baclofen

[Bill.P.]

baclofen

xx

[Guest]

baclofen

Bill P.
Thank you so much! I just feel like crying, I'm so hopeful for the first time in years. As I said, I've tried so hard not to drink.....usually the 2 month period, just takes me under.
My blood pressure didn't seem to go down not drinking, although of course I physically would begin to feel better, well in some ways. HA
That withdrawal period has always been so horrible. Hot sweats, sleeping, losing days to get over the last binge. Or when I had a job I had to go to, just feeling so miserable and hoping I could get through the day and keep up. Only so many family emergencies work for not showing up!
I just have to try and hold on, not go completely under waiting for the baclofen to come in the mail.
I just don't have the money for a doctor right now. If I find this works, I may try to get into one and see if I can get the cheaper $4 generics at Walmart , etc. Medical history, hopes of health insurance in the future, keep me from saying too much. Although my last visit to the doctor I broke down and cried, I was drinking heavily then and told him, as I was getting a blood test for high blood pressure meds and assumed it would show up. Results came back fine, but he offered no help, just a hug as I went out the door. I think most doctors have no idea what to offer as help, except rehab.
The phone calls don't work anymore, none of my family will talk with me. Even months sober, they don't know I am, won't answer the phone to me. Sad, because I moved 16 hours away from my kids and 7 grandkids when I married. They just gave up on me since I've been here.
I've always tried to explain to my husband, because I was blacked out when I would call family or do some stupid thing, a fight, mess in the house, etc. " The next day I have to keep picking up the pieces and cleaning up the mess this stranger, this stalker that comes into my life causes." It is hard to explain to someone without the problem, how drinking can change your personality so much and you have zero memory of doing the crazy things. As you said, that's the total isolation, who knows what she'll do, so I stay hidden and alone. Then sober, oh the fear, if I go out, someone may offer me a drink and out of anxiety and total insecurity I may take it and and make such a fool of ME. Then his love will change to hate and down the tubes I go again.
I have hidden important papers, rings and jewelery, I guess thinking he would take my things from me when I was drunk. When I sobered up, really thought he had, then months later find them in some crazy place I hid them drunk. I then got to the place of not mentioning it, assuming I probably had, but not knowing where the something was hid.
Maybe others can relate to these ramblings. Sorry, I am going on. As I said , for years I've been alone.
Thank you again.
I will come back later and report my progress when I get my pills. Maybe some other ' lonely stranger' like me will be looking for hope and one of my ramblings may give them hope also.

[Guest]

baclofen

Thank you so much!

[billyb]

baclofen

In response to a discussion about titration speeds over in Siwan's thread:


I don't think anyone has a real solid, scientific reason why either faster or slower titration would be better.

Like Bill.P. says, the side-effects and your own personal style are the best guides. I would be a bit concerned about going TOO fast, but Ameisen's 20mg/3 days schedule seems like a good pace if you want really fast titration.

Zen's 10mg/3-5 day recommendation seems like a great not-too-fast, not-too-slow pace. It's probably the same one I would recommend, at least until you are confident about how your body responds to baclofen.

(Keep in mind that Ameisen had extensive experience taking baclofen before he began his more methodical titration, so he knew how well he could tolerate 20mg increases. People just starting out have no idea how well they will tolerate titration, which is why I think Zen gives some solid advice about the 10mg increases, whether it's every 3 days or even every 7 days. You can always speed up once you figure out how your body responds to the increases.)

The possible benefit of faster titration is obvious: you might get to your magic point faster.

The possible benefits of slower titration are: you might have less side effects, and you MIGHT have a lower magic point. This second point is pure conjecture, especially since we have so little experience with the drug.

(The only reason I think that going slower MIGHT give a lower magic dose is by analogy to anti-depressants, where you often need a couple weeks before you see the full therapeutic effects. If something similar is going on with baclofen (big "if"), then slowing down your titration will indeed result in a lower "magic point." This is obviously pure speculation, but the French forum has much more experience with baclofen than we do, so we certainly shouldn't rule it out. Unfortunately we need some fluent French-speakers to actually read the thread and tell us what they are really saying!)

