Newb Alert- Am I in the right forum?

[need2know]

Hi all, I found your site while digging in about Baclofen for withdrawal from opiate, namely pain pills I started after a surgery which to my surprise gave me the missing energy I'd lost and overrode the depression and PTSD symptoms that were kicking my ass, which I've relied upon for the past 4 years. It's now at a point where I feel the pills are holding me back from progress I need to make daily.

I've been scared by the horror stories on opiate w/d which held me back from detoxing but have been encouraged with the research I've done recently as Baclofen comes up often as a huge assist for many addictions. I asked my doc for an Rx for Baclofen which he prescribed after giving him the bullet points I'd learned. He manages my pain meds closely, being very concerned about the amount of acetaminophen I intake, testing my liver which has been fine due to the supplements I take, much to his surprise. He's willing to help me off in any way I'm down with.

I've been using 140mg on average daily of hydrocodone for 4 yrs and I'm not kiddin' myself that any amount of super antioxidant or supplement can prevent the long term effects and tax on my brain and liver etc. I'm sick of seeing it in my eyes and I'm sure its not doing me any favors in the anti-aging dept. I use opiates to deal with stress, anxiety, and now with the physical symptoms that start to scream 4 hours after last dose.

I've read Baclofen can eliminate much of what I've feared and my plan is to get on it, regulate to a dose where I'm not sleepy or physically symptomatic off the pills and can just get on with life without them. I'd be dumping the Baclofen as soon as possible hoping the depression isn't just hiding under the surface but knowing there's no way to get out of this without a price. I wanted to find a place I could bounce questions and read others experiences, which is why I thought this forum would be a good place to hang. I've seen other opiate forums and half of the posters seem to be looking for a new high, not trying to get sober. I need to be with people who have experience with Baclofen and are about sobriety.

I've read many of your posts and love the intelligence, info, community spirit and support but can't miss the fact that alcohol is the addictive substance at large. I've read many of you used alcohol to get off opiates and now are using baclofen, addictions being fairly similar in the compulsion and mental battle it didn't seem like too big a stretch to think this might be the place for me. There's a lot of great in-depth info here which I appreciate as much of everything else is spotty, bits and pieces elsewhere.

I thought I'd ask if you think I'd be better suited to a more on topic community where Baclofen is widely used and discussed w/opiates and, If so, can anyone direct me to such a forum? Or do you think I could transfer the info here for my addiction detox and sobriety and be a fit here?

Thanks in advance for your consideration and time in reading this.

~ Peace and positive intention to you all~

[tiptronic_ct]

Newb Alert- Am I in the right forum?

Hiya, need2

Welcome to MWO!

This site is primarily for alcohol addiction, but many of our members have struggled with other substances too - from marijuana, heroin, painkillers, benzos, nicotine - you name it, we've seen some of it!

I suggest you start a thread in the Meds Forums: Topamax, Campral, Naltrexone, Baclofen, other meds - My Way Out Forums. A good idea is to create a thread for your own baclofen journey, where you can share your experiences and get input from other members.

MWO's baclofen threads are, as far as we have been able to ascertain, the most comprehensive and active ones that you'll be able to get. There is a French forum as well, but obviously the language barrier is an issue.

I think your particular situation would be most informative to the rest of the community, in that you're dealing with another type of addiction. In my own case, I've been AF (alcohol-free) since August 2009, but I'm still smoking like a chimney! We don't have clarity on issues such as different threshholds / switches / points of indiffference for various subtances.

Dr. Ameisen believes that baclofen can be effective for addictions other than alcohol, and we've already seen evidence of that in respect of cocaine. In short: I think your contributions through sharing your baclofen experience are more than welcome, and I'm sure there's a comfortable place in our community for you!

:welcome:

[ignominous]

Newb Alert- Am I in the right forum?

Difficult one, Need

I came to MWO because I had already decided to go the Baclofen route for my alcoholism. As far as I looked there were no other forums that concentrated on Baclofen as much as in the meds forum link that Tip gave.

If your going to give Baclofen a try then give this forum a try. Baclofen works for alcohol, to that I can attest. I too am still smoking 3 packs of fags a day!

Have a look at the meds forum, maybe I'll see you over there and would be interested to see what results you get.

[caysea]

Newb Alert- Am I in the right forum?

Hi Need

I would recommend checking out SMART RECOVERY. It has people recovering from al but also deals with drug addiction and other addictions. Has great info and the courts recognize it as an alternative to AA.

