Zanaflex User Reviews & Ratings (Page 3)

• Chr...
• April 14, 2010

For Muscle Spasm "I have been living with chronic neck, back, and migraine pain for several years now. In the beginning, my doctors had me go to physical therapy, take ibuprofen, or aspirin. None of these things ever really helped. After trying Flexeril and numerous anti-inflammatories, my pain management doctor did an MRI and found that among the many tension knots and twisting of my spine, I had bulging discs in my neck. He gave me Zanaflex to take at night. It knocks me out within 20 minutes but helps relax my back and neck so that I can get restful sleep - been on it for 3 months now! I highly recommend it for continuous back pain and it has even helped with my migraines. Be ready for bed though - very powerful!"

• GgG...
• June 18, 2017

For Muscle Spasm "Strained my rotator cuff, MD acute care practice prescribed 4 mg. I asked both the doctor and pharmacist if it was okay to take with Allegra D. Both said yes. Luckily, I was safe at home. It was scary how sedated I was. I had set an alarm for an appointment 2 hours after taking mess. I got out of bed and could hardly make it to the restroom. Needless to say, I canceled the appointment. Next time I took the medicines separately and broke the 4 mg tablet into 1 mg. I'm no lightweight, but this was too strong for me."

• MiK...
• September 18, 2009

For Muscle Spasm "I had been having muscle spasms, the Zanaflex helped. I suffer from real bad insomnia, I have been unable to find a medicine that would work for me, and once prescribed Zanaflex, I have been able to sleep every night as long as I have them. So if anyone else suffers from insomnia, maybe they could try Zanaflex, it really helps."

• Anonymous
• August 28, 2008

For Muscle Spasm "I am very happy taking Zanaflex. I was originally put on it for migraines, but after a major car accident, they tried to put me on Soma, which caused some side effects. I went back to Zanaflex and have never looked back."

• Anonymous
• April 13, 2012

For Muscle Spasm "Been taking this for months for DDD/DJD (neck). I notice severe pain when I don't take this nightly but still have muscle pain even when I do. Main side effect is severe grogginess and dry mouth/hungover feeling. I have to be in bed about 20 mins after taking it or I am walking into walls, literally. I have to drink a lot of water before bed to combat the hungover feeling. Recently switched back to Flexeril. Have also taken Robaxin, but that didn't help much either. I get headaches when I take Tramadol and any narcotic, so I take Tylenol during the day."

• Sus...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 9, 2022

For Muscle Spasm "I had muscle spasms from several neck surgeries. Diagnosed with DDD. I had been using carisoprodol for 21 years. I had to switch to a doctor that wouldn't prescribe carisoprodol. I was prescribed tizanidine, and I am having a really bad experience. I have developed significant anxiety/nervousness. My eyes have gotten so dry that they're red. I can't sleep and experienced chest and right arm pain and a rapid heartbeat. My family is upset with me because I'm so anxious/nervous and have become rude. I never had any of this before this drug. It's destroying my life, and my doctor doesn't care. He doesn't believe any of these side effects. I'm taking 4 mg four times a day. It helps a portion of the muscle spasms. I might like it if I didn't have these disturbing side effects. The carisoprodol was more effective for me."

• Kt1...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 24, 2025

For Muscle Spasm "I was prescribed Zanaflex for muscle tightness in my neck due to DDD. I only took the medication a few times at night as directed. I can lay down and actually feel the medication start to relax my muscles, it also helps me get comfortable and get a good night's sleep. No crazy side effects."

• vic...
• April 10, 2009

For Muscle Spasm "I've been suffering with severe muscle spasms in my neck, back, chest, and shoulder since a whiplash incident 1.5 years ago. Other medicines previously prescribed include Soma and Flexeril, but the results were insubstantial. I received substantial relief the first time I used Zanaflex and finally feel like I might be able to learn to live with this condition."

• Anonymous
• August 11, 2009

For Muscle Spasm "I also have taken many muscle relaxants, including soma. When my doctor suggested this medicine to me, I made sure that it was not a narcotic and habit-forming. It is not. This has really been a blessing for me. It still makes me sleepy, but if taken with food, wow, it works!"

• con...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 23, 2012

"Zanaflex works when I use it for my tight shoulders leading to my back; however, I seem to be having some side effects that most people are just laughing off. I think my husband thinks I'm a little off. I have hallucinations - yes, I realize they are real. The other is when I start to move around all of the joints seem to be tight and the muscles spasming around them. It is about 5-10 minutes long. I lose my balance and one more thing, I have acute hearing loss at times too. That could be unrelated."

• Anonymous
• November 5, 2010

For Muscle Spasm "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."

• mou...
• March 19, 2009

For Muscle Spasm "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

For Muscle Spasm "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."

• Geo...
• October 22, 2010

For Muscle Spasm "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

For Muscle Spasm "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."

• Pha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 23, 2016

For Muscle Spasm "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

For Muscle Spasm "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

For Muscle Spasm "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

For Muscle Spasm "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

For Muscle Spasm "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

For Muscle Spasm "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

For Muscle Spasm "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

For Muscle Spasm "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

For Muscle Spasm "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."

• KRD...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 8, 2022

For Cluster Headaches "It knocks me out, but it’s the only thing that works when I have a migraine and triptans aren’t working. I use it as my “Big Gun” when everything else fails, and I’m not planning to drive any time soon after taking it. I also use it for cervical and thoracic radiculopathy when Flexeril and meloxicam aren’t enough. Gives me dry mouth and constipation, but I take a stool softener and a big glass of water with it."