DISCLAIMER: iGuard is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. iGuard cannot and does not take into consideration every possible interaction or account for individual responses to medicine. Different individuals may respond to medication in different ways. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have before making any changes to your treatment. The use of the iGuard site and its content is at your own risk. The iGuard site and the information contained in it is intended for users in the United States and information in other countries may be different.
Global Patient Feedback for Zanaflex (Tizanidine) ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
I have been taking Zanaflex for several years. At times I have alternated with flexeril. I find the Zanaflex to be stronger and work better for me. I have had 2 surgeries for herniated lumbar disk--the last being a Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion of 2 disks. I am about 5 months post surgery and feeling much better although it is a slow process. I still take Zanaflex as needed usually 2 4 mg tabs at night. I have not had any significant side effects from it.
53 year old Female
Posted: 2009-05-05 11:05:12
Answer/Reply:
I'VE BEEN TAKING (2) 4 MGS OF TIZANIDINE @ BEDTIME FOR MUSCLE TIGHTNESS IN MY SHOULDER. CAN'T SEE THAT IT REALLY
HELPS, BUT IT REALLY HELPS ME SLEEP.
46 year old Female
Posted: 2009-06-01 15:47:02
Answer/Reply:
funny how some meds affect diffierent people. I feel that the flexeril is stronger and the side affects for me were affecting my work paformance where w/the zanaflex it is easier for me to work.
42 year old Female
Posted: 2009-06-02 23:55:05
Question/Comment:
I have been taking Zanaflex now for 2 weeks only at bedtime. I have a herniated disc and spinal stenosis which causes pain down my left leg. I have been taking pain medication (lortabs) now for well over a year with no full relief of the pain. The Zanaflex helps me sleep well, and it also keeps the pain away longer then the pain pills. I wish I would of known about this wonderful drug a long time ago.
40 year old Female
Posted: 2009-03-13 08:23:35
Question/Comment:
I have been on zanaflex for muscle spasms (lumbar back problems) for about 4 months through pain management. They help the pain and leg cramps a lot, but I have high blood pressure and doctor told me to keep a eye on pressure because it lowers my pressure. It helps me sleep, I only take it at bedtime. I used to have horrible nightmares that would wake my husband. Not so bad now. Also take mobic, diavon, and cymbalta in the mornings.
53 year old Female
Posted: 2009-02-19 08:37:40
Answer/Reply:
I've been taking Zanaflex for about 18 months or so. And it has helped my lower back & spine pain. The ONLY thing I complain about is that I'm supposed to take it twice a day & cannot due to it makes me too sleepy. Even if I take a 1/2 a pill during the day, I have to nap. Also I had high blood pressure before, but now I don't anymore. Whether it is because of this medicine I don't know. It is a miracle drug for the sciatic nerve pain & such. I recommend it for back pain.
46 year old Female
Posted: 2009-03-06 21:27:14
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
I've been on Zanaflex for years and, unfortunately, like all other pain meds and muscle relaxers I've been on, one builds up a tolerence over time. The sleepiness WILL go away. Fortunately the effectiveness hasn't decreased and still helps my muscle spasms. I have degenerative disc disorder and stenosis.
Posted: 2009-03-11 01:06:45
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
Hi I am on Zanaflex for muscle spasms do to having MS. The last two times i have been to my doctor. I have had low blood pressure. I wonder now if that is why. Taking zanaflex has helped my muscle spasms which is good. I haven't had a really low blood pressure but it has been slightly low. I feel like I need to take the zanaflex though. I take one once a day. There have been times that I have needed 2.
Posted: 2009-03-19 17:07:02
Question/Comment:
I am still not convinced this is the best medication for me, but my doctor kept me on it last week. I fall asleep with it quickly enough, however I am awake with the same pain in a couple of hours. SO now I split it up from the 2 I take at bedtime, and each time I wake up I take another 1/2. The morning headaches are awful and I have to take something in the am to counteract those. ANy suggestions would be helpful. Thank you.
53 year old Female
Posted: 2009-01-21 19:54:16
Question/Comment:
I was prescribed one to two tablets at bed time, It helps me to alleviate my back and neck pain, due to my herniated disks, althought I have experienced some side effects that are not very pleasant like dizzines and resently I wake up with terrible headaches in the mornings.
50 year old female
51 year old Female
Posted: 2008-11-21 00:09:14
Question/Comment:
I have been taking this medicine for the last 9 months now for my fibromyalgia and muscle spasms along with hydrocodone. I split them up whereas I have to take them 3 times a day. The only problem that I have found with the tizanidine it that I have hallucinations at night and wake up my spouse to double check that it is a hallucination. My doctor prescribed another muscle relaxer for me to take at night and I found out that they do not mix -- the muscle relaxer causes me to itch from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. So I would rather have a hallucination than to itch, but the tizanidine works wonders so far....
45 year old Female
Posted: 2008-11-19 16:55:19
Answer/Reply:
I have heard of more people having "itch" with the hydrocodone which I have found can be eleviated by taking something like benedryl with it. I take Zanaflex and have mildly lucid dreams and no itch but I sleep very well with them.
51 year old Female
Posted: 2008-12-17 10:31:19
Answer/Reply:
I think the hydrcodone is making you itch. The hospital gave me benadryl for the itching.
43 year old Female
Posted: 2009-02-22 08:29:35
Answer/Reply:
I took Lyrica for nerve pain due to herniated disks. I found that it worked quite well but I could not take the side effects. They out weighted the bennies. However, you may want to try this for your fibromyalgia. I have heard it works good for that as well?!
