Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, unsure about your symptoms, or just looking for answers — we’re here to listen, without judgment. Baclofen can be used intrathecally to treat conditions caused by spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis and other spinal diseases. Intensive inpatient treatment means you’ll be admitted to a hospital where you will get 24/7 medical supervision and care. Once you complete the program, you’ll spend time at either a residential facility or an outpatient program to get the continued support you need to prevent relapse and ensure your success. Going through withdrawal at a treatment center can help you get through it safely, and health care professionals may also prescribe medications and therapies to make the process more comfortable for you.
Thus, it is evident that baclofen is likely to cause fatal complications in some users. Instead, a boxed warning aims to promote the safe use of powerful drugs. The FDA continues to monitor a drug’s safety years after the drug has reached the market. There were 27 cases of withdrawal and 6 deaths during the first 9 years after the FDA approved baclofen for marketing.7 However, details on the exact causes and other contributing factors are not known.
Withdrawal Symptoms of Baclofen
Drugs, such as baclofen, could play an important role in treating people with AUD. To assess the efficacy and safety of baclofen for treating people with AUD, who are currently drinking, with the aim of achieving and maintaining abstinence or reducing alcohol consumption. When combined with alcohol or other medications, such as sleeping pills, anti-depressants, or tranquilizers, the sedative effects of the drug are enhanced and can lead to addiction. Its sedating, anti-anxiety properties can encourage a patient to believe they only feel better while on the drug, and often causes an increase in the frequency and number of doses taken.
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Among secondary outcomes, there was no difference on craving (MD 1.38, 95% CI ‐1.28 to 4.03, 5 studies, 469 participants), and anxiety (SMD 0.07, 95% CI ‐0.14 to 0.28; 5 trials, 509 participants). We found that baclofen increased depression (SMD 0.27, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.48; 3 studies, 387 participants). Unfortunately, there is the possibility that someone could abuse baclofen recreationally either by taking it in very high doses or combining it with other substances to amplify the effects. It is dangerous to mix baclofen with other drugs that affect the central nervous system including opioids, sleep aids, alcohol, muscle relaxers or certain vitamins. At a minimum, mixing baclofen with something like alcohol can amplify side effects like dizziness or drowsiness.
- There was no difference between baclofen and placebo (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.26; high certainty evidence; Analysis 1.6).
- For this outcome we found seven relevant studies involving 913 participants.
- Monitor for signs or symptoms of overdose which may occur suddenly, especially in the initial screening phase, dose-titration phase, and reintroduction of therapy after temporary cessation of treatment.
- It works on the GABA receptors of the brain to produce a reduction in spasticity.
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Dependence occurs when a person cannot function normally without using a drug. An addictive substance can cause physical or psychological dependence, or both. Scientific studies show that baclofen can cause both psychological and physical dependence. The overall effect is the depression of activity in the brain and spinal cord, which may be responsible for relieving muscle stiffness and tightness. As a depressant, it causes euphoric effects, reduces stress, and can reduce pain sensations. Overcoming baclofen addiction can be challenging, but with the right support and treatment, lasting recovery is possible.
Can I drink alcohol while taking baclofen?
The mean study size was 99 participants, ranging from 30 in Leggio 2015 to 320 in Reynaud 2017. Studies could consider baclofen as monotherapy or in combination with further treatments provided that concomitant treatments were provided equally in both the experimental and control groups. Recovery Resource Center provides information on the best evidence-based treatment centers for people struggling with addiction and mental health. If you suspect that someone you know has overdosed on baclofen, it’s important to remain calm and call 911. If they’re conscious, try and prevent them from taking any more drugs in the meantime. Since this drug treats the symptoms of addiction and not the addiction itself, patients are likely to swap one addiction for another.
Baclofen was approved for use in the United States in 1977 and is widely used with several million prescriptions filled yearly 7, 8. However, none of the considered variables could provide consistent explanations for the differences. Among reasons that may contribute to the discrepancy of findings, differences in baclofen dosing are among the most discussed issues (Agabio 2014). Baclofen can be addictive, particularly if used for extended periods or at high doses. Addiction often develops when users rely on Baclofen to manage muscle spasms and other conditions but start to use it beyond the prescribed amount.
Long-term use can lead to addiction, requiring professional intervention for withdrawal and recovery. A baclofen overdose comes from consuming too much of the drug, either intentionally or accidentally. Since this medication depresses the central nervous system, an overdose can be life-threatening, especially in combination with other substances.
Is Baclofen a Controlled Substance?
Generally, acute withdrawal symptoms peak within the initial days of discontinuation and gradually diminish over one to two weeks. Nonetheless, some individuals may encounter prolonged or fluctuating symptoms extending for weeks or even months post-medication cessation. Baclofen is the generic name for a is baclofen addictive muscle relaxant that is prescribed under the brand names Gablofen® and Lioresal®.
However, some patients may experience psychological dependence or problematic use of baclofen. Several factors determine the potential risk of addiction or dependence. Baclofen is generally not considered an addictive drug, speaking classically like opioids or benzodiazepines, but it can cause physical dependency.
- There was no difference between baclofen and placebo (MD 0.25, 95% CI ‐1.25 to 1.76; moderate certainty evidence; Analysis 1.3).
- Anyone who would want to recover from Baclofen addiction should seek help from the United Recovery Project rehab to benefit from customized treatment.
- Baclofen overdose may cause altered mental status, somnolence, seizure, hypothermia, respiratory depression, and coma.
However, abruptly reducing or discontinuing baclofen may result in withdrawal, especially if a person has been taking the drug for more than 2 months. As such, doctors recommend tapering the dose off gradually over 2–4 weeks to prevent withdrawal symptoms. In comparison to placebo, baclofen increased the frequency of vertigo, somnolence, dry mouth, paraesthesia and muscle spasms. For all the other adverse events we did not find significant differences between baclofen and placebo. Adults (18 years and older), currently with AUD according to DSM‐III (APA 1980), DSM‐ III‐R (APA 1987), DSM‐IV‐TR (APA 2000), DSM‐5 (APA 2013), and ICD‐10 (WHO 1992; WHO 2010). There were no limitations on other participant characteristics such as concomitant substance use disorders or other comorbid psychiatric conditions.
Baclofen works by relaxing your muscles, which reduces pain and discomfort. Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking Baclofen, it is especially important that your healthcare provider know if you are taking any of medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
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This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter OTC) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements. After a while, however, their tolerance will continue to grow, and their drug use will become more severe. Talk to your doctor if you think you might use recreational drugs while taking baclofen. Baclofen may make you feel tired, sleepy or dizzy and can affect your vision. It might be best to stop driving and cycling for the first few days of treatment until you know howBaclofen makes you feel. The most common side effects of baclofen are transient sedation, confusion, muscle weakness, vertigo, nausea, drowsiness, dizziness and fatigue 9.