Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved baclofen oral tablet to treat muscle spasms related to:
This article describes possible side effects of baclofen oral tablet. You’ll also find information on cost savings and coupon options for baclofen.
Baclofen oral tablet is a generic medication. It isn’t available in a brand-name version. Baclofen also comes in an injectable form, but this form isn’t described in this article. Some brand-name drugs contain baclofen, although they’re not available as generic versions. These brand-name drugs include liquid solution Ozobax and liquid suspension Fleqsuvy. To learn more about these forms, talk with your doctor.
You can explore this overview article to learn more about baclofen oral tablet, including the drug’s uses, its dosage, and more.
More common side effects of baclofen
Baclofen oral tablet may cause mild or serious side effects. Below are some of the more common side effects of this medication.
Commonly reported side effects of baclofen oral tablet include:
- drowsiness
- dizziness
- weakness
- fatigue (low energy)
Mild side effects of baclofen
Baclofen may cause certain mild side effects. Typically, mild side effects are temporary and can be managed easily. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have side effects that don’t go away or become bothersome.
Mild side effects of baclofen oral tablet occurred in studies. Examples are:
- bladder problems, including:
- constipation
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- insomnia (trouble sleeping)
- fatigue (low energy)
- confusion
- headache
- nausea
- low blood pressure, which can cause fainting in rare cases
- sexual side effects, including:
- slurred speech
- vision problems, including:
- double vision
- blurry vision
- strabismus (crossed eyes)
- involuntary eye movements
- weakness
- weight gain*
- mild allergic reaction*
* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of baclofen in detail” section below.
Baclofen oral tablet may cause more mild side effects than those listed above. For details, see the drug’s prescribing information.
Serious side effects of baclofen
Baclofen may cause certain serious side effects. If you have any serious side effects from baclofen oral tablet, call your doctor right away. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency or your side effects feel life threatening, act immediately. Call 911 or a local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency room.
After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. Visit MedWatch’s website if you’d like to notify the FDA about a side effect you’ve had with baclofen oral tablet.
Serious side effects of baclofen oral tablet that occurred in studies include:
- syncope (fainting)
- mood and mental health side effects, including:
- seizures
- withdrawal symptoms*
- impaired ability to perform hazardous activities requiring coordination*
- severe allergic reaction*
* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of baclofen in detail” section below.
Common questions about side effects of baclofen
Here are answers to some common questions about the side effects of baclofen oral tablet. If you have other questions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
How do side effects of baclofen in older adults compare with those seen in younger adults?
Side effects of baclofen in older adults are expected to be the same as those seen in younger adults. (Older adults are usually considered ages 65 years and older.)
But older adults may be at higher risk of side effects from baclofen. Your body uses your kidneys to get rid of baclofen after you take a dose. Kidney function usually worsens over time, so older adults are more likely to have a kidney problem. This increases their risk of side effects because baclofen may begin to accumulate in the body.
Generally, side effects in older female adults taking baclofen are the same as in other people. But urinary incontinence (also known as overactive bladder) can occur as a side effect from taking baclofen. Older adults are also more likely to have incontinence, especially females.* So, older female adults taking baclofen may be at higher risk of this side effect.
Talk with your doctor and pharmacist about your health history. They can help you learn how it affects your risk of side effects from baclofen.
* Sex and gender exist on spectrums. In this article, we use the term “female” to refer to a person’s sex assigned at birth.
Do the different strengths of baclofen, such as 10 mg, cause different side effects?
No, different strengths of baclofen aren’t expected to cause different side effects.
But taking a higher dose of baclofen can increase your risk of side effects. Generally, higher doses of medication have a higher risk of side effects than lower doses.
Find out how your baclofen dosage may affect your risk of side effects. Learn more from your doctor or pharmacist.
Can baclofen cause weight gain?
It’s possible to experience weight gain during baclofen treatment. But this wasn’t common in the drug’s studies.
