Progress thread for ne

[Isolde]

Progress thread for ne

Karen, I'm so glad you've had Dr. L to help you on what has been a very difficult journey! I'm lucky that I was able to convince my GP to prescribe bac for me, but if that hadn't been the case, I wouldn't have hesitated to call Dr. L solely on your accounts of how wonderful he is.
I had a feeling he'd be thrilled about you hitting your switch!

I felt drugged the first night after Advil PM too, and I didn't like it. Luckily it quickly dissipated after 2 cups of coffee. Let me know if you try it again tonight, I'm curious to see if it will have the same effect of giving you a good night's sleep. Both the drugged feeling and good sleep disappeared for me on night 2.
I'm glad Dr. L agreed to prescribe the xanax for you. It has helped me so much recently with my sleep issues.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Progress thread for ne

The good thoughts overwhelm and humble me. They also kept me going in the thick of the drama I created surrounding this journey. Thank you very much. I don't have the words yet to write about the gratitude I feel, and to whom.

I had a very funny experience at the Walgreens yesterday re. the xanax.
I asked them to call Dr. L, which they have several times. They said no. Then I spoke with the pharmacist and he said they didn't call doctors. I reminded them that they did and that they had. He quickly recanted and said they wouldn't do it anymore. Then he got the script I had given the tech, and said they NEVER did it for controlled substances. I got annoyed and bitchy and said that my doctor was a very busy man and that I wouldn't put him out for this.
Of course, I hit a brick wall. So I called Dr. L, who immediately called the prescription in. My first reaction was reactionary and defensive, of course. (boycott! letters to the CEO! etc... I am a pain in the ass, as you might imagine.) Then I realized that EVERY pharmacist is going to be put out when asked to think outside of the box. I am taking, after all, the North American supply of baclofen! (:H STP, you are missed when you're not peppering us with your wit.)
I went in and introduced myself. Said I wanted to say hi, and was sorry that I had been so short with him on the phone. (grrrr) He said, "harrumph, well, yes. Remember your doctor works for YOU, not the other way around."
My first thought was, "well, actually very-little-man, YOU work for both of us." and then to launch into a spirited defense of Dr. L and how he's the only good doc in North America, atm. HA!
Instead I said, "Yes, well what I need is a pharmacy and a pharmacist. So I wanted to introduce myself. Hope you have a good day." (you effin' asshole)

I got the script, which at first seemed like it was enough to drop a horse. With plenty of refills. My dog has been on xanax. I don't remember what mgs she took, but let me tell you, they were the size of a large multi-vitamin. These things are TINY! (.25mg ftr)
I took one at 8pm, eager to get some good sleep. I have to wake up for my last dose of baclofen at 11pm. I cried a little when my husband woke me when my alarm was going off. Nooooo! I was SLEEPING! But then I woke at 330am, again and slept fitfully.
So tonight I'll take it with my last dose of bac at 11pm.

For the lurkers and the members of the other boards who are appalled that after such a hard won struggle I'd resort to something addictive:
This is the one and only pervasive SE I can't muscle through. I am very nervous about taking ANYTHING, as I've mentioned repeatedly. Baclofen cannot be undermined, and neither can sobriety. At all costs, long term sobriety comes first. (husband ended up eating all the dog's xanax like candy over the course of a couple of days many months ago. It was very, very scary. I approach this VERY cautiously.)

I am very relieved that it didn't make me feel good in any way. If they had, I would have flushed them this morning, without hesitation.

I am curious about how other people have approached their doctors, and spread the word about baclofen. I am too new to this sobriety thing, and too nervous to really count myself cured yet, to spread the message. But I'd like that to be a big part of the future in my life. I'd like to start the dialogue with those of you that have had success, and those that have been met with paleolithic stony disapproval.
If someone had come to me with this solution a decade ago, I wouldn't have believed them or wanted to find the solution in baclofen I don't think. But if my doctor had suggested it? I'd have taken it without question.

Not to pat myself on the bac, because you all are doing it very nicely for me. BUT! Yay, Ne! For being unwilling to buy into the party line and believing that there was another way out! And yay, you! Thanks to the ones who went before, and cheers to the ones looking to follow.
I grovelled at the shoelaces of mighty men for a long time. Clawed my way up to bootstraps, grasped at their collars, and am looking to stand on their shoulders. I hope you'll join me. This, out of necessity, has to be a grass roots effort.
Love you!
Ne
We ALL deserve this. Every single last one of us, here on MWO and out there in the 'real' world.

