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Zanaflex

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Zanaflex Patient Information Including Side Effects

Brand Names: Zanaflex

Generic Name: tizanidine

What is tizanidine (Zanaflex)?

Tizanidine is a muscle relaxer that is used to treat spasticity by temporarily relaxing muscle tone.

Tizanidine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What are the possible side effects of tizanidine (Zanaflex)?

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

  • a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
  • weak or shallow breathing;
  • confusion, hallucinations; or
  • pain or burning when you urinate.

Common side effects may include:

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What is the most important information I should know about tizanidine (Zanaflex)?

You should not take tizanidine if you are also taking fluvoxamine or ciprofloxacin.

Do not use tizanidine at a time when you need muscle tone for safe balance and movement during certain activities.

Zanaflex Patient Information including How Should I Take

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking tizanidine (Zanaflex)?

You should not use tizanidine if you are allergic to it, or if:

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

It may not be safe to breastfeed while using this medicine. Ask your doctor about any risk.

How should I take tizanidine (Zanaflex)?

Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Use the medicine exactly as directed.

Tizanidine is usually taken up to 3 times in one day. Allow 6 to 8 hours to pass between doses. Do not take more than three doses (36 mg) in a 24-hour period. Too much of this medicine can damage your liver.

You may take tizanidine with or without food, but take it the same way each time. Switching between taking tizanidine with food and taking it without food can make the medicine less effective or cause increased side effects.

Switching between tizanidine tablets and capsules may cause changes in side effects or how well the medicine works.

  • Taking the tablets with food can increase your blood levels of tizanidine.
  • Taking the capsules with food can decrease your blood levels of tizanidine.

If you make any changes in how you take tizanidine, tell your doctor if you notice any change in side effects or in how well the medicine works.

Tizanidine is a short-acting medication, and its effects will be most noticeable between 1 and 3 hours after you take it. You should take tizanidine only for daily activities that require relief from muscle spasms.

You will need frequent medical tests.

If you stop using tizanidine suddenly after long-term use, you may have withdrawal symptoms such as dizziness, fast heartbeats, tremors, and anxiety. Ask your doctor how to safely stop using this medicine.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Zanaflex Patient Information including If I Miss a Dose

What happens if I miss a dose (Zanaflex)?

Take the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not take two doses at one time.

What happens if I overdose (Zanaflex)?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Overdose symptoms may include weakness, drowsiness, confusion, slow heart rate, shallow breathing, feeling light-headed, or fainting.

What should I avoid while taking tizanidine (Zanaflex)?

Do not use tizanidine at a time when you need muscle tone for safe balance and movement during certain activities. In some situations, it may be dangerous for you to have reduced muscle tone.

Drinking alcohol with this medicine can cause side effects.

Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how this medicine will affect you. Your reactions could be impaired. Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy.

What other drugs will affect tizanidine (Zanaflex)?

Taking tizanidine with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing can cause dangerous side effects or death. Ask your doctor before using opioid medication, a sleeping pill, a muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety or seizures.

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially:

  • acyclovir;
  • ticlopidine;
  • zileuton;
  • birth control pills;
  • an antibiotic--ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, or ofloxacin;
  • blood pressure medicine--clonidine, guanfacine, methyldopa;
  • heart rhythm medicine--amiodarone, mexiletine, propafenone, verapamil; or
  • stomach acid medicine--cimetidine, famotidine.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may affect tizanidine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Where can I get more information (Zanaflex)?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about tizanidine.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

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