Stay Healthy and Keep Fighting
AF 5-16-08

[Doggygirl]

Newb Alert- Am I in the right forum?

Need, just wanted to welcome you. In my experience here at My Way Out, everyone is welcome and many recovery methods are openly discussed in a supportive way.

I wish you well in your recovery journey.

DG

[Choochie]

Newb Alert- Am I in the right forum?

:welcome:Need2Know - just wanted to welcome you and reiterate what Tip is saying, i.e. to visit the meds thread (he gave you a link). Hope you're able to get some advice that will help.

Choochie

[moglor]

Newb Alert- Am I in the right forum?

Welcome aboard, Need! Definitely stop by the meds thread. I don't have any experience with pain management (other than emotional pain!) or opiate addiction, but a combination of naltrexone and baclofen may be better suited for you. Opioid dependence is one of naltrexone's main uses.

You might also consider finding a doctor who specializes in pain management and/or addiction. It doesn't sound like your doctor has provided you with a comprehensive plan for weaning yourself off the pain meds, which should be a common and expected thing in pain management.

-Moglor

[gyco]

Newb Alert- Am I in the right forum?

life is what it is

need2know;1011445 wrote: Hi all, I found your site while digging in about Baclofen for withdrawal from opiate, namely pain pills I started after a surgery which to my surprise gave me the missing energy I'd lost and overrode the depression and PTSD symptoms that were kicking my ass, which I've relied upon for the past 4 years. It's now at a point where I feel the pills are holding me back from progress I need to make daily.

I've been scared by the horror stories on opiate w/d which held me back from detoxing but have been encouraged with the research I've done recently as Baclofen comes up often as a huge assist for many addictions. I asked my doc for an Rx for Baclofen which he prescribed after giving him the bullet points I'd learned. He manages my pain meds closely, being very concerned about the amount of acetaminophen I intake, testing my liver which has been fine due to the supplements I take, much to his surprise. He's willing to help me off in any way I'm down with.

I've been using 140mg on average daily of hydrocodone for 4 yrs and I'm not kiddin' myself that any amount of super antioxidant or supplement can prevent the long term effects and tax on my brain and liver etc. I'm sick of seeing it in my eyes and I'm sure its not doing me any favors in the anti-aging dept. I use opiates to deal with stress, anxiety, and now with the physical symptoms that start to scream 4 hours after last dose.

I've read Baclofen can eliminate much of what I've feared and my plan is to get on it, regulate to a dose where I'm not sleepy or physically symptomatic off the pills and can just get on with life without them. I'd be dumping the Baclofen as soon as possible hoping the depression isn't just hiding under the surface but knowing there's no way to get out of this without a price. I wanted to find a place I could bounce questions and read others experiences, which is why I thought this forum would be a good place to hang. I've seen other opiate forums and half of the posters seem to be looking for a new high, not trying to get sober. I need to be with people who have experience with Baclofen and are about sobriety.

I've read many of your posts and love the intelligence, info, community spirit and support but can't miss the fact that alcohol is the addictive substance at large. I've read many of you used alcohol to get off opiates and now are using baclofen, addictions being fairly similar in the compulsion and mental battle it didn't seem like too big a stretch to think this might be the place for me. There's a lot of great in-depth info here which I appreciate as much of everything else is spotty, bits and pieces elsewhere.

I thought I'd ask if you think I'd be better suited to a more on topic community where Baclofen is widely used and discussed w/opiates and, If so, can anyone direct me to such a forum? Or do you think I could transfer the info here for my addiction detox and sobriety and be a fit here?

Thanks in advance for your consideration and time in reading this.

~ Peace and positive intention to you all~

:welcome:hi 2.its funny i came here today and found your post,i to went from narcotics,to opiates :upset:when they changed me to opiates after surgery, from narcotics i realy could of killed someone,what a fuss,i felt like i was gonna jump out of my skin,all doctors dont hav a clue,and the sad thing is tey had my history,i do hope you lern to cope,its an hour at a time gyco:thanks::goodjob:

[Sunnyvalenting]

Newb Alert- Am I in the right forum?

