Hey Youz Guyz

[Andy R]

Hey Youz Guyz

I am AF.

Have been since before starting bac on 6/8/09. I hit the "off switch" around 160 mg. I went to 200 for 5 days and am now heading down the scale.

I feel I have found a magic bullet. I am disinterested in alcohol. I have tried to make myself think about drink (which pre bac I had no alternative to being obsessed with it, as the craving was just there all the time) but my thoughts just turn away from drinking. Even when sitting in a bar or alone in the house knowing there is some form of alcohol there. Honestly it used to call me from the cupboard or fridge.

Also, and this has been an unexpected but very welcome bonus- anxiety is way down the scale. I have had a few bumps in this area - work, family, friends, the economy etc. The bumps havent been as hard as pre-Bac times and I get over them quicker.

I sleep like a baby. I seem to need much less sleep and wake feeling really fresh.

I can identify with some of the negative side effects mentioned on here. In my case these have been fairly light and I have tolerated the titration up, the tapering down and am now looking for a mintenance level.

I know this isnt going to be for everyone. It is for me and I am really pleased I found it.


Best to you all.

[cowgal]

Hey Youz Guyz

Yeah

I can totally relate Andy......... I feel the same way in every aspect you stated! In fact I went to bed around midnight and it is 6AM and I am up already, feeling like I had 8+ hours!! Just one positive effect......anxiety pretty nil, and considering what I am dealing w/ in my life, I'd normally be in a downward spiral right now.........but I am not!!!

It is all good!!!!

MA :l

[beatle]

Hey Youz Guyz

Me too

Andy R;716831 wrote: I sleep like a baby. I seem to need much less sleep and wake feeling really fresh.

Yep, me too.

...although I sleep much better than a baby, if my kids are anything to go by ;-)

And I certainly need far less sleep now. What a liberation=-)

[beatle]

Hey Youz Guyz

... and my PM box is full, in case anyone is trying to send me a message. I'll clean it out soon =)

[christyacc]

Hey Youz Guyz

Andy R;716831 wrote: I am AF.

Have been since before starting bac on 6/8/09. I hit the "off switch" around 160 mg. I went to 200 for 5 days and am now heading down the scale.

I feel I have found a magic bullet. I am disinterested in alcohol. I have tried to make myself think about drink (which pre bac I had no alternative to being obsessed with it, as the craving was just there all the time) but my thoughts just turn away from drinking. Even when sitting in a bar or alone in the house knowing there is some form of alcohol there. Honestly it used to call me from the cupboard or fridge.

Also, and this has been an unexpected but very welcome bonus- anxiety is way down the scale. I have had a few bumps in this area - work, family, friends, the economy etc. The bumps havent been as hard as pre-Bac times and I get over them quicker.

I sleep like a baby. I seem to need much less sleep and wake feeling really fresh.

I can identify with some of the negative side effects mentioned on here. In my case these have been fairly light and I have tolerated the titration up, the tapering down and am now looking for a mintenance level.

I know this isnt going to be for everyone. It is for me and I am really pleased I found it.


Best to you all.

Andy:

First of all, congratulations! You must feel like a weight has been lifted and fel fantastic!!!

I have a question about your 'switch' feeling. How did you know? Right now I am at 90-100mgs, and while the AL isn't there, I am fine, but if it is there, I will drink, not as much mind you, but I will drink. So in that sense, I feel like my switch hasn't been hit. Would you agree? Is it a total sense of disinterest? If it is there, you pass? OMG, I can't wait to get to that point. I think I am getting there.....my husband asked if I wanted a beer with dinner and I said no. WHO WOULDA THUNK?!! But I did have 2 later that evening......so no, no switch. I also just completed 6.5 days AF which is the first time in a year!!

Plus I am running out of Bac. I will have to titrate down until I get my order in. Urgg....I will be white knuckling until that order some in!!!!!

If you could fill me in....on your experience, I would appreciate it.:thanks:

Christy

[Peanut]

Hey Youz Guyz

Can I ask you guys where you are getting your Baclofen from?? River Pharmacy?? I am contemplating trying it, but a little nervous. I did Topa last year, and had some yucky side effects so stopped. Now on another thread, someone said they vomited - but maybe that was due to something else. I am also worried about ordering enough on line, and then running out and not getting another bunch delivered on time.

