Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

[tiptronic_ct]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

I went from 180mg the day before yesterday to 200mg yesterday. Until now, the bac has been like eating candy - no side effects at all, no influence on AL cravings. Last night I slept well for the 1st time in ages - got 7 hours solid, and still felt tired when I got up to get ready for work. That was sorted by the time I had coffee and a shower.

Will just keep on titrating up... Still drinking moderately, and the cravings can get quite bad, but for the 1st time I'm feeling more positive about bac.

[Zman]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Great to hear all your progress.

I am still at 150. Side effects are a bit better (but not much). And more importantly, I am on day 5 of AF! Granted, it has been during the week and have not tested the weekend as yet, and I have done this before - but I had only minor cravings.

Im still feeing too wierd on the 150 to move up though.

[j-vo]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Morning!

I'm moving up to 30 mg. today. I didn't have any side effects with the 15, so hopefully this next increase will be the same. I'm still so encouraged by everyone here.

Cowgal, I'm reading Dr. A's book now. Once you receive it you won't be able to put it down.

Cindi, congrats on months! And the icing on the cake is lowered anxiety. You're an inspiration.

Andy, again, lowered anxiety since you were a teen! I so look forward to seeing those results. I've had severe anxiety for over 20 years.

Brightlight - don't be so disappointed in yourself. You only had 2 drinks, you were 5 days AF and your progress keeps getting better. Hang in there girl. Your future is looking brighter.

Tip, glad you're seeing some positive results.

Zman, minor craving and 5 days AF is definitely progress. Keep it going.

Larisa, hang in there girl.

Everyone else, thanks for your posts. I'm so very optimistic about this bac. Especially with regards to helping my anxiety. Take care.

[tiptronic_ct]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Hello, All

I'm going to be up to 220mg today.

And boy, can I now feel it: I slept solidly for 7 hours again (2nd night in a row). Today, I'm feeling a bit "woozy" - very sleepy at work, and a dizzy feeling. My limbs also feel sort of heavy.

Anxiety getting better, I think: I was very relaxed driving in to work today, despite extremely heavy traffic and taking 2 1/2 hours to drive 60km. Normally I would have become agitated and very stressed out.

I'll see how the cravings go tonight. If last night is anything to by, it should be WAY better. I stop at a supermarket or convenience store about every other day. Usually, I'd take the opportunity to also buy wine if there's only one or two bottles "in stock" at home - I tend to obsess about there being potentially no AL in the house. Last night, I actually forgot to buy extra wine - the thought didn't cross my mind. I still drank last night, but didn't finish the last bit of my 2nd glass.

Here's to hoping that the switch is getting closer! I'm going to titrate up even higher, despite feeling side effects (I almost welcome them after feeling no effects from bac for so long). At least its weekend, so I can sleep all I want if I feel I need it, and can then stay on the same level (should be 240mg by Sunday) for a few days next week when I need to be clear-headed at work.

On a lighter note: I feel a bit like a meds-junkie: there is an entire drawer in the bedroom filled with my BacMax stash :-)

[tiptronic_ct]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Oh, and I forgot to mention: I'm smoking WAY less. I used to smoke at least 30 a day (more over weekends).

At the moment, I'm smoking about 15 a day.

[j-vo]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Tip,
So glad to hear your making progress. I'm a smoker as well, and have tried to stop on many occasions, but al brought me back to it. I can say, I also don't think about needing a smoke as much also. Is this also another addiction that can be curbed with bac?

[cowgal]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

great news!!!

I am so happy to see everyone doing so well on the baclofen, I am upping my dose as it is Friday and I have (since going down to 20 mg 3x a day) been thinking about drinking(only a little, but enough to concern me).....will do over the weekend so any side effects won't affect my job too........ Still anxiously waiting on my book!

XOXO

MA

[Larisa]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

I woke up sober for the first time in weeks, woohoo! I was kind of spacey and tingly at 110 mg, so I was too afraid to drink. I actually didn't really feel like it. (Oh, and I'm really tired of throwing up.) Maybe I'll make it again tonight...

[brightlite]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Way to go Larisa! How was your night?

[cowgal]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

great job!!

I am so happy for you Larisa, I am on day 6 af and have NO craving, no bad side effects either, besides feeling really happy and at ease and hopeful......I really am so happy my doc started me on baclofen and just read Dr. Ameison's book..... What a compelling story..... I feel a common bond w/ him, would like to write him a letter of thanks for doing "a study" on himself, and being so successful, sorta a sad ending though.

Lots of love and luck everyone!!!
MA

[beatle]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

cowgal;699404 wrote: ..... I feel a common bond w/ him, would like to write him a letter of thanks for doing "a study" on himself, and being so successful, sorta a sad ending though.
MA

The story is not over yet... and I don't think it has a sad ending.

[louise]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Good to see everyone doing so well! I haven't been around much - just wanted to drop in and say hi. I'm doing well, drinking very little and often forgetting to take the baclofen. Seems like it helped me get over a hump and string AF days together. I will titrate up if I start to have problems with the Al.

[brightlite]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Hi all, I'm at 70mg. Strung together 5 days AF, but had some wine this weekend. I really didn't have an overwhelming urge, but I did I think out of habit of "relaxing on the weekend". I didn't drink half as much as I normally would have had. Again, Onward and Upward and will go for AF this week again. It is easier during the week to be AF. I stay busy with work and going to the gym. I guess on the weekend I have idle time and hands and you know what they say...."Idle hands are the devils play" I think that is the saying.

Reading Dr. A's book. Very insightful. Anxiety has always been my issue. Remembering how I was back in my early 20's, I definitely had a pre-condition of anxiety prior to the addiction.

[Bill.P.]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Cinders;697145 wrote: Marbella,

I am into months now, not days, not weeks, months.

I refuse to count so I don't obsess. Silly, I know.

How are you doing?

Cindi

Cinders, I can honestly say that it is so touching to hear you say that! I know Ive told you this before but when I told my story and you said you finally had hope for the first time in 2 years. It touched me
I told my wife about that and many other people. I of course had no way of knowing that it would turn out so well for you. I wish I could just give you a big hug! I read some of your other posts by chance and it seemed like you were a bit lost and a serial relapser. You know, the kind of person that cant be fixed lol!
So wonderful to watch your days add up and to be at the point I was where, meh, I forget to count! Wonderful indeed (and you I both know without baclofen we'd damn sure be able to tell you how many days, hours, minutes seconds it was and probably be able to do the same if we were honest on when we'd drink next)
Now that is gone!

I'd just like to congratulate all the new people who have shown up in my absence and having success! I wish I had more time to be here and get to know you all and help you out! Seems though you are doing just fine without me and thanks to others (thanks zen as always for being there for everyone).

Well the reason why I am actually posting is I'd like to give a hearty congratulations to Tiptronic for getting to this point after having to dose higher than most! I think that is fundamentally important to so many others to read this that the dose is so personal that it must be advised to not give up. I can certainly understand others who may not post reading about people's success at 50mg only to have that dose feel like nothing.

To that end, I'd just like to remind people that there are good eliminators and bad eliminators of baclofen. Meaning, and this is true of virtually every drug, that some people are efficient and excreting (pissing out) a drug, others are poor metabolizers (they hold onto things like their irish grandmas doilies)!

So logic dictates that tiptronic is a superstar and excreting baclofen and not allowing it to stay long in the system. Unfortunately, it cost more and more pills if a cheap prescription is not obtained. Others, are poor metabolizers and the dose hangs around, builds up, the steady state level of their blood baclofen remains high at lower dose. Good for them! They are the types to have terrible withdrawals from benzodiazepines like valium (not meaning to cross drug reference, just saying the more it hangs out the worse the withdrawal see methadone).

Anyways, congratulations tip and although my wife has me running in circles, I'll post in another thread about that. I have stopped by and you had me worried a bit that you were getting no effect lol.

Also, just want to give a hearty Bill.P. welcome to Cowgal and Larisa and welcome to the baclofen tidal tsunami that will be occuring. Woop woop to Beatle!
All the others that I cant remember and need to scroll back.

Andy R! My main man in Scotland! It's with an Irish tear in my eye that you have had so much success with baclofen on quitting drinking. I dont know as an Irishman to hit you over the head or congratulate you. My Irish Mum always said that Irish men always are the worst but at some point in their lives, they always find good and become good men!
i guess that goes for the Scots as well lol
But I am glad you stumbled across me on facebook and made your way here where there is so much more information in the archive. Thanks to of course my good friend Zenstyle for being a brute force in helping people.

I'd just like to let you know, of the several PMs I had with Zenstyle about spreading the good word. I actually cautioned her about what I know in the medical field as "professional distance". I said to Zen along the lines of Zen, you cant fix everyone, you need to concentrate on yourself with your sobriety and that takes alot of work etc etc...
You know that what woman told me? Well it was along the lines of "go to hell" lol! I am going to help these people as best I can as long as I can! haha!
No joke! That crazy Scottish woman (OY! too many Scotch-Irish Alcoholics- I think I am noticing a genetic pattern!). Well I think we all owe Zen a big hand for all of the relentless hours she has put in and for bumping my baclofen thread when I am not around (I noticed, thank you)

And last but not least Brightlite! I am of course wishing you well and I did see your question regarding my baclofen website and when I will turn it on!
I have been working on it, revising it and totally redoing it lol since I first posted here several months ago. At first it was going to be a simple archive of data and research. I have found I have posted a significant portion of that on here. Not all of what i want to say actually about 10% of it really.

My focus has been more on post-alcohol health, particulary diet and nutrition and exercise and also social interaction (rejoining the living). I mean, I could just make a site and say "baclofen works, take it"! BUT, we all know who are taking baclofen that a whole new wonderful set of things face us after we stop hiding under a rock from our anxiety-driven illness for most us takes special concepts I am working on.

Also, my wife arrived from Australia which put a brake pedal on my projects and well my life. She's staying in a Hotel as I am typing this so I am able to finally have time to post> It's been a very trying reunion for a long distance marriage. What I thought would chocolate chip cookies falling from the sky turned out to be that she totally forgot I was an alcoholic llol and the problems that it caused. SO I got no recogniction of what I managed to achieve damimit! INSTEAD, she focused on many other of my faults that just made me want to remind her I am an alcoholic and go drink lol. I ont want to get into in this thread though, I just want to aclknowledge that I had made my marriage troubled from alcohol and I was living in a dreamworld thinking that things would be magically delicious with lucky charms.

Back to my website though. I have all of my data compiled, that's easy. Its a flash website wtih tweens and animations which is time consuming and I wanted to post a documentary of a person starting baclofen and many other content rich ideas as well as a timelapse of a body change after cessation of alcohol.

But I just want to say thank you for asking about that, I know I have been promising it since spring. Just that life is getting in the way and also I am funding this out of my own pocket and I either learn the adobe software for web and content creation which was 2500$ and the high definition video camera stuff and the like. Or I pay like 10x that much out of pocket to hire others to do the editing and design etc... I am working on it and it will be done by Christmas I promise! Probably sooner

Ok, peace out and I am going back to my stressful life. I managed to talk my wife into not fliying back to Autralia on MSN just previous to this post and picking her up in a few hours from the Hotel with a renewed vigor of saving this thing we do! Later!

[brightlite]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Hi Mr. Bill (lol)

Thanks for posting the info about the website. I'm looking forward to seeing it. Will there also be a forum on it?

Hang in there with the marriage. I'm sure there are past hurts and other issues that need to be worked through. You are right, just because AL is not in the picture that everything would be "magically delicious". (Oh I'm of Irish descent too) With time, you will have new experiences and memories together that are not clouded with the influence of AL.