Baclofen V's Topiramate. Now totally confussed !

[guardian]

Baclofen V's Topiramate. Now totally confussed !

:wd::bow:H

Brilliant Bridget. Simply brilliant.

[Sunnyvalenting]

Baclofen V's Topiramate. Now totally confussed !

Tracy and others,
I can relate to your imagination issue and lack of fantasies. It turns out that the more imaginitive brain may also be the more impulsive brain with respect to addiction. It is as tho the "stops" are off and that can be a mixed blessing at least it has been for me. I noticed a decrease in the imagination to some extent and an utter inability to meditate deeply. It was as tho I got to a certain point and there was a barrier. It was a bit frustrating. I have tapered down to just 20 at night and am now able to be creative and imaginitive but without as much pressure about it. I think it is just something I have to get use to. I will take it gladly in light of how I feel now. It took about 5-6 months Af but I am truly thriving now. Wouldn't go back to that life for all the fantasies in the world. Congrats on your 7 days! you are on your way to your new life!
Sunny

[Topsy-Turvy-Tracy]

Baclofen V's Topiramate. Now totally confussed !

Thanks Sunny. The topa drove me batty because I couldn't think of words, now the bac prevents me from whipping up stories. Ameisen's Disease sucks! But, whatever it takes.

I think part of it was a matter of never growing up. Play pretend was my favorite game as a kid, and as an adult I just kept playing it in the privacy of my own my head. I have one recurring character and cannot even remember where the inspiration for him came from, some Saturday morning sci-fi show when I was a kid, I think.

[RedThread12]

Baclofen V's Topiramate. Now totally confussed !

Hi Bridget: I have no experience with topo, so no comment there. And clearly baclofen has a wide range of effects for different people, but even aside from the utter liberation of knowing that I never have to go into that dark drinking pit again, it has been really helpful for me in a number of other ways, so I'll chime in here a bit.

I was coming off a fairly short relapse, had been AF a week, then drinking, then AF a week, for a couple of months, so I wasn't back to completely pickled when I started bac. I felt relief from craving from the 1st 10 mg pill I took. Never drank more than a couple of drinks at night after that first day. I've done lots of AF time, had a couple of glasses of wine here there with NO evil repercussions of any kind. I do know that if it were not for the baclofen, my personal neurochemistry would always loom to return me to the pit.

But baclofen made me "sober" in a number of other ways that I never experienced when I wasn't drinking for long periods before (and was regularly attending AA, have done extensive therapy, and traveled the world doing "personal growth" work). I no longer need anti-depressants. I no longer over-spend (bankruptcy was a by-product of my alcoholism), I have lost 25 lbs. and am more fit than I have been in a decade (I'm 54). And then there's a long list of benefits that have come with alcohol as a non-issue in my life that have deeply contributed to my spiritual life.

So - I have no opinion about what you should try. My only opinion would be that, since you are not currently drinking, you would probably feel the effects of baclofen fairly soon and know whether or not it works for what you are seeking. The physiological side effects are almost nil for me. It never even made me tired. I never went past 160mg/day. I felt the same way at 160 as I do at 80 - AF most of the time, a glass or two of wine occasionally. (I know, that's not what I'm "supposed" to do.)

I don't know where I'd be if I hadn't found this forum and baclofen. I'm so incredibly grateful. This is just me - but I had gone to the point where the idea that not taking a drink would have to be the most important thing I did every day made me want out - all the way out.

There's nothing that says you can't start with one, observe the outcome, and try the other if necessary. It's quality of life we're after here, non? All the best.

[byebyebridgetjones]

Baclofen V's Topiramate. Now totally confussed !

Once again, thanks for your effort all.
It seems like clinical responses to all of the meds are highly individualised.
And as a few of you suggest, there is no harm in trying, and if needs be, titrating back down and trying another med.
One thing is for sure, I will find a solution to this, and do whatever it takes.
Thanks,
Bridget.

[tiptronic_ct]

Baclofen V's Topiramate. Now totally confussed !

byebyebridgetjones;988820 wrote: Once again, thanks for your effort all.
It seems like clinical responses to all of the meds are highly individualised.
And as a few of you suggest, there is no harm in trying, and if needs be, titrating back down and trying another med.
One thing is for sure, I will find a solution to this, and do whatever it takes.
Thanks,
Bridget.

Go for it.

