Experiences with
Baclofen

Baclofen is a muscle relaxant.

It's used to relieve muscle spasms, cramping or tightness caused by conditions such as:

cerebral palsy
meningitis
motor neurone disease
multiple sclerosis
conditions affecting your brain, spinal cord and nervous system

Baclofen is available on prescription. It comes as tablets or a liquid that you swallow.

If baclofen tablets or liquid do not work well for you or your child, you may be prescribed a baclofen injection. This will be given by a specialist doctor in hospital. Baclofen can also be given through a pump that is fitted under the skin.

Who can take baclofen

Most adults and children aged 1 month and older can take baclofen tablets and liquid.

The injection can be given to adults and children aged 4 years and over.

Who may not be able to take baclofen

Baclofen is not suitable for some people. To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor before taking it if you:

have ever had an allergic reaction to baclofen or any other medicine
have a stomach ulcer
have lung, kidney or liver disease
have a mental health condition
have epilepsy
have Parkinson's disease
have diabetes
have ever had a stroke
are being treated for high blood pressure
have difficulty peeing
have a rare blood disorder called porphyria
are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or breastfeeding

Dosage and strength

Baclofen tablets come in 10mg strengths. The liquid contains 5mg of medicine in 5ml.

The usual starting dose for adults is 5mg (half a tablet), taken 3 times a day, 6 to 8 hours apart.

Your doctor will then gradually increase your dose to 20mg, taken 3 times a day.

If you're given baclofen injections, the dose will depend on your condition and symptoms. The doctor will start by giving you or your child single doses to see how the injection works. If your symptoms get better, a special pump can be put into your chest or gut. This allows the medicine to be given continuously.

For babies and children, your doctor will use your child's weight or age to work out the right dose.

How to take it

It's better to take baclofen tablets with or after food.

If you or your child are taking baclofen as a liquid, it will come with a plastic syringe or medicine spoon to help you measure out the right dose. If you do not have one, ask your pharmacist for one. Do not use a kitchen teaspoon as it will not measure the right amount.

How long to take it for

You may need to take baclofen for a long time to control muscle spasms.

If you've been having baclofen through an injection or pump for a long time, you may find that it stops working as well as it used to. You may need to stop having treatment for a short time to give your body a rest. Your doctor will be able to give you advice on this.

If you forget to take it

If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it's less than 2 hours until your next dose, it's better to leave out the missed dose and take your next one at the usual time.

Never take 2 doses at the same time. Never take an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one.

If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine.

Stopping baclofen

If you stop taking baclofen suddenly, you may get withdrawal side effects such as:

feeling anxious or confused
seeing things that are not there (hallucinations)
seizures or fits
changes in mood or behaviour
a fast heartbeat
muscle spasms getting worse

You doctor will reduce your dose gradually before stopping it completely. This will help prevent these side effects.

Do not stop taking baclofen without talking to your doctor.

Taking more than your prescribed dose of baclofen can cause serious side effects such as:

feeling unusually sleepy (drowsy)
difficulty breathing
muscle weakness or spasm
seeing things that are not there (hallucinations)
feeling agitated
seizures or fits
feeling dizzy or fainting
a slow or irregular heartbeat

you or your child take more than your prescribed dose of baclofen

Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111

Call 111 if you're asking about a child under the age of 5 years.

If you need to go to A&E, do not drive. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Bring the baclofen packet or leaflet inside it, any remaining medicine, and any other medicines you take.

Common side effects

These common side effects of baclofen happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them:

If baclofen makes you feel dizzy when you stand up, try getting up very slowly or stay sitting down until you feel better. If you begin to feel dizzy, lie down so that you do not faint, then sit until you feel better.

Do not drive, ride a bike or use tools or machinery if you feel dizzy. Do not drink any alcohol as it will make you feel more tired.

Take baclofen tablets or liquid with or after a meal or snack. Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food. If you're being sick, try small frequent sips of water to avoid dehydration. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee.

If you take contraceptive pills and you're being sick your contraception may not protect you from pregnancy. Check the pill packet for advice.

Make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. Do not drink too much alcohol. You can take an everyday painkiller like paracetamol. Talk to your doctor if they last longer than a week or are severe.

Avoid caffeine, alcohol, heavy meals and exercise for a few hours before going to bed. Relax before bedtime. Try taking a warm bath or listening to calming music.

Chew sugar-free gum or suck sugar-free sweets

These side effects should wear off after a few days as your body gets used to the medicine at that dose. If they last for more than a couple of days talk to your doctor as they may need to review your medicine.

Do not drive, ride a bike or use tools or machinery while you are having eye problems.

Try wearing loose clothing and using or a fan, where possible. If there is no improvement after a week, speak to your doctor.

It may help to take an antihistamine which you can buy from a pharmacy. Check with the pharmacist to see what type is suitable for you.

These effects should wear off after a few days. If they last longer than that contact your doctor as they may need to review your medicine.

Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects are rare and happen in less than 1 in 10,000 people.

Tell your doctor or call 111 if:

the whites of your eyes turn yellow, or your skin turns yellow (this may be less obvious on brown or black skin) – this can be a sign of liver problems
you have difficulty breathing while you're sleeping (sleep apnoea)
you are having more muscle spasms than usual

Serious allergic reaction

In rare cases, baclofen may cause a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).

Meds New IA (H4) - serious allergic reaction

These are not all the side effects of baclofen. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.

Balofen and pregnancy

Baclofen is not often recommended in pregnancy. However, if you need baclofen to stay well, your doctor may recommend that you keep taking it.

Talk to your doctor about the benefits and possible risks of taking baclofen in pregnancy. If you take it in later pregnancy your baby may need to be monitored for withdrawal symptoms.

If you become pregnant while taking baclofen then contact your doctor. They may recommend reducing your dose or gradually stopping the medicine.

Baclofen and breastfeeding

If your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, you can take baclofen while you're breastfeeding. It's important to keep taking baclofen to keep you well.

There is not much information about taking baclofen while breastfeeding, but information shows that it passes into breast milk in small amounts. It has not been known to cause any side effects in breastfed babies.

Contact your health visitor, midwife, pharmacist or doctor as soon as possible if your baby:

is not feeding as well as usual or seems to have a dry mouth
seems unusually sleepy
is sweaty or develops a rash
is being sick or has diarrhoea
is causing you any other concerns

Baclofen and fertility

There's no evidence to suggest that taking baclofen will reduce fertility in either men or women.

But speak to a pharmacist or your doctor if you're trying to get pregnant.

OLD Meds - Pregnancy non-urgent care card

Cautions with other medicines

Some medicines and baclofen can affect each other and increase your risk of side effects.

Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you're taking any of these medicines before taking baclofen:

other medicines to relax muscles such as tizanidine
lithium, a medicine for mental health problems
antidepressants such as amitriptyline
medicines that lower high blood pressure
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen
levodopa, a medicine for Parkinson's disease

Mixing baclofen with herbal remedies and supplements

There's not enough information to say that herbal remedies and supplements are safe to take with baclofen. They're not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines. They're generally not tested for the effect they have on other medicines.

Meds New IA (H2) - Cautions with other medicines alert