Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

[tiptronic_ct]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Cinders;677528 wrote: Tip,

What are you vital stats? Height and weight? (You can give more than that if you want.. :H:H)

Just curious. If you are a large man, you may need more than most.

Cindi

Hi, Cindi

I'm 39 y/o, 1.82m, 78kg. Before joiing MWO, I was drinking 750ml of vodka plus a bottle of red wine daily. I've managed to taper of my alcohol intake to two glasses of red wine every evening before starting the bac. I've maintained that level (with some difficulty) since starting on it. I normally react to meds quite quickly, which is why I find my reaction to bac so strange...

At this rate, I'll have to titrate down, and 1st stock up on enough bac so that I can be sure that I won't run out. I have three orders from 4rx on its way so that I can plan properly.

[oliveoyl]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

"How long are each of you going to stay on bac?" Hi Lucky( love your avartar lol) sorry just saw your question. For me and i cant speak for all of us.... But my answer is ...as long as it takes!!!! Dr Ameisen who has reached his switch off at about 250mgs and no longer desired alcohol is still on a maintenance dose of about 100 mg's for anxiety . Anyway I suggest you read the book its an inspiring read. Are you considering this approach? good luck with what ever path you choose..... its working for me I am astounded at my lack of craving but i am aware its resolving part of the problem!! I'm still getting the force of habit thing however working on that with meditation/hypno tapes.
Regards

[billyb]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

beatle;677634 wrote: Just wondering, I am not even close to AF -- how long does it take?

Cindi suggests strongly that anyone doing the Bac titration should stop drinking. To me this is not a fair proposition, or even a remote possibility, at least at this stage. I'd love to "just do it". But that is the one thing I've been trying to do the past few years. If I could just stop drinking, I would. I can't. That's why I am doing the Bac.

Any suggestions for how, and how quickly, one can reduce and eliminate the drinking are welcome.

You will know when you're ready to stop drinking - you just need to keep titrating up until you feel yourself hit that switching point (you will recognize it when it happens - your craving will simply disappear). There's no need to force yourself to quit before then.

(The one caveat, though, is if you have a marked sensitivity to combining alcohol with baclofen: several people here have reported bad nausea, dangerous intoxication, and terrible hangovers. For those people it is obviously much better to be sober while taking baclofen.)

Have you read Dr. A's book yet? He continued to drink throughout until he reached the magic dose.

Myself, I also continued to drink throughout titration, and at the magic point I simply felt no more desire to keep drinking - one or even half a drink was enough. At that point it was fairly simple to go AF.

[prancy]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Hello all. I have been mostly lurking with an occasional post. I have ordered the bac and in preparation I have been AF for 24 days. Usually that would be impossible for me but I have been taking the supplements and the vitamins and I am very motivated, having been asked by my husband and daughter to "please do something about your drinking." They are both okay with me trying to use the whole program, vitamins, supplements, hypnotherapy, community, and bac to try to mod. If that doesn't work, I will have to go AF. I have a powerful motivator to mod as this is probably my last chance with them!

I would like to have some comments from those of you who are so inclined on what you mean by "craving." It is such a vague word. I can't say as I "crave" alcohol until I start drinking it. Once I get to a certain point, I just can't stop. But I have to sort of get to that point before the physical craving starts. Then I don't even know myself. I just go on a 2-3 day bender with beer to even out the physical, emotional wreckage from the binge.

What does craving feel like before you have had a drink? Are you talking about wanting one a lot? Or is there something else? Thanks for your feedback.

[Cinders]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Prancy,

I am probably not the best person to answer, as I was not a binge drinker per se, I was a 24/7 binge drinker.

However, my cravings before drinking were horrendous. I simply could not stave off the desire for the first drink. (Well, I could, I did many times but eventually would fail.) It was as if my entire being was focused on getting that drink in my system. I couldn't concentrate on anything else.

Like you, after the first drink, the game would be on and I would always be the loser. I could not pace myself, drink in anyway a normal amount. It was hell.

Since I am not considering moderation, I can't speak to that, either. I have done too much damage to myself and my loved ones because of drinking. Moderation is not an option for me.

I hope it is an option for you and I hope you post about your progress. All information that is shared will help many others who want to walk this path.

Cindi

[Pete1]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

tiptronic_ct;677694 wrote: Hi, Cindi

I'm 39 y/o, 1.82m, 78kg. Before joiing MWO, I was drinking 750ml of vodka plus a bottle of red wine daily. I've managed to taper of my alcohol intake to two glasses of red wine every evening before starting the bac. I've maintained that level (with some difficulty) since starting on it. I normally react to meds quite quickly, which is why I find my reaction to bac so strange...

At this rate, I'll have to titrate down, and 1st stock up on enough bac so that I can be sure that I won't run out. I have three orders from 4rx on its way so that I can plan properly.

That's phenominal progress! I am just getting started, but I still wake up and want to start drinking right away.

