We had lunch with my mom and Aunt M on Tues. I offered to reschedule it for Thursday, but they wanted to do it then. We chatted, had a good time, they showed me their work in the bathroom, etc...Of course we didn't actually leave for the restaurant until after 3, and it was 5 when we were done! But we had a good time and there was NO PRESSURE or mention of gfgbro!!!Then yesterday we went to the pharmacy to fill an rx for me and pick up one for Jess. We expected a refill on a muscle relaxer for Jess. We got that refill, and a bottle with another muscle relaxer. Apparently the doctor changed it and didn't call us. I had left a message that the first medication wasn't helping much.The new MR, tizanidine (generic for zanaflex), is the one I was getting filled. So we are both on it. We both got the 4 mg strength, but I am astonished at the directions that she got.I take one tab every 8 hrs. Pretty standard based on the rx guides I have found.Jess has more complicated instructions.Week 1: 1 tab every 12 hrsWeek 2: 1 tab every 8 hrsWeek 3: 1 tab at bfast, 1 tab at lunch, 2 tabs at bedtime (doses 8 hrs apart)Week 4: 1 tab at bfast, 2 tabs at lunch and bedtime (doses 8 hrs apart)Week 5: 2 tabs every 8 hrsI have NEVER heard of anyone taking a dose this high. She was given the 4 mg tabs, not the 2 mg tabs, and this was what the doctor intended her to have.I am NOT sure we will ever give her 2 tabs at one. It is enough to zonk me with one tab. She is very sleepy taking 1/2 to 1 tab now. I did start her with 1/2 tab each time so that we would know if the 4 mg dose is too much. Have any of you heard of anyone, much less a child, taking two 4 mg zanaflex (tizanidine) at one time? Much less as a regular dose?The medication does seems to be helping her, but I am worried that if we give her the full amt then she will be a zombie or even worse have it depress her breathing too much. We HAVE talked, J and I, about only taking the smallest amount possible.
Lunch with Mom/Aunt, and new medication for Jess
- Thread starter susiestar
- Start date
I am not familiar with that drug, but maybe if she starts low, she will tolerate it better than it seems. If it is just for symptom relief, I would think you could adjust the dose down to a level that provided the best balance between helping and hurting with side effects.
My daughter is 12, 5'3", 100 lbs and takes full adult dose for most of her medications, per her new doctor.
I hope this one helps your daughter.
My daughter is 12, 5'3", 100 lbs and takes full adult dose for most of her medications, per her new doctor.
I hope this one helps your daughter.
klmno
Active Member
I'm not familiar with the medication either but I think I'd call the dr just to be sure this was intended. It makes me wonder if there could have been a mistake by his nurse that called it in or the pharmacy or something. It's rare, but it does happen particularly if only part of a medication change gets relayed and written down correctly.
DammitJanet
Well-Known Member
Well, I have been taking zanaflex for YEARS now and I like it much better than muscle relaxers because it is an anti-spasmodic. Big difference.
Yes, if you arent used to taking this particular medication it can make you a bit of a loopy-doop...lol. I have been taking 4 mgs 3 times a day for at least (what year is it?) well...3 years now...then two years off...then was on 2 mgs 3 times a day for about 4 years before that. The two years off was when I lost insurance.
I feel nothing when I take it now. Some days I dont have to take it that often and I will take two at night instead of one in the morning or one in the middle of the day.
Funny story...when I was up in VA when Billie was having Hailie and Billie's mom was still alive, Billie's mom was in a great deal of pain from walking around back and forth to the parking lot and back to her room. She asked me for one of my zanaflex...she actually thought i had something like flexeril. Well, I gave her 1/2 of a 2mg zanaflex and the poor woman was higher than a kite for hours! LOL. It was hilarious.
Yes, if you arent used to taking this particular medication it can make you a bit of a loopy-doop...lol. I have been taking 4 mgs 3 times a day for at least (what year is it?) well...3 years now...then two years off...then was on 2 mgs 3 times a day for about 4 years before that. The two years off was when I lost insurance.
I feel nothing when I take it now. Some days I dont have to take it that often and I will take two at night instead of one in the morning or one in the middle of the day.
Funny story...when I was up in VA when Billie was having Hailie and Billie's mom was still alive, Billie's mom was in a great deal of pain from walking around back and forth to the parking lot and back to her room. She asked me for one of my zanaflex...she actually thought i had something like flexeril. Well, I gave her 1/2 of a 2mg zanaflex and the poor woman was higher than a kite for hours! LOL. It was hilarious.
