Miorel

baclofen

Baclofen is a muscle relaxer and an antispastic agent. Baclofen is used to treat muscle symptoms caused by multiple sclerosis, including spasm, pain, and stiffness.

Miorel is an oral medication that relaxes skeletal muscles, the muscles that move the skeleton (also called striated muscle). Chemically, baclofen is related to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a naturally-occurring neurotransmitter in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that nerves use to communicate with one another. GABA released by some nerves causes the activity of other nerves to decrease. It is believed that baclofen, acting like GABA, blocks the activity of nerves within the part of the brain that controls the contraction and relaxation of skeletal muscle.

Baclofen acts on the spinal cord nerves and decreases the number and severity of muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis or spinal cord diseases. Baclofen is used for treating spasm of skeletal muscles that cause muscle clonus, rigidity, and pain due to multiple sclerosis. It also relieves pain and improves muscle movement.

Effective dosage
Miorel comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It usually is taken three times a day at evenly spaced intervals. Take baclofen exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. This drug must be taken regularly for a few weeks before its full effect is felt. Continue to take Miorel even if you feel well. Do not stop taking baclofen without talking to your doctor, especially if you have taken large doses for a long time. Your doctor probably will want to decrease your dose gradually.

The usual starting dose of baclofen for adults is 5 mg given three times daily. Based on the response, the dose can be increased gradually every three days to a maximum of 80 mg/day in several doses.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as remembered if it is within an hour or so. If you do not remember until later, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not "double-up" the doses.

Side effects
Miorel may cause drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, headache, seizures, nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, constipation, confusion, respiratory depression, inability to sleep, and increased urinary frequency or urinary retention.

Use of Miorel with other drugs that also depress the function of nerves may lead to additional reduction in brain function. In addition to the risk of depressing brain function, the use of baclofen and tricyclic antidepressants (e.g., Elavil, Sinequan) together may cause muscle weakness. Use of baclofen and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (e.g. Nardil, Parnate) can result in greater depression of brain function as well as low blood pressure. Because baclofen can increase blood sugar, doses of antidiabetic drugs may need to be adjusted when baclofen is begun.

Miorel can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase some of the side effects of baclofen. Do not use Miorel at a time when muscle tone is needed to assure safe balance and movement for certain activities. In some situations, it may endanger your physical safety to be in a state of reduced muscle tone.

You may have withdrawal symptoms such as seizures or hallucinations, when you stop using baclofen after using it over a long period of time. Do not stop using this medication suddenly without first talking to your doctor. You may need to use less and less before you stop the medication completely.

The use of Miorel by pregnant women has not been evaluated. Baclofen can be detected in the breast milk of mothers taking oral baclofen. No information is available on the presence of baclofen in the breast milk of mothers receiving baclofen intrathecally.

Miorel should be stored between 15°C (59°F) and 30°C (86°F).