[Rusty]

Progress thread for ne

Karen,:h:yay::wd:

I am REALLY happy for you! You deserve this happiness! You are such a positive force on this thread....you spend so much time posting, responding, and helping others. You so deserve to be healthy and happy!

Love,

Rusty

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Progress thread for ne

Happy, Happy Birthday! And many, many more (sober) ones to come!

Love you bac!
Ne

[bleep]

Progress thread for ne

Whose birthday is it? Happy birthday to them!

To respond to your earlier post, about spreading the word - my shrink is the only one who is really excited, I suspect he is throwing baclofen parties for his alcoholic patients as we speak. He has said he will keep me informed about any that he does, so I'll let you know...

My doctor, strangely, the one who prescribed my baclofen, seems more reserved. Perhaps he just needs a bit of time. It might also be because I am hardly the baclofen poster boy that it probably needs. An abstainer would be more likely to rock his world. Still, he's admitted to me that he boozes more than he should ("but never during the week Ryan, only on weekends!"), so I wouldn't be overly surprised to see him filling a prescription somewhere down the line!

There was a doctor friend of mine who showed great interest initially, but he said he would call me for more info and hasn't, so that seems to have fizzled out.

I plan on hitting a few AA meetings in a while, when I am more confident about this whole thing, but I'm fully expecting a public lynching. Still, you never know, and it can't hurt. Much.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Progress thread for ne

Sorry to bump for this, it's important to me.

After my lengthy self-congratulatory email I realized I forgot the most important thing:
Namely cleaning up misinformation I have shared throughout my journey here and elsewhere on this forum. THAT is my first order of business. I won't lose sight of the goal.
Thank goodness there are so many to remind me when I do! :H

Thank you. that is all. (that's a joke, ftr.) [edit: the joke is 'that is all' NOT the Thank you! That is most sincere!]
xo peeps!
kttdpills!

[Bruunhilde]

Progress thread for ne

When you do cleanup, remember to repost the post you deleted so that whole thread makes no sense to those of us who missed it. You know what I'm talking about, it was a roller coaster time for you.

So will you start telling us about AS, after switch? Preferably on this same thread for newbies so they don't have to read several threads to see your path?

I'd sure like to know: how you now spend your time, do you still have any cravings or any drinks, how your relationship is going (you were nookie queen for at least a month, so you have to either have a disclaimer or tell it), how your body changed over time and why/how (al, bac, etc), how your thoughts have changed, and how people treat you differently.

Sure would love to continue the NE success thread, K.

Love ya! The story isn't quite :thanksver!

[Isolde]

Progress thread for ne

I gotta say, I think the whole calling up the pharmacy with a prescription and asking them to call the doctor to verify does seem a little bit backwards to me and I would really have NO idea how to approach that. Since Dr. L has to speak with them at some point to approve it anyway, seems like he might as well just call the prescription in to start with. If I was a pharmacist, and someone was coming to me and asking for a xanax prescription and saying that I need to call their doctor for him to approve it... my red flags would go up in a big way!
In any case, I'm glad you got all that straightened out.
I don't get any warm fuzzy feelings from xanax either. It just helps my brain quiet down enough for me to get some damn sleep! :H

As for spreading the word on bac. My doctor didn't seem at all excited or interested when I told him how much success people were having on baclofen and that I thought it would become the gold standard in addiction treatment. Then again, he was the same doc that I'd come to a couple of years earlier and pleaded my case for Topa, and obviously that didn't work out very well! He was also a bit annoyed with me for having been 2 years overdue for my app.
And then when I went to get the xanax Rx, I saw the physician assistant. I had to tell her the whole bac story in a nutshell, and she suggested antabuse so that I wouldn't have to keep adding in meds to deal with the bac SEs, etc. I told her that bac actually took away the craving to drink though, and that with antabuse, the craving would still be there, etc. etc.
I think it's going to take my long term success with bac to prove to my doc that it might be worth looking into w/other patients as well. That and being consistent with my appointments for awhile!

But I plan to continue letting my doc know how well bac works!

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Progress thread for ne

Isolde;1057690 wrote: I gotta say, I think the whole calling up the pharmacy with a prescription and asking them to call the doctor to verify does seem a little bit backwards ... If I was a pharmacist, and someone was coming to me and asking for a xanax prescription and saying that I need to call their doctor for him to approve it... my red flags would go up in a big way!
You're right, or course, Is. Frustrations in life abound, and this one is small potatoes! But for the newbies: The pharmacy had NO PROBLEM calling to get the baclofen prescription. It's the way Dr. L works, and it has worked out for many, many of us. So don't worry! But if you need a controlled substance, you might want to ask him to call it in!

