My progress with Baclofen

[seeking_serenity]

My progress with Baclofen

gratitide--I know that when I hit about 120mg/day I was in the clear. I still get anxious about certain things (i.e. job interviews) but the chronic, all-encompassing, overbearing anxiety was pretty much gone by the time I hit 120.

What dose are you at right now? Hope you can get some relief from your own anxiety soon. My advice would be: don't be afraid of the higher doses! A lot of the SE's that I experienced in lower doses (i.e. 40-60 mgs) disappeared once I hit 120. :l :h

[coalfire]

My progress with Baclofen

There is a natural sleep supplement for those that are interested. Its called melatonin. Havent tried it myself but I have heard good things about it. Melatonin.com - Experts compared, sleep tips, jet lag, seasonal affective disorder.

[gratitude]

My progress with Baclofen

seeking,
not yet on BAC. just lurking and watching all you courageous people lead the way. I've been sober for 3 1/2 years but the sometimes overwhelming anxiety is still there. using alternative methods right now for the anxiety but if that doesn't work... then I will probably join you guys.
I'm also interested in indifference to drinking. I still have obsessive thoughts about drinking. I told myself I would give my brain 5 years to reorganize itself. I use meditation, working out, AA, nutrition, etc, to not drink but if this truly is just a brain disease and BAC works to restore the brain... why not. some on this board have suggested that if I'm already sober what is the point and how would I know if I hit the switch. believe me I would know. I still cannot be around people drinking without feeling uncomfortable. I still don't feel " comfortable in my own skin" in social situations. I still have anxiety that is unbearable sometimes.
thanks for your response. it seems 120mg is the magic spot for anxiety anyway. all the best. grat.

[Isolde]

My progress with Baclofen

I've taken the addictive quality of xanax very seriously, more so after all of the helpful posts here! So since I'd taken it on Tuesday night, I decided to make do w/Advil PM last night. Dumb dumb dumb move! It made my body feel very relaxed and mellow, which was nice, but my brain was still going a million miles an hour. I tossed and turned all goddamn night and spent more time staring at the clock than sleeping! As a result, I feel like complete zombie ass today and am just doing my best to make it through the day. Thankfully I am off tomorrow and so will make sure to take the xanax tonight and get a GOOD LONG night's sleep!

So I've been pondering all aspects of this whole issue lately. And I was wondering, since bac removes the addictive quality of things, would it do the same for xanax? Or is it different because xanax causes a physical dependency?
As far as tolerance, it seems that the body develops it much more quickly to something like ambien, from what beatle and others have said (even spoke to some non MWOers who have experience with it). I didn't realize that a tolerance builds up for xanax as well. Hopefully it at least doesn't happen as quickly as it does with ambien (zolpiderm).
I'll try to find a better balance between being careful with it, but not TOO afraid to hardly use it at all!

Thanks to all who have chimed in on this, it really helps to get feedback from people who've had first hand experience! :thanks:

[Bruunhilde]

My progress with Baclofen

Hey Is,

I can't comment on removing the xanax while on bac, but that would be an excellent SE of bac! I'm already loving the lack of hangover now that I'm over 60mg, and the lack of the other debilitating issues. I'm looking foward to that magic 120! I may stay there for a while and work out like a mad dog to gain some self respect to get me through the rougher upper doses.

I do know removing xanax after using it for even a week, is very difficult. I'm emotionally and physically dependent on it after having great sleep. I've been reducing my amount lately, and still sleeping because I upped the bac.

You may have to pave this path and lead the rest of us....

[gratitude]

My progress with Baclofen

Is,
have you tried ambien or are you just going with advice from this forum?
I talked to my doc before I got a prescription for it because I was afraid of getting addicted. I explained to her that I was addicted to alcohol and didn't want to get addicted to anything else. she said it was in the family of benzo's but not as addicting as the others.
she also said the were two types of insomnia. one, which i have, is trouble staying asleep after a few hours. the other is failing to fall asleep. I have no trouble falling asleep especially after a half tab of melatonin. sometimes I stay asleep all night. there are periods where I can't stay asleep and I take 1/2 tab of ambien only on those occasions. this gives me another 4 hours and seems to snap me out of the 4 days or so of insomnia I would normally have. I cannot function without sleep. this is one of my biggest TRIGGERS for drinking.
maybe try melatonin and see if it helps with falling asleep. then try ambien if you can't stay asleep. I don't seem to be developing a tolerance at all foe it. cheers

[Bruunhilde]

My progress with Baclofen

Coalfire, melatonin is contraindicated for use with baclofen. I was using it at first before I was told, and eliminating the melatonin helped my side effects from bac at that point, which was like 20-30mgs/day.