With some conditions that baclofen treats, such as spinal cord injury, exercising can be difficult. And too little exercise can contribute to weight gain. So it’s possible that other factors, your condition, or baclofen could be causing it.
Talk with your doctor if you’re concerned about weight gain with your baclofen treatment. Together you can review possible causes and ways to help you manage your weight.
Does baclofen cause long-term side effects?
It’s possible, although long-term side effects don’t occur commonly with baclofen treatment. These side effects can start during treatment and continue for a long time, possibly after stopping treatment. They can also start after you’ve taken the drug for a long time or after stopping treatment.
The long-term side effects reported with baclofen include:
- withdrawal symptoms*
- impaired ability to perform hazardous activities requiring coordination
To learn more about these two side effects, see the “Side effects of baclofen in detail” section below.
* See the next question for a description of withdrawal symptoms.
Is withdrawal a possible side effect of baclofen?
Yes, withdrawal symptoms* are a possible side effect if baclofen treatment is stopped suddenly.
To learn more about baclofen and withdrawal, see the “Side effects of baclofen in detail” section below.
* Withdrawal symptoms are side effects that occur when you stop taking a drug on which your body has become dependent. (With dependence, your body needs the drug to function like usual.)
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Side effects of baclofen in detail
Below you’ll find details on some of the side effects of baclofen oral tablet.
Withdrawal symptoms
You may experience withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop taking baclofen.
Withdrawal symptoms are side effects that occur when you stop taking a drug on which your body has become dependent. With dependence, your body needs the drug to function like usual. Withdrawal symptoms typically appear within hours or days after your last baclofen dose.
In rare reports, people have had hallucinations and seizures when suddenly stopping baclofen. But mild symptoms have also been reported, including:
- nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
- blood pressure changes
- irregular heartbeat
- headache
- muscle tremor
Ways to manage
To avoid withdrawal symptoms, do not stop taking baclofen suddenly. If you’re considering stopping baclofen, you and your doctor should discuss how to stop taking it safely.
If you both agree that you’ll stop treatment, your doctor will lower your dose gradually over time. They’ll continue this until it’s safe for you to stop taking baclofen. Lowering a drug’s dose slowly over time is called a drug taper. It helps reduce the risk of having withdrawal symptoms.
Impaired ability to perform hazardous activities requiring coordination
Taking baclofen can impair your ability to perform hazardous activities that require coordination. Examples include driving a car and operating machinery.
Baclofen slows or depresses your central nervous system (CNS). Your CNS is made up of your brain and spinal cord. They work together and communicate with the body. But slowing or depressing the CNS impairs your ability to do some things.
CNS depression can be mild or serious. Symptoms can include:
- problems with coordination or balance
- drowsiness
- poor judgment or decision making
- slurred speech
- confusion
- slowed heart rate
- coma
You can be at risk of this side effect for the length of your treatment with baclofen. And this side effect may last as long as you continue taking the drug. But it is unlikely to occur once you stop taking the medication.
Taking other CNS depressants together with baclofen raises the risk of this impairment. One example of a CNS depressant is alcohol. Examples of drug classes that are CNS depressants include benzodiazepines and barbiturates. These include medications such as alprazolam (Xanax) and lorazepam (Ativan).
Ways to manage
Due to this risk, you should avoid driving or operating machinery when you begin taking baclofen. This will help you learn how the drug affects you.
It’s also important to let your doctor and pharmacist know all medications you take. This includes over-the-counter products. They can check whether any of those medications cause CNS depression. And they can check whether they’re safe to take with baclofen.
If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about consuming it during treatment with baclofen oral tablet. They can let you know whether it’s safe to drink alcohol during treatment.
If you develop symptoms of CNS depression while taking baclofen, let your doctor know. They can help determine whether it’s safe for you to continue taking the drug.
Weight gain
Weight gain is a possible side effect of baclofen, although it wasn’t common in the drug’s studies.
If you have a condition that baclofen is prescribed to treat, it may be difficult to exercise. This might include a spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis. That said, too little exercise can contribute to weight gain. This might make it difficult to determine what’s causing it. It could be baclofen, your condition, or another factor.
