just starting out on baclofen today-urgent questions

[tom4now]

just starting out on baclofen today-urgent questions

your welcome....and your doing a great job and yep you got to be tough with him here..its detox time and that means off the binge buddy...he can get better...he can completley turn his life around...and we now have these new types of meds after we detox we can now try out....its not that you can not drink when trying out Baclofen its been documented you can however when hes a binger as it sounds to me hes's now been on many days getting sicker physicaly

I would not start the Baclofen and if I did it would be a very little dosage because his poor body and nervous system is trying heal it self...everything in steps to climb up to health.....our bodies don't do well with to many chemicals at once....you will get quicker healing working slowly your way there...you got to make it clear to him...Baclofen is not a excusse to go and use...thats not what it was found out for....tho again some heavy users,and some people on the fourm have said they used throughout when they hit the switch....

your doing a great job....when were on a binge we can be dam destructive and convincing and I know I have been just these ways myself,binged and sick....now he is sounding like hes getting some peace and he pretty much should just rest and sleep....if hes getting agitated then I would suspect the dosage might need to be adjusted....this is where a doctor or detox nurse would know the signs from alcoholic talk...I have detoxed my self so many times and now out here because the detox clinics are so full the drop in clinics here know to evaluate but they will often write a script of Benzo to detox....good luck! drink Lots of water to rehydrate electrolites back up...B12 complex vitamins...soups at first and then to solid foods depending how he is feeling

[beatle]

just starting out on baclofen today-urgent questions

tiptronic_ct;845381 wrote: Oh, and I forgot to add:

Get him some milk thistle tabs / capsules to help boost his liver metabolism, as well as L-Glutamine powder, of which he can easily take 18 000mg per day. It didn't do much for my cravings, but it did help with IBS as a result of AL, but most importantly to help level out my blood sugar - a huge factor in cravings & general well-being.

Absolutely... milk thistle and Bs in large doses, plus lots of other supps. I recommend the "Seven Weeks to Sobriety" protocol for this. The programme claims (and backs it up) that most people following this protocol suffer very little withdrawal symptoms even without the use of any medication. It certainly helped me through many a detox (although I didn't do them without medsuch.

[tiptronic_ct]

just starting out on baclofen today-urgent questions

beatle;846395 wrote: Absolutely... milk thistle and Bs in large doses, plus lots of other supps. I recommend the "Seven Weeks to Sobriety" protocol for this. The programme claims (and backs it up) that most people following this protocol suffer very little withdrawal symptoms even without the use of any medication. It certainly helped me through many a detox (although I didn't do them without medsuch.

I haven't looked into the detail of the 7 weeks protocol. Care to post a link for us?

[beatle]

just starting out on baclofen today-urgent questions

This prgramme was all devised pre-bac, but I would be very surprised if she (Dr. Joan Larson, the founder of HRC and author of the book) isn't completely on the bac bandwagon by now... she combines the biological and mental aspects to make a "psycho-biological model" for treating addiction and emotional disorders.

(btw, her 17-year-old son committed suicide immediately after coming out of a rehab, which is how she came to study nutrition and design this programme.)

Drug & Alcoholism Addiction Treatment, Alternative Alcohol Treatment

You can google to find the book-- you can get it almost anywhere. I use it mainly as a guideline for nutrients for a recovering alcoholic -- a sort of supplement bible. You can buy the supps from the HRC website, but you can just as well buy them anywhere else. It's all laid out for you, with explanations for what the nutrients do and why they are needed (although I suspect it needs updating at this point -- just goes to show you how long I've been on this journey:sigh

Sorry -- this was not meant to hijack this thread.

Back to susanna here.

[tom4now]

just starting out on baclofen today-urgent questions

this sounds very interesting and helpful...the "whole-istic" aproach I have always thought to make sense...thanks for the links beatle!

[tiptronic_ct]

just starting out on baclofen today-urgent questions

beatle;846419 wrote:

Sorry -- this was not meant to hijack this thread.

I don't think it does - Susanna can get some good information from resources like that.

[susanna]

just starting out on baclofen today-urgent questions

Hello all you wonderful people - it's such a comfort to come back here and see that peeps are still here to help out.