Isolde;1057690 wrote: In any case, I'm glad you got all that straightened out.Me, too! Without all the drama my inner turmoil was driving me to create!
FTR, I still don't like him. :H

Isolde;1057690 wrote: As for spreading the word on bac. ...
I think it's going to take my long term success with bac to prove to my doc that it might be worth looking into w/other patients as well. That and being consistent with my appointments for awhile! But I plan to continue letting my doc know how well bac works!
Yep, again, you're completely right and oh so reasonable. :H

Bruunhilde;1057669 wrote: When you do cleanup, remember to repost the post you deleted so that whole thread makes no sense to those of us who missed it. You know what I'm talking about, it was a roller coaster time for you.

I am still learning from some profound mistakes, Bruun. And this is still a roller-coaster.


Bruunhilde;1057669 wrote: So will you start telling us about AS, after switch?

It's too new. I'm still unsure. I'm still doubtful that this is real. I just don't know.

Bruunhilde;1057669 wrote: how you now spend your time, do you still have any cravings or any drinks, how your relationship is going (you were nookie queen for at least a month, so you have to either have a disclaimer or tell it), how your body changed over time and why/how (al, bac, etc), how your thoughts have changed, and how people treat you differently.

--I am known for making lists that far exceed what can be accomplished in a mere 24 hours. It's a standing joke in my world. something like: Finish painting the bedroom, contact bank about defunct account, get car inspected, go to gym, take a walk, meditate, prepare and eat fantastic meals, finish laundry, vacuum, call 7 people, write thank you notes from a decade ago, be kind and generous, organize kitchen, clean out fridge, etc...

Two days ago I had THAT day! Wow and yowza! Apparently the list was manageable, the time-management skills were working, and the stars and moon aligned so that I just knocked everything out. Also, I was very focused on what the goals were.
Yesterday it all went to hell! Not focused, no list, too much on the agenda, an agenda! An awful lot of 'yay, Ne! way to get it done!' and not nearly enough, 'eyes on the goal.'
--I really wanted a beer last night, sort of? Lousy day, compounded by work stuff unrelated to my own frenzied mind. Two nights ago I 'dreamed' about pouring a beer for my husband. The color, the smell, the fizz. Yikes. It's painful to write about it.
But last night I took the next dose, on time, sat on the couch, next to my husband, while he was drinking beer. And I wasn't feeling the angst, though I am now, at 5am! ha! Drinking thoughts vs. thoughts about drinking, maybe? Still not sure what that means...Working on it though.
--What can I say about my relationship? We're married. Lots of things to work out over the course of a lifetime. This one is no different, just very profound. Who knows what the future holds? If I don't get my cholesterol under control it may be a moot point!
--my body? changed when I started educating myself about nutrition and exercise. I did that drunk. I haven't gained any weight, nor have I lost any. Though my clothes fit better! Bac-enhanced-exercise-endorphin-rush, imho.
My mind? hmmm. Bac lends itself to clarity, as does sobriety. But they come in spurts for me, still.
--The way other people treat me? Wow. I can't believe it, honestly. Of course it has more to do with the fact that I have been able and willing to do what I say I'm going to do for many weeks now. And also, when I've asked people to help me, I've actually asked for their help. Not in some kind of wheedling pathetic way, for the most part. Just, I know I'm asking them to think outside of the box, and would like their help. It's humbling and invigorating at the same time.
--No lack of things to fill my time. I was *very* worried about that. Friends waiting in the wings for me to participate. Long lists of things that I need and/or want to take care of. I'm much more worried about the coming burn-out than finding things to do.

Today my girlfriend is coming over for coffee at 930am, my female relatives are coming over for lunch around noon, and my husband and I are preparing dinner for 9 people at 730pm. Silly, yes. Still trying to make up for lost time! But there it is and I'm thrilled about it! YAY! (my home is clean, there is plenty of food in the fridge, I'm not fuzzy, not manic, not freaked out at the prospect. all completely new experiences.)

