Baclofen against Anxiety and not mainly alcohol?

[techie]

Baclofen against Anxiety and not mainly alcohol?

Oh I'm hearing kumbaya coming through these posts. Jeez, I hope it isn't my meds

[tm1210]

Baclofen against Anxiety and not mainly alcohol?

After alcohol I'd say Benzos are probably the next biggest addiction problem out there. Doctors just give them out far far to easy. Everyone I knows on them, from 17 to 70. Most think they're harmless until they try and stop using them. Also GHB's a GABA-B agonist and GHB addiction is very real and very scary, can be deadly too. If your physical addicted your dosing every few hours or your in for hell.

[beatle]

Baclofen against Anxiety and not mainly alcohol?

OnTheWagon;871859 wrote:
Ativan is another of the wonder drugs for alcohol abusers. They are all benzo's. For whatever reason, they will stop us from drinking booze.

I have never heard that benzos will stop people from drinking. I think they just help a person who has decided to stop drinking in their detox. I guess they also help a person adjust to being sober.

I have used ativan (lorazepam) to detox many times. It knocks me out, but helps with the w/d symptoms. It also eases my mind to have it handy because it is also an anti-convulsant.

But it hasn't been a wonder drug at all for me, just something to get me through the hell of detox. I think its role in keeping somebody from drinking is merely that it replaces alcohol for some people. It does not reduce cravings, as far as I know.

I did think it would be a wonder drug for me, though, as I have severe anxiety issues, and it appears that lorazepam is the benzo that treats that the most.

Although it's not MY wonder drug, it may be for others.

[beatle]

Baclofen against Anxiety and not mainly alcohol?

I know. I agree. It just didn't help me much. And my psych only prescribed it because I asked her to. She said "fine, you've obviously done your research and so here it is... yipppee, I get to write another sript!" (okay that last part was what I am guessing she was thinking.)

I did do a lot of research on lorazepam and I did think it would help me, both for detoxing and anxiety.

It helped for detoxing, but not anxiety. Baclofen at low doses has helped me the most for anxiety.

Therapy, specifically therapy for panic attacks, has given me some tools to deal with it when it happens, but not given me tools to prevent it from happening.

[techie]

Baclofen against Anxiety and not mainly alcohol?

Wow! lorazapam helped my anxiety and panic immensely. However, I do recall it taking a good month to month & 1/2 to work effectively for me. I was taken off a plane in San Francisco thinking I was having a heart attack. I was on lorazapam, had one under my tongue as they put me on the gurney. Once it worked I never had a problem with panic and my GAD was always in check.

What I'm debating with myself is do I want to continue on an SSRI for Panic & GAD. Since I will most likely be on a med for this ongoing what about long term SE's . SSRI are still fairly new. Is taking the Xanax XR a better option for me? I'd like to discuss with my doctor, but welcome input.

[teddynovacks]

Baclofen against Anxiety and not mainly alcohol?

hi all, my first posting, from rep.of ireland, i just read article about the french doctor who uses baclofen
to treat his alcoholism......i'll read his book definitly. he claims to even drink socially now. my issue is this, i've been sober now for 8 years, mainly through aa, and yes am aware of the limits of aa, but the thought of being able to drink occasionally ( for me...a nice wine with food..is what i miss most) without abusing alcohol is very appealing. have read holford's books too, this whole gaba thing is a bit of a mystery, e.g why not just take large doses of gaba itself.....how does baclofen behave differently...? i'll obviously research baclofen more and the whole neurotransmitter stuff before i even think about compromising my sobriety....i worked hard for it....but i've never accepted aa's ideas as solid. a glass or two of wine again would be very welcome indeed...ah hell a small brandy to follow!!!

[techie]

Baclofen against Anxiety and not mainly alcohol?

