med is to ease away discomforts by relaxing your muscles. As the drug can be habit-forming, the doses are tapered off prior to bringing the medication plan to a close. People who took larger doses of this drug or those who consumed it for a longer span of time encountered risks of addiction. Can you take this drug along with a glass of alcohol – say, wine? You may need to know the consequences prior to starting such practices.
Baclofen eases strained muscles. There are many reasons for muscles to undergo stressful conditions. Some of them include the inadequate flow of blood to an organ, not working out regularly / exercising adequately, or in general, leading a sedentary lifestyle. This drug helps relax your strained muscles and brings about needful relief from such stresses.
What happens when I consume wine or alcohol along with Baclofen?
Intake of wine or alcohol along with baclofen can be dangerous to your health. This is because of the doubling of antidepressant properties and associated side effects. You are likely to witness a severe spell of dizziness/drowsiness, inability to think logically, being in a confused state of mind, memory lapses, shallow respiratory cycles, erratic or a marked decrease in the rate of heartbeats, etc. In some very rare cases, mixing baclofen with wine/alcohol can lead to coma or fatal outcomes such as death.
Persistent intake of baclofen along with alcohol can be habit-forming. So, if you are taking these two substances together, you may end up getting addicted to them. It may take a lot of effort and rehab support to make you de-addicted / get away from such habits. Some cough medications may contain a relatively larger share of alcohol in them. In such cases, your treating doctor needs to be informed about the intake of such meds. As a general precaution, it is a safe practice to keep your caregiving team updated about all the drugs you are presently taking as well as treatment plans currently pursued. It is safer to compile a list of all drugs and share it with your treating physician. While making this list, ensure to include over-the-counter drugs, prescription meds, herbal aids, dietary supplements as well as vitamins.
Not stopping with alcohol or wine, baclofen is also likely to interact with a wide range of drugs. These include anti-allergic drugs (or antihistamines), insulin-based meds, pain-killing drugs – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or morphine, muscle relaxants (such as phenytoin, carbamazepine, etc.). So, if you living with prior clinical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension (chronic spells of high blood pressure), infections or muscular spasms/seizures, or fits and convulsions, your treating doctor must be updated about all such conditions.
Precautions needed while taking baclofen
Foremost of all, keep your caregiver informed if you have any known allergies or hypersensitivity to the active chemicals used in baclofen. Those with prior allergies are generally prescribed safer alternatives. Also, if you have any prior ailments such as renal dysfunction, the recent incidence of strokes/seizures, etc., your treating physician must know all the needful details. This med can make you dizzy or very drowsy. Hence, intake of intoxicants such as cannabis/marijuana is not considered safe. People living with conditions such as substance abuse are strongly recommended to talk to their caregiving team about such episodes.
As a safety measure, never engage in activities that may need a high level of mental focus or concentration. For example, keep away from driving or operating heavy machines. It is also unsafe to perform/participate in adventurous activities such as cycling, jumping, or swimming. This drug may numb your responses to external stresses. Owing to this, you are advised to tell your surgical team or dentist about the intake of baclofen. Your surgeon or dental caregiver is likely to recommend the discontinuation of this drug – for the interim; such discontinuation is advised for at least a week or two prior to the date of your surgery/dental procedure.
If you are aged above 50 years, the dosage plan of baclofen is lowered to suit your age. Those above 50 years may develop hypersensitivity to this drug; the typical signs of discomforts include acute levels of dizziness, loss of coordination, falls as well as mental shifts (including, depression or being excessively anxious). Also, pregnant women – who took this drug – especially, during the advanced stages of their pregnancy, may give birth to infants with a few withdrawal symptoms. Such babies may develop sleeping problems or feeding issues; some of the infants may cry incessantly. Owing to such risks, your treating doctor may advise pregnant women to refrain from taking baclofen. The active substances used in this drug may get into mother’s milk. Due to this, women who are nursing / breastfeeding their babies must talk to their doctor prior to taking this med.
Those who are living with improper bowel movements may need to keep away from baclofen. This is because of the likely risks of constipation or difficulties to pass stools. As a precaution, drink an ample amount of water every day. Also, take fiber-intensive foods such as apples, bananas, or fibrous vegetables. Talk to your dietitian about foods that can ease your bowels and facilitate easy discharge of stools. In this light, it is not safe to take stool softeners or laxatives; such meds can be habit-forming. Those who took stool softeners over the long term may find it hard to pass stools without the intake of laxatives.
In sum, taking a glass of wine with baclofen can lead to harmful side effects. You may experience acute spells of drowsiness, memory lapses, erratic breathing cycles, drop-in heartbeat rates, etc. In some instances, baclofen – when taken with wine or alcohol – has led to fatal outcomes. As a precaution, keep your caregiving team updated about all the drugs you are taking. If you are in doubt, consult with your treating physician/pharmacist without delay.
Education: Master’s in Nursing (MSN) from Johns Hopkins University. Experience: 7 years writing for online health portals and nursing journals, specializing in patient education and chronic illness management.
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