Baclofen Addiction Non-Opioid Pain-Killer

At Sana Lake, you can find what you have been searching for and gain the skills you need to overcome substance use disorder in your life. Finally, family therapy can also be beneficial and helpful during the recovery journey. Unfortunately, substance use disorders affect individuals and their families alike.

Short-term Effects

Because you will go through an intense detox during your baclofen addiction treatment, it is wise to attend an inpatient or residential treatment program afterward. That way you can receive the 24/7 care that you’ll need to remain sober after treatment is done. Another way people misuse baclofen is by mixing it with other substances to increase their feel-good effects. If you misuse baclofen while also taking alcohol, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, or other muscle relaxants, it can cause you to experience weakness, dizziness, drowsiness, and imbalance. Other people that could develop more side effects to baclofen include the elderly, and people with impaired renal function.

Treatment for Substance Use Disorders

The treatment aims to resocialize addicted individuals and helps them reintegrate into society with minimal problems. Depending on the severity of the addiction, you might need long-term residential treatment for 6 months to 12 months. The choice depends on the severity of abuse and your doctor’s recommendations. If seizures persist, a doctor may prescribe other medications such as propofol and barbiturates. Most notably, the injectable form comes with a boxed warning on the label.

• When patients try to taper off Lioresal, the development of Baclofen withdrawal syndrome can be expected.
• Brands in the US include Lioresal, Kemstro, Ozobax, and Gablofen.
• Baclofen decreases the number and severity of muscle spasms in patients with certain conditions affecting the spinal cord.
• Increasing the release of brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that block electrical activity in the brain and spinal cord.
• Other substances that people often mix baclofen with to receive a high are opioids, alcohol, and amphetamines.
• If you or someone you know has developed an addiction to baclofen then contact a rehab center near you today to begin treatment.

What Are the Side Effects of Baclofen Abuse?

When released in higher quantities, GABA can lead to issues of coordination and confusion in reflex actions. Addiction treatment almost always starts with detox, also called detoxification. During detox, baclofen addiction baclofen or other drugs are gradually removed from the body. Withdrawal is common, and you may need to take other prescription drugs to stabilize your condition. Abrupt discontinuation of an addictive drug causes many undesirable effects.

• It also enables people to receive individualized and personalized care and guidance.
• The overall effect is the depression of activity in the brain and spinal cord, which may be responsible for relieving muscle stiffness and tightness.
• Medical detox provides professional assistance and medication-assisted treatment to ensure that you’re comfortable and safe throughout the duration of your baclofen detox program.
• Based on the FDA label information, the precise Baclofen mechanism of action is not fully known.
• Baclofen also helps to improve the overall movement of muscles as it combats spasms.
• Finally, a systematic review andmeta-analysis could have provided a quantitative summary of the literature andreported pooled analyses, which could not be presented in this narrative review.

Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxants

Boxed warnings (or black box warnings) inform prescribers about the potentially fatal risks of a prescription drug. We describe a case of unusual presentation of baclofen dependence. If you have epilepsy, baclofen could make your seizures worse. Therefore, make sure to talk to your doctor about whether or not baclofen is safe for you to use. Some brand name versions of baclofen include Gablofen, Lioresal, and Kemstro.

However, the question about the addictiveness of baclofen remains viable. Instead, individuals should consult a medical professional and decrease the dosage for a week or two. Eventually, they will likely be able to stop using the drug altogether. In the early 2000s, an individual by the name of Oliver Ameisen provided details about his recovery from alcoholism with the help of baclofen.

Spasticity

Although the number of cases with Baclofen abuse is growing, it is not on the list of controlled substances. Even though Lioresal is a prescription drug, and it is prohibited from buying without one, some patients are trying to get it from unofficial street sources. It cannot be stressed enough that Baclofen must only be taken with a doctor’s prescription and bought only via authorized sellers. Never stop taking baclofen without talking with your doctor, especially if you have used high doses for over a month.

People who also have psychiatric disorders, seizure disorders, sphincter hypertonia, liver disease, or diabetes mellitus should also avoid taking baclofen. Doses of baclofen are usually increased or decreased over time to avoid withdrawal symptoms. The usual dose of baclofen ranges from 5 mg three times daily for three days to no more than 80 mg per day for the oral solution. The average dose for baclofen tablets may begin at 5 mg three times daily and be increased to no more than 80 mg per day. As mentioned above, baclofen is a selective GABA-B receptor agonist. GABA-B receptors are heterodimeric metabotropic receptors consisting of one GABA-B receptor-1 subunit (GABBR1) and one GABA-B receptor-2 subunit (GABBR2).