Hi teddynovacks - Welcome to you. Lots of support here and an excellent source of information. Most importantly a great knowledge share so post post post. Gee, I gotta ask since I'm only 15 days alcohol free. You have been sober for eight years why the heck would you want to experiment now w/meds in an attempt to have a glass of wine here or there. Not being judgemental here but my gosh it seems to me you've beaten the devil at his game!?

[Sunnyvalenting]

Baclofen against Anxiety and not mainly alcohol?

The benzos are used widely for detox and withdrawal symptoms but, as far as I am aware, do not work as anti craving meds. They also tend to have their own abuse potential. People use them to get high and then become addicted to them.
The good thing about the baclofen is that it causes a calming effect without the reinforcing "high" associated with alcohol (and benzos for some).
I honestly don't know the pros and cons of baclofen (a gaba enhancer) vs GABA itself.
I am happy with my 5 months of abstinence with baclofen. Since the baclofen is working I have not seriously thought of drinking
I have "had enough" for a lifetime and don't wish to reinforce that behavior ever again. It took me too long to get here to risk it.
Also with most addiction I started drinking because I liked the way it made me feel. Slowly but surely it got to where I drank to avoid the symptoms associated with not drinking! It is a vicious cycle that I am glad I am off of.
best to all
Sunny

[craving]

Baclofen against Anxiety and not mainly alcohol?

teddynovacks;871994 wrote: hi all, my first posting, from rep.of ireland, i just read article about the french doctor who uses baclofen
to treat his alcoholism......i'll read his book definitly. he claims to even drink socially now. my issue is this, i've been sober now for 8 years, mainly through aa, and yes am aware of the limits of aa, but the thought of being able to drink occasionally ( for me...a nice wine with food..is what i miss most) without abusing alcohol is very appealing. have read holford's books too, this whole gaba thing is a bit of a mystery, e.g why not just take large doses of gaba itself.....how does baclofen behave differently...? i'll obviously research baclofen more and the whole neurotransmitter stuff before i even think about compromising my sobriety....i worked hard for it....but i've never accepted aa's ideas as solid. a glass or two of wine again would be very welcome indeed...ah hell a small brandy to follow!!!

Baclofen is great to remove the craving and to reduce anxiety. Please do not risk your sobriety, it is not worth it. I have seen others taking Baclofen and drinking and it is not as easy as it sounds from Ameisen. They feel in control of alcohol meanwhile taking Baclofen, and then it changes from a little drinks to a few more, and more days a week. Its really pandoras box. I was considering the same thing as you. On Baclofen i have no problem to eat a tiramisu or drink alcohol free (0.5%) beer. So I thought the rest would not be that bad. After seeing this Baclofen+Drinking examples I chose the no drinking anymore way. Alcohol causes so much pain and problems, its simply not worth it. Also with my anxiety problem, alcohol would decrease my chances of having this under control

[Virgil]

Baclofen against Anxiety and not mainly alcohol?

craving;872065 wrote: Baclofen is great to remove the craving and to reduce anxiety.

Hi craving,

I can't comment on baclofen's effect regarding craving as I have not yet reached the 'switch'. However, baclofen has not reduced anxiety for me. My anxiety is just as bad as when I first started taking baclofen in early December last year. However, baclofen clearly reduces anxiety for a good many people.

Way back in January this year, I suspected that baclofen may be increasing my anxiety but I no longer believe that to be the case. That's why I posted the following:

https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...tml#post794280

Incidentally, if you click on the link in the above post, please be patient as it takes a while to load.

V.

[craving]

Baclofen against Anxiety and not mainly alcohol?

Virgil;873495 wrote: Hi craving,

I can't comment on baclofen's effect regarding craving as I have not yet reached the 'switch'. However, baclofen has not reduced anxiety for me. My anxiety is just as bad as when I first started taking baclofen in early December last year. However, baclofen clearly reduces anxiety for a good many people.

Way back in January this year, I suspected that baclofen may be increasing my anxiety but I no longer believe that to be the case. That's why I posted the following:

https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...tml#post794280

Incidentally, if you click on the link in the above post, please be patient as it takes a while to load.

