baclofen

[Guest]

baclofen

Hi Jeff, alcohol withdrawl and severity depnds on how much you have been drinking and for how long. As for baclofen here is a link to a clinical study that compared its efficay to the standard benzo treatment for uncomplicated alcohol withdrawl......Elsevier...... interesting read just avoid the methodolgy stuff.... Clearly if you are a person that may suffer seizures after withdrawl you need immediate medical attention as this is a life threatening situation
Regards
Reggie

[beatle]

baclofen

That's interesting, Reggie. I had no idea there was anyone out there testing Baclofen for alcohol withdrawal.

One thing this study neglects to mention, though, is the side effects. I have used benzos many times in detoxing, and, yes, they help a lot with the symptoms, but they also make you into a zombie whilst you are taking them. Baclofen does not have this side effect.

Another interesting thing about this report-- it cited Baclofen as affecting the GABA-b receptors -- but it didn't mention that this is what is unique about it. All the others affect the GABA-a receptors -- this includes benzos, topomax, barbiturates, valium, and, of course, alcohol.

[MissM]

baclofen

Advise Needed with mixing medications

Hello. It?s been a long time since I posted. I tried Topa for 6 months and only had a small amount of relief from my nightly drinking, but it was still a major effort to abstain, even for a night or two. When I got off it totally, I noticed that I was sneaking extra shots while my boyfriend was in the shower, etc. This has been going on for about six months.

So, a good friend gave me The End of my Addiction and after reading it, decided to give Baclofen a try. I have been on it for 8 days and have only gone up to 30 MG. So far I have had no relief from anxiety or muscle tension. Not only am I taking it to stop drinking, but also to ease the extreme muscle pain that has been impairing me for months in my back. I do physical work (house painter), but have never suffered from so much extended pain for months at a time. Also, I am having panic attacks and extreme anxiety from some personal issues that are going on in my life. Of course, the things that are stressing me out are largely due to my drinking.

Here is my main source of confusion now: My new psychologist, who is unaware of me beginning Baclofen, is prescribing a number of things to take for my anxiety - Buspar, Zoloft, and Klonopin. I have not taken any of these meds yet as I am scared about mixing them with the Baclofen. I have looked up the drug interactions on Drugs.com, and they all say the same thing: Klonopin (clonazepam) and baclofen (Moderate Drug-Drug)
MONITOR: Central nervous system- and/or respiratory-depressant effects may be additively or synergistically increased in patients taking multiple drugs that cause these effects, especially in elderly or debilitated patients.

MANAGEMENT: During concomitant use of these drugs, patients should be monitored for potentially excessive or prolonged CNS and respiratory depression. Ambulatory patients should be counseled to avoid hazardous activities requiring complete mental alertness and motor coordination until they know how these agents affect them, and to notify their physician if they experience excessive or prolonged CNS effects that interfere with their normal activities.

Since I am suffering so much from anxiety (and the balcofen isn?t having any effect on me yet), I wonder if it is ok to take any of them. And if I do, I will only take one of the meds my new doctor recommended. Of course she prescribed all of them to be taken together. Would any of you have any advise for me? I am trying to slow down my drinking, because, of course that?s just another dangerous mixture. I can?t sleep and am worried to the point of being incapacitated. Normally I am an energetic person who exercises regularly, works hard and is socially ?ok?. Now I am basically hiding in my house feeling hopeless feeling physically and emotionally weak to the point of a sloth.

I am supposed to up my dose of Baclofen tomorrow, but am also wanting to take one of these new medications to help ease my fears/anxiety/pain. My girlfriend who introduced me to this is up to 160 MG of Bac now and has had very little relief which worries me. I?m wondering if these pills that came all the way from New Zealand and arrived in my mailbox and sat there in the hot sun for hours before I got them, are even effective. They hardly have any taste except a bit salty, so I?m fearing they may not even be good.

In closing, thanks so much to Bill?s many posts which have given me hope to try this. Thanks for reading and I look forward to any helpful advise.
:upset:

[AMELIA]

baclofen

Hello Miss M,

I do not have useful advice about the drug interactions. I just wanted to say hello and that I hope you find some relief from your anxiety and back pain.