I have taken zanaflex in the past and the docs told me that they used it with the football players and basketball players a lot (I was seeing a doctor at the univ health center then.). THey told me to make sure I was close to a bed and didn't have to do anything for about 8 hrs when I took it. It knocked me out and that was just the 2 mg.
We cut some in half for Jess to take at first. It helped the muscles some, but it made her tired enough to be really on edge, unable to cope with anything. As a toddler she would sometimes get tired to the point that everything that bothered her was a huge catastrophe and major crisis. She was like this with the half dose (half of a 4 mg tablet). I usually start either of us on half of whatever is rx'd because sometimes we react really oddly. She is now taking the 4 mg dose and it makes her tired enough to sleep. It also helps her muscles not hurt as much.
I am just concerned because if we follow the doctor's directions she will be taking 8 mgs (two of the 4 mg tabs) every 8 hrs. I have not ever heard of anyone taking that much and neither has the pharmacy. The doctor gave her 180 pills for a month so he must mean for her to take it that way. The pharmacist apparently refused to fill it at first until the doctor not only faxed another copy but also got on the phone himself to give the directions. usually they just confirm by fax, but this time the pharmacist wanted to speak to the doctor in person. Even refused to take the nurse's work for it. I got a less that cordial message on my voicemail about how the doctor doesn't like being questioned by a pharmacist, but he actually said an $8/hr employee with no idea of what medications do has no right to insist on wasting his time and that I need to get them under control before I need any more medications for Jess. The nurse apologized for him when I called back - esp after I said that the person who called was NOT a pharmacy tech but was a pharmacist with a Ph.D and 25 years of experience. I played the message for the pharmacist and he sent a note to the doctor to try to smooth the waters.
None of us meant to say the doctor didn't know what he was doing, we just don't want to give Jess and overdose. Although I am not too sure he does know what he is doing, I won't say it to his face.
I seriously doubt I will be giving Jess 8 mgs of this medication. She is tolerating the 4 mg dose fairly well - sleeping about 5-6 hours after each dose, but she really needs sleep. We may go up to taking it every 8 hrs IF she is awake more after a week or two. I just don't plan to tell the doctor because he stops listening after the third or fourth word you say.
8 mgs of this is more than I have heard of anyone taking at once. I am surprised the insurance paid for it.
Thanks everyone!
Janet, the first time I read your post about Billie and her mom I thought you gave the medications to Billie!! My mind boggled at it! I am surprised her mom was even awake. We have football players who take 2 mgs and cannot walk ten minutes after they take it!
hugs.
We cut some in half for Jess to take at first. It helped the muscles some, but it made her tired enough to be really on edge, unable to cope with anything. As a toddler she would sometimes get tired to the point that everything that bothered her was a huge catastrophe and major crisis. She was like this with the half dose (half of a 4 mg tablet). I usually start either of us on half of whatever is rx'd because sometimes we react really oddly. She is now taking the 4 mg dose and it makes her tired enough to sleep. It also helps her muscles not hurt as much.
I am just concerned because if we follow the doctor's directions she will be taking 8 mgs (two of the 4 mg tabs) every 8 hrs. I have not ever heard of anyone taking that much and neither has the pharmacy. The doctor gave her 180 pills for a month so he must mean for her to take it that way. The pharmacist apparently refused to fill it at first until the doctor not only faxed another copy but also got on the phone himself to give the directions. usually they just confirm by fax, but this time the pharmacist wanted to speak to the doctor in person. Even refused to take the nurse's work for it. I got a less that cordial message on my voicemail about how the doctor doesn't like being questioned by a pharmacist, but he actually said an $8/hr employee with no idea of what medications do has no right to insist on wasting his time and that I need to get them under control before I need any more medications for Jess. The nurse apologized for him when I called back - esp after I said that the person who called was NOT a pharmacy tech but was a pharmacist with a Ph.D and 25 years of experience. I played the message for the pharmacist and he sent a note to the doctor to try to smooth the waters.
None of us meant to say the doctor didn't know what he was doing, we just don't want to give Jess and overdose. Although I am not too sure he does know what he is doing, I won't say it to his face.
I seriously doubt I will be giving Jess 8 mgs of this medication. She is tolerating the 4 mg dose fairly well - sleeping about 5-6 hours after each dose, but she really needs sleep. We may go up to taking it every 8 hrs IF she is awake more after a week or two. I just don't plan to tell the doctor because he stops listening after the third or fourth word you say.
8 mgs of this is more than I have heard of anyone taking at once. I am surprised the insurance paid for it.
Thanks everyone!
Janet, the first time I read your post about Billie and her mom I thought you gave the medications to Billie!! My mind boggled at it! I am surprised her mom was even awake. We have football players who take 2 mgs and cannot walk ten minutes after they take it!
hugs.