[beatle]

My progress with Baclofen

Sleep issues thread?

I'm thinking about maybe starting a separate thread on sleep issues and how to deal with them (as sleep disorder is a major SE, if not the major SE, of baclofen. (Tired in the day, awake at night.)

I've written reams on the Holistic Healing forum on this subject throughout the years (notice my join date), but I also have lots of experience and knowledge about the "drug" side, and using different things in adjunct (mixing and matching)...

And I'm thinking all kinds of folks here have all kinds of different experiences. Maybe we can patch things together for ourselves based on others' experiences?

But then I'm thinking, maybe it would be overkill.

[seeking_serenity]

My progress with Baclofen

gratitude;1053571 wrote: seeking,
not yet on BAC. just lurking and watching all you courageous people lead the way. I've been sober for 3 1/2 years but the sometimes overwhelming anxiety is still there. using alternative methods right now for the anxiety but if that doesn't work... then I will probably join you guys.
I'm also interested in indifference to drinking. I still have obsessive thoughts about drinking. I told myself I would give my brain 5 years to reorganize itself. I use meditation, working out, AA, nutrition, etc, to not drink but if this truly is just a brain disease and BAC works to restore the brain... why not. some on this board have suggested that if I'm already sober what is the point and how would I know if I hit the switch. believe me I would know. I still cannot be around people drinking without feeling uncomfortable. I still don't feel " comfortable in my own skin" in social situations. I still have anxiety that is unbearable sometimes.
thanks for your response. it seems 120mg is the magic spot for anxiety anyway. all the best. grat.

gratitude--

All the best to you back! I would suggest starting Bac sooner. F the people who think that you need other things to stay sober (with all due respect to those on this board who may have told you that--I don't know who said that!). I feel like a completely different person than I was 2 short months ago. Things don't bother me as much. I've lost my road rage and my inexplicable work anxiety. I can sleep through the night most nights (I do wake up at 1:30, 2:30, 4:30, etc. like clockwork, usually just to pee, but I can usually fall right back asleep).

If you want to get rid of that horrible anxiety, I'd suggest jumping on the Bac bandwagon! What do you have to lose? Most of the SEs I've experienced have been mild, and even when they get a little bad (nausea and dizziness tend to be the worst), I can still get through the day with them.

Go for it, gratitude! :h :l

[smc8371]

My progress with Baclofen

Baclofen/ Naltrexone progress

Hi All,

I've not posted, but I'm having a lot of success so just wanted to give a post.

O.K. I had been taking Naltrexone for almost a year with no real success. I'd still drink a lot, although not quit the "metric assload" I had been drinking. One bottle of wine instead of two. Cravings were still bad.

My friend wanted to do a cleanse for January, which sounded o.k. I knew I'd crave booze, so I decided to use the Baclofen I had on hand to see if it could help.

It was good to take the month off because I could really monitor my cravings. The first few days I was just on 30 mgs and the cravings were gone. But then they came back. I just kept titrating up as much as I could, cuz this stuff makes you SLEEPY! I'd try to raise about 15mgs every three days, sometimes more on the weekends, where being sleepy didn't matter so much.

Well, even at 120mgs, I still was craving a nice glass of red wine (I should mention, I'm 5'2" female, 120lbs). So I titrated up to 150mgs. And I saw the cravings disappear. I had the girls over for dinner last night as a celebration to the end of our January cleanse. I took a Naltrexone before they all came. I really didn't feel like drinking, but my friend brought over an AWESOME bottle of Far Niente. I found I kept losing track of my glass and was drinking much slower than every one else... WAY out of character for me. I ended up having 2 1/2 glasses and didn't feel like drinking anymore so I poured mine into my friends glass and I switched to tea!! No shit!!

So, today I had one of those work episodes that would normally be, "I need at drink at 5pm", and it didn't even cross my mind. I should be freaking out (could be career ending). I have wine, champagne and beer all here, and I don't care at all. I'm drinking tea right now. I'm hoping I've titrated up to where I need to be, but if I need more, no big deal, I'll take more. I'll keep you posted on that.

In summary, I titrated from 30mgs to 150mg in one month and my alcohol cravings are gone right now. GONE! I feel like I can drink wine, but I'm not obsessed with the idea and I'm more obsessed with the amazing thought of never having another hangover as long as I live.

