Delirium and hallucinations

[for sanity]

Delirium and hallucinations

ahhh!

Hey there.just to let you know I am new here tonight and don't even know if I'm using the site properly so please forgive me if I'm in the wrong place!!!however I am seriously panicking about withdrawal and side affects of bac.after yet another serious alcohol binge of course withdrawals!!!....I decided bac is my only option but some of the stories are seriously freaking me out! I need to do something though,please help.....is bac worth it?

[I-want-to-be-sober]

Delirium and hallucinations

Yes, it's worth it. The side effects of baclofen are nothing compared to that of excessive alcohol consumption.

[beatle]

Delirium and hallucinations

Welcome for sanity (good line).

I can understand that you would panic if you read this thread, and some other specific threads about specific issues related to baclofen.

Please don't freak out. This is a specific thread addressing a small issue that is not representative of the general discussion about baclofen on this forum. Please read the threads I have bumped for you with loads of relevant information, and you will see baclofen is not considered a dangerous medication (if used properly), with no abuse potential. Following a slow titration protocol, and listening to (and responding to) your body's reactions, seem to be the key elements of success.

In other words, there is no reason to fear. The only thing to fear is not fear itself, but suddenly finding yourself short of baclofen.

[Otter]

Delirium and hallucinations

Hi

I just want to say that my wife is doing very well on Baclofen but experienced problems when she reduced her dose after an intense detox using Baclofen which followed a relapse lasting a couple of months. Also, sitting on a beach on summer holidays and not taking the Baclofen doesn't help, which is how it all started. Sun, sea and sangria followed by a long bender. Things are better than ever with Baclofen and 40mg of Fluoxetine daily. Please don't panic. The bender was far worse than the baclofen, just don't stop taking it suddenly if you are on a high dose.

[beatle]

Delirium and hallucinations

Great to hear about your wife, Otter! Thank you so much for posting us with updates

I have been having a lot of hallucinations at high level bac. Sometimes they are just disconcerting, but sometimes terrifying.

[bleep69]

Delirium and hallucinations

Jesus, that's rough beatle, hope it's ok. I find that "disconnecting" from trippy things like that helps. Try and realise that they are caused by the drugs, and look past them. Hope that helps, it's not always that easy to do though.

A funny story about hallucinations - I have a mate that took buphane (horrible drug prepared from a root, don't recommend anyone to ever try it). Anyway, he hallucinated doors in walls, and was walking into walls. It was quite serious at the time, but funny looking back!

[Otter]

Delirium and hallucinations

beatle;1043899 wrote: Great to hear about your wife, Otter! Thank you so much for posting us with updates

I have been having a lot of hallucinations at high level bac. Sometimes they are just disconcerting, but sometimes terrifying.

Yes, things are looking up. She says that alcohol does not do what it used to do so she sees no point drinking it. It does not reduce her anxiety. She is in control of her drinking and her medication!!!

[beatle]

Delirium and hallucinations

That's so wonderful, Otter, for you and your wife, and so inspiring for me, and many others.

Alcohol does not do as much as it used to for me, and sometimes I do wonder why I continue to drink it. But it does calm the worst anxiety, and I'm always turning to it for that. After a while, it does nothing for me, though.

And the hallucinations are pretty scary on this level of bac (combined with drinking).

[Persona]

Delirium and hallucinations

It's a good thing these posts are here for us to read. I will make sure to not increase my doseage too quickly, and I will decrease slowly when tapering off.

[fickle]

Delirium and hallucinations

Hello,
Glad I found this thread. I was stupid yesterday.. was really stressed out at work.. forgot to take as much bac as I usually do (have been around 180mg but probably only took about 80mg yesterday if that) and then found myself in a huge paranoid panic so drank alot. Today I have been feeling like I'm having a heart attack etc... so now realise I need to just keep clear track of the bac and not vary the dosage like that. It's hard when i'm stressed as I forget to eat and I forget pills etc.
I imagine I'm probably experiencing the high blood pressure and heart rate others here have mentioned. I also feel extremely hot to the touch.
The fear I felt yesterday returned briefly today. It was an extreme kind of paranoia where I felt like I had done something terribly wrong and my whole life was about to fall apart. I was only able to wait till it passed and then reason with myself that it may not really be that bad.
Anyway, this is an important issue so very good thread. Helps me to know that I need to continue to be very careful whether I choose to stay on bac or now, I must titrate very slowly in either direction.
Thanks everyone

[I-want-to-be-sober]

Delirium and hallucinations

Sorry that you had that problem too. From earlier experiences I know that when I forgot taking Baclofen and had beginning W/D symptoms the usual dose wasn't enough. I had to take two extra pills and maybe one more if I didn't feel ok after two hours.

[fickle]

Delirium and hallucinations

Thanks IWTBS
Appreciate your reply!
Have titrated down now. Still think many people should know about this stuff before trying bac.

[coalfire]

Delirium and hallucinations

This is a very interesting article on the subject.Baclofen-Induced Psychosis -- Chawla et al. 40 (11): 2071 -- The Annals of Pharmacotherapy Beatle you should have a look at this. Am I right in thinking you have bipolar? I have been reading some of your posts on Lithium Orotate in the holistic section. Apologies if I have that wrong. Anyway there is one line in this article about bipolar and baclofen. Not much but worth a look.

[beatle]

Delirium and hallucinations

Thank you coalfire. Very interesting article.

It seems this was based on one case, and it seems the patient had no underlying psychoses of any sort. The baclofen brought the reaction on, it appears, and as soon as the baclofen was stopped, the reaction stopped, and vice-versa.

No offense taken on the bipolar. I have never been diagnosed as such -- it's just been hinted at. I don't know what the true definition is and how they measure it.

I didn't see the reference to bipolar, though.

Thanks again.

[coalfire]

Delirium and hallucinations

Hi Beatle. You have been on my mind today. I have been reading your posts about Lithium Orotate in the holistic section-very interesting. Sorry I thought you were confirmed bipolar. I must be mixing you up with some one else. The sentence I was referring to was this one.
"case reports of mania(in patients with prior diagnosis of bipolar disorder) as well as transient depressive (4%) and euphoric symptoms have been described." I just thought it was interesting because people on the forum have described euphoric symptoms as well as some sort of crushing but thankfully transitory depression on Baclofen.