My Baclofen Experience

[moglor]

My Baclofen Experience

You know, one of the strangest things about recovery is the fact that this is the only place I can share my successes (and my failures.)

There are only a handful of people in real life who know about my Baclofen experiment, and fewer still who know about my depression and alcoholism, and the steps that I am taking to address both.

It's a strange thing to be making huge progress in my life, and not have anyone local to talk to about it! The blog thing is starting to make more and more sense..

[Sunnyvalenting]

My Baclofen Experience

I so relate, Mo. Luckily I do talk also with my family and one friend. But the good news is there is less and less to talk about.
Sunny

[Titania]

My Baclofen Experience

Well, you can see I've been on here for FOUR years, and hardly posted anything until now... Never felt like I could talk to people about this either, BUT finally I have two friends I talk to about it, and my husband is actually supporting me too, on this! But it SO helps to talk to other people who are in the same situation (or have been)... to know that you don't go it all alone, is a major plus!!! Thanks to everyone!

[ignominous]

My Baclofen Experience

moglor;996640 wrote: You know, one of the strangest things about recovery is the fact that this is the only place I can share my successes (and my failures.)

There are only a handful of people in real life who know about my Baclofen experiment, and fewer still who know about my depression and alcoholism, and the steps that I am taking to address both.

It's a strange thing to be making huge progress in my life, and not have anyone local to talk to about it! The blog thing is starting to make more and more sense..

I'm desperate to communicate with people and the only real connection seems to be here. My intermittent internet access has made me painfully aware of this and of my need to generally get out more and meet, really meet people. Probably just need to get out from up my arse!

[moglor]

My Baclofen Experience

Just a short note today. Day 3 of Wellbutrin (anti-depressant) and 26 days AF, beating my last AF period by 2 days. This is also 26 days of > 200mg/day of baclofen. I have gone down to 200 from 225 as of 1 week ago. I do not have any SEs anymore, and 200mg/day seems a good balance of high dosage and low impact. I will likely remain on this dosage until the new year.

Also, I transitioned from Lioresal to Neuraxpharm (about half the cost) about 3 weeks ago with no ill effects.

Best,
Moglor

[mikeone]

My Baclofen Experience

Concerned about taking baclofen

I'm on day 5 of my baclofen titration plan: 5 mg for the first four days, 10 mg in divided doses for the next three days, then adding in 20 mg each subsequent week. I'm obviously still a newbie on training wheels.

I found I had to divide even the initial 5mg daily dose into two equal 2.5mg doses because it made me feel terrible and shake like a leaf, and also caused some of my muscles contract painfully. However, the stuff has already cut my drinking in half--from 6 to 8 glasses of wine each evening to 3 or 4. Compared to many here, that may not seem like much, but I am anxious to stop completely. For me it may be more of a bad habit that an actual addiction. I don't know. I've stopped for weeks, months, even years before and relied on various benzos to curb my anxiety, which big Al excels at. I'm now trying baclofen because I don't want to be habituated to any of those things--but am I substituting one set of habits for perhaps a more dangerous course? The apparent positive results so far are probably just a placebo effect.

What concerns me is the issue of suddenly finding myself with out the med and having to go cold-turkey thru that nasty withdrawal stuff I read about. I do a lot of traveling, much of it off the beaten track. It would be very easy to lose my meds on one of those trips with no way to replace them until I return home. I shudder to think of the consequences. I'm also worried about the elevated blood sugar, liver enzymes and kidney problems that I've been reading about. Hence, I am tip-toeing into this--titrating up very slowly and maybe stopping far short of the suggested trigger dose for the sake of safety. We'll see what happens...

