Baclofen withdrawal. Please help!

Spleshhh1

I took Baclofen 25 mg 2 times a day.

I stopped taking it for 2 days,  and got the worse withdrawal symptoms: vision problems, unsteady, fever, Dizziness, Anxiety, Hyperthermia, Depersonalization, 

Tachycardia cogition problems and more... 

I read online that i m having withdrawal /adddiction symptoms and i have to go back to the dosage i took before, so thats what i did. 

After i did that the situation got a little better, but i still have almost all the symptoms and i cant live like this. 

My question is: do i need to taper off baclofen slowly and hope that the symptoms will go away? Or i need to up the dosage untill i feel better and only then to taper off and quit the drug? 

I really need your help... Thank you! 

chiarieds

Hi @Spleshhh1 & welcome to this supportive forum.

Medications such as this shouldn't be stopped suddenly, nor without your Drs. approval. If they feel you should taper off gradually, then they also would advise how to do this. So I'm very sorry to read about what you're going through. Might you see your GP about this to get their help as soon as you can?

SunshineLou

Hi @Spleshhh1,

When i stopped Baclofen (40mg per day) I didn’t have any withdrawal symptoms.
My Neurologist and Rehab Dr’s never at any point said I’d have a problem stopping it immediately.
maybe there’s another cause if you’re still having problems and have re started it?
I’d ask for advice from your Dr’s x

Ami2301

Hi @Spleshhh1 and welcome to the community! Sorry to hear about the symptoms you're currently experiencing. Unfortunately, we are not medical professionals therefore we cannot give out advice, however I would advise you to ring 111 if you are concerned or contact your GP on Monday. 

pollyanna1052

Spleshhh1 said:

I took Baclofen 25 mg 2 times a day.

I stopped taking it for 2 days,  and got the worse withdrawal symptoms: vision problems, unsteady, fever, Dizziness, Anxiety, Hyperthermia, Depersonalization, 

Tachycardia cogition problems and more... 

I read online that i m having withdrawal /adddiction symptoms and i have to go back to the dosage i took before, so thats what i did. 

After i did that the situation got a little better, but i still have almost all the symptoms and i cant live like this. 

My question is: do i need to taper off baclofen slowly and hope that the symptoms will go away? Or i need to up the dosntill i feel better and only then to taper off and quit the drug? 

I really need your help... Thank you! 

Hi, the symptoms you describe as withdrawal do seem a little strong for just missing 2 days meds.
I used to be on baclofen for spasms and stiffness. It is a drug that I was told I could find my own best dosage level. I did get up to 80 mg a day. But although they stopped the problems, they also weakened my muscles and caused falls. I did eventually come right off them, as I am full time wheelchair user now.

Why did you come off the baclofen?
I do think you should see a doctor about all the problems you are having.

Take care xx

Adrian_Scope

Hi @Spleshhh1. How are you getting on? 
I can only really echo everyone else here and recommend you speak with your doctor. Please keep in touch and let us know how you are. 

pollyanna1052

Spleshhh1 said:

I took Baclofen 25 mg 2 times a day.

I stopped taking it for 2 days,  and got the worse withdrawal symptoms: vision problems, unsteady, fever, Dizziness, Anxiety, Hyperthermia, Depersonalization, 

Tachycardia cogition problems and more... 

I read online that i m having withdrawal /adddiction symptoms and i have to go back to the dosage i took before, so thats what i did. 

After i did that the situation got a little better, but i still have almost all the symptoms and i cant live like this. 

My question is: do i need to taper off baclofen slowly and hope that the symptoms will go away? Or i need to up the dosage untill i feel better and only then to taper off and quit the drug? 

I really need your help... Thank you! 

Hi again.
Just wondering if this bit of info might be useful.
A friend of mine who has spasticity in her legs felt she was on too much baclofen and went for an intrathecal balcofen pump. It was positioned inside her torso and administered a minute amount of baclofen, which was just right to help without side effects.

She is still able to walk, albeit with some difficulty, but she felt it kept her out of a wheelchair.

Too much baclofen caused me to fall a lot.

OG86

I was recently taking baclofen 20mg a day for about 2 months and I got covid, around day 10 of covid cuz I was so sleepy I stopped Taking it as my dr told me it's not an addictive drug, I'm very cautious about that sort of thing cuz I got put on a major dose of clonazepam and tapered down to 1.75mgs from 24mgs a day and that was hell on earth, anyway after about 32-48 hours I started getting all sorts of nasty effects as well as bradycardia (though they think the bradycardia was caused by covid) but I kept telling the ER Dr's I feel like im in withdrawal or something, that was December 19th 2022 I 1st got Symptoms and even though not as bad now still having tons of anxiety especially when I get the slow heart rate and chest pressure, wondering if 2 months of Taking 20mgs of baclofen could cause withdrawal. Been Taking some extra gabapentin and that seems to help, just curious if anyone else going through or gone through baclofen withdrawal can confirm these symptoms: headaches, palpitations, anxiety, sweating, weakness, tinnitus.

I'll be seeing my dr that prescribes my clonazepam and my suboxone Thursday morning,  he's an addiction specialist so he'll probably have some good insights but seems baclofen withdrawal isn't to well knows as the er Dr had to Google it pr something I dunno, but the Dr's at my suboxone clinic are specialists in the field of addiction medicine.