If you are just beginning a new relationship with a psychologist, wouldn't it be better for you in the long run to be up front with him/her and tell them you are on Bac? Then you can work together to see what other meds would work in conjunction with the Bac. It might be physically safer for you and it would mean that your meetings with your psychologist would be open and honest....

Wishing you all the best in finding a solution.
Amelia

[christyacc]

baclofen

Miss M:

I am taking Cymbalta and when I looked up drug interactions on Drugs.com, it said the same thing. I haven't had any issues. I think they are concerned about more medically compomised people, ambulatory, elderly, etc.

I am in no means telling you it's ok, just that I have taken it under the same precautions, and I am fine thus far. I am at 110mgs of Bac.

[ancon]

baclofen

Thank you

Hello. I have just read through this entire thread and am very hopeful about Baclofen. It seems that the side effects are not as bad with the Baclofen as the Topamax.
I have an appt with my doc on Friday. I really am hesitant to go on any medication without the help/monitoring of a doctor. I see that many people have ordered online and did their own dosing.
I am hoping my doctor will be open-minded enough to let me try it. I am in the US and have Kaiser as my insurance so I am not expecting her to give me a script for it. All I can do is try. I have information and this thread to point her to so all I can do is hope. I have struggled with AL for years and want this monkey gone! I will let you all know the outcome of my appt on Friday.

Thanks for all the posts from everyone. You have all given me a great amount of hope!

:thanks:

[beatle]

baclofen

MissM;715940 wrote: Hello. It?s been a long time since I posted. I tried Topa for 6 months and only had a small amount of relief from my nightly drinking, but it was still a major effort to abstain, even for a night or two. When I got off it totally, I noticed that I was sneaking extra shots while my boyfriend was in the shower, etc. This has been going on for about six months.

So, a good friend gave me The End of my Addiction and after reading it, decided to give Baclofen a try. I have been on it for 8 days and have only gone up to 30 MG. So far I have had no relief from anxiety or muscle tension. Not only am I taking it to stop drinking, but also to ease the extreme muscle pain that has been impairing me for months in my back. I do physical work (house painter), but have never suffered from so much extended pain for months at a time. Also, I am having panic attacks and extreme anxiety from some personal issues that are going on in my life. Of course, the things that are stressing me out are largely due to my drinking.

Here is my main source of confusion now: My new psychologist, who is unaware of me beginning Baclofen, is prescribing a number of things to take for my anxiety - Buspar, Zoloft, and Klonopin. I have not taken any of these meds yet as I am scared about mixing them with the Baclofen. I have looked up the drug interactions on Drugs.com, and they all say the same thing: Klonopin (clonazepam) and baclofen (Moderate Drug-Drug)
MONITOR: Central nervous system- and/or respiratory-depressant effects may be additively or synergistically increased in patients taking multiple drugs that cause these effects, especially in elderly or debilitated patients.

MANAGEMENT: During concomitant use of these drugs, patients should be monitored for potentially excessive or prolonged CNS and respiratory depression. Ambulatory patients should be counseled to avoid hazardous activities requiring complete mental alertness and motor coordination until they know how these agents affect them, and to notify their physician if they experience excessive or prolonged CNS effects that interfere with their normal activities.

Since I am suffering so much from anxiety (and the balcofen isn?t having any effect on me yet), I wonder if it is ok to take any of them. And if I do, I will only take one of the meds my new doctor recommended. Of course she prescribed all of them to be taken together. Would any of you have any advise for me? I am trying to slow down my drinking, because, of course that?s just another dangerous mixture. I can?t sleep and am worried to the point of being incapacitated. Normally I am an energetic person who exercises regularly, works hard and is socially ?ok?. Now I am basically hiding in my house feeling hopeless feeling physically and emotionally weak to the point of a sloth.

I am supposed to up my dose of Baclofen tomorrow, but am also wanting to take one of these new medications to help ease my fears/anxiety/pain. My girlfriend who introduced me to this is up to 160 MG of Bac now and has had very little relief which worries me. I?m wondering if these pills that came all the way from New Zealand and arrived in my mailbox and sat there in the hot sun for hours before I got them, are even effective. They hardly have any taste except a bit salty, so I?m fearing they may not even be good.

