Baclofen and Anxiety Question

[NickUK]

First I just wanted to say what a nice supportive community it is here and a big thanks to the many people who have been posting such important and
enlightening information on Baclofen. I have been reading all the posts on baclofen for the last month with great interest and thought it was about time I joined and said hello.

I am a 32 year old male living in the UK. I have always suffered from Anxiety and drink has been the only thing that seems to help. This always made me drink more than most
but slowly over the last 10 years this has turned into a serious drink problem. A few drinks completely stops my anxiety and I feel great, but then I just can't stop drinking. The next morning my anxiety will be intolerable and this will lead to days of non stop drinking.

I have been AF now for about four months but this has not been easy. I still suffer from anxiety and I constantly crave alcohol and worry I will start drinking again. I have read Dr Ameisen's book and I really related to the way he described his anxiety and alcohol use.

I am very interested to hear how Baclofen has help other with their anxiety levels . Dr Ameisen described how his constant anxiety started to fade away very quickly after starting baclofen and I wondered if others had found the same?

Many :thanks:

[oliveoyl]

Baclofen and Anxiety Question

withdrawn

[NickUK]

Baclofen and Anxiety Question

That's fantastic to hear how much it has helped you, it must great to feel so much better.

[Cinders]

Baclofen and Anxiety Question

Nick,

I, too, suffer from anxiety and panic disorder. I did way before I became a fall down drunk.

I haven't had to take a Klonipen in over 4 weeks now. And, I have been going through some of the most stressful things lately. Work related. This usually would set off a panic attack. (The kind where heart starts thumping, head gets dizzy, breathing gets erratic.)

I think the Baclofen is helping with that and it is a better drug for us alcoholics than a benzo.

Cindi

[sosad61]

Baclofen and Anxiety Question

CONGRATULATIONS on your 4 months of sobriety. I too suffered from anxiety and that is what turned me to drink. At the moment, I'm still drinking, but tapering off VERY slowly.

[Zman]

Baclofen and Anxiety Question

Welcome Nick. Im also a 32 year old male who suffers from anxiety. I suffer from general anxiety disorder, and always feel a tightness in my chest which is immediately alleviated when I drink.

But as I type this, I dont feel the tightness. Im at 75mg of Baclofen per day, and quite obviously, the alleviation of the anxiety must be due to the Bac.

[veritas]

Baclofen and Anxiety Question

A warm welcome to you Nick:welcome:

I had to face a very anxiety provoking situation today, one that would normaly have me pacing like a caged lion. I coped very well. I did pace a little bit, but felt more excited than anxious. It was also a situation where I had to be very alert and able to think on my feet. Afterwards the feedback on my performance was that I had managed extremely well and was offered more opportunities.

I have been in these situations before and would usually rush back home to have a drink or two or three or... or... or.... I did think of a nice glass of wine on the drive back, but once the initial thought was over, it was gone.

I have found that the greatest benefit so far has been the stopping of the obsessive thoughts. If I feel like a drink, I am now able to put the thought aside and it does not keep reappearing like a bad debt.

[Zman]

Baclofen and Anxiety Question

Does anyone here take anti-anxiety meds? I have been taking paxil/seroxat for many years, and it helps with the anxiety but doesnt get rid of it. Im kind of weening myself off it now.

[NickUK]

Baclofen and Anxiety Question

:thanks: so much for all your replies, it's great to hear how much Baclofen has helped so many of you.
With baclofen certainly being one of the safer drugs I feel I have nothing to loose and hope to get the great results others here have had.
I flying off to Canada in 10 days time so I think it's best to wait until I get back later next month. Sadly I think I'd have a hard time persuading my doctor so I will be buying online.

I feel quite excited to be part of something that's still so new. I am sure baclofen's use as a treatment for alcoholism will be getting more and more press coverage over the next year. Amazing for a drug that has been around since the 1920s.

