Does Baclofen negate effect of pain killers?

Kaprikorn1 · 01-26-2005, 04:39 PM

I just recently was switched from clonidine to baclofen for leg spasms. Aside from the dizziness and spaced out feeling from the baclofen, it seems that the oxycontin I take for the burning foot pain doesn't work much now.

Has this happened to anyone else? Does the dizzyness/spacey-ness go away after being on baclofen for awhile? ...Nurse or anyone?

Kap

"One generation got old...One generation got sold...This generation got no destination to hold...PICK UP THE CRY!"

~Jefferson Airplane~

JGNI · 01-26-2005, 06:09 PM

Ok, here is what I think. It could be that clonidine was in fact very helpfull in treating your neuropathic pain (burning foot pain) even though it was primarly prescribed for your spasticity. Removing it could then explain your pain. Even though baclofen has also been used to alleviate some kinds of neuropathic pain (on top of its anti-spastic action), it seems that it doesn't help you here. Maybe the Oxycontin is not helping you much for your burning pain, or it could be that it is the synergistic action of both Oxycontin and clonidine that does the trick for you. You could have to go back to clonidine if it is the only thing that works for you (for the pain, not the spasticity).

As for the dizziness that you feel on baclofen, I would hope it will get less of a problem with time. It is all a matter of sensitivity and dosage.

Hope it helps.

[This message was edited by jgni on 01-26-05 at 09:36 PM.]

skinner6775 · 01-28-2005, 09:02 AM

i take 120mg of baclofen a day and it used to really space me out and make me dizzy. Now it doesn't do either too me, Thank God. My body got used to it I guess. Ive got burning pains throughout my whole body.....can't seem to find anything to get rid of it.

"The Task Ahead Of You, Is Never As Great As The Power Within You" www.chrisskinner.org

mike bauer · 01-28-2005, 06:27 PM

Well, I take BAC 3 times a day, 30mgs and am quite spacy and a little dizzy. I notice it whe I put my head back in the shower, stuff like that. I have noiced no change or improvement in this in 2 years.... for what its worth. Mikey.

MSB.

Kaprikorn1 · 01-28-2005, 09:16 PM

Thanks for your feedback guys...I've decided to just go back to the routine I had before the doc started switching things around. All I wanted was a little extra help w/ the breakthru burning in the feet at night. sheesh!

Anyway...doc upped my 10mg oxy from 2 to 3/day, keeping on the o.2mg clonidine at bed and the 2400mg/day neurontin. This seems to have dealt w/ the problem. Since the cymbalta fiasco and now this baclofen disaster, I'll just keep my mouth shut!

Kap

"One generation got old...One generation got sold...This generation got no destination to hold...PICK UP THE CRY!"

~Jefferson Airplane~

metronycguy · 01-29-2005, 01:07 AM

good catch kap..zanaflex may also be a possibility ..but it looked like the clonidine is the fix,, that cymabalta was quite the horrow show!

scariest side effect

SCI-Nurse · 01-30-2005, 07:42 PM

There's no scientific reason that baclofen should conteract your oxycontin. I'd recommend you look for another cause--like a UTI, for example.

RAB

01-26-2005, 04:39 PM	#1
Kaprikorn1 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.F. Bay Area, Calif. Posts: 1,369	Does Baclofen negate effect of pain killers? I just recently was switched from clonidine to baclofen for leg spasms. Aside from the dizziness and spaced out feeling from the baclofen, it seems that the oxycontin I take for the burning foot pain doesn't work much now. Has this happened to anyone else? Does the dizzyness/spacey-ness go away after being on baclofen for awhile? ...Nurse or anyone? Kap "One generation got old...One generation got sold...This generation got no destination to hold...PICK UP THE CRY!" ~Jefferson Airplane~

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01-26-2005, 06:09 PM	#2
JGNI Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 1,223	Ok, here is what I think. It could be that clonidine was in fact very helpfull in treating your neuropathic pain (burning foot pain) even though it was primarly prescribed for your spasticity. Removing it could then explain your pain. Even though baclofen has also been used to alleviate some kinds of neuropathic pain (on top of its anti-spastic action), it seems that it doesn't help you here. Maybe the Oxycontin is not helping you much for your burning pain, or it could be that it is the synergistic action of both Oxycontin and clonidine that does the trick for you. You could have to go back to clonidine if it is the only thing that works for you (for the pain, not the spasticity). As for the dizziness that you feel on baclofen, I would hope it will get less of a problem with time. It is all a matter of sensitivity and dosage. Hope it helps. [This message was edited by jgni on 01-26-05 at 09:36 PM.]

01-28-2005, 09:02 AM	#3
skinner6775 Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Radford, VA Posts: 76	i take 120mg of baclofen a day and it used to really space me out and make me dizzy. Now it doesn't do either too me, Thank God. My body got used to it I guess. Ive got burning pains throughout my whole body.....can't seem to find anything to get rid of it. "The Task Ahead Of You, Is Never As Great As The Power Within You" www.chrisskinner.org

01-28-2005, 06:27 PM	#4
mike bauer Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 469	Well, I take BAC 3 times a day, 30mgs and am quite spacy and a little dizzy. I notice it whe I put my head back in the shower, stuff like that. I have noiced no change or improvement in this in 2 years.... for what its worth. Mikey. MSB.

01-28-2005, 09:16 PM	#5
Kaprikorn1 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.F. Bay Area, Calif. Posts: 1,369	Thanks for your feedback guys...I've decided to just go back to the routine I had before the doc started switching things around. All I wanted was a little extra help w/ the breakthru burning in the feet at night. sheesh! Anyway...doc upped my 10mg oxy from 2 to 3/day, keeping on the o.2mg clonidine at bed and the 2400mg/day neurontin. This seems to have dealt w/ the problem. Since the cymbalta fiasco and now this baclofen disaster, I'll just keep my mouth shut! Kap "One generation got old...One generation got sold...This generation got no destination to hold...PICK UP THE CRY!" ~Jefferson Airplane~

01-29-2005, 01:07 AM	#6
metronycguy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: ny Posts: 5,674	good catch kap..zanaflex may also be a possibility ..but it looked like the clonidine is the fix,, that cymabalta was quite the horrow show! scariest side effect

01-30-2005, 07:42 PM	#7
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 41,345	There's no scientific reason that baclofen should conteract your oxycontin. I'd recommend you look for another cause--like a UTI, for example. RAB