Please use this thread to discuss Zanaflex.

Thanks

What is zanaflex?
Deb

Hi deb, Zanaflex is a muscle relaxer.

I've taken Zanaflex for a couple of years at night with Elavil. It was given to me to help me sleep. One of the less common side effects of Zanaflex is hallucinations. My doc had increased me up to 8mg per night and on that dosage I was experiencing hallucinations. Not daily, they were every few weeks, but as time went on they got pretty intense. They were not just visual either, I could smell, feel and hear, they were incredibly *real*.

Scared me so I stopped taking it for a while, also stopped sleeping. I went back on 4mg a night and have had no problems with that.

I didn't know about the hallucination. Thankfully I've never had them. Or perhaps the hallucinations were so convincing I didn't notice?

I was prescribed this drug (Sirdalud) when I pulled a neck muscle while commissioning a manufacturing plant in Egypt. I was pleasantly surprised that it works really great to put me to sleep. If I awaken, I can just take another 2-4 mg and it's back to sleep again. I wake up so refreshed in the morning.

I'm embarassed to say what I paid for this drug in Egypt. I remember bringing a couple of hundred tablets home with me. They must have cost me all of $80.

Unfortunately, I'm one of those MS patients that LOVED IT while it was working, but have become intolerant/immune to it and now my neuro has me on clonazepan that is NOT working and leaves me with a pill hangover the next morning. But, I highly suggest taking Zanaflex and perhaps alternating other meds so that you don't build up a tolerance to this wonderful non-addictive drug

Can zanaflex be taken with hydrocodone? I have severe muscle problems in my back and knee...Hydro works well for the pain, and the Zanaflex works well for the muscle spasms and allows me to sleep very well with no flare ups typically...At times I feel that both are needed, usually while Im working and doing very strenuos tasks....can anyone point me to this information or advise of their persoanl exoerience??

Should not be a problem taking both. I have done so. But be careful, as another poster stated, zanaflex can cause hallucinations. If I take 8 mg I will almost certainly have them.

Oh yes, hallucinations really do occur when taking Zanaflex. I was prescribed them a few years ago by my doctor and I was waking up in the middle of the night feeling paralyzed and definitely seeing triple while on those. Not a pleasant feeling for me at all!

How does zanaflex compare to Soma?

Doesn't sound like it is too popular based on the number of posts. Thoughts?

been taking it for years, never a problem. as far as comparing to Soma - not sure, but I've never hallucinated or felt paralized by it - just really tired. Usually only taking it at night helps. Just remember, drugs have diff effects on diff people so be careful.

Zanaflex is great. Best Muscle relaxer I have exer used. But I generally use somas or flexeril because they are much more cost effective. Zanaflex is some expensive stuff. And yes, it will knock your a$$ out if you take just a little too much.

Flexeril knocks my a$$ out cleo LOL>

Yeah, it does with me too, as well as somas. But zanaflex really puts me down for the count It also just seems to work better than the others for muscle relaxation.

PS -- I like your hobbies. Very similar to my own

Zanaflex, AKA Tizanidine, was given to me a year or so ago by my PM doc to help with my testicular pain. Although it did little to quell my discomfort, it sure did knock me out. My testicles were still in agony, but I was so sleepy I just didn't care...about much of anything. Needless to say I didn't remain on the treatment for very long (about a month). Soma had the same general effect on me, though not as acute in its action.

I was taking Soma to help me sleep but I've become tolerant to Soma. I now need 1400mg to make me sleepy. So am switching to zanaflex. Has anyone taken it longterm for sleep?? For years I have also taking benadryl to help me sleep and have never developed tolerance to it. I take klonopin during the day for anxiety. I've become totally tolerant to the sleep inducing properties of klonopin. Also tried dalmane for sleep and was unsuccessful. I am attributing that to my tolerance of the klonopin.