Plus, I used to joke around that I'd weigh 90 lbs if I quit drinking, so I'm fending off anorexia one cocktail at a time. Maybe I'll lose a few pounds in the interim. Who knows? I sure do have a lot more time on my hands, now that I'm not shit faced from 5pm until I go to bed (pass out). Looking forward to my new life!

Warm regards to all of you. Its been a long road, and I am so blessed that I never had a DUI or vehicular manslaughter or lost a job or a good relationship. I heard the warnings before any of that happened and just had a lot of really freaking bad headaches, missed work days, etc. The best think about almost all of us... the thing that on one hand makes us drink our faces off, on the other hand makes us warm, charming, super fun folks, even without the booze. I'm looking forward to all of you discovering the amazing selves that you are!!! This was the ONLY thing in my life holding me back from really letting life rip! No, it's no holds barred baby.

Namaste

[smc8371]

My progress with Baclofen

Baclofen/ Naltrexone progress

:h

Hi All,

I've not posted, but I'm having a lot of success so just wanted to give a post.

O.K. I had been taking Naltrexone for almost a year with no real success. I'd still drink a lot, although not quit the "metric assload" I had been drinking. One bottle of wine instead of two. Cravings were still bad.

My friend wanted to do a cleanse for January, which sounded o.k. I knew I'd crave booze, so I decided to use the Baclofen I had on hand to see if it could help.

It was good to take the month off because I could really monitor my cravings. The first few days I was just on 30 mgs and the cravings were gone. But then they came back. I just kept titrating up as much as I could, cuz this stuff makes you SLEEPY! I'd try to raise about 15mgs every three days, sometimes more on the weekends, where being sleepy didn't matter so much.

Well, even at 120mgs, I still was craving a nice glass of red wine (I should mention, I'm 5'2" female, 120lbs). So I titrated up to 150mgs. And I saw the cravings disappear. I had the girls over for dinner last night as a celebration to the end of our January cleanse. I took a Naltrexone before they all came. I really didn't feel like drinking, but my friend brought over an AWESOME bottle of Far Niente. I found I kept losing track of my glass and was drinking much slower than every one else... WAY out of character for me. I ended up having 2 1/2 glasses and didn't feel like drinking anymore so I poured mine into my friends glass and I switched to tea!! No shit!!

So, today I had one of those work episodes that would normally be, "I need at drink at 5pm", and it didn't even cross my mind. I should be freaking out (could be career ending). I have wine, champagne and beer all here, and I don't care at all. I'm drinking tea right now. I'm hoping I've titrated up to where I need to be, but if I need more, no big deal, I'll take more. I'll keep you posted on that.

In summary, I titrated from 30mgs to 150mg in one month and my alcohol cravings are gone right now. GONE! I feel like I can drink wine, but I'm not obsessed with the idea and I'm more obsessed with the amazing thought of never having another hangover as long as I live.

Plus, I used to joke around that I'd weigh 90 lbs if I quit drinking, so I'm fending off anorexia one cocktail at a time. Maybe I'll lose a few pounds in the interim. Who knows? I sure do have a lot more time on my hands, now that I'm not shit faced from 5pm until I go to bed (pass out). Looking forward to my new life!

Warm regards to all of you. Its been a long road, and I am so blessed that I never had a DUI or vehicular manslaughter or lost a job or a good relationship. I heard the warnings before any of that happened and just had a lot of really freaking bad headaches, missed work days, etc. The best think about almost all of us... the thing that on one hand makes us drink our faces off, on the other hand makes us warm, charming, super fun folks, even without the booze. I'm looking forward to all of you discovering the amazing selves that you are!!! This was the ONLY thing in my life holding me back from really letting life rip! No, it's no holds barred baby.

Namaste

[bleep]

My progress with Baclofen

Great story to read smc. Are you planning on staying at 150mg's, or are you going to come down and see what happens?

[gratitude]

My progress with Baclofen

thanks for the support ,seeking. soon to be an the BACwagon.

[bleep]

My progress with Baclofen

Sorry, bad info, post removed.

[Lo0p]

My progress with Baclofen

I got your PM Isolde. I'm designing a routine for a friend right now who's new to training so I'll post it up when I'm done. It'll be really similar to what mine is now, which is based on Berkhan's recommendations of revers pyramid training.

Truth be told, I've used a few different routines over the years and gotten results on all of them.

No matter who it's for (man, woman, elephant) or the purpose of the routine (muscle gain, fat loss, tighten my tummy or whatever) it needs to be built around 3 core lifts: Squat, Deadlift and Bench.