Thanks again

[jj]

Baclofen and Anxiety Question

Baclofen

Hi Nick,

I am (almost) 30 and also reside in the UK. I recently approached my GP to ask for a topamax script and was turned down. However, he did agree to prescribe me baclofen if I complained of a "sore back" nudge nudge wink wink...it's a very widely prescribed muscle relaxant and if you have a good enough relationship with your GP, then they ought to prescribe it. Alternatively, a drug used to treat neuropathic pain named Lyrica (Pregabalin) manufactured by Pfizer has also recently been licenced for the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder and I have found it very beneficial. 2 months ago, I couln't walk into a shop and now I'm back looking for work. However, it does not work if you drink! I managed to stop my 2 x bottles of wine a day habit for 30 days but have now been on a pretty non-stop 4 week bender....time to start the plan all over again...zzzzz Best of luck Nick!

[ignominous]

Baclofen and Anxiety Question

Hi Nick
I'm new here myself. Been on bac for 2-3 weeks. The affect I experienced when I took my first pills I now put down to anxiety or lack of it. For me untill 2-3 weeks ago the phrases, anxiety disorder, alcoholism is a disease were just props that the weak used to excuse themselves for having a character flaw. That mellowness hasn't really lasted so much because I tried to titrate up quickly. The more the better kind o' thing. This brings on SEs that can be a little disconcerting.
There's something to this drug, I think!
On the up side I haven't really got into any fights (emotional, physical) in the lasts 2 weeks which I put down to the baclofen. I don't take everything so personally any more.
Hope this helps.

[Bridgeet13]

Baclofen and Anxiety Question

Struggling

My name's Bridget and I thought I'd try out this discussion group and see how it works. I've had severe panic attacks for about 2 years now. It horrifies me when that awful feeling hits of feeling like I can't breathe and must be having a heart attack or something. Sometimes I have them driving and have to pull over horrified of crashing. I too medicated myself with alcohol for awhile which only made it worse the next day. I only drink on occasion now, but am still disabled the next day when it comes to driving or going to a public place. I've been taking baclofen for about a year now. It certainly gives me no immediate relief and I feel nothing, but I hope that maybe it is doing something. I work at a game park presenting exotic animals and EVERY DAY I go in with the dread that I am going to have a panic attack, which most of the time leads on to at least horrible anxiety if not a full blown panic. I've learned to work through it at work, but the entire time I feel foggy headed, dizzy, nervous, and out of it. The stress from it is leading me to feel depressed and I fear losing my job when work becomes busier with larger crowds ( the more people the more panicked I feel). I just want any and all advice. I was on Xanax before and that only made it worse after awhile. I built a tolerance, and when I didn't take it it would cause a panic attack. Should I take more baclofen??? I just want these to go away so I can live a normal life!! thanks every one. I'm 27 and everyone I know who hasn't had one just thinks I'm crazy

[Bridgeet13]

Baclofen and Anxiety Question

Hopefully I posted that correctly

[StuckinLA]

Baclofen and Anxiety Question

Hi Nick and Bridget (yes, you posted your response correctly),

Just thought I'd chime in with my 2 cents here. I'm a 33 y/o male (just turned 33, actually, last Saturday). I've never been on anxiety meds but have had panic attacks going back to high school and college. When it comes to drinking, that's been relatively out of control for the past 4 years or so which has recently led to a lot of general anxiety and panic attacks.

I got sober this past February and after 30 days the anxiety wasn't much better and I just knew I would start drinking again--it was just a matter of time. I started on baclofen and titrated up fairly quickly I think. Over the next 30 days I went up to 150 mg/day.

Let me tell you, for me 150 mg and not drinking was a magical place. No anxiety, no cravings for alcohol, and a sunny outlook on life that I'd never really felt before. But I love alcohol--after all it's cost me, being a drunk is such a part of my identity that I can't seem to kick the desire to drink. I'm definitely one of those people who hopes some day I'll be able to drink "normally" with baclofen.

Well, the point is I started drinking again and it's been kind of a roller coaster for the past month. My drinking is definitely better, but anxiety is back with a vengeance and I'm actually writing this note in the middle of the night because I can't sleep. Can not sleep. And insomnia is, ironically, a pretty common side effect. So it's not all rainbows and roses. But--and this is particularly for Nick--if you're sober when you start baclofen and stay sober, it's not so bad really.

[Kozmix]

Baclofen has helped my anxiety so much.its like I have energy and confidence again.