[beatle]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Cinders;678086 wrote: Prancy,

I am probably not the best person to answer, as I was not a binge drinker per se, I was a 24/7 binge drinker.

However, my cravings before drinking were horrendous. I simply could not stave off the desire for the first drink. (Well, I could, I did many times but eventually would fail.) It was as if my entire being was focused on getting that drink in my system. I couldn't concentrate on anything else.

Like you, after the first drink, the game would be on and I would always be the loser. I could not pace myself, drink in anyway a normal amount. It was hell.

Since I am not considering moderation, I can't speak to that, either. I have done too much damage to myself and my loved ones because of drinking. Moderation is not an option for me.

I hope it is an option for you and I hope you post about your progress. All information that is shared will help many others who want to walk this path.

Cindi

I have had a similar drinking pattern to Cindi's (24/7, rarely binges).
I'm also aiming for an AF life, not moderation, although it might be nice to have a glass on a rare special occasion (New Year's Eve, for example). On the other hand, as long as I make sure there are non-alcoholic options available, I am inclined to just be 100% AF.

I am still on a very low dose, and although I am definitely feeling some effect, I am still drinking quite a lot. I am pretty sure this is out of habit, and not so much due to cravings. However, when I try to hold back on the drinking, I do feel some withdrawal effects, such as shaking, which compels me to drink even though I definitely feel less of the nice effect I am used to when I drink.

I hope to be able to titrate up slowly and lose desire for alcohol as I do so.

One other benefit from the Bac is that although I do feel withdrawal effects whenever I try to significantly reduce my Al intake, I haven't had the anxiety that is usually a major part of withdrawal for me. I do hate the shaking and the moodiness, but I love not having so much anxiety.

[juliej15]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Hi All -

I have been on the Bac for a week now. I am up to 50 mg/day. I am definitely feeling the effects...less anxiety, sleeping great, less obsessive thoughts about drinking.

I am still drinking slightly less my normal amount. Tonight driving home from work, I didn't think about wine until I passed one of my usual liquour stores. While I didn't really have an urge to stop b/c I didn't feel like drinking, I became consumed with worry about what would happen if I were at home and started craving later tonight. I stopped and bought my usual 1.5L of wine.

I am hoping that as I continue to titrate up, the anxiety over the "what if" will also decline. Has anyone had a similar "don't want to drink but too scared to not have it" episode? If so, did it go away? My goal is to be AF, but it is anxiety that has kept me drinking and I am hoping that it will go away soon.

Thanks for any input!!

JulieJ

[Cinders]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Hello,

Just checking in to say that once again, I go to bed sober.

It is a miracle.

Love,
Cindi

[Cinders]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Julie,

I take Klonipen prn for panic/anxiety attacks.

I have not had to take one since I hit 80 mgs/ day.

I hope your experience is the same.

Cindi

[Cinders]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Pete,

At some point, you will hit the point where you will find your thoughts turning less and less frequently to drinking.

It was like that for me.

And, yes, I drank upon arising and all day long.

Cindi

[juliej15]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Cinders -

Congrats on going to bed AF. I hope I am there soon!!

I take Lexapro for the anxiety....is that different from the Klonipen???

JulieJ

[Cinders]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Julie,

Yes, Lexapro is very different from Klonipen.

Klonipen is a benzo, a dangerous drug for us alcoholics. We can get addicted to them very easily. Although, I really don't like the feeling Klonipen gives me any where nearly as much as I liked my alcoholic buzz.

My doctor and I discussed taking the Klonipen in depth, because she was concerned about giving me a script for it. However, she felt that panic attacks and or anxiety attacks could easily cause me to relapse.

So, I only take one when I have a true out and out panic attack. i.e., unable to function.

The Baclofen has been helping me so much in so many ways, and the anxiety and panic disorder is just yet another area with which it has helped me.

I don't suffer anxiety or panic attacks now at all. I do get stressed, I have been stressing about work a lot lately, but no anxiety or panic attacks from it.

It is a true blessing for me.

Cindi

[juliej15]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Cindi-

Thanks...that makes sense! I take the Lexapro everday but I have a script for Xanax which I take prn. Like you...I don't like the way the benzo make me feel but sometimes it is better than the alernative.

I am going to keep titrating up...I feel like I am getting closer.

Thanks for your response!

JulieJ

[Zman]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Hello all,

Just checking in. Im on my last day of 75mg...its been 8 days on this dose, but I felt that I wasnt ready, as far as effects from the Bac, to go up. Anyway, im ready now and will be going up to 90mg tomorrow.

I have been AF for 5 days, but as we speak, the AF is coming to an end. Im not too upset about it. I know I havent hit the off switch yet, but thought at 75mg the cravings had reduced enough to be able to go AF for the week (the week where I am is Sunday-thursday), and i managed to that without too many problems. Maybe at 90 i will feel the off switch, but so far, im just feeling a reduction in cravings, not total suppression.