Paul is turning a corner - no intense moaning and spasms. Ate a good solid meal tonight. We had a nice chat and a couple of laughs and hugs. Gave him another does of Ativan, L-Glut, B1 and he is now asleep soundly again. Hope it lasts the night.

God - he would still be in agony if not for the Ativan - which I managed to get 2 months ago thinking I wanted it just in case he had a relapse, and knowing he would not go to an ER if he did.

I am checking out the 7 weeks thing too - will send the link to Paul so he can read it when he's better.

[Miss Behaving]

just starting out on baclofen today-urgent questions

Susanna,

I have absolutely no experience with Bac, and just ended up on this thread by mistake!

But I just wanted to say that you and the rest of your family are stars for sticking with your brother through this. You all are in my thoughts today, and your love and support for Paul will help him get through this so much better than if he was isolated. Anyone who is as generous with their love as you obviously are helps to keep us all strong.

[susanna]

just starting out on baclofen today-urgent questions

Miss Behaving;846463 wrote: Susanna,

I have absolutely no experience with Bac, and just ended up on this thread by mistake!

But I just wanted to say that you and the rest of your family are stars for sticking with your brother through this. You all are in my thoughts today, and your love and support for Paul will help him get through this so much better than if he was isolated. Anyone who is as generous with their love as you obviously are helps to keep us all strong.

You are a dear - I'd like to do something bigger for this cause once Paul gets better.

Taking a nap now - while Paul is down for a sleep.

[Guest]

just starting out on baclofen today-urgent questions

Very Good news Susanna. Glad he is starting to come around. looking forwrd to your updates!

[tom4now]

just starting out on baclofen today-urgent questions

ok this is good news now we all can sleep better!!!

[Lion]

just starting out on baclofen today-urgent questions

omg there is no such zen as a cat. so comfy in their skin..susanna, i am with you in this boat., my broither is in the same situation except i am addicted myself and trying to help..i am sober all day then watch out at 9 pm...most nights anyway. you are a better sis than i...as i am getting tired of the drama...very tired susanna! it never ends..when i have an eve free i get texts and vm about what else.

[susanna]

just starting out on baclofen today-urgent questions

You are so amazing all of you.

First the status report on Paul:

Paul woke up as sounded and looked like Paul again. He still has the craving of course and had 2 beer at 6 am, 3 smokes, and then 4 hours later needed a couple of shots but he is not falling, moaning, shaking or any of the intense stuff. And he was is lucid, his eyes clear, skin tone normal, voice is back.

By 11:15 am he was losing all those normal signs and went back to hazy, red faced, glassy eyes and emotional. I think it's the comob of bac and booze. But still he's no where near as bad as yesterday.

We'll see what the rest of the day brings and will keep you posted.

If you all had not been here to walk me through this I may have cracked up. Once I did crack up and both Paul and I were taken to ER by my sister (In the past I have been able to get my dad, mom or sister to fly in to help from other cities but this time it was not possible.) We were both administered valium - it's kind of funny now when I think about it. It's all part of the journey to finding a solution - and taking a few wrong turns along the way.

Lion - it's increadible that you are helping your bro and struggling with addiction too. Are you trying any medicines? Is your brother? Maybe you could tell him about Paul and that he can start BAC while drinking. Maybe you two could start using it together and support eachother ?

I think that is a big hurdle for people - that with all other programs and meds it seems that abstinence is required to even get started - which is a brutal requirement. To me, it's like telling a cancer or a diabetes patient that they need to be symptom free before they can get radiation or insulin.


More later.

[tom4now]

just starting out on baclofen today-urgent questions

yes thats it Lion so very true...many a tale has been woven in with the drunkard...a fine cyclone to catch all who enter...as hard as it is sometimes letting them sink until they start to do a little paddling, little progress can be made....one knows the yearning of someone who says I'm scared I want help...I will do anything and all things to get better as painful as bottoming out is I think the Cree is you can lend a hand but you cant carry them!

[tom4now]

just starting out on baclofen today-urgent questions

Just a note suzanna the combanation Benzo and alcohol is a very large depressant and moods will be on a emotional rollercoaster ride....course the two are not a great cocktail...but if you can acctually get him to wind down now off this episode then great however you do it is inmateral and then start working on the Baclofen treatment.