I'll continue to bore here. It humbles me. And I really believe the *after* stories, if that's what this is, are more important than the getting there stories. Though I didn't feel that way a couple of weeks ago! ha!
Needless to say, I've got to run, and this is quite long enough! And I've got another self-created mess to clean up.
:h

Edit: I've been taking 280mg/day for about a week. Took 300mg yesterday and will again today. Going up to 320mg/day tomorrow.
ONE WEEK AF!
.25 of xanax at 11pm. Not sure if it helped. Not sure if taking it the night before helped to increase my craving yesterday evening. Just not sure.

[Isolde]

Progress thread for ne

Karen, so glad that you are not finding a shortage of things to do! I'm experiencing the exact same thing. I am also making monstrous lists and do not have enough time in the day to get anywhere close to knocking them all out. But I am still getting a lot accomplished and it feels good!

I wouldn't sweat the thoughts about drinking too much. Been there and done that!! Doesn't mean you're relapsing, and even if you did give in and have a drink, it wouldn't be the end of the world, and you most likely wouldn't enjoy it very much. The thoughts about drinking really made me a bit crazy after I hit the switch (the first time, ha!). I think it's pretty normal though.

For the record, xanax does nothing to affect my craving for alcohol. I've taken it every night for the past week and have not thought about AL. If anything, I'd say my drinking thoughts have been even lower. You might want to try taking 2 of the .25mg pills. I know that when I was in the grips of the worst insomnia, I'd still wake up a lot even with the xanax. It was easier to fall back asleep, but still. .5mg is still a relatively small amount, and it just might be the little extra you need to help you sleep.

[seeking_serenity]

Progress thread for ne

neva eva;1058098 wrote:
--I am known for making lists that far exceed what can be accomplished in a mere 24 hours. It's a standing joke in my world. something like: Finish painting the bedroom, contact bank about defunct account, get car inspected, go to gym, take a walk, meditate, prepare and eat fantastic meals, finish laundry, vacuum, call 7 people, write thank you notes from a decade ago, be kind and generous, organize kitchen, clean out fridge, etc...

Two days ago I had THAT day! Wow and yowza! Apparently the list was manageable, the time-management skills were working, and the stars and moon aligned so that I just knocked everything out. Also, I was very focused on what the goals were.
Yesterday it all went to hell! Not focused, no list, too much on the agenda, an agenda! An awful lot of 'yay, Ne! way to get it done!' and not nearly enough, 'eyes on the goal.'
--I really wanted a beer last night, sort of? Lousy day, compounded by work stuff unrelated to my own frenzied mind. Two nights ago I 'dreamed' about pouring a beer for my husband. The color, the smell, the fizz. Yikes. It's painful to write about it.
But last night I took the next dose, on time, sat on the couch, next to my husband, while he was drinking beer. And I wasn't feeling the angst, though I am now, at 5am! ha! Drinking thoughts vs. thoughts about drinking, maybe? Still not sure what that means...Working on it though.

That is seriously nothing short of amazing. I can't wait for my switch. I can tell it's looming...I still drink, but I can't get drunk, and my daily AL units still average around 4/night.

neva eva;1058098 wrote:
--What can I say about my relationship? We're married. Lots of things to work out over the course of a lifetime. This one is no different, just very profound. Who knows what the future holds? If I don't get my cholesterol under control it may be a moot point!
--my body? changed when I started educating myself about nutrition and exercise. I did that drunk. I haven't gained any weight, nor have I lost any. Though my clothes fit better! Bac-enhanced-exercise-endorphin-rush, imho.
My mind? hmmm. Bac lends itself to clarity, as does sobriety. But they come in spurts for me, still.
--The way other people treat me? Wow. I can't believe it, honestly. Of course it has more to do with the fact that I have been able and willing to do what I say I'm going to do for many weeks now. And also, when I've asked people to help me, I've actually asked for their help. Not in some kind of wheedling pathetic way, for the most part. Just, I know I'm asking them to think outside of the box, and would like their help. It's humbling and invigorating at the same time.
--No lack of things to fill my time. I was *very* worried about that. Friends waiting in the wings for me to participate. Long lists of things that I need and/or want to take care of. I'm much more worried about the coming burn-out than finding things to do.

Today my girlfriend is coming over for coffee at 930am, my female relatives are coming over for lunch around noon, and my husband and I are preparing dinner for 9 people at 730pm. Silly, yes. Still trying to make up for lost time! But there it is and I'm thrilled about it! YAY! (my home is clean, there is plenty of food in the fridge, I'm not fuzzy, not manic, not freaked out at the prospect. all completely new experiences.)

I'll continue to bore here. It humbles me. And I really believe the *after* stories, if that's what this is, are more important than the getting there stories. Though I didn't feel that way a couple of weeks ago! ha!
Needless to say, I've got to run, and this is quite long enough! And I've got another self-created mess to clean up.
:h

Edit: I've been taking 280mg/day for about a week. Took 300mg yesterday and will again today. Going up to 320mg/day tomorrow.
ONE WEEK AF!
.25 of xanax at 11pm. Not sure if it helped. Not sure if taking it the night before helped to increase my craving yesterday evening. Just not sure.
The other things you mentioned are also wonderful. Obviously some (like the marriage) will take time and work to adjust to. I think you're very well-equipped to handle them!

The body stuff--you're in a damn good place! I wish I was as good about exercising as you have been. Once I get into a good groove with the new job (I finally started full-time today; was just part-time until my two weeks at the old job were up) I plan on fitting working out into my weekly regimen after work. You're ahead of your game!

I've noticed a huge change in the friends department as well. I got this job because the Bac gave me the confidence to ask an old friend to lunch, and during that lunch she told me about her workplace, and a couple of weeks later she called me about the job. I've also noticed that others have been reaching out to me more. What an amazing, unexpected benefit to the bac! Losing my severe anxiety (which of course included social anxiety), plus my previous tendency to avoid any social interaction after 6:00, really put me into a place where I can start enjoying my friends again! I'm so glad that is happening for you as well. I can't imagine having 9 people over for dinner! In my tiny house, it would be quite impossible, but the planning and organizing it takes is really impressive. Good on you! :h

Glad to hear that you're continuing to take (and even go up) your damn pills after hitting the switch! You are seriously one of the most committed people I've seen on this forum. Your experience will be something I can learn from once I hit mine. I know that I'll eventually want to go back down to 120, but like you, I want to make sure that the switch is real (and to cement it into my brain). What an inspiration! :l

You mentioned in a thread a while back that we should meet in Chicago to celebrate our switches. I think that would be a swell idea. Some long weekend (Memorial Day, maybe?) we should go to Chicago and celebrate. Maybe meet Dr. L in person! Maybe meet taw and redhead, if they're up for it! I love Chicago...it would be a great switch reward. :l

[redhead77]

Progress thread for ne

I would love to meet if you came to Chitown ladies! We could drop in on Dr L as well. I agree it's somewhat bizarre to have the pharmacy call him but they didn't have an issue as neva said. Also, now that I met him, I have no doubt to his authenticity. I will write about my visit now on Beatle's thread.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Progress thread for ne

Isolde;1058223 wrote: ... You might want to try taking 2 of the .25mg pills. I know that when I was in the grips of the worst insomnia, I'd still wake up a lot even with the xanax. It was easier to fall back asleep, but still. .5mg is still a relatively small amount, and it just might be the little extra you need to help you sleep.

That is how and what Dr. L prescribed, so last night I took *your* advice and followed his direction and, OH! Blissful sleep! I woke up to my bac-alarm! And stayed in bed another hour! 7 solid hours, thanks Is! (and a note to the rest of us. There will ALWAYS be people who follow the advice of MWOers over the advice of their docs/loved ones. Just sayin')

I do finally understand that having a drink would not derail this ride I'm on. But I have something to prove, to myself if to no-one else. And there are some very special people in my life who are watching me VERY closely. The beast will die here and now and forever. I'll think of it as part of my nutrition plan, rather than as part of my sobriety plan. That dance card is full.

I am on FIRE, friends! I know it's early sobriety and all that, but I love it. The only thing I'm scared about atm is that it'll end.
I had a really wonderful day. I've been really invigorated by the fact that I get to recreate myself, from the ground up, as it were. Everything is off the table and I get to pick and choose who I'm going to be and what I'm going to do with the what's left of my time here.

Since my home is as straight as it needs to be, I turned on the music those two are bonding over in that other thread, LOUD and started cleaning out my bookcases. Women with ADD? Gone. Rational Recovery? Getting Your Life Back? Adios!
Same with the extensive collection of anything Martha Stewart/Oprah. See ya'! Don't need you cluttering up my precious mind! But thanks for making me feel like I was never going to be woman enough...
What is going to be important to me? I'm still not sure.
BUT! One of our guests last night, a friend/colleague of my mother's is a woman I last saw when we marched on Washington DC together almost ten years ago. THAT--activism, dialogue and participation has always been and will always be important to me.
AND she's a pdoc (psychiatrist) who specializes in autism and was here for a conference related to that. It was all I could do not to ask her if she's heard about baclofen and the research related to autism. That would've embarrassed my mother, though, so I refrained. For the moment.

There was another epiphany for me yesterday. I am very grateful that I can fit into polite society. It was a long, torturous battle for me. [I didn't know that it was because I suffered from anxiety. I always thought there was something wrong with me. (I have a disease called alcoholism. It's in remission.)] But I don't want to live there permanently. Ya' know? Polite people very rarely make a dent (to borrow from a bumper sticker). Except maybe our President Obama. And I'm pretty sure he knows how to get things done.

I'm a clean slate. I'm thrilled. I'm taking suggestions!

Yes, Sere and Red, I'm going to start a new thread about meeting in Chicago. My favorite city in this country. We've got to pick a time when the weather isn't awful. I think that leaves a week in September! (j/k) I would suggest Paris, but I don't think I'll be able to afford that in the next couple of years. Maybe OA can get to Chicago? Either way, I suggest we pour him a glass of something and leave the chair at the head of the table empty for him.
If you have taken baclofen, and it's helped you, I would humbly suggest that he would probably like to hear from you. Many thanks, Dr. A. It's better than your book promised!

I'm going to check in here sporadically, I think. I'd like to make some more friends...
I've also decided not to remove my personal information. Not scared. Not stupid, mind you, but I'm not hiding anymore.
:h
and
:ls
By the way, if you haven't gotten here yet, you will. Just keep taking the pills!
And new friends are important, but I'm missing some old ones. Guys, you know who you are. It's Saturday. Contact me!
And forgive me this indulgence: S*C*I*A*L* I miss you like a phantom limb.

[Rusty]

Progress thread for ne

Hi Everybody,

Redthread....hey, I'm in Walworth county, Wisconsin.....I live near Lake Geneva. I lived there for 10 years and then moved across the lake. Would love to meet up with you guys if possible. Chicago's less than 2 hours for me because I have a lead foot. That's what I told the cop who stopped me for speeding the last time...I told him my right foot was a lot heavier than my left and then I was listening to my Bridget Jones' Diary CD "It's Raining Men, Hallelujah....It's Raining Men, It's Raining Men, " and I lost track of my speed. Guess what, he let me off with a warning and a smile he couldn't contain.

Neva, you sound so great. I love reading your threads.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Progress thread for ne

Hello, all, and a happy Sunday to you!
I have some very humble opinions to share this morning.

I woke thinking about the fact that so much information, the vitally important stuff, gets lost on the meds threads. It is impossible to wade through. Took me months of obsessive reading and following up on specific people before I could navigate how, what, when to take baclofen. And whom to trust.
I also often felt left out, because so many of us seem to know each other outside of the regular communication on these threads.
I would humbly suggest that we use the other forums/threads in order to express our many varied interests/opinions. The way the website is set up is very user friendly in that regard. (For newbies, you can choose to 'follow' a thread and get updates via email if you'd like. More on that later.)

That will leave the baclofen threads firmly on baclofen. Which is the only thing that will save our lives and cure our disease.

If you are despairing because you feel there is an 'in-crowd' rest assured that the single most important thing on this entire forum, in my humble opinion, is that the crowd continue to grow exponentially. That's it. Nothing else matters. That is not a humble opinion. That is fact.

I have decided that the only way to get OA the recognition he deserves and the treatment of our disease with high-dose-baclofen on the radar is to get him on Oprah and Dr. Oz. No, I'm not kidding. I am going to employ my considerable time and resources working to that end by writing letters and emails ad nauseum. Also, Dr. Oz is affiliated with one of our local hospital conglomerates and the next time he's visiting I think I'll become a very polite stalker, of sorts. If anyone has any suggestions to help me achieve this goal, please feel free. I'll post all of the addresses/phone numbers/contact information on this thread.

The most important imperative thing in this whole post: I firmly believe that we need to continue the discussion about titration protocols. We should revisit what has worked and what hasn't. We should be rather relentless in pursuit of this information.
OA's patients find suppression in days, or at the most, weeks of high-dose-baclofen treatment. He's going to open a clinic in Paris, I believe. Hopefully his protocol will become more public at that point. But maybe not? He has a right to proprietary information regarding baclofen and deserves to be richly rewarded.
It is, as always, up to us to help each other. Stay the course. Be relentless in search of the truth!
I love you all!