craving Nal start 23. Apr 2009 - Bac start 08. Jan 2010

[craving]

Hello,

I am new to this board. Have been mainly active on the TSM board
thesinclairmethod.com • View topic - Progress begin 23. Apr. 2009

I have started on 23. April 2009 with TSM therapy, taking most of the time 50mg Naltrexone 1 hour before drinking. Initially it had good effect on me, but effect wore out, and after 8 months I was just were I started.

That is when I decided to start start with Baclofen on the 8. Jan 2010. Since then my units have reduced significantly and I have so far 12 AF days in a row! mg
The last time I was having this amount of AF days in a row was 2 years ago - maybe 3 years ago.

Not looking to drink anymore. Without the relief of craving when drinking, there is no sense in doing it! - it makes no fun at all!

Since taking Baclofen my Craving is gone, and I feel in general less anxiety (although I never considered having an anxiety disorder!)

Yesterday dose was 250mg Bac.

[bloggy]

craving Nal start 23. Apr 2009 - Bac start 08. Jan 2010

Hi Craving

This is really good news!

I tried both drugs, and was doing really well with naltrexone, until I started having lots of AF days- evertime I took it after it made me terribly nauseous as it had in the beginning. Fortunately that doesn't seem to happen to most people.
So due to having a bad tolerence to any drugs I eventually gave up, and now just stick to large doses of the supplements mentioned here on the site, which do help.

It is fantastic you have noticed such a change so early on with the bac!

[drink2much]

craving Nal start 23. Apr 2009 - Bac start 08. Jan 2010

Hi Craving I also came here from the TSM board, having been on Nal since March 09 with no sucess.

I have a sort of similar story to yours, in that many months of Nal didn't seem to help me, yet I gave up Nal and tried antabuse instead, and am seeing promising signs.

I had tried antabuse before several times, and although it would work for a few days I always stopped taking it because I wanted to be able to drink.

Not sure where I am going. Stopping Nal after taking it six days a week for eight months has left me really quite exhausted, though there is not suppose to be any withdrawal symptoms.

Look forward to learning more here

D2x

[craving]

craving Nal start 23. Apr 2009 - Bac start 08. Jan 2010

drink2much great to see you here!

never had much success with Antabuse - as I was simply not taking it. I was very afraid of the potential side effects when drinking, so that is why I would refrain from drinking. My craving was unchanged on Antabuse though.

[bloggy]

craving Nal start 23. Apr 2009 - Bac start 08. Jan 2010

craving;798626 wrote: drink2much great to see you here!

never had much success with Antabuse - as I was simply not taking it. I was very afraid of the potential side effects when drinking, so that is why I would refrain from drinking. My craving was unchanged on Antabuse though.

Same here. I would feel better after some days of being AF, then would tell myself I was OK now, and would stop taking it. However it did stop two of my friends from drinking, (both have been stopped for years now) but they were both having it administered by family members.

One friend who also went to rehab said it doesn't always work for those having it administered, they sick it under their tongues, and pretend to have swallowed it, or get out of earshot and induce vomiting immediately after.

Are you still doing well, Craving?

[craving]

craving Nal start 23. Apr 2009 - Bac start 08. Jan 2010

marbella;798658 wrote: Are you still doing well, Craving?

never been better! today is my 15th AF day in a row. I am used now to sleep 5 hours only - it does not appear strange to me anymore. No anxiety and not tired.

Baclofen did the trick for me. I will post my chart on Sunday. You will fall off your chair :wow3:

[Cinders]

craving Nal start 23. Apr 2009 - Bac start 08. Jan 2010

Craving,

It is great news to hear you are doing so well with the Baclofen. I am going to get some from an online pharmacy to supplement the 80 mgs/day my doctor will prescribe.

Keep posting. Sharing success is critical. It makes everyone else feel like continuing to work at this.

Marby,

Just wanted to say "hi." I don't see you much here anymore. It is great to see you.

Love,
Cindi

[craving]

craving Nal start 23. Apr 2009 - Bac start 08. Jan 2010

Happy to keep you guys updated.
On TSM I wrote a report almost all days. But hardly ever had any feedback from the forum.
Will increase my presence on this board and stop to post on TSM. It makes much more sense, as I am not doing TSM anymore (had no success) and MWO seems to cover all kinds of techniques to quit, I feel here more welcome!

