Zanaflex for Muscle Spasm User Reviews (Page 3)
Zanaflex has an average rating of 7.5 out of 10 from a total of 96 reviews for the treatment of Muscle Spasm. 65% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 13% reported a negative experience.
Reviews for Zanaflex
- mou...
- March 19, 2009
"Zanaflex has been very helpful with my ability to finally have a good night's sleep. No side effects, relaxes me and is NOT addictive. At least for me, it is not. It does NOT 'heal' the muscle spasms. I would recommend Zanaflex for people with severe muscle spasm."
- MHM...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- June 6, 2023
"I was prescribed Zanaflex after breaking my left ankle, which caused muscle spasms in both legs and my lower back as I started walking again. The medication provided some relief from the spasms, but I encountered an unexpected side effect: temporary hearing loss in both ears. Initially, this alarmed me, but the hearing loss resolved after a few hours due to the drug's relatively short half-life. However, I still experience hearing abnormalities about 30 minutes after taking a dose. It's worth noting that somnolence (sleepiness) is a common side effect, but it doesn't concern me. I'm curious if others who have taken Zanaflex have also experienced temporary hearing loss as a side effect. While hearing abnormalities are not currently listed as a side effect, it may be beneficial to include them if others have had similar experiences."
Frequently asked questions
- Geo...
- October 22, 2010
"I have been using Zanaflex since 2003. I suffer from chronic pain and spasms due to herniated discs in my neck and back. I have already had fusion done on my neck, and the pain and spasms never went away. That was due to the discs below the fusion herniated just after the surgery. I also have fibromyalgia. I am supposed to take 4 mg 3 times a day, but I only take it at night since it makes me sleepy most of the time, and I am already on Percocet and Savella. I need to function during the day. My doctor says I can take all 3 at bedtime if I want, but I have only taken 2 at a time. Dry mouth is a side effect, and sometimes I will have grogginess in the morning, but I found that it is mostly due to taking it so late and getting up early."
- mom...
- March 2, 2009
"I have been taking Zanaflex for about a year now, and it has been wonderful for me. I have ankylosing spondylitis and fibromyalgia. I have a very hard time sleeping at night, but Zanaflex helps me sleep and keeps down the muscle pain."
Are you taking this medicine?
Your review helps others make informed decisions.- Pha...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- December 23, 2016
"Did not put me to sleep or help with pain. In fact, it caused anxiety and made pain worse. I was on 4 mg at night for three days. Quit after that. Don't really know why I was put on it because I did not have neck or back pain. I have intractable headache. I personally don't believe in off-label uses for pharmaceuticals."
- Anonymous
- December 21, 2010
"My doctor prescribed me this medication due to the fact I could not sleep at night. He warned me that I would have vivid dreams, but I haven't really. I really like this medication as I can sleep through the night for the first time in years. The only drawback is that it knocks me out cold, and the next morning I am really stiff from not tossing and turning all night. I can live with that."
- Anonymous
- August 21, 2010
"Zanaflex considerably reduced my back pain, headaches, muscle spasms, mandibular stress-related spasms, and overall pain associated with spasticity due to a neuromuscular condition. I take 2 mg as I am a small-framed and thin person. I take it at bedtime to offset the 2-hour tiredness effect following ingestion. It works well for me."
- Mic...
- September 17, 2009
"I was given Zanaflex 6 years ago to help me sleep. The rheumatologist claimed my diagnosis of fibromyalgia required straight sleep. He forgot to do radiographs for arthritis. It works well, I would never recommend taking it during the day, though. I don't react to medications well, I did to Zanaflex. It makes me groggy, and I would never do anything that needed full attention while taking it. I take it at night only for sleep. It's a good medication, but be careful if you go on Cipro or Levaquin (antibiotics). In 2007, they found a problem with the combination, you must come off Zanaflex while taking those and a few other antibiotics. Speak to your pharmacist, but usually, insurance coverage tells them that they can't be taken together."
- gen...
- July 19, 2009
"I've been on Zanaflex for about 6 months now. At first, it helped me sleep through the night, but now I only get about 4 hours. I would not recommend taking it in the daytime because it seems to make you feel funny in the head if you don't go to sleep, and also have very vivid dreams on this."
- Jam...
- May 13, 2009
"First time using it. Had discectomy in Feb '09 and now have stenosis, which required steroid injections that started today. The Zanaflex worked amazingly quickly on the muscles/tissues directly around L4 - L5. Not doing much for the radiating spasming in the hip/buttocks/thigh, though. Do not seem to be having any real side effects, which is key! Wish it kicked in quicker, though, and hope it helps with restful sleep at night. Optimistic!"
- Dan...
- April 28, 2011
"I am new to this medicine. I have been on several other muscle relaxers, and they never did a thing for me. After reading what everyone else has said about this muscle relaxer, I am praying it will help for me as well. I have a bulging disc in my lower back that is pinching my sciatic nerve, which caused me a lot of pain in my left hip."
- Anonymous
- April 28, 2009
"Had to take it temporarily. I had increased spasms of arms and legs from an abscess in my butt, did not know at the time why the spasms were so bad. I'm a spinal cord-injured paraplegic. Anyhow, while on this, I saw a puppet fly through the doorway and footballs on the ceiling. A lot of crazy stuff. I've been on a lot of medicines, but never anything like this."
- RSD...
- October 18, 2009
"I take this as an additional medicine for pain control and the deep tissue pain associated with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. The medicine is beneficial in helping the efficacy of the pain medicines taken."
- LG7...
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- July 18, 2023
"I took Zanaflex 4mg about a year ago, and it was giving me hallucinations and then knocking me out. I stopped taking it. My muscle spasms are getting worse and they had me on Flexeril, but it did nothing at all. So now I'm going to be starting on 2mg Zanaflex to see if a lower dose has fewer scary side effects."
- Sch...
- Taken for 5 to 10 years
- July 27, 2022
"This drug is addicting whether you believe it to be or not. It caused me to have extreme leg cramps and agitation. Constipation became an issue. I was on the med for seven years and stopped taking it after hip surgery. All of the side effects have dissipated."
- Zor...
- Taken for 2 to 5 years
- July 14, 2021
"I used Zanaflex for years, but with a pain pill, and the combo helped with back and neck pain. It does drop the blood pressure till you get used to it. So, never take more than one. Don't drive on them."
- Ell...
- Taken for 2 to 5 years
- April 2, 2022
"I have thoracic kyphosis starting, on top of needing a hip replacement, so my spasms are unreal to the point where I cannot breathe. Zanaflex is absolutely astounding in helping me break the spasms. Zanaflex knocks me out, though, so I cannot work or drive when taking it."
- But...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- August 22, 2022
"I developed some symptoms and found out I was in premenopause. One of those symptoms was terrible muscle tension. My doctor prescribed me tizanidine 4 mg twice a day for two weeks. It helped a lot, but it made me so sleepy. I couldn't take it any longer than two weeks because I also take psychiatric medication and it interferes. I got hormones from my ob/gyn to help with everything."
- Hur...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- January 10, 2022
"It helped me sleep, but it made me dizzy and my thinking was off. It also made me nauseated. I was hurting so bad I actually took it four times in about 48 hours, even with the nausea. I was still feeling really off 36 hours after the last dose and would not have trusted my judgment at work. My brain not feeling right was much more concerning to me than the nausea. I have taken Flexeril in the past, but I have never felt like this."
- Pai...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- May 15, 2022
"I've been on Zanaflex for about 2 weeks. I have a herniated disk. This helps a bit. I just wish that the side effect wasn't drowsy. I can only take it when I'm at home, which defeats the purpose, I need it during the day. Other than that, it's fine. Makes me sleep so well."
- Ord...
- Taken for 1 to 2 years
- January 1, 2013
"I found that this medicine managed the muscle spasms associated with the three herniated discs in the lumbar region of my back"
- Anonymous
- February 12, 2015
"Prescribed after 4th lumbar fusion fail. Helps with sleeping in a painful condition"
- Che...
- July 8, 2019
"Tried Zanaflex today for the first time. It works really good. Took the pain away. But it made me sleep for 10 hours, so I won't be taking it anymore."
- dhb...
- January 27, 2013
"I have had very positive results with this medicine. I have MS and this helps reduce problems."
Learn more about Muscle Spasm
- Benzodiazepines: Overview and Use
- Should you mix muscle relaxants with alcohol?
- What are the risks of mixing pain medications and alcohol?
Medicine.com guides (external)
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- Drug class: skeletal muscle relaxants
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"I have disc disease. I take 4 mg only at night. It knocks me out. This is the only medicine that has helped with my pain and my muscle spasms. I sleep well all night, and it lasts through until the next day. I've only been taking it for 3 days. Finally, I've found a good muscle relaxer. The only side effect I have noticed is dry mouth. I think it is great."