Side Effects and Adverse Reactions to Baclofen

[hoping4better]

I searched this thread but I couldn't find anything on what I'm experiencing -- the most horrible postnasal drip and nothing will relieve it. There's this constant lump of mucus (sorry, gross) in the back of my throat. It's becoming intolerable. This didn't start till I hit 120mg...guess I'll have to titrate down.

[Jenn]

Hey there Hoping...

Yes, I too have this problem! Only in my case it is a drip that manifests as a tickle in my throat...
won't quit no matter how much I cough or how much I drink ... could turn into another trigger!...
Have tried pseudophed and allergy pills without much relief. Cough drops help for a couple of minutes. I was thinking it was just spring allergies, on the heels of the dry heat and respiratory problems of winter, and looking forward to the rose fever of summer... But, maybe you have nailed it, and it's an SE of the bac! I am starting 150 mg/day today, and praying the switch to come on soon. The vertigo is so uncomfortable, and scary, and the dry mouth thing = yuck!
Hope you don't have to titrate down just for this... if it is, in your case, actually excess mucus production (I'm a nurse- I can use these words! lol!) then pseudophed or another nasal decongestant may help you... Have you tried any? Wishing you the best on your quest...

Be Well,

Jenn

[hoping4better]

Hi Jenn,
I'm taking Zrytec D and fluticasone (sp?) nasal spray. The pharmacist said I need an antihistimine only, but in researching this I found that a decongestant is also recommended. I've tried both, but like you, it doesn't seem to offer much relief. Mucinex helped the most, but I ran out. I've even done the saltwater gargle and the neti pot. I really can't take this -- there is a huge glob of yuck in the back of my throat all the time that I can't swallow. I almost feel like I'm suffocating. When did you start getting the vertigo? I've experienced a little of that, mostly when I accidentally took too much bac, and it wasn't fun. I can imagine that it must be scary for you, especially on the job. What kind of nursing do you do? I am starting to reconsider my bac journey...right now, the side effects are getting the best of me.

[houtx]

Hey -
I am up to 80 mgs of BAC/day and feeling pretty ok....some serious sleepiness at night. Sorry things are not so great for you....otherwise, alls well...hmmmmm

[azuldog]

I had the same problem. Kept me coughing and hacking most of the night. Tried the usual remedies....zero. I was at 160mg. I had other more serious SE's but after I tirtated down and stopped the Bac everything disappeared.....except the drinking. In my case I can moderate somewhat, so hallucinations, sleeplessness, spaced outedness, and impotence were not worth the benefits. I thought Bac would take away my anxiety, and it did at the cost of being numbed out to everything else. EVERY ONE IS DIFFERENT. If it works for you, god bless. I think low doses of heroin might work also (joke..no outrage please) More research is needed I guess. I was a fanatic about Dr. A's book when I first read it but with months of personal experience and looking at some of the details left out I am less enchanted. Again, take it if you can make it. Mileage seems to vary with how with what kind of body/mind you are driving. I dont think Baclofen is the end of the story just yet. There may never be a magic bullet for everybody. If there was it would be wonderful. I think some us have used drugs to cope with the pain, suffering, feeling bad, or what ever you want to call it. Until there is a cure for 'the human condition' and those who are overly sensitized to it, 'drugs' legal or otherwise have a role to play keeping the gun away from one's head.

best wishes despite some negative comments,
azuldog

[Jenn]

Hi again Hoping,
Thanks for your reply... I hadn't even thought of Mucinex! My niece had bought me some of that a few years ago when I was sick, but since it had dextromethorphan in it (DM) it gave me really weird SEs, and I guess I just put it out of my personal pharmacy concepts...
However, on googling it I find that Mucinex is guaifenesin only made into a time release med. Guiafenesen is our old pal Robitussin (also many other names)... many of us got it for cough relief when we had colds. So, if you don't want to pay for the Mucinex, you can pay less for Robitussin, and you'd just have to take it more often. The thing I do recall about guiafenesen is that it was frequently given in the hospitals as it makes mucus thinner so you can get it out... think I'm off shortly to pick some up.
Let me add that you should also drink a lot of water to help the guiafenesen work, and stay away from dairy products as they help to produce more mucus.
I started getting the vertigo at 120mg, both my previous try and this time. I still have it, not as bad as last time, and I went to 150 mg yesterday, only 1/2 of my almost weekly 20mg/day increase. I think I will go ahead to 160mg tomorrow & see what happens.
BTW, I am not currently working as a nurse due to numerous issues including a back injury. May be a good thing, as I am able to do the bac right now...Truly hoping to get to the switch!

Be Well,

Jenn

Originally Posted by hoping4better

Hi Jenn,
I'm taking Zrytec D and fluticasone (sp?) nasal spray. The pharmacist said I need an antihistimine only, but in researching this I found that a decongestant is also recommended. I've tried both, but like you, it doesn't seem to offer much relief. Mucinex helped the most, but I ran out. I've even done the saltwater gargle and the neti pot. I really can't take this -- there is a huge glob of yuck in the back of my throat all the time that I can't swallow. I almost feel like I'm suffocating. When did you start getting the vertigo? I've experienced a little of that, mostly when I accidentally took too much bac, and it wasn't fun. I can imagine that it must be scary for you, especially on the job. What kind of nursing do you do? I am starting to reconsider my bac journey...right now, the side effects are getting the best of me.

[hoping4better]

Hi Jenn, yes I knew that mucinex was the same as Robitussin...I bought the generic version so it's not that $$. But I don't think it's working. I titrated down to 90-100mg and it's still there but not quite as bad.
Beatle, thanks for sharing about the postnasal drip. I thought it was allergies but I'm not sneezing or anything. I was at 120mg for 5 days and it didn't abate. Finally I couldn't take it anymore, feeling like I was going to choke, so I went down in dosage. I agree, the side effects of bac can be daunting. I'm going to stick with it as long as I can.

[houtx]

I decided to stay @ 80 mgs another week, just to go slowly and b/c I am just WOOZY all the time. I'm not liking it too much, but am handling it as I am ever hopeful. PLus my next shipment is not to arrive until 1st week of June and I am a little nervous I may be caught short. Did I post this elsewhere??

Azuldog - your comments were just th eother side of the spectrum. Have you given up? I do have faith in the "magic pill" thought. I have never taken anything for anything other than this...been in good health, never taken "benzos' or anything else...I've just gradually become more and more of a big ol' wine drinker.

I hate it. Hate what it's doing to me. In the last few months my Visine use has back-fired and my eyes are horribly red & watery all the time. UGH - I'm just going on blind faith here and it scares me. But then I read the success stories & seemingly overnight people "hit the switch" - stay there only a short while then titrate down...hard not to have hope!

[Cinders]

I haven't got the mucus thing happening. But I do have all the others.

I am extremely dizzy, tired, sweaty, dreams are very strange, I snore now, and I have actually wet the bed once!!

I am sticking with it though.

When I am drunk, I am dizzy, tired, sweaty, shaky, no dreams, and yes, I have even wet the bed.

The Baclofen SEs are going to get better, the alcohol SEs won't.

Cindi

[hoping4better]

Yes, I'm snoring a lot, too, according to my husband. Very tired. Fingertips tingly. I'm scared to titrate up b/c of more SEs.