Advice Please, Stopping Baclofen.

[UrsaDee]

I'd be grateful if anyone can help / advise me please, I'm stopping taking Baclofen as it doesn't do much to help my "condition". I have been taking Baclofen since June 2015, it hasn't really made a difference to me, so I've decided to stop taking it.

I spoke to my doctors receptionist & asked her to get a message to my GP asking for advice on stopping the Baclofen, after a couple of days the receptionist rang me back, she told me what my GP had said I could stop the Baclofen, no other advice, just stop taking them there & then, my GP made no mention of a gradual reduction of the Baclofen,I felt the information my GP had passed on via the receptionist wasn't quite right, so the next day I rang my GP's surgery again & I spoke to a different receptionist, I  asked her to speak to my GP for me again, I explained to her what the Baclofen information leaflet said about stopping the drug, how it shouldn't be stopped suddenly, I just needed to know how I should start to reduce my dosage, how many tablets to take & for how long before reducing the dose again, how many weeks should I reduce the dosage of Baclofen, how many weeks before I can finally stop altogether? I was told to reduce my drugs over two weeks, no mention of how many tablets do I take during week one? I'm still none the wiser as to where I should begin.  My current dosage of Baclofen is 20mg twice a day, I take 2 X 10mg tablets at 10am & again at 10pm. 

I'd be grateful for any advice people have to offer. Thank you for your time. Ursula 

[earthwitch]

That is absolutely shocking advice.   My own feeling is that the slower you reduce (any med that has withdrawal problems) the better.   On four tablets a day, I'd start by reducing at most the equivalent of one tablet a day - so maybe if you can split them, take one and a half (15 mg) morning and night.  Don't reduce again for two weeks - longer if you notice any problems like muscle stiffness returning.  Then reduce another 10 mg a day (down to one tablet morning and night) for another two weeks.  Depending on how easy it has been to get used to the lower dose, your next drop might be just 5 mg a day (one tablet morning, half tablet night) or you might try another 10 (half a tablet morning and night), then down to 5 mg once a day, then just take alternate days (if you feel you still need to keep tapering) or just stop at that point.   The key is not to reduce again until you are sure you have got used to each drop in dose.   Most folk do withdraw from meds far too fast, so keep remembering that you have been on them for a while now and you do need to do the withdrawal slowly so your body can get used to being without the stuff.  In the grand scheme of things, taking 6 or 8 weeks (or longer) to get off them really isn't such a big deal, if it means you do it safely without any ill effects.

[Boozybird]

Can you check with a pharmacist? Earthwitch offers a good practical approach. When I took Baclofen I wasn't sure it was working as it didnt seem to have any side effects but of course it was preventing back spasms in my case. Eventually I didn't need it any longer so I just stopped when I ran out. It seemed fine... Hope you get on fine too. Best wishes 

[RAYJAYC]

Hi Ursula

 I've posted about Baclofen on another thread but my pain specialist told me this;

I'm prescribed 30mg three times a day but I'm only to take that full amount when my spasms are particularly bad. I generally take 30mg in the morning & 30mg at night. If I wanted to reduce and then stop I should 10mg less each day, say for the morning dose, for three days. Then after the three days, 10mg less in the evening for three days. Then 10mg less in the morning for three days etc, etc.

If after the first 10mg reduction it feels a little odd, don't continue to reduce your dose for a further three days. You can then restart the pattern. He said that is generally an ok way to calculate it as you get into a routine and thus can manage it that way.

Withdrawal can be a bit like side effects when first taking, continuously taking or increasing a medication; as long as you don't get any 'life threatening' issues, it's a 'stick with it' scenario apparently!!

I have used this method numerous times and it has been fine for me; the odd intense muscle spasm but nothing horrendous. I almost use Baclofen prn at times (under pain specialist permission) but if it isn't doing anything for you then I suppose you won't miss it!

Your GP (or another one) may well come up with a different plan for you but generally speaking, it's the pain specialists who tend to know more about this specifically. Do you see one?

RAYJAYC

[Dexter1]

You might be surprised as you taper off, that they are helping.