V.

Hi Virgil, good to see you!!

Sadly everyone reacts a little different to medication. We just had in my own family a case where a family member reacted very odd to a medication - the shrink only had a case like that 15 years ago!

A medicine that can help you with anxiety can also cause it, depending on how you take it. I would bet that part of the panic attacks I had in the past was a combination of Bupropion withdrawal combined with Baclofen dose reduction.
I think Baclofen on reduction can increase anxiety!

Baclofen has been for me a wonder, but it has as well bit my a$% several times. Psychosis, anxiety, panic - just to name a few keywords here.

The best is really not to jump around with the dose and to go very slow up and very slow down, and best to even stay at one dose. Even try to take it more or less at the same times of the day!

Do not take anything else. No anti-depressiva, no benzos, no psycho drugs. As they will all interference with the function of Baclofen. I have read that especially anti depressiva can destroy good part of the Baclofen anti-anxiety effect. Benzos would get a lot more stronger in combination with Baclofen.

I would bet that the medicaments you took together with Baclofen have made the anxiety difference for you ??

But as person in therapy for anxiety I would not stop with the other medicaments prescribed by your doctor!

[Virgil]

Baclofen against Anxiety and not mainly alcohol?

OnTheWagon;871777 wrote: That's what fascinated me about Ameisen's book and lead me to this site. He did a great job describing the reasons he began to self-medicate and they were exactly like mine. I also believe he is completely accurate that booze is making up for something (he thinks it's GHB) that our brains/bodies just will not produce in adequate amounts.

Hi OTW,

Dr Ameisen has indeed put forward the hypothesis that GHB deficiency may be involved in alcohol dependence. See the following and note that it may take a little while for the document to load, but it's well worth the wait:

http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi...t/agm058v1.pdf

However, it doesn't appear to be so straightforward. It turns out that GHB is not present in all alcoholic drinks as the abstract below shows:

ScienceDirect - Forensic Science International : The presence of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages

For convenience, I have copied the following from this abstract:

"It was found that naturally occurring GHB and GBL were detected in those beverages involving the fermentation of white and particularly red grapes. No GHB or GBL was detected in other drinks such as beer, juice, spirits or liqueurs".

Interesting, isn't it?

V.

[craving]

Baclofen against Anxiety and not mainly alcohol?

Virgil;873529 wrote:
"It was found that naturally occurring GHB and GBL were detected in those beverages involving the fermentation of white and particularly red grapes. No GHB or GBL was detected in other drinks such as beer, juice, spirits or liqueurs".

Interesting, isn't it?

V.

Very interesting Virgil.
My understand is that alcohol itself acts as a dirty drug on several system of the body, one among them is the GABA system which reduces the signals strength of the other neurotransmitters.

Baclofen, GHB and GBL all work on the GABA system and do exactly that behavior. So instead of drinking alcohol that touches the GABA system, you take Baclofen that touches the same system and makes you more calm.

[Virgil]

Baclofen against Anxiety and not mainly alcohol?

craving;873508 wrote: Hi Virgil, good to see you!!

But as person in therapy for anxiety I would not stop with the other medicaments prescribed by your doctor!

Hi craving,

Me again!

Thanks for the kind words.

I have very little faith in any of the psychiatric medicines and I've tried TCAs, SSRIs, benzos. Been there, got the tee shirt. I hasten to add that these medications may benefit some people.

So, I'm pinning my hopes on therapy. I've been in therapy for more years than I care to remember but only in the last nine months have I found a therapist that has given me hope. I've had so many therapists that greatly improved my understanding of my OCD and GAD but failed to provide me with practical methods for overcoming my anxiety disorders.

V.

[ianpeterson]

Baclofen against Anxiety and not mainly alcohol?

I was being told by the Doctor then of you are on the anti-depressant drug then you should not drink Alcohol as it increases the effect of the alcohol. This is the only reason why it is not recommended that you drink alcohol while you are on Xanax