Ways to manage
If you’re concerned about weight gain, talk with your doctor. Your doctor can review possible causes, including baclofen. They can also discuss strategies to help you maintain a weight that’s healthy for you.
Allergic reaction
For some people, baclofen oral tablet can cause an allergic reaction. But these reactions weren’t common in studies of people taking the drug.
Symptoms can be mild or serious, and they may include:
- itchiness
- skin rash
- swelling under the skin, usually affecting eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
- swelling of the mouth, tongue, or throat, which can make it hard to breathe
- flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)
Ways to manage
For mild allergic reaction symptoms, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may recommend treatments to help manage your symptoms. They’ll also let you know if you should keep taking the medication.
For severe allergic reaction symptoms, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms require immediate medical care because they can become life threatening. If you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to baclofen oral tablet, your doctor may recommend taking a different medication instead.
Warnings for baclofen
Below are some factors you may want to discuss with your doctor before taking baclofen oral tablet.
Warnings
It may not be safe for you to take baclofen oral tablet if you have specific health conditions. These are sometimes called drug-condition interactions. Other things may also affect whether baclofen oral tablet is a safe treatment option for you.
Before taking baclofen oral tablet, tell your doctor about your health and medications you take. Things to consider include those listed below.
Kidney problems. Your body uses your kidneys to remove baclofen after you take a dose. If you have a kidney problem, your body may not remove baclofen as well. One example of a kidney problem is chronic kidney disease. Having a kidney problem can raise your risk of side effects from the drug. These side effects include an impaired ability to concentrate and drive or operate machinery.
Your doctor can determine whether your kidneys are healthy enough for you to take baclofen.
Mental health conditions, such as depression. Baclofen can cause mental health side effects, including depression and hallucinations. If you have an existing mental health condition, taking baclofen might worsen it. Discuss your mental health history with your doctor to learn whether it’s safe for you to take baclofen.
Seizures. People with seizures who take baclofen have reported increased seizure frequency. If you have epilepsy or experience seizures, let your doctor know before you start taking baclofen. Your doctor can determine whether the medication is safe for you to take.
Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to baclofen oral tablet or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe this medication. Ask them about other treatment options that may be better for you.
Baclofen and pregnancy
It’s not known whether baclofen is safe to take during pregnancy. Studies haven’t tested baclofen in pregnant people. The drug’s manufacturer recommends using the drug during pregnancy only if the benefits outweigh the risks.
But neonatal withdrawal has been reported in newborns of people treated with baclofen during pregnancy. Neonatal withdrawal means the newborns had withdrawal symptoms from the drug.
Withdrawal symptoms are side effects from stopping a drug on which your body has become dependent. With dependence, your body needs the drug to function like usual. Symptoms of neonatal withdrawal include:
- excessive sleepiness
- limpness
- breathing problems
- feeding difficulties
- irritability
- restlessness
- tremors
- prolonged crying
Talk with your doctor if you’re pregnant or can become pregnant. They can help you learn more about taking baclofen or other treatment options.
Baclofen and breastfeeding
It’s not known whether baclofen passes into breast milk. For this reason, the drug’s manufacturer recommends not breastfeeding while taking the drug.
Talk with your doctor if you have additional questions about baclofen and breastfeeding.
Baclofen and alcohol
Baclofen oral tablet is known to interact with alcohol.
Both baclofen and alcohol cause central nervous system depression. Combining the two increases your risk that this side effect may be serious.
If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe to consume it during your treatment with baclofen oral tablet.
What to ask your doctor
This article describes common and serious side effects of baclofen oral tablet. If your doctor prescribes this medication, they can discuss possible side effects with you. Let your doctor know if you have concerns or questions about treatment with this medication.
Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:
- If I have low energy as a side effect from baclofen, are there ways to lessen this side effect?
- How do side effects caused by baclofen compare with other treatments for my condition?
- If baclofen is working for my condition but causing side effects, can I try a lower dosage?
Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.
