Tizanidine Side Effects

Tizanidine is a prescription drug that can cause addiction to develop. Learn about the signs of tizanidine use and the dangerous effects of abusing the drug.

Tizanidine, also known by its trade name Zanaflex, is a muscle relaxant medicationused for treating muscle spasticity. Tizanidine is legally available with a prescription in the United States, but drug dealers sell the drug forillicit use.

Tizanidine is an especially toxic medication with many serious side effects and dangerous interactions with other medications, such as birth control pills. Tizanidine’s toxicities and side effects are worsened by other drugs such asopioids,cannabis,stimulants, andbenzodiazepines.

Symptoms of Tizanidine Abuse

People who use tizanidine that was not prescribed to them, or who are taking more than the prescribed dose, are considered to be abusing the drug. Tizanidine is acontrolled substanceand should only be used under the direction and care of a licensed prescriber. Using someone else’sprescription, or letting someone else use your prescription, is illegal and punishable by fines and jail time.

Physical Symptoms of Tizanidine

Drugs affect people differently, so not everyone will experience the same symptoms from taking the same type of drug. However, some common symptoms are usually observed in individuals taking specific types of drugs. Tizanidine hasa large number ofcommon and prevalent side effects including:

• Low blood pressure, especially with dose increases
• Rebound high blood pressure when decreasing the dose
• Slow heart rate
• Sedation severe enough to interfere with daily activities and make driving unsafe. This effect can be worsened by the use of other sedative drugs, such as opioids, cannabis or benzodiazepines.
• Allergic reactions, including anaphylactic shock
• Body temperature instability
• Dry mouth
• Dizziness
• Withdrawal from tizanidine, especially after prolonged use, high doses or use withnarcotics, can cause dangerous effects, such as high blood pressure, rapid heart rate, tremors, and muscle stiffness
• An overdose

Psychological Symptoms of Tizanidine

Much like the physical symptoms of tizanidine, psychological symptoms may occur in some individuals taking the drug. Tizanidine is psychoactive, meaning that it crosses the blood-brain barrier and changes the brain’s chemistry. As such, the drughas a fewserious, psychological side effects:

• Hallucinations
• Psychosis, especially delusions
• Depression

The psychological side effects of tizanidine are worsened by the concurrent use of other psychoactive medications, especially alcohol, opioids, and sedatives.

Other Tizanidine Side Effects

Tizanidine can have serious side effects in people whose kidneys are not functioning properly, as the body’s ability to clear the drug becomes greatly impaired and toxicity can develop quickly. Likewise, in people with liver problems, serious toxicity from tizanidine can develop rapidly. This danger is a particular concern for people who may have factors that affect their liver health, such as:

• Alcohol addiction
• Hepatitis infection
• Use of the medication acetaminophen (which is present inPercocet)

A particularly concerning aspect of tizanidine use is that it has dangerousdrug-to-drug interactionswith some common medications. People who take tizanidine without a prescription are often unaware of these interactions. Prescription medications that interact adversely with tizanidine include:

• Certain birth control pills
• Certain antibiotics
• Certainantidepressantand anti-anxiety medications

Effects of Long-Term Tizanidine Abuse

Long-term use of tizanidine forces the body to adjust to the negative effects of the drug. For example, the body purposely increases blood pressure to compensate for the blood pressure-lowering effects of the drug, increases the heart rate to compensate from the heart rate-lowering effects, and suffers disruption of its normal muscle control function.

Signs of Tizanidine Addiction

Signs of addiction to tizanidine may go unnoticed by the individual living with the addiction or their loved ones, as the individual may be in denial andtrying to hide the drug use. Signs of addiction include:

• Using the drug when it’s not prescribed or in doses above the prescribed amount
• Continuing to take the drug after it’s no longer required for a medical purpose
• The inability to control the use of the drug
• Obsessive or persistent thoughts about the drug
• Drug use interfering with normal functions
• Obtaining the drug illegally
• Tolerance developing requiring escalating doses
• Withdrawal symptoms occurring when trying to stop drug use
• Using the drug other than for its legitimate purpose
• Secretive drug use, including lying about its use
• The use of other drugs, including alcohol, at the same time
• Willingness to spend large amounts of time and money to obtain the drug

Tizanidine Addiction Intervention

Tizanidine is a dangerous medication with many toxicities. People abusing the drug require specialized care to safelytaperoff and withdraw from the drug and to assess for any physical effects that they may be suffering from the drug use, especially to the internal organs.Medically supervised detoxificationis advised.

If you or a loved one struggle withdrug addiction,contact The Recovery Villageto speak with a representative about how personalizedtreatment programscan help. By addressing anyco-occurring mental health disordersalong with the addiction, The Recovery Village helps patients receive the support they need to live a healthy, sober life.