Mike

[Sunnyvalenting]

My Baclofen Experience

At your current low doses a sudden cessation of bac would not be an issue. I am concerned about the shakiness tho, even at low dose. Do you have a history of seizure disorder? If so it should not generally be used.
Although dependence does develop over time to baclofen it seems that addiction (as defined by taking more than planned) and abuse do not so if it works for you (and it can even at low dose) you are defineitly better off.
Best of luck. If your symptoms continue consult your doctor and tell them exactly what you are doing.
BTW 6-8 glasses, if that is more than you planned, are too many so you are in the right place.
Welcome to MWO
Sunny

[mikeone]

My Baclofen Experience

Concerned

Sunny,

No history of seizures. However, I had severe anxiety attacks, sometimes out of the blue, when I was younger. Usually, that was in a social situation, especially when I felt scrutinized whether it was true or not. Obvious social phobia. No doc at the time picked up on that. I even once had a full-blown panic attack in my doc's offiice. He said, "You won't live long if you go on like that," and prescribed the neuroleptic Stellazine. I only took it for a short time before I discovered benzos. The Stellazine didn't work; benzos and alcohol worked like magic. I fired the doc. That was many years ago--thanks "sympathetic" medical profession.

I may be cross addicted, or I may just be looking for a crutch; don't know. I'm concerned that baclofen may evolve into a TRIPLE addiction/dependency/habit or whatever. I'm wading slowly ahead to explore the limits. (Risk taking is part of my nature, but over time I've learned the importance of caution the hard way.)

Also 6-8 glasses of wine are always more than I planned for. It just became some kind of compulsion. Now half of that seems more than adequate. Plus I remain compos mentis all evening rather than crashing at 8 pm. It's a start...

Mike

[moglor]

My Baclofen Experience

Today marks 1 month of freedom from alcohol for me, and my longest period without drinking in the last 18 years.

Truth be told, I don't feel much different.

It's nice to not wake up hungover, nice to not suffer the massive mood swings, nice to not regret things I said, and certainly nice to not be spending $15/day on alcohol. Everything about it is just excellent.

Since I went on antidepressants, my mood has stabilized quite a bit. I don't experience the deep lows that threatened my very existence, but I don't have any highs either. Then again, I never did. The underlying problems I face daily: low self esteem, loneliness, hopelessness, despair about the future, all still exist, and all affect me the same way, but without the mood amplification of alcohol, I can approach them somewhat rationally.

I can see analytically that without the ADs, I would be falling into a deep depression again, but the chemical stabilization of my brain is keeping me sane and sober so far.

I maintain my bac dose of 200mg/day, which seems to keep any cravings at bay. I've had many temptations and opportunities, but I've been able to move past them without anguish.

All in all, this has been successful! I am happy with my progress, and I am now afforded the opportunity to begin addressing my fundamental psychological issues without the veil of alcohol.

Best,
Moglor

[inde72]

My Baclofen Experience

Not to post a one word reply;

but:

Excellent!

[ignominous]

My Baclofen Experience

Hi Mog
I month seems a big step in the right direction but someone said to me in chat, can't remember who, that they didn't feel the benefits kicking in for a full 6 months after going AF. Now, they are living the life they always dreamed about.
I hope I get, to where you are, so I can sort out my other issues!

[Ne/Neva Eva]

My Baclofen Experience

Excellent, Mog. Congratulations.
:thumbs:

[Titania]

My Baclofen Experience

Glad you are doing well Mogler... I stopped taking the bac about a week ago.. just couldn't deal with the way it made me feel and i was putting on weight which really annoyed me coz I've been loosing it lately... but it just made me way too sleepy and I had kidney problems as a child so the last thing i need is to screw up the one that i have... and my blood suger level is too high at the best of times so i don't need that either. I am trying to mentally cut down the wine, and i actually had 2 night with none this week... I am just going to have to do it myself.... I loved the way i felt when i hadn't had any the night before... much better than the slight hangovers some mornings.... So let's hope I can do this!

[Sunnyvalenting]

My Baclofen Experience

Mo, wonderful news. Enjoy your freedom and never go back to the jail sentence of alcohol dependence. I am at 10 months tomorrow and very happy.
Best to all
Sunny

[ignominous]

My Baclofen Experience

Hey Mog
Hoe does 1 month 1 week feel if you still are?