This is gonna be long, so I hope you will bear with me. I had tried everything (except AA--couldn't deal with that), and my last ditch effort was Baclofen. It was a rocky journey which started on May 1 and ended on October 2. As I titrated up to higher and higher doesages, the side effects became almost unbearable. Horrible insomnia, anxiety attacks, tinnitis, weird dreams (what few hours of sleep I managed to get). Don't know if this ever happened to an6yone else, but I started falling. It was like my legs would just collapse. Normally, this wouldn't be that bad, cause I always landed on my butt, but I have severe osteoporosis in my spine, and I wound up at the ER to a series of xrays. Luckoly, I had not broken anything, but after those two falls, I fell 5 or 6 more times. Haven't been xrayed since those falls, just been on vicodin for the pain and have been taking it easy. My husband said sometimes when I would speak, I wouldn't make any sense (luckilyI didn't remember this
I went up to 360 mg a day for one day only. That was the day I collapsed at my granddaughter's softball game--so embarrassing! Anyway, hubby said, "I don't want you to be an alcoholic, but I don't want you to wind up in a wheelchair either!" So, the next day, I went down 20mg. Have slowly titrated down 20mg every few days. I had another really scary thing that happened, but I won't bore you with that. It involved me nodding off at a red light and I woke up with a cop in my face going, "wake up, wake up." Then another cop and an ambulance.
Well, anyway , I was all so worth it. Not only do I not have a desire for AL, but I actually have an aversion to it. One night I had run out of Vicodin (I can't take antiflammatories because I have an olcer), so I decided to take a couple sips of my husband's wine. The smell put me off, but I persevered and took a sip> I gagged and thought I would have to spit it out, but I did manage to get it down. I immediately had to brush my teeth. The next day I put raisins in my oatmeal and couldn't eat it because the raisins tasted like wine. I saw some jarred pasta sauce with vodka and gagged. My drink of choice is crushed; ice and water although right not I am treating myself to a lemon sour--seltzer, lemons, crushed ice and salt. For all you folks who said you gained weight, one of the odd things I am experiencing is--I can't stand snything sweet!
Well, as I said it was a rocky road, but so worth it. Luckily I didn't break my neck, and I would do it again (but I don't think I will have to). This feeling of freedom is indescribable!
Kay in Georgia.
P.S my doc has been on board from the beginning. The PA evn read Dr. A's book. She was so thrilled for me and excited about the prospect of helping so many of their patients, even possibly the drug addicts, too.
Thanks for all your support. I have not posted a lot, but have read a lot, and your posts have been an inspiration to me. Thank you all.
I went up to 360 mg a day for one day only. That was the day I collapsed at my granddaughter's softball game--so embarrassing! Anyway, hubby said, "I don't want you to be an alcoholic, but I don't want you to wind up in a wheelchair either!" So, the next day, I went down 20mg. Have slowly titrated down 20mg every few days. I had another really scary thing that happened, but I won't bore you with that. It involved me nodding off at a red light and I woke up with a cop in my face going, "wake up, wake up." Then another cop and an ambulance. Well, anyway , I was all so worth it. Not only do I not have a desire for AL, but I actually have an aversion to it. One night I had run out of Vicodin (I can't take antiflammatories because I have an olcer), so I decided to take a couple sips of my husband's wine. The smell put me off, but I persevered and took a sip> I gagged and thought I would have to spit it out, but I did manage to get it down. I immediately had to brush my teeth. The next day I put raisins in my oatmeal and couldn't eat it because the raisins tasted like wine. I saw some jarred pasta sauce with vodka and gagged. My drink of choice is crushed; ice and water although right not I am treating myself to a lemon sour--seltzer, lemons, crushed ice and salt. For all you folks who said you gained weight, one of the odd things I am experiencing is--I can't stand snything sweet!
Well, as I said it was a rocky road, but so worth it. Luckily I didn't break my neck, and I would do it again (but I don't think I will have to). This feeling of freedom is indescribable!
Kay in Georgia.
P.S my doc has been on board from the beginning. The PA evn read Dr. A's book. She was so thrilled for me and excited about the prospect of helping so many of their patients, even possibly the drug addicts, too.
Thanks for all your support. I have not posted a lot, but have read a lot, and your posts have been an inspiration to me. Thank you all.
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