Oh - all my worries, but you all sound like it is helping you so much. I am struggling at the mo with my nightly wine consumption. I know I want to stop, but just can't seem to do it. I need help!!!!

xoxo peanut

[brightlite]

Hey Youz Guyz

Hi Peanut,

River Pharmacy or 4rx.com. I use the later. Also you can google for discount coupons for 4rx.com, just type in the coupon code and get either 10 or 15% off.

I've been up and down with my Bac, but on my way back up and doing good. I'll post on the consolidated thread.

[christyacc]

Hey Youz Guyz

Neither of those online pharmacies deliver to Canada. I have ordered from alldaychemist.com, but it takes a month. I am not going to have enough until my next order comes in, so I will have to titrate down. I hope I can be ok. Time will tell.....

[franziasgone]

Hey Youz Guyz

Does anyone know why Baclofen is different from other "muscle relaxers"?
I was given Bac for back pain just recently. I took it for just that- along with alcohol.
I never dreamed it could be used to stop drinking.
What about Soma? I have a full bottle of Soma now.......
I found to be so sleepy with Baclofen- during the day when I was not drinking at all- I almost fell asleep driving home from work. I don't know how anyone could take 100 mg a day.

[bernard]

Hey Youz Guyz

Baclofen is the only readily-available prescription drug that is a GABA-B receptor agonist (meaning it promotes the activity of the B-type GABA receptor). GABA is one of the chemical neurotransmitters, and the primary one that inhibits (calms or controls) signal transmission among neurons. In contrast, benzos like valium are GABA-A agonists, also giving them a calming effect. The understanding of GABA has come a long way since the introduction of baclofen in the 1960s. Only 10 years ago, the accepted wisdom was that GABA-B had nothing to do with anxiety (let alone craving). (There is also a GABA-C receptor that even less is known about.)

Looking at the history and how central GABA is to neuron activity restraint, it begins to look like muscle relaxation is only one of many effects of GABA-B enhancement. Just as it calms spastic muscles, it appears to calm unwanted thoughts like too much worrying and too much craving.

You might ask, Is there a non-prescription drug that is a GABA-B agonist? Yes. It's alcohol.

[franziasgone]

Hey Youz Guyz

What I guess I don't understand or find confusing........is if we are taking these large doses of Bac on a daily basis- isn't it the same as drinking? When I took 20mg I found myself swerving into the lane beside me on the road! I'm lucky I made it home! Wouldn't that be considered a DUI?? Don't get me wrong I'm all for anything that helps with the craving and helps me stop drinking! I'm going to order it today- but I don't think I can take it during the day when I have to drive home.......

[cowgal]

Hey Youz Guyz

hey

My only advice is to titrate up slowly and drink coffee...................I am fine at 90-120 mg a day, I take 20 in the AM, 20 w/ lunch and 20 on the way home, then 30 when I get home, helps me sleep really well and remain calm and cool during my stressful days at work, I love it!!! Tried Xanax, Clonipin and others for anxiety before, but they made me more "ditzy" and I didn't like being "not all there",now I am cool calm and focused, all I can say..................some things that work for some people don't work for others, and vice versa.........I guess?!

Just my experience....................

MA:l:h

[bernard]

Hey Youz Guyz

franzia'sgone;723545 wrote: What I guess I don't understand or find confusing........is if we are taking these large doses of Bac on a daily basis- isn't it the same as drinking? When I took 20mg I found myself swerving into the lane beside me on the road!

Bac is definitely not the same as drinking because alcohol has many other complex effects besides being a GABA-B agonist. Bac relieves the need for alcohol apparently because, for most people, it's the GABA-B enhancement that they need from the alcohol, but all the rest of alcohol's bad effects go with it.

Bac's only well-recognized side effect is sleepiness, not drunkenness, and for most people it goes away in a few days. Many people find it best to shift the bigger doses to later in the day or evening if it makes you too sleepy earlier. So I would say be careful until you know how you're going to react to it, but don't be quick to blame everything on bac, especially if you're still drinking.

[Anna B]

Hey Youz Guyz

Bump for the new folks...