I tried them a few times. Ordered from Medstore.biz. Website is legit, and very helpful. But they didn't do anything for me besides kinda make me paranoid because they cause people to hallucinate

Would you please post entire url to site?

I've taken Zanaflex for quite a while now and have noticed no problems. I think the best meds I've ever taken for sleep aids, however, (for me) has been Trazadone. While marketed as an antidepressant/anti-anxiety medication, one of its "other" uses is for sleep aid. It doesn't seem to have any tolerance issues (like lorazapam, and its families have for me). Its worked so well, and so quickly, that I have no anxiety about sleep anymore and consequently, don't use it but maybe once or twice a week. Kind of weird how that is: I guess since I have something that I know will work and work quickly, I don't get as hung up on sleep when I go to bed. Go figure. Anyone else ever notice that?

Personally, I don't use drugs like Trazodone for sleep. Some people more experienced with the product say that it often doesn't work immediately (i.e., the first or the first few times it's taken). This may not have been true in your case. But in my very limited experience with drugs in this class, I really don't like the side effects I've noted with them. Also, there is a minor risk of priapism associated with its use. However, of all drugs in this category, it would appear to be the one that is most recommended by physicians for off-label usage as a sleep aid.

Zanaflex is generally used as a muscle relaxant, not to promote sleep. It's a pretty expensive muscle relaxant, and I do not find it to be effective when compared to drugs like carisoprodol (Soma).

I'm glad these drugs have been effective for you, though.

I have tried zanaflex and I did not like it. It made me have very weird dreams, and also made me incredibly thirsty. I see that no-one has mentioned the dry-mouth so maybe its just me.....

Trazadone is hit and miss. You may take it one time and get knocked out, or at another time (like me last night) and get nothing. No telling why

IMO Zanaflex for me was a amazing drug for my TMJ. Its better than flexeril, but as good as Soma.

My only problem with it was that i was noticing that my anxiety got worse and my thoughts and mood changed after a week of taking it (it took me bit to realize this was the cause). Also when I took it for sleep, it would knock me out cold wherever or whatever i was doing (im talking coma lol). then like clock work, I wake up 4hrs later wide awake, not having a residual tiredness.

Quick point. Zanaflex or tizanadine is available at all Walgreen's stores for just $12/180 2mg tablet.

I am tryin to get some opinions on Zanaflex.

My Dr. Rx'ed it to me for muscle spasms and to sleep through the night.
I tokk it for 3 nights, and i didnt like it at all. I would fall asleep ok but wake up at 4:00 am and toss and turn until about 5:30 am and then fall into a deep deep sleep so when my alarm went off at 7, i could hardly move.

I also had wierd dreams. It was like, i knew i was asleep and dreaming but i was aware of what was going on around me. IT is hard to explain.

I was just wondering if i could get some feedback on this med from those who have or are taking it. So far, Im not a big fan.

No experiences? I figured this group of people in the same boat i was would have ;ots of feedback on a personal level. . I guess that med isnt rx'd very often.

I just started taking zanaflex two days ago. Too soon for most of the side effects and to know if its going to help but if anyone out there is still taking it I will try to post every week or so with details about how I'm doing. I was prescribed it by my PM dr for leg spasms and twitches. I had a double fusion 1 year ago and am left with permannt nerve damage in my lower right leg....from my knee down to my foot and my calf is constantly twitching and on bad days its cramps on and off all day. Im starting at 2mg p/day and working my way up to 6mg p/day. I'm taking it at night to help me sleep also.

Zanaflex brand name of Tizanidine, that is coming indian market with two different strange 2 and 4mg, it's best solution for muscle relaxant,when we taking over dose of zanaflex then can seem some side effects,if that don't suit our body...Fatigue,Dizziness,Dry mouth and Nausea...

PillsG.

Well, I've been on it for a week. If anything, the twiching has eases up a little and i've been sleeping well. According to my husband i've been talking in my sleep so I may be having very vivid dreams, getting much needed deep sleep. So far, so good.