GQ article about Dr. Ameisen and baclofen

[natepenn]

Hi--I'm a correspondent for American GQ magazine who's just written an article about Dr. Ameisen and baclofen. I first stumbled onto MyWayOut last fall, and reading here about the successes and disappointments people have experienced with their various medical therapies has been both educational and inspiring. I've yet to encounter another public forum in which the participants are so well-versed in addiction psychopharmacology.

You were the audience I had in mind when I wrote the piece and I'd be very interested in (not to say grateful for) your thoughts about the story, which you can find at GQ's website.
I'm afraid I'm not able to include the link because I'm a new member, but perhaps someone else might be able to post it. Thanks, and look forward to hearing from you.--Nate Penn

[tiptronic_ct]

GQ article about Dr. Ameisen and baclofen

Here is the link to the article:

The One-Step Program: Men's Lives: GQ

[Anotherday]

GQ article about Dr. Ameisen and baclofen

Wow, Natepenn, I haven't finished all of it, but that article is great!

I am thinking of giving the link to my psychiatrist on Thursday. This is really cutting edge stuff! Thanks for coming here with it!

[tiptronic_ct]

GQ article about Dr. Ameisen and baclofen

Hi, Nate

Very interesting article - I enjoyed reading it. A lot of us have wondered what the good doctor has been up to

As a group of people who mostly self-medicate, it is encouraging to see signs that support for baclofen amongst the medical fraternity is growing.

My psychiatrist knows that I take baclofen and has been supportive after I gave him several studies to read (including Dr. Ameisen's self case-report). However, he was not prepared to prescribe it to me or offer advice of any sort. There seems to be a huge reluctance to try something for which there isn't more clinical evidence.

Thanks again for the article - it is hugely important that information about baclofen is spread as far and wide as possible. It has literally saved my life.

[tiptronic_ct]

GQ article about Dr. Ameisen and baclofen

Mmmmmm. Just wondering what Dr. A's opinion of MWO would be?

[Lo0p]

GQ article about Dr. Ameisen and baclofen

Thanks Nate! :goodjob:

[craving]

GQ article about Dr. Ameisen and baclofen

very good article :goodjob:

spread the word out :H

[natepenn]

GQ article about Dr. Ameisen and baclofen

Thanks for posting a link to the story! And thanks for your kind remarks.

[mabelee]

GQ article about Dr. Ameisen and baclofen

OnTheWagon--You're giving too much power to the old media. There is a new media now, one that allows truth to get out. And the good news is that you're a part of it. As long as there's an internet, the truth will get out.

[mabelee]

GQ article about Dr. Ameisen and baclofen

According to the FDA it's the third most complained about drug.

Could you provide a link? I'd be interested in finding out more about this.

[beatle]

GQ article about Dr. Ameisen and baclofen

Nate, thank you for a well-written and balanced story.

I hope somebody will now be willing to go more into the connections with the pharmamafias and the FDA (all part of the same equation) -- but I think you went as far as could ever be expected. You may have gone out on a limb with this -- but that is good journalism at its best... despite a fear culture.

Unfortunately, I think OnTheWagon is spot on:

OnTheWagon;818727 wrote: Thank you so much for writing this article.

I fear however, that as more articles are written we will begin witnessing the full force of the billion dollar addiction treatment industry crashing down on Dr. Ameisen. He will be discredited in every way. Too much money is at stake and far too many people who make their living exploiting others misery (AA, shrinks, rehabs) are onboard the gravy train.

Of course, not everything can be suppressed or bought -- but most of it can if you have enough money and power. The "new media" is no guarantee, but it helps (those who help themselves).

Thanks again, Nate, and thank you for "finding" us.

[craving]

GQ article about Dr. Ameisen and baclofen

OnTheWagon;818737 wrote: I wouldn't be surprised if we start hearing horror stories about Baclofen and a push to have it taken off the market. According to the FDA it's the third most complained about drug.

I am not in the US - still if they pull it from the market I would die :upset::upset:

[Brave Hearted]

GQ article about Dr. Ameisen and baclofen

Hi Nat

Thank you for writing this well presented and informative atrical, it makes very interesting reading. I myself have been on baclofen since last Aug and its changed my life after 30 years of distructive drinking, just hope the prodictions of taking it out of circulation do not prove right ! Although I buy mine online surely they could not ban it world wide ? I am sincerely hoping not ?.

I feel its just a shame that Martin did not have such good results as some on here have had, have you considerd doing another artical and including some of us in it ???, we come from all over the globe and have differant drinking historys and methods of getting the baclofen. It has helped lots of us with varying types of al problems, you dont have to be getting out of bed and reaching for a bottle everyday for al to wreck your life. Just a thought and my thanks and best wishes to you !

BH x

[natepenn]

GQ article about Dr. Ameisen and baclofen

Hi--Thanks again for your thoughts. I can contribute one hopeful note to the discussion of the pharmaceutical industry's posture vis-a-vis baclofen: There is in fact a way for drug companies to make money from baclofen, despite its being out of patent, and that is to develop a new, long-acting delivery system. The existing formulation of baclofen is metabolized in a matter of hours, as you know, meaning that people who take high-dose baclofen have to swallow bunches of pills at regular intervals throughout the day. It's inconvenient, and for some people it may also jeopardize compliance. There's money to be made in an extended-release version of the drug. I know of at least one company that's working on this, though in their case the drug isn't pure baclofen; it's a baclofen/naltrexone compound.

Once that new version of baclofen is produced, the industry will probably waste little time in disparaging the out-of-patent version: They'll say that it's produced in factories in India that aren't properly supervised, or whatever. But there is some reason for optimism, I think.

[eight days a week]

GQ article about Dr. Ameisen and baclofen

Excellent article Nate, thanks so much for bringing it to our attention

It's a great shame for Martin, and the article and people who read it also, that he didn't have as great a success as many others, but fingers crossed he will in the future.

I personally don't see any worries on the availability of Baclofen in the future. Nate and others are quite right that 'the industry' may try to diminish the old formulation and push a new one, but the information's already out there, doctors are already using it with excellent results, and there are other uses for it in its current form that mean it'll never stop being produced I'm pretty sure.