Baclofen: Uses, Effects & Safety — June 2025 Archive

Stopping baclofen suddenly can be dangerous — it can cause severe withdrawal with hallucinations or seizures. That’s the urgent takeaway from our June 2025 post. We covered how baclofen works, why doctors prescribe it, common side effects, and practical safety steps you need to know before starting or stopping the drug.

What you need to know

Baclofen is a GABA-B receptor agonist used mainly to treat muscle spasticity from conditions like multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury. Doctors sometimes prescribe it off-label for alcohol use disorder and other conditions, but evidence is mixed: several small randomized trials showed inconsistent results for alcohol dependence, so it’s not a guaranteed treatment there.

Typical oral dosing starts low — for example, 5 mg three times a day — and doctors increase the dose slowly. Many adults end up between 30 mg and 80 mg per day in divided doses, but some people require more or less. There’s also an intrathecal option (a pump that delivers baclofen directly to the spinal fluid) for severe spasticity when oral treatment fails or side effects are too limiting.

Safety, side effects, and practical tips

Common side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, weakness, nausea, and headaches. Less common but serious effects include confusion, breathing problems (especially if mixed with other depressants), and low blood pressure. Mixing baclofen with alcohol, benzodiazepines, or opioids raises the risk of dangerous sedation and breathing issues.

Withdrawal can be severe. Stopping baclofen suddenly — particularly after weeks of use or high doses — can cause agitation, hallucinations, high fever, seizures, and muscle rigidity. If someone needs to stop baclofen, doctors typically taper the dose gradually under supervision. Never stop abruptly without medical advice.

Practical tips from the June post: tell your prescriber about kidney issues (baclofen is cleared by the kidneys), pregnancy or breastfeeding, and any mental health history. Start at low doses and increase slowly. Try taking baclofen with food if nausea is a problem. Don’t drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how it affects you. Keep a written plan for dose changes so caregivers and ER staff know what you were taking.

If you or a caregiver notice sudden confusion, high fever, severe muscle stiffness, or seizures after changing baclofen use, seek emergency care and tell clinicians about recent baclofen use or withdrawal. For a full, practical breakdown — including what to ask your doctor and how to taper safely — read the complete article published in June 2025 on BestPriceRx.