38 year old Male
Posted: 2009-04-16 16:57:40
Question/Comment:
I am a 54 year old woman, I have Multiple Sclerosis, I used to have a chair that would bring me up stairs to my bedroom, always had a wheel chair in my car trunk. After going on this med. for four days, I could walk, I could climb stairs it was like a miracle drug for me. Got rid of the stairs chair and the wheel chair. I used to have to do PT walking heel toe to try and make my foot bend, I would walk like my feet were made of wood, now my feet bend as I walk. I also take Diazapam 2mg, Baclofen 10mg, Tizanidine 4mg and Citalopram HBR 20mg, I take one each at bedtime, 2 of the Tizanidine, I sleep great and feel fine in the morning. I used to take all of this 4 times a day but that did make me tired at times so now I only take it at bedtime, have been taking them for many, many years.
55 year old Female
Posted: 2008-11-10 05:17:48
Question/Comment:
I am a 49 year old woman who has had three back surgeries and I take 4 mg of Zanaflex a night along with 75mg of Lyrica and I don't have any pain during the night. I have been on Zanaflex for about 8 years and I just recently was put on Lyrica. I have no problems with either drug. They help me sleep at night and I don't have the grogginess like I was expecting. They are great medicines.
49 year old Female
Posted: 2008-10-21 18:45:19
Answer/Reply:
I am a 38 yr old woman who had neck surgery for herniated disc c 5/6 w/ a bone & plate. I took pain killers for a short period. They only made me sick and tired. I didn't continue taking them. I take 2 mg of Zanaflex at bed time, I have been on this med for about 5 yrs. They do help me sleep (not all night), it also makes my muscle spasms a lot less painful. I also go for a deep tissue massage 1x per month & that also helps.
39 year old Female
Posted: 2009-02-03 19:27:22
Answer/Reply:
I have been on Depakote for about 9 years. I developed Dystonia (AKA Torticollis) 3 years ago. This is a muscle spasm condition, which can be caused by Depakote. Please Google Depakote & muscle spasms, Dystonia, or Torticollis. Since I already have the condition
(there is no cure) & the Depakote does help my Bi-polar condition, I have chosen to continue to take it.
57 yr old female
59 year old Female
Posted: 2009-02-18 18:33:45
Question/Comment:
This works wonders for my muscles.. I have lupus-fibro0MS-and RA so have quite a few meds I take. After awhile on this med you will become accustom to it and can take it when ever you are prescribed without all the drowsiness. When I first started you could use a timer- 20 mins and fast asleep. Now no problem. I have to take two at bedtime and I still can stay wake. hang int here its worth it!
44 year old Female
Posted: 2008-09-30 12:23:02
Question/Comment:
I have Fibromyalgia and this has worked to greatly improve my muscle spasms. I have tried other medications that do not work as well as this one.
32 year old Male
Posted: 2008-06-26 07:39:36
Question/Comment:
I started on this and Lyrica about 3 months ago for my fibromyalgia. I take 4mg every eight hours. I have to take one right before my work shift and one right after in order to get that eight hours in between. There has been more than once that I was glad I only live 4 minutes from work, because when it hits me I must really concentrate on being able to speak a coherent sentence. I must also keep moving as well or I will doze off, which is unacceptable since I work alone in a convenience store. One night before work I took one and then right before I went out the door to go to work I had forgotten that I had taken the first one and took another. I will NEVER do that again! I spent the next 3 hours braced against the cash register praying I didn't collapse on the floor. Other than this and the sahara desert in my mouth, it has relieved a good bit of my muscle spasticity, making it easier to continue working.
46 year old Female
Posted: 2008-06-20 12:10:56
Answer/Reply:
I have been taking Tizanidine for nearly six years, but I only take it when my occipital neuralgia (neck pain from a damaged nerve) is so bad nothing else will provide relief. It does help a great deal, but I'm a dish rag about 15 minutes after taking it. It does make you VERY sleepy, but it also works to relieve pain when nothing else will.
46 year old Female
Posted: 2008-10-05 20:29:26
Question/Comment:
My doctor has precribed this for me to take 3 times a day. I can't take it during the day because it puts me to sleep within 30-45 min after I take it so I take it only at night to help me get to sleep. I would not be able to function if I took it 3 times a day like he has it precribed.
49 year old Female
Posted: 2008-06-05 14:14:40
Question/Comment:
Yes, I take 1 at bedtime. If I took them in the daytime - I wouldn't be able to function. They make you VERY sleepy.
38 year old Female
Posted: 2008-06-03 08:33:24
Question/Comment:
It helped alot in the beginning but I have been on it for several year and it seems to have lost the effectiveness it once had for me.
42 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
be wary of the sleepiness and dizziness
43 year old Male
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
You are suppose to start with a low dose,and then work your way up .
62 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Don't take if you are over tired
55 year old Male
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Works best if you can take continuously
57 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Try to use it a night it will help you sleep better.Know that if when you take it at day time you will be drowsy.Its great medicine and I could not live with out it.
50 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Yes, Be prepared to suffer greatly with sores in your mouth, dry mouth, chapped lips and also be careful when you take zanaflex or you can fall while on the commode, et. I have fallen several times during the night.
64 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
be ready for about a week of side affects
39 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Even with the extreme side effects, I highly recommend this drug for spaticity.
40 year old Male
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
just titrate the dose slowly and side effects will be minimal
53 year old Male
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
make sure you aren't alone when you take it the first time, could make you fall asleep on the spot
23 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Just to be aware of all the possible side effects and also to watch and pay close attention to any other medications that you are prescribed in case of interactions with them
31 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
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.