i had a bac through.....

[Road to Recovery]

i had a bac through.....

Taw,
First off - Congrats! it is happenning for you! What dose are you at now? I hit my switch between 60- 80mg (male - 155lbs) so you may hit it low too! If I can give you a peice of advice... go AF! I truly believe that the quicker you stop drinking - the lower the dose to hit the switch. If it seems like it might be too hard to do that - maybe I can tell you how I suffered (wasnt too bad) through going AF while still waiting for the switch.
Good Luck!

[Sunnyvalenting]

i had a bac through.....

Here, Here, Road,
It is much faster and easier if you use all your tools! (Judgment, experience, will power, and medicine)
Sunny

[taw]

i had a bac through.....

Road and Sunny...thank you...how did you go AF while still craving and before the switch? I should just get rid of all AL in the house and white knuckle it unitl it happens...haven't been successful with that approach in the past, but maybe now with some bac in my system it will work...1st day at 20 mg...day 4 total....

[seeking_serenity]

i had a bac through.....

Taw, that is amazing! And yet, not unexpected on this drug. I wish you the best of success on kicking this horrible addiction. At the rate at which you're seeing results, I would expect that your "switch" will come sooner rather than later. Keep us posted, and much love to you!

[Road to Recovery]

i had a bac through.....

taw;1038843 wrote: Road and Sunny...thank you...how did you go AF while still craving and before the switch? I should just get rid of all AL in the house and white knuckle it unitl it happens...haven't been successful with that approach in the past, but maybe now with some bac in my system it will work...1st day at 20 mg...day 4 total....

Taw,
Maybe 20mg is not quite enough to try AF. Maybe get up to 40mg (dont rush it though) and see how you feel. What worked for me was that It made me quite tired during my usual start drinking time (8:00pm) so instead of reaching for the drink, I just took a nap instead. I did this for a few nights and after about 4-5 days of doing this, I started not craving drinking. Are you able to do this? I went AF in 4 days... I remember on like day 3, I was running low on beer and I usually go stock up but I thought to myself that I wasnt going to bother buying more - That was definately out of character for my alcoholic mind!

[paulslice]

i had a bac through.....

Yes don't forget that a) given your body weight you'll likely not need to go anywhere near 300 (though you never know!), and b) you'll titrate down after the switch. Some people, having hit their switch in the 300's, titrate down and maintain at 100...

I'm living proof that this stuff works. It's miraculous.

I also don't know how one like us could be AF before the bac starts taking effect. I would say really try to avoid anything hard, and really try to keep it to maintenance drinking until the day...

Good luck! Though you don't need it if you keep taking the stuff...

I'm recommending to all that as your dosage increases, and you're finding the SEs tough, divide your daily dose in four. That really helped me...

[Sunnyvalenting]

i had a bac through.....

I think I was fortunate to be at a clinic where we were expected to be AF. I also had paid a fortune to get there (my own pocket, no insurance) so i didn't want to risk it not working. Subsequently I have learned a lot about habit change.
This genetic disposition is expressed only in an ENVIRONMENT of availability. So yes, TAW, clean out the house. Put at least that much distance between you and what you do not want. Take advantage of every opportunity to stay AF. Go to the ball game of your son, get busy with a project. whatever you need to do as you titrate up. In just a few AF days you will feel so much better that you will likely want to continue and the cravings will abate, slowly or quickly.
I only ever went up to 110 mg/day. that was 1.2/kg (I was fat). Since I never drank on it I don't know if or when I hit any magical switch. I only just know that abstinence was possible and easy for me on baclofen whereas it had not been before. The 110 was only for a few weeks. I spent a few months tapering down and now only take 15mg at bedtime. I may stop that soon as well. Not sure if I need it but I don't mind. I have been AF for almost a year.
Best of luck. you are on the right path
Sunny

[taw]

i had a bac through.....

Thanks Paul, and Road....day 2 at 20mg..no SE's that I can tell...was at home with sick son today and normally would have started drinking after morning coffee...waited until 4:30...UNHEARD OF!! and only 2 since then...going to up Wed again and see how the weekend goes...not sure if it is the bac or the prozac or both....not questioning....enjoying the first sense of freedom for AL I have had in months!!!

[Sunnyvalenting]

i had a bac through.....

Also, re cost:
Alcohol cost me my marriage and half of our community property. It was about to cost me my job and possibly my career. My kids were about to give up on me. My sister was preparing for my demise. I was spending over $400/month to make myself sicker and sicker. I would say baclofen has been a bargain.
Sunny

[taw]

i had a bac through.....

Thank you Sunny....habit change is going to be huge for me...I walk in the door from work and pour...so I am trying to take a dose of bac on my way home so it kicks in before I get home...I want to get out and run but it is in the 20's here...laundry dishes house cleaning, everything I have been neglecting now I want to get done...and perhaps enjoy a nice sober quality evening with my son!

[Road to Recovery]

i had a bac through.....

taw;1039376 wrote: Thank you Sunny....habit change is going to be huge for me...I walk in the door from work and pour...so I am trying to take a dose of bac on my way home so it kicks in before I get home...I want to get out and run but it is in the 20's here...laundry dishes house cleaning, everything I have been neglecting now I want to get done...and perhaps enjoy a nice sober quality evening with my son!

Taw,
Bac is going to relieve you of all of your thoughts of AL. When I started bac - the intent was to moderate as I could never "not drink again!" As soon as I woke up in the morning my thoughts were - How much booze do I have for tonight and how am I going to get more. This was my constant thought until I passed out at night - everyday. Before I knew it I decided I never wanted to touch it again. As for having a drink every now and again? Why would I take that risk - there is nothing about alcohol that I misss enough to take that chance of going down that destructive path again. Baclofen works - it saves lives. Go AF!
Sunny,
I cant say that I had a moment in time where I can say - Oh so thats what the switch feels like! For me it was just waking up one day and saying " I dont need alcohol anymore"

[taw]

i had a bac through.....

Road...that is exactly how I feel...if traffic is too bad that I canot stop before I pick up my son I panick on how I will get thru the night...and then I am more of a b@#th then if I was drinking...no win situation...

I cannot wait for that feeling of indifference...that will be a god send!!! and I am not a praying person! Thanks for the kick in the butt I needed!

[Sunnyvalenting]

i had a bac through.....

TAW,
Good to have a schedule and plan for the evenings especially at first. I think you will get there very soon. Good idea about the bac on the way home as long as it doesn't peak while you are driving. Be safe
Sunny

[Ne/Neva Eva]

i had a bac through.....

Taw, I so get that. When something interfered with the need and the solution, gawd, watch out! I'd run over little old ladies!
I was hellish to deal with if the witching hour was approaching, much less gone by, if couldn't have a drink. Sometimes it was a slow burn, when I HAD to be sober, or mod, because life demanded it. But I was also seething about it. Always.

That's gone. I didn't notice when it left. I did record when I felt it again and realized that it had been missing. I had postponed my 4pm dose, and by the time I got home I was fairly frantic. And I'd forgotten to get my wine! Can you imagine?
Well, you're on your way. So imagine it. It's as life-altering as I imagine the switch is.

xo

[taw]

i had a bac through.....

AF LAST NIGHT!!!! Granted I worked 14 hours and was exhausted but I to that a couple times a week and it never stopped me before!

Bumping up to 30mg today!! WOOHOO!!!!!!!