So in all, I completely agree with Bill.P - it really is about what works for you. As long as you tolerate the side effects well, there's no proven reason to go slower than Ameisen's schedule of 20mg increases every 3 days. Fast titration might also help if you are worried that you'll give up if you don't see results quickly.

If, on the other hand, you are unsure about how you will handle the side effects, have anxiety about medication in general, or just are the type of person that likes slow, methodical progress rather than abrupt change, then a slower schedule will likely work better for you.

[Guest]

baclofen

Waiting

Still waiting for my baclofen to come in the mail from 4rx.com.
Have stayed on beer. Gee, I went two months without drinking. Weird, my husband seems happy I am drinking again. But he supports my trying this new way of maybe not drinking, but then I haven't gotten 'weird' lately. But I don't feel good about drinking at all. I can appear cheerful, fun (?) , not uptight. He also feels better about being able to drink openly at home, if I am. He usually hides whiskey and drinks it with his beer. Just hope nothing awful happens before the meds get here and I then won't feel I need this beer to get through. I know this in the long run won't work, playing at controlling my drinking. I have refused to buy hard liquor, I know the hell that takes me too. But I also don't like hiding the beer drinking. Eventually soon, it won't be enough.
Have stayed busy, but not full potential.
I just want to be free of this yoke, it is holding me back so much in life!
Will keep checking in.

[Zman]

baclofen

Dr. Bill,

I would like to hear your response to the Liver Function Test thread. If our LFTs are normal, can we consider our livers to be ok (for now), or are the tests pretty inaccurate?

Thanks

[louise]

baclofen

Saving Grace - Hope your pills arrive soon - most are arriving in

[me1455]

baclofen

how is everyone doing? still waiting for mine. is it working great for everyone still?

[me1455]

baclofen

sorry read some of the posts, so i saw how everones doing. cant wait =)

[oliveoyl]

baclofen

Another good source

Hi just wanted to say another source for bac is inhouse pharmacy ( generic PACIFEN) some reviews and links they are great for us in the southern hem (Australia) in terms of time as they ship from the south pacific. I agree Bacfolen is good still trying but its helping heaps. All the best in getting and staying sober!!!!!

[oliveoyl]

baclofen

Just told "In order to post links i must post more than One post"..... so hi:H

[oliveoyl]

baclofen

As I said i was told I can't post a link as I have only posted one post anyway here is the link In House Pharmacy (www inhousepharmacy com) Reviews no affiliation just presenting another choice they are cheap and reliable good luck !!!!~!

[louise]

baclofen

Thanks oliveoyl. I'm bumping this thread up because it is such an amazing thread. I would love to hear how all the people who popped in to say they were ordering are doing. And to revel, who started this thread, I hope you found your way.

[billyb]

baclofen

Inhousepharmacy seems like a pretty good deal - prices are about the same as 4rx, goldpharma, and alldaychemist.

If you don't feel like bothering with that referrer link above, though, here's a direct link to inhousepharmacy.

[Larisa]

baclofen

Hi, everyone. I've been a drunk for seven or eight years now - I drink about 1.5 bottles of wine/night. I got sober with topa and the MWO program for about three months last fall, which was absolutely amazing for me, but I stayed anxious and went back to my old ways. I've tried starting again on and off, and I think I have "drunk through" the topa and made it ineffective for me.

I'm so thrilled to hear about this new option! I've already ordered the book and my first 200 tabs. Thanks to all of you who put the information out there. It's nice to see some familiar names on here.

It seems like drinking while taking baclofen doesn't make the baclofen any less effective - is that right? That would be nice! Then I couldn't screw it up, like the topa!

Congratulations to all who are doing well and all who are trying to get there.