This has happened to individuals taking baclofen, especially those with chronic illnesses or muscle problems. As tolerance develops, people may be tempted to increase their dosage. Baclofen is a pain medication that many people aren’t familiar with. Every day, opioid-related drug overdoses kill over 130 people in the US.1 Addiction treatment in a rehab facility can help with recovery from substance use disorders. While baclofen’s use as an addiction treatment drug spans more than a decade, more reports of abuse surfaced in recent years. One case study provided a good example of why the substance is addictive.
What Is Baclofen and Is It a Controlled Substance?
It can enhance side effects like drowsiness, dizziness, and confusion, and increase the risk of accidents, addiction, or overdose. Combining these substances can also lead to severe health issues, including respiratory depression and seizures. While baclofen itself has a low potential for addiction, certain patient factors and patterns of use can increase the risk. Clinicians should evaluate patients carefully, especially those with a history of substance abuse or mental health issues. With close monitoring and the use of the lowest effective dose, baclofen can be used safely with minimal risk of dependence or addiction for most patients.
It is also dangerous because it could cause baclofen to interact with other substances. You’re supposed to take oral forms of baclofen around 3 times a day. When you start taking baclofen, you should do so in small doses at first and then gradually increase to larger doses. When you are stopping taking baclofen, do so in small increments over a period of 1-2 weeks.
Patients are advised to speak with their doctor and get their recommendation about stopping baclofen. The treatment shouldn’t be stopped without first speaking to a healthcare professional. Baclofen is the generic version of a muscle relaxer that’s used to treat muscle spasticity, which is common with conditions like cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injuries.
- However, there are no solid theoretical bases supporting the hypothesis that baclofen is a substitution treatment in AUD.
- Withdrawal from this drug can cause hallucinations, seizures, and even death.
- Therapy can also help people overcome past trauma or cope with the effects of it.
- Physicians and nurses provide medications and treatment to ease symptoms and make people feel more comfortable.
- For example, for geriatric patients on baclofen, side effects may include confusion, hallucinations, depression or changes in mood.
- Many people wonder if baclofen is addictive and if is there such a thing as a baclofen withdrawal.
Baclofen Addiction FAQs: Answering Your Top Questions
- As tolerance develops, people may be tempted to increase their dosage.
- Thus, it is critically important to use the drug as prescribed.
- The use of two drugs – gabapentin and baclofen – has soared in recent years.
- This wide range highlights that habit formation isn’t one-size-fits-all.
- Nonetheless, it has been more than two decades since the first case of abuse was reported.
- Baclofen should be used cautiously in patients with a known history of kidney dysfunction.
In some severe cases, overdose can lead to things like rhabdomyolysis, which is the breakdown of muscle tissue that can lead to kidney or heart damage. This can lead to several severe and potentially life-threatening symptoms. If you have been diagnosed with an intolerance to certain sugars, such as lactose, it is advisable to inform your doctor before taking this medication. This drug can be prescribed for children and adults between the ages of 0 and 18 years to manage muscle spasticity and related conditions. However, this tablet is not recommended for use in children under 33 kilograms(kg) of body weight.
Recently, there has been research looking at the effectiveness of baclofen to aid in symptoms of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome can be serious and deadly as someone with alcohol use disorder tries to stop drinking. Researchers believe baclofen may show promise in being able to reduce symptoms in patients with severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Despite the evidence baclofen could be helpful in this area, alcohol withdrawal can be deadly. No one should ever try to self-medicate through alcohol withdrawal. Baclofen is not considered a drug of abuse, but this drug can be misused or abused.
Symptoms of Baclofen Overdose
If your dependence gets so bad that your behavior changes and you will do almost anything to obtain more baclofen, you are suffering from a baclofen addiction. Some brand name versions of baclofen include Gablofen, Lioresal, and Kemstro. Lioresal is the most well-known brand name version of baclofen. If you are or a loved are struggling with substance use disorder, contact The Recovery Village. We can do everything from helping you learn more about the disease of addiction to providing you with information about insurance coverage for treatment.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Baclofen Abuse?
Different factors, such as weight, age, and health status, can affect how someone reacts to Baclofen. The choice depends on the severity of abuse and your doctor’s recommendations. If you are using the oral solution (Ozobax), measure your dose using a device. The measuring device is usually supplied with the medication. Ask your pharmacist for the device if you do not get one with the medication.
Baclofen can be habit-forming, and it is essential to take it exactly as your doctor prescribes. This article will discuss the signs and symptoms of Baclofen overdose and available treatment options. Baclofen is a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) analog that activates the GABA-B receptor subtype, and is used worldwide in neurology for the treatment of spasticity due to its myorelaxant properties (1). While it is clearly established that the myorelaxant properties of baclofen are related to a dampening of the spinal motor reflex (13), its potential mechanism of action in AUD remains elusive. All these systems and functions are possibly involved in the anti-addictive effects of baclofen.
For example, imagine that someone who takes baclofen for opiate withdrawals develops a tolerance to the drug and stops taking it. Taking higher doses of baclofen or any habit-forming substance can lead to dependence. This is what happens when a person depends on the substance, and the individual experiences withdrawal if the drug is suddenly stopped.
These include a drug’s inherent ability to cause addiction, a person’s genetics, and environmental factors. Dependence occurs when a person cannot function normally without using a drug. An addictive substance can cause physical or psychological dependence, or both. Scientific studies show that baclofen can cause both psychological and physical dependence. The overall effect is the depression of activity in the brain and spinal cord, which may be responsible for relieving muscle stiffness and tightness. As a depressant, it causes euphoric effects, reduces stress, and can reduce pain sensations.
As a result, the levels of baclofen in your body when taking it could reach higher than normal levels and cause side effects. To counterbalance this, your doctor may prescribe you a lower than normal dosage of baclofen to start. For example, if allergic to baclofen, you could develop trouble breathing and/or swelling of your throat or tongue. Taking baclofen again after a severe allergic reaction could lead to death.
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” Narcotics are a class of drugs that share common effects including psychoactive effects on mood or behavior. Narcotics also cause drowsiness, and they are central nervous system depressants. Narcotics can include prescription drugs, as well as illegal drugs like heroin, and the term narcotic can be used interchangeably with opioids.
Several factors determine the potential risk of addiction or dependence. The risk of severe withdrawal is high if you have used the injectable form. Treatment is supportive and can include medications to control seizures and muscle stiffness. In severe withdrawal, your doctor may give a low dose of baclofen. At Harmony Ridge Recovery Center, we feel that everyone in the area deserves the best treatment and support. We provide detox, residential treatment, partial hospitalization treatment, outpatient treatment, case management, and multiple types of therapies.
The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be is baclofen habit forming used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider. Another reason people may wonder “is baclofen a narcotic,” is because of antidotal reports of people feeling high or drowsy from it, which are primary symptoms of narcotics. It is possible that a person could feel effects similar to narcotics when using baclofen, but only at very high doses.