Need,
I know that many addictions share some common pathways. Bac has been used for other than alcohol. I don't know the specifics of detoxing from narcotics. I would ask your doctor to advise you there. I would think that baclofen would work on any GABA deficiency with narc withdrawal. It may take you a few weeks to be able to titrate up on the bac as you titrate down on the narcotics. It may take tolerating at least some side effects at least at first as you get to know just how quickly to go down on your narcs (and up on the bac). As far as getting off quickly, I would ask you to consider being narcotic free for at least a few months before you tapered down SLOWLY off the bac. (10mg/d reduction each week is what I was told). If you taper off too soon you may well have depression that is due to the recent narc withdrawal and relative GABA deficiency so you wouldn't know would you? Anyway it takes several months for the neurotransmitters and brain to stabilize at least after alcohol.
Hope this is helpful. Do share on the med boards.
All the best. As far as I can tell this is the only active board which has members with experience with baclofen. However it seems mostly to be about the alcohol.
All the best
Sunny

[need2know]

Newb Alert- Am I in the right forum?

Thank you all so much for the welcome and advice.

My doctor sees me every 2 weeks, he knows I'm not using the meds to get smacked back, he knows my emotional history & isn't pushing me to do anything I've not shown willingness to take on but at my mention is all for helping me. He'd sign me into a detox center if I was game but haven't the ability to do this, I've got responsibilities etc and no medical insurance.

I've been dealing with a number of tough issues for the past 4 years and have made great gains in my emotional and physical wellbeing from the first time he met me when I was in crisis. Depression and PTSD which is how I glommed on to these meds. So I'm now finding myself more reclusive, less confident and I want to take the opiates out of the mix and see where I'm at without them. I've learned so much about the deficiencies I've been living with and have taken measures to correct them so I'd like to see if it has any bearing on my natural state. If that makes sense.

The pain meds were a surprise after a tummy tuck. They gave me energy, they actually did pull me out of a nosedive of depression I'd been struggling with. I never crushed them or went around the doc to get street or internet pills... I've just over maxed the upper limits of the PDR's safe guidelines for acetaminophen in the pills, and overall, I personally want to just be free of them entirely.

I want to get back to the place where I'd get a full night's sleep and wake up feeling awesome, full of energy and my brain being able to multitask and my ambition back, naturally. I may be sorely disappointed to find the depression lurking underneath it all, just waiting for me when I take off the mask of the opiate, but I've taken some measures to bolster my nutritional levels, have aminos and other supplements to boost me up if needed, hopefully, once the opiates are out of my system so I'm just ready to try to get through the 3 days of the bad stuff, then manage the lethargy and depression from the drug use with supplements with as minimal as possible attachment to another drug. I don't want to trade addictions really either.

That's what I'm hoping to find out, if Baclofen has its own wd symptoms, how long I may expect to have to stay on it after the initial wd phase from hydrocodone, and what I should expect with it in my system. Your input Sunny is very helpful, thanks! I agree that there doesnt seem to be any other site where people have experience with baclofen at least not in this depth. I appreciate the experiential info on the depression avoidance as that too is a fear of mine, to be right back where I started after all this.

Anyway, I'll follow your advice about that section and see what I can see. I appreciate your willingness to grant me space among ya all. Thanks.

[beatle]

Newb Alert- Am I in the right forum?

Hi need2know, and welcome!

from what I'm reading here, you are pretty keen on trying the baclofen, although your problem is not alcohol-- which is the drug the users of MWO are mostly battling. But in any case, I would say there is a plethora of information on the meds threads that will be directly pertinent and immensely helpful to you.

(Forgive me if I am repeating other's posts... I'm in a bit of a rush.)

One of the major concerns with baclofen is side effects. There a whole threads with pages and pages of shared information about side effects. I imagine the side effects from baclofen used to wean from opiates would be similar to those experienced by those weaning from alcohol. You will get lots of advice and tools for dealing with/understanding/avoiding side effects there.

It also seems you are worried about trading addictions. If you investigate a little more, you will find that baclofen is not an addictive drug, and this is known because of almost a century of use of the drug. It is not dangerous in high levels over long periods of time (also know from it's long history of use).

There are threads and posts galore explaining why baclofen is not addictive (as defined by all crieteria for "addictive" substances) -- the main points being that one does not develop a tolerance for it, need not go to ever higher levels to achieve the same result. Once an optimum result is achieved, most users gradually reduce their dosage to a lower maintanence dose. There is not a "high" produced that induces the user to seek after it in higher and higher doses.

And, like any medication taken in high dosage over long periods, yes, you will experience awful withdrawals if you stop it cold turkey. There are titration schedules for this that, if followed, should entirely eliminate any withdrawal discomfort.

I think you will find much more and all kinds of very useful and reassuring information about baclofen on the meds forum, as well as be introduced to other possible ways to deal with your particular situation.

Best of luck!