Get Informed: Baclofen
Active Ingredient(s)
Baclofen
What does it do?
This product is used in the treatment of spasticity. Its mechanism of action is unknown.
- Last Text Update:
- 2009-Nov-20 2:20 PM
- Last Data Update:
- 2009-Nov-20 6:53 PM
Other Names
- Baclofen
- Baclophen
- Lioresal
- Baclopar
How Safe Is It?
- Your Risk Rating
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- Average Risk Rating
-
- Pregnancy Category:
- C
- Black Box Warning:
- No
Facts & Figures
- Date Approved
- 22 Nov 1977
- Est US Patients*
- 700,900
- Generic Available
- Yes
- OTC Available
- No
User Age Distribution*
< 21
21-39
40-59
60+
Age (Years)
* Estimated number of US people currently taking Baclofen or its active ingredient based on population adjusted patient numbers registered with iGuard.org.
Recent alerts for Baclofen
There have been no alerts regarding Baclofen during the past year.
Baclofen Safety Report
Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings
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What is Baclofen used for?
iGuard.org is currently tracking more than 4,100 patients that use Baclofen (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)). Use the table below to learn why iGuard users take this product; click on any underlined condition to get information on other medications used for treatment.
| Disease / Condition | % | Average Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Muscle Spasms | 92% | 
|
| Fibromyalgia | 2% | 
|
| Multiple Sclerosis | 2% |
|
| Pain-Musculoskeletal | 2% |
|
| Other | 6% |
|
How well does Baclofen work?
iGuard.org regularly polls our more than 4,100 users taking Baclofen (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM) . This feedback is continuously updated in tables below for the benefit of the iGuard community. To request scores for specific patient subgroups, please contact research@iguard.org.
Average Satisfaction Score
(out of 10)
Average Effectiveness Score
(out of 10)
- 84%
- of patients are confident that the good things about Baclofen outweigh the bad things.
- 14%
- of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Baclofen.
Common Side Effects of Baclofen
iGuard.org regularly polls our more than 4,100 users taking Baclofen (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) to monitor the development and frequency of side-effects. This feedback is continuously updated in tables and graphs below for the benefit of the iGuard community.
46% of patients experience side-effects on Baclofen
< 1% of patients experience signifcant side-effects on Baclofen
Most Common Side Effects...
-
Drowsiness
-
Fatigue
-
= 10%
Less than 1%: Constipation, Dizziness, Dry Mouth, Dryness, Grogginess/Confusion, Headache, Nausea/Vomiting
Global Patient Feedback for Baclofen ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
j4 days after starting a nightly ritual of 10 mg of Baclofen, I ended up in intensive care, with absolutely no memory of what was going on. I lost nearly a week. I was diagnosed with encephalitis ... "toxic" encephalitis. They removed all of my medications while I was in the hospital, and they have since added almost all of them back; I've had no further problem with my meds.
People with Chronic Renal Failure should think twice before taking these.
58 year old Female
Posted: 2009-11-17 10:50:50
Question/Comment:
Has anyone suffered any ear ringing or noises in the ear- or hearing loss- Thanks-
54 year old Female
Posted: 2009-08-25 16:01:20
Answer/Reply:
Yes, I have. This does not happen very often and can happen any time of the day or nite.
59 year old Female
Posted: 2009-09-05 15:12:01
Question/Comment:
After 3 minutes of taking this medication for the first time, my sister began to have burning and tingling in her feet which progressed to intense leg pain and lethargy and insominia. At times she is completely unable to use her legs. Her Dentist had prescribed this medication to lossen her jaw muscles to keep from grinding her teeth. She stopped taking this medication after 3 days as these symptoms were no longer tolerable. The initial dose was taken about 3-4 weeks ago. She is still suffering from these symptoms. Her doctor is offering no help, advise , or treatment other than to say, wait until the medication is out of your body. It has been 4 weeks. How long does it take??? Please if anyone can offer any insight or suggestions please reply, we feel helpless as she suffers.
30 year old Female
Posted: 2009-06-19 20:45:21
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
Baclofen is eliminated from the body rather quickly - it is typically excreted out of the body in 24 hours in patients with normal metabolism. If your sister is still bothered by these symptoms, she should follow up with her primary physician for care and evaluation.
Posted: 2009-06-23 22:45:06
Question/Comment:
Has anyone experienced uneven rapid heartbeat, palpations? I was admitted to the hospital with atriun fibilation, possibly caused by baclofen..
52 year old Male
Posted: 2009-05-28 17:02:52
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
Uneven, rapid heartbeat and palpitations have not been reported as side effects of baclofen by iGuard members. Palpitations and chest pain are reported as rare side effects in the manufacturer's labeling for baclofen.
Since there are many causes of atrial fibrillation, it may be difficult to determine if your atrial fibrillation was caused by baclofen. Many cases of atrial fibrillation are caused by underlying heart problems such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, or abnormal heart valves. An overactive thyroid or other metabolic imbalance, lung diseases, viral infections, sleep apnea, stress from pneumonia, surgery or other illnesses, and exposure to stimulants such as medications, caffeine or tobacco, or to alcohol can also cause atrial fibrillation. Some people have "lone atrial fibrillation," which is atrial fibrillation with out any heart defects or damage, or any other identifiable cause.
Posted: 2009-05-31 12:05:58
Answer/Reply:
Since being on this medicine plus morphine, cymbalta and a few others I been having a lot more heart fibrillation. The found that the heart murmur that I was born with is bigger now. I'm still waiting to hear from the heart dr as to what can or should be done about it.
39 year old Female
Posted: 2009-06-01 19:15:07
Question/Comment:
I take 10 mg of Baclofen 3 times a day for a numb and tingly left foot and ankle caused by a bad back. Doesn't really help all that much.
53 year old Female
Posted: 2009-05-05 06:29:46
Answer/Reply:
STAY IN CONTACT WITH YOUR DOCTOR AND LET HIM KNOW IF BACLOFEN IS NOT WORKING FOR YOU. EVERY MEDICINE REACTS DIFFERENTLY WITH EACH PERSON.
I TOOK BACLOFEN MANY YEARS AGO AND IT DID NOT HELP ME WITH TINGLING,
SPASMS, NUMBNESS. TODAY IT WORKS. I ALSO TAKE 10 MG 3 TIMES A DAY.
I DO KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE IT DOES TAKE TIME TO BUILD UP IN YOUR BODY. IT
IS NOT A FAST REMEDY.
AGAIN TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR
FRIEND IN COLORADO
62 year old Female
Posted: 2009-05-16 15:13:55
Answer/Reply:
i would like to suggest, that you talk to your family doctor about trying neurontin. does your foot and ankle ever burn, neurontin should take care of the symptoms. i had Guillain Barre' and that is what they put me on after a few months in the hospital. For tingling, numbness, and extreme burning in my feet.
47 year old Male
Posted: 2009-05-29 23:47:05
You may post comments for the benefit of other patients or post questions other patients might be able to answer. Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Only your age and gender will be published with your comment, although your other user details will be securely recorded for verification purposes.
Comments may be either questions or answers to previously posted questions. Any iGuard.org user may post questions and reply.
33
Patient Comments about
Baclofen