In closing, thanks so much to Bill?s many posts which have given me hope to try this. Thanks for reading and I look forward to any helpful advise.
:upset:

I also wonder if the stuff you have is good. Is there a way to try another brand or provider (dealer=)?) Many people here order from 4rx and other online pharms, and there have only been a couple complaints (see Lusus's thread on Online ordering of Bac).

So, this is not advice, just relating my personal experience: I have combined many drugs that also got a "moderate" interaction warning and with the same CNS warning -- I have not had an problem with this. As Lusus says, I think those warnings apply most to elderly and compromised persons. If it were me (again not advice), I would try taking the klonopin at night (not stopping the Bac). I myself have never taken klonopin, but I know personally several people for whom it has a been a big help. You might try taking it at a reduced dose, though, so you can gauge how they affect you together.

I also agree you should consult your physician, but I wouldn't do it myself unless I believed the doc would have some degree of open-mindedness. If you do decide to be honest with the doc, be sure to have the Bac Bible on hand. It can be mighty convincing since it is written by a doctor, meticulously researched, and full of the kind of appendices doctors love.

[christyacc]

baclofen

I have a physical booked for the end of October, and I know my mom has mentioned my drinking to my dr. I have also mentioned it in the past.....so I will bring it up, and bring the Bac Bible with me for backup. I am hoping for a script. I can tell her that this has certainly helped me......I have definately reduced my drinking and am now on my 5th day AF. If I can maintain that sobriety until my appt, and after, that should help me when I speak to my dr.

[MissM]

baclofen

Thanks everyone

Christy - I couldn't tell for sure, are you on Bac now? 5 Days AF is great! My friend who is now up to 160 mg Bac just reported to me - she's got 5 days AF too! I'm so happy for you both. I'm feeling a little bit better today and went up to a 20mg morning dose with no side effects yet and it's been 3 hours since my dose. I can't wait for the switch to happen for me. One of my largest sources of stress lightened up a bit yesterday, so I'm feeling a bit better. Only two margaritas last night, but of course they were about 16 oz each. So that's what, about 5 drinks for a normal person, right? For me though, that's good as I could have easily put twice as many down the hatch.

[christyacc]

baclofen

That is amazing that you stopped at 2!! We have to always focus on the positives, and try not to dwell on the negative. I realize that is easier said than done. I know when I have fallen off in the past and feel completely down on myself the next day, it's hard to think of positives, but we have to at least try.

I am thrilled to have 5 days AF. That is the most in a year for me....last year I went 3 months.

You sound happy Miss M!!!! A nice feeling!!

[Pete1]

baclofen

[QUOTE=ancon;716347
I am hoping my doctor will be open-minded enough to let me try it. I am in the US and have Kaiser as my insurance so I am not expecting her to give me a script for it.


You know I understand that Kaiser has an excellent alcohol treatment program and that you are covered for it.

[Anna B]

baclofen

[quote]Pete1;717109 wrote: [QUOTE=ancon;716347
I am hoping my doctor will be open-minded enough to let me try it. I am in the US and have Kaiser as my insurance so I am not expecting her to give me a script for it.


You know I understand that Kaiser has an excellent alcohol treatment program and that you are covered for it.[/quote]
Hi Pete--

Just out of curiosity, what is Kaiser's alcohol treatment program?

I'm, just wondering because my own health insurance plan deals w/ alcoholism in a really strange way in that they will almost fully cover almost 100% of very traditional AA-based inpatient rehab programs (costing tens of thousands of dollars) but won't cover outpatient treatment AT ALL. If you get outpatient care, they will pay at most $60 "per session" of your treatment.

--Anna

[ancon]

baclofen

Doc appt.

Hi Pete and Anna -

Just got back from my Dr. appt. She wouldn't have anything to do with meds, and referred me to the chemical dependency dept. They are supposed to be calling me today. I don't really know much about the program yet, but I am willing to give it a try. I think they do use some meds like Campral and Naltrexone because there was info about it on their website. The chemical dependency dept is part of their behavioral health dept and she said they will be able to determine if there are any underlying mental issues, which I think is great.

I will let you know what I find out. Hopefully today.:thumbs:

[cowgal]

baclofen

Good luck

I hope it all works out for you ancon.............please keep us posted on your progress ...

We care,

MA

[ancon]

baclofen

Thanks Cowgal. I think I will start a new thread with the program info since I have a feeling I won't be getting any baclofen out of it!

A