 Lioresal medicineCommon usesBaclofen is used to relax muscle spasms that cause muscles to become rigid, painful or weak and prevent the muscles being used voluntarily. Examples include muscle spasm and rigidity in multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and following a stroke. In situations such as these the muscle problems stem from damage to the nerves in the brain or spinal cord. Lioresal is thought to work by binding to receptors in the spinal cord called GABA-B receptors. The effect of this is to "damp down" the nerve signals that are carried in the spinal cord to the muscles. This reduces the contraction and tension in the muscles. In conditions where there is painful or disabling muscle spasm, baclofen can help to reduce stiffness and enable people to undergo rehabilitation that increases their mobility. Before using Before taking Lioresal, • tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to baclofen or any other drugs. • tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially muscle relaxants, sleeping pills, tranquilizers, and vitamins. • tell your doctor if you have or have ever had kidney disease, epilepsy, ulcers, a stroke, a rheumatic disease, cerebral palsy, Parkinson's disease, or a psychiatric condition. • tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking baclofen, call your doctor immediately. • you should know that this drug may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how baclofen affects you. • remember that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this drug. Directions Take this medication by mouth, usually 3 times a day or as directed by your doctor. In general, your doctor may slowly increase your dose to lower your chance of side effects until the right dose for you is determined. Do not increase your dose or take it more often than prescribed. Do not suddenly stop taking this drug without your doctor's approval. If you suddenly stop taking this drug, withdrawal reactions may occur. Such reactions can include seizures or hearing/seeing things that are not there (hallucinations). Report any such reactions to your doctor immediately. When stopping extended, regular treatment with this drug, gradually reducing the dosage as directed will help prevent withdrawal reactions. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details. Use this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. Remember to take it at the same times each day. Dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy. It may take 1-2 months or longer to get the full benefit from this medication. Inform your doctor if your condition does not improve or if it worsens. Cautions • This medicine may cause drowsiness. If affected do not drive or operate machinery. Alcohol should be avoided, as it is likely to make any drowsiness worse. • You should not suddenly stop taking this medicine, unless your doctor tells you otherwise. This is because suddenly stopping treatment could cause symptoms such as anxiety, confusion, hallucinations, psychotic, manic or paranoid states, convulsions, increased heart rate or temporary aggravation of spasticity, particularly if the medicine has been taken for a long time. When treatment with this medicine is to be stopped, the dose should normally be decreased gradually over a period of one to two weeks. Follow the instructions given by your doctor. • People with liver disorders should have their liver function monitored while taking this medicine. Symptoms that may suggest a liver problem include persistent nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, or the development of jaundice (a yellow colouring to the skin and the whites of the eyes). Consult your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms. Possible side effects Drowsiness, dizziness, weakness, tiredness, headache, trouble sleeping, nausea, or constipation may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: mental/mood changes (e.g., confusion, depression, hallucinations), hearing/vision changes, seizures, fast/pounding heartbeat, fainting, black/bloody stools. Seek immediate medical attention if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: chest pain, shortness of breath. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction may include: rash, itching, swelling, severe dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. Overdose If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. Symptoms of overdose may include vomiting, muscle weakness, drowsiness, slow breathing, and seizures. Drug interactions It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to ensure that the combination is safe. If baclofen is taken with alcohol or other medicines that cause drowsiness, increased drowsiness is likely. Medicines that can cause drowsiness include the following: • opiate painkillers, eg morphine, codeine • benzodiazepines, eg diazepam • sedating antihistamines, eg chlorphenamine • sleeping tablets. If baclofen is taken with tricyclic antidepressants, such as imipramine, severe muscular weakness may possibly occur. Baclofen can lower blood pressure, hence if it is taken by people taking blood pressure lowering medicines (antihypertensives) this effect is likely to be increased. If you are receiving medicines for high blood pressure your doctor may want to decrease your doses to avoid your blood pressure falling too low. If baclofen is taken in combination with levodopa (for Parkinson's disease) side effects such as confusion, hallucinations, headache and nausea may occur. Pain Medicine Medications
|
|