Hopefully now just success stories! - I deserve it!

[craving]

craving Nal start 23. Apr 2009 - Bac start 08. Jan 2010

Had a craving attack this afternoon. Luckily I resisted.

Negative about Baclofen is that it takes 2-4 hours to get to its maximum effect.
Problem was that I reduced yesterday to 150mg in a try to reduce my sleep apnoe.
No bigger variations in dose should be done! Back today over 200mg

Craving is gone again.

[eight days a week]

craving Nal start 23. Apr 2009 - Bac start 08. Jan 2010

Hi craving,

wow, yet more members from the old forum, lovely to see you all here!

And wonderful news on your incredible progress, I'm absolutely delighted for you

I didn't realise Bac takes 2-4 hours to take full effect. Maybe I need to up my dose as soon as I wake (am only on 40mg spread over the whole day, with just 5mg upon waking), because I'm drinking from an hour or two afterwards? Perhaps that would help me start drinking later...I'll try a full 10mg as soon as I wake up tomorrow.

Anyway, all the best to you, looking forward to follow your (amazing!) progress

[craving]

craving Nal start 23. Apr 2009 - Bac start 08. Jan 2010

eight days a week;798800 wrote:
I didn't realise Bac takes 2-4 hours to take full effect. Maybe I need to up my dose as soon as I wake (am only on 40mg spread over the whole day, with just 5mg upon waking), because I'm drinking from an hour or two afterwards? Perhaps that would help me start drinking later...I'll try a full 10mg as soon as I wake up tomorrow.

I notice first effects of Baclofen 1-2 hours after taking it. Total anti craving comes in after approx. 4 hours after taking it.

I was able to find positive effects on low doses, but craving was only gone above 200mg a day! I am taking it into 50mg chunks. i.e. 6am -12am-8pm-10:30pm (200mg total - and some days 250mg)
Looking forward to stay on 250mg for 2-3 weeks and then to reduce it slowly. I have reduced it yesterday too fast and I got the slap back quite delayed. It proofs my thesis that Baclofen reacts time-delayed.

TSM board was ok - I was just very frustrated that I got the same reaction on my Bac Threatment as people got initially on asking their doctor to prescribe them Naltrexone. It seems true that the most ignorant people are addicted themselves. I was hoping that because of the experiences with Nal people would understand the threatment - but they just closed their eyes - which is not correct looking at the incredible results I am getting. AND THE SAME PEOPLE COMPLAIN THAT AA IS SO IGNORANT AND CLOSE THEIR EYES OF TSM!! :H

[bloggy]

craving Nal start 23. Apr 2009 - Bac start 08. Jan 2010

Cinders;798682 wrote: Craving,

It is great news to hear you are doing so well with the Baclofen. I am going to get some from an online pharmacy to supplement the 80 mgs/day my doctor will prescribe.

Keep posting. Sharing success is critical. It makes everyone else feel like continuing to work at this.

Marby,

Just wanted to say "hi." I don't see you much here anymore. It is great to see you.

Love,
Cindi

Cindi,

I am still logging in nearly everyday, and reading lots.

I will start posting more soon again, just have to get other online stuff done first

I agree Cindi, with you getting a bit extra bac- I had trouble with the bac at 35mgs, stumbling, slurring, certainly not able to drive, wasn't really surprised, I don't even tolerate an aspirin well! But I do feel overjoyed when I hear people are reaching their off switch! But maybe for you, an extra 30 mgs might just do it for good?

I also had myself very good experiences with nal, until the sickness and unable to function became worse than the hangovers - I had extremely nasty effects at first, but persevered until they went. However I was not prepared for them to return every time I had more than 2 AF days in a row, and re-took the nal. I just couldn't bring myself to experience that sickness, and indeed am not able to render myself so unfunctionable for half the week. Even drunk, I managed better. But anyone reading that don't think it is the normal reaction, because it is rare, and most people are more than able to cope with the side effects.