Anyway hope everyone had a good Xmas and a happy new years.

OG86

I was recently taking baclofen 20mg a day for about 2 months and I got covid, around day 10 of covid cuz I was so sleepy I stopped Taking it as my dr told me it's not an addictive drug, I'm very cautious about that sort of thing cuz I got put on a major dose of clonazepam and tapered down to 1.75mgs from 24mgs a day and that was hell on earth, anyway after about 32-48 hours I started getting all sorts of nasty effects as well as bradycardia (though they think the bradycardia was caused by covid) but I kept telling the ER Dr's I feel like im in withdrawal or something, that was December 19th 2022 I 1st got Symptoms and even though not as bad now still having tons of anxiety especially when I get the slow heart rate and chest pressure, wondering if 2 months of Taking 20mgs of baclofen could cause withdrawal. Been Taking some extra gabapentin and that seems to help, just curious if anyone else going through or gone through baclofen withdrawal can confirm these symptoms: headaches, palpitations, anxiety, sweating, weakness, tinnitus.

I'll be seeing my dr that prescribes my clonazepam and my suboxone Thursday morning,  he's an addiction specialist so he'll probably have some good insights but seems baclofen withdrawal isn't to well knows as the er Dr had to Google it pr something I dunno, but the Dr's at my suboxone clinic are specialists in the field of addiction medicine.

Anyway hope everyone had a good Xmas and a happy new years.

OG86

I was recently taking baclofen 20mg a day for about 2 months and I got covid, around day 10 of covid cuz I was so sleepy I stopped Taking it as my dr told me it's not an addictive drug, I'm very cautious about that sort of thing cuz I got put on a major dose of clonazepam and tapered down to 1.75mgs from 24mgs a day and that was hell on earth, anyway after about 32-48 hours I started getting all sorts of nasty effects as well as bradycardia (though they think the bradycardia was caused by covid) but I kept telling the ER Dr's I feel like im in withdrawal or something, that was December 19th 2022 I 1st got Symptoms and even though not as bad now still having tons of anxiety especially when I get the slow heart rate and chest pressure, wondering if 2 months of Taking 20mgs of baclofen could cause withdrawal. Been Taking some extra gabapentin and that seems to help, just curious if anyone else going through or gone through baclofen withdrawal can confirm these symptoms: headaches, palpitations, anxiety, sweating, weakness, tinnitus.

I'll be seeing my dr that prescribes my clonazepam and my suboxone Thursday morning,  he's an addiction specialist so he'll probably have some good insights but seems baclofen withdrawal isn't to well knows as the er Dr had to Google it pr something I dunno, but the Dr's at my suboxone clinic are specialists in the field of addiction medicine.

Anyway hope everyone had a good Xmas and a happy new years.

Tori_Scope

I hope that your appointment goes well tomorrow morning @og86, and that they're able to help you work out what's causing your symptoms, and how to ease them Let us know how you get on! 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

OG86

Sorry Dunno why it posted that 3x lol.but yeah I see my dr tomorrow morning and fingers crossed there's something that can be done without having to go back on baclofen or increase my clonazepam dose or whatever, that wouldn't be heartbreaking, but even today I dunno if it's still like post acute withdrawal or what but having bad chest pressure with still some bradycardia but not as bad as it was, but the anxiety that comes with it all is debilitating, I just wanna be in my room all day and not expose my nerves to anything, not fun 😒

OG86

Well saw my prescribing Dr that does my suboxone and clonazepam,  he said yes baclofen is very much like a benzo although works on gaba b instead of gaba a like benzos do, the bradycardia he said is actually a now very common post covid complication that usually will resolve itself within 1-3 months without needing a pacemaker (knick on wood don't want that lol) anyway as it's now been 2.5 weeks since talking baclofen last he said exactly what I was thinking that going back on it would be not good and might as well backtrack almost 3 weeks,.so he raised my clonazepam dose by .25mgs a day, not a huge increase and didn't really want to do that but it's better then being on a 3rd mediation that I'd be stuck on and tapering off of, he also increased my gabapentin by 100mgs at night as well as I've been taking extra I had from and old script and it was helpful. So long story short the Bradycardia caused by covid on top of withdrawal from baclofen add in an already pre existing anxiety disorder = a perfect storm cuz when the bradycardia hits and I get palpitations with it my anxiety goes nuts and it's already going nuts cuz of Baclofen withdrawal, anyways been feeling a bit better today with the extra clonazepam as much as I didn't wanna increase my dose it is the lesser evil the  being stuck on a 3rd medication to taper off of as I mentioned so now I gotta just wait out this bradycardia and hope it resolves itself sooner then later

Hannah_Alumni

Definitely knock on wood! Hopefully the increases will help 🤞 Did they mention when you'd next be seen? Glad to hear you are feeling a bit better today

durhamjaide2001

Hi my friend had a pump inserted because the oral medication wasn't strong enough for her . However this option didn't work either leaving her in hospital for 3 months 

L_Volunteer

Oh no, this sounds really difficult @durhamjaide2001 Is your friend ok now?