:l:l:l

[Going Strong]

Baclofen V's Topiramate. Now totally confussed !

Bridg,

I tried the bac but the side effects were to much for me and was messing with my head as I felt I was drunk all the time.

Also when it came to work my boss was very critical of the side effects and me taking it (my boss is my husband!)

But I didn't drink as much to start and did stop.

My anxiety went and for that alone if my side effects weren't too bad i would stay on it forever.

I did have a fear of running out or being put into a position where I couldn't keep taking it and that result worried me.

As we all say Whatever it takes!

[Sunnyvalenting]

Baclofen V's Topiramate. Now totally confussed !

Going Strong,
How did you take bac? What was your dose and for how long?
S

[PhoenixRising]

Baclofen V's Topiramate. Now totally confussed !

I've done both. Topamax rendered me totally useless for doing my job at work. I could not rub two thoughts together, I could barely even speak coherently. I was unable to remember words, think logically or remember what I had just done. I am a computer programmer, so I got off it.

I had to go fairly high on Bac (245mg) to hit the switch and my main SE was falling asleep at work. I would close the door and nap on the floor on my lunch break. :wow: I also felt sort of high at the higher doses (never unwelcome to this baby boomer - :H), had twitches and stuff, but eh, it wasn't so bad. Far fewer SE's than being drunk or hungover.

[TrappedDad]

Baclofen V's Topiramate. Now totally confussed !

phoenix, can you tell me what everyone is referring to the "switch" on bac is? I am just on week one with topo, so just wondering.

[Topsy-Turvy-Tracy]

Baclofen V's Topiramate. Now totally confussed !

Heya Trapped! Good to see you here. I'm not Phoenix, but I'll answer 'cause I'm rude.

The "switch" is a dose where at a person becomes completely neutral toward alcohol - just doesn't care about it all and experiences no cravings even with the favorite drink right in front of him/her. It's very difficult for many (I dare say most) of us to reach that point as the side effects are really very significant.

The whole idea comes from the book "The End of My Addiction" by Olivier Ameisen, an M.D. who became a "down and out" alcoholic and tried it after reading research on rats.

But it sounds like you are doing quite well on the topa, so you might want to just stick to that for now and see where the ride takes you.

[Lo0p]

Baclofen V's Topiramate. Now totally confussed !

TrappedDad;989322 wrote: phoenix, can you tell me what everyone is referring to the "switch" on bac is? I am just on week one with topo, so just wondering.

It is a state of complete and total indifference to alcohol. It is where you can sit down, put your favorite drink in front of you and a glass of water, milk, soda or tea and you will actually honestly prefer to drink the non-alcoholic beverage. There is no amount of resistance or effort put forth by you, you actually just don't want it.

It sounds utterly impossible, but it's true. I've been living with it for almost a year now. I fall asleep every night literally like 20 feet from a cabinet stocked with liquor and bottles of red wine (my DOC) in my room and I never even think about it.

[Sunnyvalenting]

Baclofen V's Topiramate. Now totally confussed !

IMO the switch is a construct to define the situation in which abstinence is easy to achieve. It can occur as low as 15 mg and as high as 300mg or more with an average of about 150. Don't worry about it. Just do your best to not drink. If you are comfortably abstinent wherever you are you are fine.
I happened to be at the gym today which is in the same shopping center as my liquor store. I kept trying to ask myself if I had EVER even wanted to go in that store before. It was as tho that was another life. It is such a free feeling. Go for it. (I realize you are on topa. They don't describe such a phenomenon on that drug as far as I can tell.

[ignominous]

Baclofen V's Topiramate. Now totally confussed !

Trapped

I'm not qualified to say what the 'switch' is as I haven't yet reached that position. However it appears by most accounts to be as Rude and Lo0p said, that it is a state of indifference to alcohol.

Also I'm reassured that I will know 'it' when I reach 'it'.

Sorry that's all I've got!

[PhoenixRising]

Baclofen V's Topiramate. Now totally confussed !

ignominous;989505 wrote: Trapped

I'm not qualified to say what the 'switch' is as I haven't yet reached that position. However it appears by most accounts to be as Rude and Lo0p said, that it is a state of indifference to alcohol.

Also I'm reassured that I will know 'it' when I reach 'it'.

Sorry that's all I've got!

I'm going to really enjoy the day you get to experience it, Ig. I think it will blow you away.