Baclofen Withdrawal: What to Watch For and How to Stop Safely

Stopping baclofen suddenly can cause real trouble. Whether you take oral baclofen or have an intrathecal pump, withdrawal can cause increased spasticity, anxiety, hallucinations, or even seizures. This page gives clear, practical steps to spot withdrawal, lower your dose safely, and know when to get urgent help.

Common symptoms and what to expect

Symptoms vary by dose and how fast the drug is stopped. Mild signs can start within 24–72 hours; severe reactions sometimes follow in a few days. Watch for:

• Return or worsening of muscle spasticity or stiffness
• Agitation, anxiety, confusion, or insomnia
• Hallucinations or strange behavior
• Fever, rapid heart rate, or sweating (autonomic signs)
• Seizures or loss of consciousness — these are emergencies

If you have an intrathecal baclofen pump, sudden loss of drug delivery can produce faster and more severe withdrawal. Don’t assume symptoms are ‘just anxiety’—tell your clinician as soon as they start.

How to taper and manage withdrawal

Always plan any change with your prescriber. A safe approach is a gradual taper rather than stopping cold turkey. Taper plans vary by starting dose, but common principles are: reduce slowly (for example, small percent reductions every few days to a week), monitor symptoms closely, and pause or slow the taper if withdrawal appears. Your doctor may recommend a specific schedule based on your situation.

If withdrawal symptoms begin, options your clinician might use include temporarily increasing baclofen again, slowing the taper, or adding short-term medications to control symptoms (for example, benzodiazepines for severe agitation or muscle spasms). For pump users, urgent pump or catheter checks are critical—restarting intrathecal delivery can be lifesaving.

Non-drug measures help too: stay hydrated, rest, use heat or gentle stretching to ease muscle tightness, and have someone check on you regularly during the taper.

When to get emergency care: go to the ER right away for seizures, high fever, severe confusion, trouble breathing, or sudden severe muscle stiffness. If you have a pump and notice sudden loss of symptom control or odd pump alarms, contact your clinic immediately.

Prevent problems by planning changes with your provider, writing down your current dose schedule, and never sharing or stopping medication without advice. If you’re nervous about withdrawal, ask for a clear taper plan and a contact to call if symptoms start—quick action makes withdrawal safer and much easier to handle.