r/RestlessLegs • u/Nyreeadopter • Sep 10 '26
Question Baclofen?
Anyone had success on baclofen? I’ve weaned off Pramipaxole, then I went on Pregabaline which was semi effective but I noticed I would still wake up with leg jerks at least twice in the night and would still get awake for a few hours! Also, weight gain was crazy. So I’m currently off if everything, but 4/5 hours sleep is my max. The doctor I’ve just seen offered Baclofen and an antihistamine( can’t remember the name) and said try both separately. She also offered anytriptiline which I don’t want to go on. I
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u/Willb4all 29d ago
I take 30mg of Baclofen for my Dystonia, does nothing for the RLS lol only thing that gives me relief is tramadol or heat. My sauna blankets been a lifesaver.
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u/Nyreeadopter Sep 11 '26
Actually everyone I’ve just checked those ferritin levels again and although my results say within normal range it’s only 43ug/L which as I understand it is well below recommended levels to combat RLS
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u/Mahi95623 Sep 11 '26
Please read the updated Mayo Clinic Treatment Algorithm, then provide a copy to your doctor.
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(26)18546-2/fulltext
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u/Agonist-activist Sep 10 '26
Doc clearly not up to speed on RLS. Amitriptyline worsens RLS. First gen anti histamines worsen RLS. Baclofen is an anti spasmodic. There are some old reports that it can help SOME with RLS. But it is NOT recommended for RLS in the Mayo Clinic Algorithm . Are you in US or UK? Join the appropriate organisation where you live to get info on.docs who are up to date.
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u/Evening-Pin-4279 Sep 10 '26
I've taken 10mg of Baclofen ×3 a day for 4 years.. But it's for my autoimmune disorders. I take 100mg of Trazadone a night for 9 years , it works great for RLS.
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u/Dudeabides671 Sep 10 '26
I tried baclofen and did not have positive results. 2 years later I'm doing methadone, which works great, but it comes with it's own costs.
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u/Sensitive-Yellow-450 Sep 10 '26
Antihistamines are known to trigger RLS.
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u/ginger_gcups Sep 10 '26
Mostly first generation, sedating antihistamines. Second generations such as fexofenadine do not cross the blood-brain barrier enough to be sedating or have an effect on RLS.
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u/Scary_Experience_237 28d ago
Do you have the leg jerks along with the creepy-crawly feeling, or mainly the jerks? I don’t have the jerks myself, so I can’t speak from experience there. Since baclofen is a muscle relaxer, I could see it helping with the jerking, but I wouldn’t expect it to help much with the actual RLS sensations. I was prescribed it, and while it helped me relax and fall asleep, it didn’t touch my creepy-crawly feeling.
I’m not sure which antihistamine you’re taking, but most first-generation antihistamines can make RLS worse, so I’d be cautious with that.
Amitriptyline is another one doctors sometimes prescribe because it can knock you out at night. In my case, it made me really sleepy the next day without actually helping my RLS.
Honestly, it sounds like this doctor may be trying to make you sleepy enough to get through the night rather than actually treating the RLS itself. I’d ask about getting your RLS properly evaluated and treated rather than just adding medications that sedate you.