But I really want to say to anyone who is thinking of trying either of these meds to give it a good try - I saw more than a glimpse with both what it would be like to not have a daily obsession with Al, and it was wonderful.

Craving is a great example how mixing the meds can work wonders, please keep us updated Craving. (Or should it be "not craving?!")

[craving]

craving Nal start 23. Apr 2009 - Bac start 08. Jan 2010

marbella;798844 wrote:
But I really want to say to anyone who is thinking of trying either of these meds to give it a good try - I saw more than a glimpse with both what it would be like to not have a daily obsession with Al, and it was wonderful.

Craving is a great example how mixing the meds can work wonders, please keep us updated Craving. (Or should it be "not craving?!")

There is a 12 % margin where people do not respond to opioid antagonists - in this case the biological addiction may be coming from another system (such as GABA - the one valium/librium and Baclofen act on).

I think the reality is that Alcoholism is a combination of opioid and GABA addiction. It could be that you are 80% opioid receptor addicted and only 20% GABA - then TSM would help you significantly.

I think Baclofen cures the part that Nal is leaving out. Looking at people for whom TSM worked out, many of them still drink alcohol, and can not imagine living without alcohol.

The "can not imagine living without alcohol" is a very strong indicator for alcoholism. So although TSM helps reduce drinking to secure levels it does not help them to stop completely.

Since taking Baclofen I am seriously considering total abstinence (although abstinence is the wrong word, as it implicates constant fight against the drug).

I experience a control over Alcohol like I have never had before. It is not controlling me anymore. 3 Weeks on Baclofen and my thinking on Alcohol has almost zero'ed! I am seriously considering trashing a good part of my alcohol in my house.
16 AF days in a row. I keep on repeating the AF days in my posts - as I can simply not believe it!!! :clapping2:

I really think that going TSM the first instance is the right way. I think the initial combination of TSM+Baclofen is not good - as Baclofen lets you block the addiction (so you seriously reduce intake) meanwhile TSM needs significant intake of alcohol.
TSM 6-8 months - if results are not promising then switch to Baclofen. That way you defeated your Opioid receptor addiction and then deal only with the missing GABA. You can then still continue to take Nal before drinking - although WITH THE RIGHT DOSE your craving will be erased and you will seriously consider removing alcohol totally off your life!

The key to Baclofen is the dose. You have to take 2-3 mg/kg to receive a full relief of all symptoms of craving. There are tons of people reporting Baclofen is not working for them, mainly because they were only taking 30-80mg/day. Only 250mg/day did the trick for me!

Even people having success on Nal might consider taking Baclofen. It removes the last thoughts of alcohol in your brain!

The "No craving" is a good description of what I experience now :happy:

[craving]

craving Nal start 23. Apr 2009 - Bac start 08. Jan 2010

Take that daemon! I am not your slave anymore. :happy:
16 AF days in a row!
For now I have control over my daemon alcohol. It will stay a fight to life and death though - With new challenges every week.

this is the proof that Baclofen works!

[craving]

craving Nal start 23. Apr 2009 - Bac start 08. Jan 2010

17th AF day today. mg

Not looking forward to go back to drinking. Sleeping still on average 4-6 hours a night. I can really use the extra time to catch up with my business.
Alcohol has put its toll on my private and business life - I think a part is caused by much time being wasted on alcohol - and the other part is the time without alcohol you are not very motivated neither.

My craving is still gone with Baclofen and I feel in general less anxiety and a lot of motivation!

I am aiming for total abstinence. After my short lived initial success with TSM, I am afraid that when taking alcohol it might stop to work - although others report that it does not happen. Simply scared that I could screw up. With TSM I experienced after a few weeks a huge drop in units just to go up steady later on. This was very frustrating - so it is natural to be scared.

Tried the other day to take Doxylamine in the early morning when I woke up ... 3am - as I was thinking that a few hours sleep might be too few for a long day skiing. To make a long story short, I will not do that anymore. If my body tells me get up at 3am, then it is because it is totally relaxed and no more sleep is needed. After taking the sleeping pill I went to bed at 4am and slept till 7:30am - and I was tired later on. I am pretty sure if I would have stayed up from 3am without sleep I would not have been tired!

I am the updated version - (not) craving v1.1 :wd: