Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

[PhoenixRising]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Lo0p;759214 wrote: Could somebody please tell me what Dr. A's weight formula is?

Well, I can't find Dr. A's, but our own Dr. Bill P posted this in the baclofen thread if it's any help:

Bill.P.'s Projected minimal dosing for zero craving effect on Baclofen
So a quick chart of this to make it easy IF YOU WEIGH on the left, then this a guide, of course after you work your way up from low dose (Ill follow this with a titration dosing schedule)
120 lbs = 60 mg total (2 10mg tabs) 3 times daily
130 lbs = 65 mg total 20mg AM, 20 mg afternoon, 25 mg (cut one pill in half or just take a whole) PM
140 lbs = 70 mg total 20 mg AM, 20 mg afternoon, 30 mg pm
150 lbs = 75 mg total 20 mg AM, 20 mg aftternoon, 35-40mg PM
160 lbs = 80 mg total 20 mg four times daily
170 lbs = 85 mg total 20 mg 3 times daily and a fourth dose before bed time of 30 mg
180 lbs = 90 mg total same as above OR 30 mg three times daily
190 lbs = 95 mg total 30 mg AM, 30 mg afternoon 40 mg bedtime
200 lbs = 100 mg total same as above
210 - 220 lbs = 110 mg total either 40 mg three times daily Or more precisely, 30 mg am/afternoon 40 mg bedtime
230-240 lbs = 120 mg total 40 mg three times daily
250-260 lbs = 130 mg total 40 mg AM/afternoon 50 mg PM
270-280 lbs = 140 mg total 50 mg three times daily
290-300 lbs = 150 mg total 50mg three times daily

[cowgal]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

now

Now I take about 120 mg a day..................I think in the book it says 1-3mg/kg of weight, I weigh 120 and my max should be only 180, right?? I figure 120, divided by 2.2 is around 60kg x 3mg(or do I have the formula all wrong??) should put me at 180 mg at the most................3 mg/kg. I took up to 190, was fine, only at 120 now, if that...............if not around it and know I won't crave, I take way less without any problems..................a miracle for me, I was a real bad alcoholic!! Not anymore!!! YAY!!!

MA

[RedThread12]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Baclofen: Week 7 For Me

I'm in week 7 of taking baclofen. I just left the kitchen with a coca-cola instead of the glass of wine I intended to get (I just forgot, really!), so I thought it might be a good time to check in.

DOSAGE: I started with 30 mg/day (10x3), and over three weeks titrated up to 100 mg/day (20+20+20+40), or something like that. I keep bac in my cabinet and in my purse and take it whenever it seems time. I haven't been particularly regimented about it. I slowed down the titration the last week in October because I was doing an out-patient treatment program and didn't want any unexpected side effects. Since then, there have been some days I have taken up to 120 mg. Now that I've forgotten to get a glass of wine, I think I'll kick it up to 120 mg for a while and see what the next miracle might be!

DRINKING: I stopped drinking during the day on the FIRST day I took the baclofen. I had been spiraling quickly down into total dysfunction, drinking vodka in the morning, wine all day. Oh yuck. I think I had two margaritas that first night. After that, I kept it to 2, or at the most, 3 glasses of wine/night. No cravings for more, no problem stopping. I went for a week of intensive outpatient treatment and was AF for the last 10-12 days of October. NO problem. Since then, I have had no more than 1-2 glasses/night, and some nights none. Three glasses and I feel it the next morning, so that's out. Can you believe it? I stop because I know I will feel it the next day!?!?!? This has never happened in my entire life!!!

SIDE EFFECTS: I have had no somnolence whatsoever. I have to pay attention to my body's requirements for rest and food. My appetite is definitely less, but if I miss out on these I might feel spacey or nauseous. With bac I have actually been more productive and participatory in life than I was even during my last extended period of sobriety. I have felt suggestions of some of the muscular and neurological issues mentioned by others (twitching, soreness, shortness breath), but with yoga and breathing exercises I have felt no distress at all. I no longer have compulsions to drink too much caffeine or to shop and over-spend. Whoa. Who'd a thunk? I still experience some fairly intense anxiety, but I have no craving for anything to take that feeling away. And it passes.

I just spent some time trying to describe what has happened to me with baclofen to a very close friend who has seen me in the depths of my addiction. It's hard for her to believe what I tell her about this completely new experience with alcohol and I completely understand why! It approaches unbelievable even to me.

So, again, I say :thanks: and send a great big :l to everyone who posted their baclofen stories and gave me the courage to give it a go. Looks like I am among those who can attest to the "switch" from endless craving to indifference. This surprise coca-cola sure is good.

[Cinders]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Awesome!!

Thank you for sharing.

Cindi

[gratitude]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

hey zman,zenstyle,billp,veritas,and others.are you guys still here? how are you guys doing? i see cinders,tip,etc still here i think. just checking and trying to see who is here. gratitude

[cowgal]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Still here!

I am still here for all it's worth! Don't know about Zen or Bill, was wondering myself.......

MA

[hopefulspouse]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Frustrated in NY

I posted back in September to introduce myself to you all. Many of you took the time to welcome me to the boards and I apologize for being MIA....it's just been a rough few months. But thank you Beattle, Cinders, Marbella and Christy for your sincere welcome.
My husband is currently in a severe battle with his alcoholism. Since I posted he spent 3 weeks away at rehab but came home and picked up again the same day. He seems very anxious to find a doctor that will work with him and prescribe baclofen. He is losing hope in his battle, but I have not lost hope for him.
However, I am completely frustrated by an experience yesterday.....and I just needed to vent. I have been trying to help him find a doctor in the NY area that I know will work with him by trying baclofen. I called an Addiction Psychiatrist that works for Downstate (where Ameisen is a visiting professor).....good idea right? Should know about it? In all seriousness the doctor said baclofen has no effect on alcohol addiction, that there has been 30 years of trials supporting this. I said that there has not been trials and he responded by saying there are 100s of articles that show that baclofen has no affect. But there are other medications, blah, blah, blah.
Anyway, I find it extremely disheartening that a doctor's claim would be outright wrong (especially from Downstate). If anyone knows any NY doctors please let me know.
And thank you to all of you who post your experiences....it seems to be the only real resource we have right now...so thank you.
I also wrote an email to Dr. Ameisen to see if he could make a suggestion for an MD.....but no response so far. Any other ideas? I know my husband would want to be under the care of a doctor to pursue baclofen therapy. And I just don't want to waste time and emotional energy going to doctor's offices who are just not knowledgeable or willing to help.
My heart is with all of you, even when I am quiet.

[tiptronic_ct]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Hey, Hopeful

Baclofen is not a recognised therapy anywhere in thw world (yet), so your seach is going to be a difficult one.

The best I could manage in South Africa, was to find a psychiatrist who was willing to work with me to find a solution for my depression, despite the fact that I've been self-medicating & ordering online. Even that took some searching...

I went armed with enough literature (NOT Dr. A's book - they won't bother to read it). I took along Dr. A self-case report, an extract from the Italian study, and the article on lab rats.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you'll have to do a "sales job" on whichever doctor you decide to see.

Good luck to you and your husband!

[shelbysmiles]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Here's my update...
After many months of taking Baclofen (since June!) and adjusting my dosage and schedule I'm finally there. I was at the point where I felt I was a failure and was going to titrate off of the meds. But, I kept reading the success stories and knew I needed to go higher (for some reason I was afraid to go really high). I'm at 150 a day plus an extra 10 if I'm feeling crazy (hardley ever happens). 10 at 8am, 20 at 11, 60 at 3, and 60 at 6:00. I have not gotten drunk in weeks. I was not considering myself a success because I would still drink some. But then I looked at my drinking habits now. I drank one night last week and it was a whopping 2 glasses of wine. There was no effort stopping at 2. There was no part of me that wanted to have another glass. That's where I am now. I drink 1-2 times a week and never more than 3 glasses in a sitting. I never thought I would ever get this far.

I don't know if I will ever go AF. It's funny because for the first time in 15 years I'm drinking like a normal person. Yet I still feel guilty because now it is ingrained that I must go 30 day AF before I try to moderate.

Since starting Bac in June so much has changed. I'm a much better mother first and foremost. No more hungover mama on the couch. No more letting my 4 yo fall alseep in front of the TV so I do not have to be bothered with bedtime routines. We play and laugh more now. My daughter and I have this whole nighttime ritual now that takes a good 20 minutes to accomplish! I feel bad that I have missed so much of my children's lives drinking. But, they are still young so I know that I can make it up to them.
In June I picked up running. Last Saturday I ran my 3rd 5k at 27:17. Before Bac I would never had done a race on a Saturday much less have enough sober mornings to make it to the gym to workout! I've been sick the past couple of days so I have not been able to workout, and that has pissed me off! Before Bac it would not have mattered because I was not working out anyway (on a side note, before when I was sick I was always faced with the delimma...nyquil or wine?).

I know this was long but I wanted everyone to realize that you should not judge your success to someone else's. I finally realized that it does work. I do hope that I'll be able to titrate down because this is getting expensive. But not until after the Holidays at least!

Best wishes to everyone! It may take a while but I truely believe that this is wonderful treatment for us.

[Lo0p]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Finding a doctor that will prescribe high-dose baclofen therapy for your husband is unlikely. Finding a doctor that knows as much or more about high dose baclofen therapy than you or the other people on this board is highly unlikely.

Trying an experimental therapy may carry with it some risks, but if you due your due diligence you can educate yourself about it and possible ramifications. I have and know for a fact that treating myself with high dose baclofen therapy carries with it much lower risks than drinking at the level that I was does.

You don't need a doctor, there are other ways.

[tiptronic_ct]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Bill.P is here when he can find the time. He was here over the past few days.

Zen is currently not on baclofen, and is moderating.

Zman gave up on bac, and is currently on Naltrexone, if I'm not mistaken (not entirely sure).

Veritas originally went AF on a very low dose (If I recall correctly, it was 30mg). She went away for a while, and started drinking again. She is currently titrating uo to a higher dose, and AF (again, not entirely sure).

My own progress: I am 90 days AF and grateful beyone description. I'm currently on 100 - 120mg a day (from 240 switch-off). I am not taking enough to feel total indifference, so there is a degree of white-knuckling involved. This is a deliberate choice on my part, because alcoholism isn't my only problem. I suffer from depression and have started taking an AD to help (Molipaxin). Psycotherapy will start this week to address the pre-existing issues in my life. By not sticking to a higher dose of bac, I'm trying to distinguish between what constitutes triggers for drinking, symptoms of depression etc. I am relying more heavily on p.r.n. doses of bac to ensure that I don't endanger my sobriety.

[PhoenixRising]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Thanks everyone for your stories

You really give me hope!

I am still at 70mg and had cravings last night, but I was able to have 2 beers and stop. My normal MO is to get a bottle of wine on the way home but I was able to resist that (it was difficult tho). Tomorrow I go up to 80.

Shelby, I have *never* forgotten to get a glass of wine, ever! That is awesome!

Redthread and Cowgal - you both sound like you are kicking some serious a**!

You are my heroes!! :h

P.

[cowgal]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Ok but......

Having/had a bad couple days/nights....... This night shift is taking alot out of me, starting to wonder if I can do this!?!

Love and huge, glad for the bac, none the less!!!:h

MA, xoxoxo:l

[beatle]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Hopeful, I hope you can convince your husband to try it by other routes than the conventional, since that is proving impossible at this point. This is not medical advice, but your situation sounds desperate and, if it is, it requires desperate measures, don't you think? You have a wealth of information and experience here to help you make an informed decision. Remember, this is not a new or experimental drug we are talking about. Its long-term use is extensively documented with, I believe, almost no negatives except uncomfortable, in some case intolerable, but not dangerous, side-effects. The decision to not try baclofen sounds like a decision to accept defeat. (This is a layman's opinion -- only my own opinion.)

If your husband tries it for a while and has anything close to the phenomenal results the great majority of members here have had, he can go to a doctor armed with the documentation (including, but not limited to, Dr. A's book) and put it to your doctor like this: I'm taking this, I am doing great, and I have no intention of stopping. I would prefer to do this under the care of a doctor, however. Here is some information, please take the time to consider it and allow me to pursue this under your care."

[gratitude]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

thanks for responding

great job tip. you sound like you have a good head on your shoulders. i am also thinking about getting back into therapy. now that i'm sober i have a greater chance at insight i believe.
shelby-woooohooo.congratulations.
cowgal, hang in there.it's better than it used to be right?
just checking in.:goodjob: