Baclofen Dosage Advice Needed

[Cinders]

Baclofen Dosage Advice Needed

CBP,

Welcome and it looks like you have jumped in feet first and are working it.

On the Thin Lizzy concert, I have to say that I went to a Tom Petty concert this fall and did not drink one drop of alcohol (or any other mood altering things, cause I don't do them, anyway) and had the time of my life!!

Around me, others were drinking like crazy, to the point of falling down, hurting themselves, etc.

My hubby and I got to enjoy the entire concert, from the moment Crosby, Stills and Nash came out as the warm up band, to when Tom Petty (dyed hair and all, lol) came and and started rocking the place.

I am actually grateful I stayed sober. I remember the entire experience, I heard the music, we paid a lot of $$ for the tickets and I actually got a lot out of it.

Give it a shot. Stay sober for the concert. You will be amazed how much better it will be. (Although, I too, am not a Thin Lizzy fan.)

Good luck with the Baclofen. Stay the course and keep your eyes on the prize.

Cindi

[CharlieBigPotatoes]

Baclofen Dosage Advice Needed

Cinders,

Thanks for replying. This is where my previous reputation for being a bit of a monster when it comes to drinking and my reluctance to formally announce that I am ready to almost totally knock it on the head (I would like to get to a situation where I can go for a social pint or two but to do so this early would set a bad pattern I think. I don't want to tell everyone I am giving up drinking which I found only added to the pressure when I was trying to give up smoking) works against me. My mate will certainly find it very odd that I would even consider going to a gig without drinking, maybe I should just say that no matter what I'm not going to drink during January.

[beatle]

Baclofen Dosage Advice Needed

That's great, Cindi. I don't recall hearing about that (might have been during one of my sporadic hiatuses from MWO?).

Anyway, I have been to several concerts since bac in which I was not totally drunk (just mildly -- unheard of before), and I did enjoy them more in some ways, especially being able to remember them much more, but I have to say I also felt less ability to get sucked into the music. I felt it was more of an intellectual experience, which is interesting in of itself -- to be analyzing how a band or artist arranges and times their numbers, being critical of an arrangement that worked much better in the last concert I saw of them, etc. Interesting, but not as fun. Still, the better experience, even if only because I remember it.:H

[Seethepony]

Baclofen Dosage Advice Needed

It's a lot of fun going to gigs sober for a change. You actually have time to watch the band instead of hunting down booze the whole time. I saw The Buzzcocks in Hamburg and don't remember much of it; all I remember is a hellish train journey the following day -panic attacks on a four hour journey using public transport are something I wouldn't wish on, uh, anyone.
On the other had I recently went to see a band I'd almost never even heard of. Helmet. At the start of the gig they asked if anyone wanted to operate a video camera on the stage and as I was the only sober one/ English speaker I got the job. I'd never have dreamed of volunteering for such a thing if I'd been in booze mode. So I destroyed my eardrums, and got a signed "Helmet" sweat shirt for my troubles. Something I'm shy about wearing cos it ain't quite my cup of tea but I had a memorable time anyway....

[CharlieBigPotatoes]

Baclofen Dosage Advice Needed

Helmet? Blimey, did they do 'Unsung'? That is a very very cool story.

I have remembered another couple of side effects, the first one is that I have woken at 4.30am every morning this week and can't get back to sleep. The other might be related to lack of booze rather than the baclofen, I had what seemed to be a hangover on Friday morning but I have heard of phantom hangovers before...

[CharlieBigPotatoes]

Baclofen Dosage Advice Needed

OK, went to the gig, met my mate in the pub beforehand having decided a couple of days before to have a drink. I came down from 35mg a day to 20 for two days before. I got to the pub about 30 minutes before he did. Under normal circs I would've got a paper and a Guinness and holed up in the corner to wait for him. Instead I had a walk round, browsed a few books and eventually waited for him outside the station where he was turning up. There was no urgency at all to get glugging, for me this is quite out of character.

Three very slow pints later we went to the gig and had a couple of red wines (they'd run out of Guinness so it was a choice between Wife Beater (what we call Stella Artois here in the UK) or vino and neither of us are lager drinkers. Got home really late and don't feel brilliant this morning but that's down to lack of sleep mainly. The most surprising thing is that I don't have any urge at all to go drinking again today, in similar situations previously I would definitely have fancied a lunchtime sesh, no question about it. Can these relatively low doses of baclofen really be producing this reaction in me? I have to say that if I could keep my drinking limited to one night a month when out for a gig or similar special occasion I'd be absolutely delighted. Anyone else had an experience like this?

[bleep69]

Baclofen Dosage Advice Needed

Charlie, it's absolutely related to the baclofen, what else could it be?

That's a calm intake for a weekday, let alone a gig, well done! Do you find the way in which you are thinking your thoughts is different?

[Guest]

Baclofen Dosage Advice Needed

I'd wait and see since problem drinkers can go through inexplicable, reduced drinking phases that can lull you into a false sense of security. I've had many on and off the bac, and thought perhaps I could moderate, only to go back to the disordered drinking even worse. I'm not doubting the baclofen, however I don't want you to think you are cured just because you had one positive experience. That can lead to even worse drinking in the future. Carry on with the baclofen and see if the change continues.

Well done anyway,and I do hope Bac is working for you at such low dosage.

[CharlieBigPotatoes]

Baclofen Dosage Advice Needed

Bleep, I'd say yes in that I don't have this constant need, maybe that's the wrong word, this constant impression that every time I go out I have an opportunity to get drunk. I'm especially surprised that while waiting for my friend I didn't go to the pub.

I haven't told any of my friends that I am in the process of trying to totally change my use of alcohol because I don't want the pressure associated with failure so have to deal with their invitations to days spent in the pub. I'm finding this remarkably easy to do though and have been quite amazed at how situations that would previously meant me dropping everything in order to go glugging have just been ignored.

I am suffering the spaced out/tiredness side effects though.

[CharlieBigPotatoes]

Baclofen Dosage Advice Needed

Ukblonde;1047395 wrote: I'd wait and see since problem drinkers can go through inexplicable, reduced drinking phases that can lull you into a false sense of security.

I definitely definitely agree with you, it all seems a little too good to be true and I am not going to think this thing is licked.

How are you feeling today?