Common mistakes when using Tizanidine
If there is one area of your life where you wish to avoid mistakes or at least limit them, then it is when you are taking medications. It may be the mildest and most common of drugs such as aspirin; but if you make a mistake you can put your health in danger. This is, of course, true for Tizanidine as well and you need to be careful not to make any of the mistakes that some people have in the past and that have endangered their lives.
1. Never self-medicate
One of the direst of mistakes that any patient can make is taking a drug without consulting their doctor. This can be done by the most intelligent of people, even doctors. In fact, doctors are the most likely to make this mistake. It is very difficult to self-medicate, even if you are a perfectly trained doctor, let alone someone who is not in the medical profession. Doing this with Tizanidine can be extremely dangerous as it is a very potent drug and can cause severe unwanted effects if taken improperly or by people who should not use it.
2. Never adjust your dosage
Tizanidine is taken when needed. Your doctor will tell you how much of it you can use and how often. For most people, it is a single tablet taken when you need relief from spasticity. You should not take another before 6 to 8 hours have passed and you should never take more than 3 dosages in one day. Some people get themselves into temptation to take more Tizanidine than this and they often find themselves struggling with side effects and even symptoms of an overdose. Do not adjust your dosage yourself and if you wish to do this, talk to your doctor.
3. Never combine Tizanidine with other drugs
There are many muscle relaxants on the market and you may be tempted to try and enhance the effects of Tizanidine by taking additional drugs. This is perhaps the worst thing that you can do. This can only result in negative effects and there is absolutely no way in which this could be advised. Tizanidine will not only interact with other drugs, but it may cause life-threatening interactions. This goes not only for other muscle relaxants but any other drugs. Always discuss the combinations with your doctor before you take them.
4. Do not stop using Tizanidine without talking to your doctor
Some people stop using Tizanidine for a number of reasons, such as side effects or perceived improvement of their condition. If you do this, you may experience severe spasm attacks that will be very difficult to treat and mitigate. If you wish to discontinue Tizanidine, do not do this suddenly and make sure that your doctor has been informed. If you are using Tizanidine for purposes other than spasms, you should still talk to your doctor and make sure that you will not experience any negative effects if you stop using the drug.