Question:
I have MS – so deal with both spasms and spasticity – so here are my suggestions – zanaflex – you can start out slow like 2mg at night and work up but it is sedating but effective… specially if you need relief at night – lorazepam or valium are effective for short term relief of spasms – dantrolene – this is actually and older drug used for spasticity but it is very cheap and effective – baclofen – I find more sedating than zanaflex but again does seem to work but is my least favorite choice of the above Hope this helps jan jkl
Response:
Thanks; I knew he said either Xanax or Zanaflex, I originally thought it was Xanax but when I looked it up it didn’t show up as a muscle relaxer, but I thought I’d heard it used as such… I’ll probably call back and verify but appreciate your feedback on your experience on the different types… My pain doc seems pretty familiar with the illness but I don’t have any idea how much knowledge if any my pcp has… At this point I think her knowledge of the difficulties I’m having are pretty limited but that will change next week… When I saw my pain doc this week I went from passive to take-charge and started co-ordinating communications and care… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I have MS – so deal with both spasms and spasticity – so here are my suggestions – zanaflex – you can start out slow like 2mg at night and work up but it is sedating but effective… specially if you need relief at night – lorazepam or valium are effective for short term relief of spasms – dantrolene – this is actually and older drug used for spasticity but it is very cheap and effective – baclofen – I find more sedating than zanaflex but again does seem to work but is my least favorite choice of the above Hope this helps jan jkl
Bill T
Response:
Zanaflex is an Alpha Adreneric Agonist like Clonidine although it is not as strong as clonidine. My mom had MS and the baclofen helped so-so but after she had an intrathecal pump put in with the baclofen going into the spinal fluid. It was drastic, the change in efficacy of the baclofen given by mouth vs. by pump, very few side effects. Excellent Charles CPhT. —
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have MS – so deal with both spasms and spasticity – so here are my suggestions – zanaflex – you can start out slow like 2mg at night and work up but it is sedating but effective… specially if you need relief at night – lorazepam or valium are effective for short term relief of spasms – dantrolene – this is actually and older drug used for spasticity but it is very cheap and effective – baclofen – I find more sedating than zanaflex but again does seem to work but is my least favorite choice of the above Hope this helps jan jkl
Response:
For the first several MONTHS it knocked me on my butt….slept easily….while driving, while eating, while talking….But it DOES help. Rae – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – When I saw the pain doc today, I asked him what he suggested as the best muscle relaxer to use for CRPS so I could suggest it to my pcp as I knew my pcp was going to eventually make a change in that area and I don’t think she knows alot about rsd… We got to talking about something else and I forgot to write it down, but I think he said Zanaflex, does this sound right? Anyone else take it for same thing? Bill T
Response:
I have lupus and fibro. I also take Zanaflex 4 mg tid Works great! Once you get over the sedating part, it’s perfect. But being able to sleep was also a good thing. =) My dr has MS and takes Zanaflex too Nicole – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – When I saw the pain doc today, I asked him what he suggested as the best muscle relaxer to use for CRPS so I could suggest it to my pcp as I knew my pcp was going to eventually make a change in that area and I don’t think she knows alot about rsd… We got to talking about something else and I forgot to write it down, but I think he said Zanaflex, does this sound right? Anyone else take it for same thing? Bill T
Response:
When I saw the pain doc today, I asked him what he suggested as the best muscle relaxer to use for CRPS so I could suggest it to my pcp as I knew my pcp was going to eventually make a change in that area and I don’t think she knows alot about rsd… We got to talking about something else and I forgot to write it down, but I think he said Zanaflex, does this sound right? Anyone else take it for same thing? Bill T
Response:
Bill T: When I saw the pain doc today, I asked him what he suggested as the best muscle relaxer to use for CRPS so I could suggest it to my pcp as I knew my pcp was going to eventually make a change in that area and I don’t think she knows alot about rsd… We got to talking about something else and I forgot to write it down, but I think he said Zanaflex, does this sound right? Anyone else take it for same thing?
There is a muscle relaxant called Zanaflax. It’s pretty effective, though very sedating. Some doctors prescribe it for various kinds of pain. You might want to try it. I’ve noticed that my pain clinic prescribes Zanaflex an awful lot. They do patient interviews in curtained alcoves, not separate rooms, and I’ve overheard a lot of them while waiting for nerve blocks or other treatments. It sounds like ALL their established patients are on Zanaflax, no matter what is causing their pain. I don’t know if this indicates Zanaflex is really good for all kinds of pain, or just that the saleman made a great deal with someone in charge of the clinic. When I started at the pain clinic, they insisted I taper off all my previous medications so they could start with a "clean slate" for migraine treatment. When their treatments didn’t help, they let me go back on a lower dose of Vicodin, supplemented by Zanaflax. For my migraines and hand pain, 2 Vicodin + 1 Zanaflax gives me more relief than 2 Vicodin alone. But still not nearly as much relief as 4 Vicodin did. The Zanaflax also makes me very sleepy and "foggy" feeling, and seems to mess with my balance. The dr said I could take the Zanaflax only in the evening, but was quite firm about the importance of taking at least 1/day. The pain clinic dr finally agreed to let me start with stronger painkillers than Vicodin, and we’re going to start titrating that next week. I’d really like to stop using the Zanaflex altogether, but I’m afraid of seeming like an uncooperative patient who refuses everything but narcotics. This clinic seems very suspicious about drug abuse, but they are willing to try methadone, oxycontin, or MScontin as a last resort…that’s unusual enough around here to make me feel quite dependent on them. (BTW, I know narcotic side effects can include headaches or nausea – which of the 3 above are least likely to make mine worse?) Anyhow, Bill, I don’t know if Zanaflax will help your CRPS, but it’s worth a try. I think most muscle relaxants are sedating, but many people find the side effects not too bad. Adrian Turtle sidewalk radical
Response:
Does anyone else out there take Zanaflex??? I was wondering if anyone taking it has noticed a feeling of aching in the hands or arms the following day(if you also take it as night). I like this med because it seems to loosen up my spasms and doesn’t make me feel depressed as Flexeril does, but I have had a few side effects from it. I only take 1/4 -1/2 a tablet at night, it also seems to make me sleepy and I seem to sleep through the night. I would love to see how others are finding this med, there is not much info on it since it is fairly new. Thanks =) Kim
Response:
Shiney, It is the starmgest thing in the world that every time I take the Zanaflex my arms and hands ache…Almost like when you have a flu….I also had the dry mouth and drowsiness with this med…Can we ever win????? Thanks a lot for the response =) Kim
Response:
i was on it for a while and the only side effects i had were dry mouth, drowsiness. Both of these were listed on the med sheet my doctor gave me as possible side effects, including flushing or dizziness. i have since been taken off the drug and put on carbatrol which is helping me alot.but now that you mentioned it i did hurt at night in my risk, but i thought it was caused by the type of work i do now,hhmmmm makes me wonder now.. SHiney
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Does anyone else out there take Zanaflex??? I was wondering if anyone taking it has noticed a feeling of aching in the hands or arms the following day(if you also take it as night). I like this med because it seems to loosen up my spasms and doesn’t make me feel depressed as Flexeril does, but I have had a few side effects from it. I only take 1/4 -1/2 a tablet at night, it also seems to make me sleepy and I seem to sleep through the night. I would love to see how others are finding this med, there is not much info on it since it is fairly new. Thanks =) Kim
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