Murph’s Baclofen (or should that be BacloFUN) diary

[Murphyx]

Murph’s Baclofen (or should that be BacloFUN) diary

I asked this question on the French forum, but no answer. I think they've stopped playing. If it was just Florie not being around that would be one thing, but none of the others see to want to talk to us anymore.

Have we offended them? :upset:

[Road to Recovery]

Murph’s Baclofen (or should that be BacloFUN) diary

Murphyx;1081814 wrote: Oh I see what you did there. Well done. I can see you're a sharp one.

But I didn't say "it cures all addiction". I don't have all addictions so I can't say that. For instance I'm not addicted to whopping my willy out and thrashing it against my computer screen and screaming "yes, yes, that'll teach him. I'll show him how smart I am. YES, YES, YES!!!!".

I don't know why it doesn't cure the smoking addiction. To be honest I don't care. One thing at a time eh, my friend.

No not sharp at all. And for the record I didnt research baclofen at all. I went to my Dr and he said "here take these". They worked, thats all I know. I dont know why I am so passionate about abstinance. Everyone has their own opinion and I hope you accept my apolgies for being a dick. I just think people should be cautious when considering to keep the beast in their lives... I know I almost lost everything. It will be interesting to see how you are fairing in about a year or two - to see if you can succesfully mod - or if it will gradually drag you bac down.

BTW - you said you are not addicted to thrashing your willy against the computer - you didnts say you've never done it though...

[Murphyx]

Murph’s Baclofen (or should that be BacloFUN) diary

Road to Recovery;1081829 wrote: . It will be interesting to see how you are fairing in about a year or two - to see if you can succesfully mod - or if it will gradually drag you bac down.

Oh nice attitude, thanks for your support.

As I said before, baclofen isn't a cure-all. It can't stop you from being a miserable git if that's your natural predisposition, apparently.

[Cinders]

Murph’s Baclofen (or should that be BacloFUN) diary

OA is still fairing well several years after his "switch." He also mods occasionally.

He did say that when he drank, he would increase his Bac for a short while to ensure cravings were kept at bay.

I think it is awesome you hit your switch, Murph.

Cindi

[bleep]

Murph’s Baclofen (or should that be BacloFUN) diary

Murphyx;1081827 wrote: I asked this question on the French forum, but no answer. I think they've stopped playing. If it was just Florie not being around that would be one thing, but none of the others see to want to talk to us anymore.

Have we offended them? :upset:

I'm not sure what's happened. It seems with the disappearance of Florie, all activity has just died. It's a shame, was looking to be interesting.

[Murphyx]

Murph’s Baclofen (or should that be BacloFUN) diary

Cinders;1081837 wrote: OA is still fairing well several years after his "switch." He also mods occasionally.

That's good to know Cinders. Where did you get that information from?

[bleep]

Murph’s Baclofen (or should that be BacloFUN) diary

Very good to hear. Still can't understand why the man doesn't come out and say it, but let's not get into that again.

[beatle]

Murph’s Baclofen (or should that be BacloFUN) diary

Murphyx;1081699 wrote: Yesterday I tasted dog shit and it was good. But more on that later.

This morning I had to drive through the rural north of my county to meet a couple of clients and it was beautiful. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, there were very few cars on the road and it was a balmy 12?C (time to break out the mankini and upset the neighbours). This area is pretty flat (that?s what I miss most about West Wales, there are no hills to speak of here), but you get big skies and that can be beautiful in its own way. I slipped ?Ladies of the Canyon? into the CD player and I was a child again. I was back with Joni, my first love. I was driving along and smiling, ?Ahh, the bac-smile? I thought to myself, but then I realised it?s not the bac-smile, it?s just me. That?s how I used to be before my life went to bollocks, before addiction took hold and I tried to flush my life down the crapper. But even before that, before adolescence when depression started to raise its ugly head, I used to be happy. I used to smile.

I?m back to where I was before. And I think this is why I?ve had such an easy ride of it. Why I?m not questioning the ?switch? and why I do not have to worry about drinking the occasional beer. I?m not afraid of addiction because I?ve beaten it. It?s gone. It?s not a matter of watching my every step to make sure I don?t tread on the beast and wake it once more, because the beast has left. And as long as I keep taking the pills, as long as I titrate slowly down to my maintenance dose and stay there, it can not return.

So there I am driving along at peace with the world and it dawns on me why some people here talk about being careful not to become re-addicted and whether or not the switch is real. Maybe they haven?t actually switched. **At this point just assume everything I?m saying is accompanied by an ?IMO? so no one gets their knickers in a twist** We know that baclofen often reduces the craving for alcohol regardless of a switch. For some people the reduced craving is enough for them to use willpower or whatever ?tools? they may have learnt to allow them to become abstinent. They then assume they?ve switched because they took baclofen and now they don?t drink. That?s what the switch means right? NO!!!!! It doesn?t mean that! The switch is when you no longer have the craving, the preoccupation with alcohol or the obsessive thoughts. If you?re worrying about whether or not an occasional drink will flip you back to addiction then YOU HAVE NOT SWITCHED. If you aren?t comfortable with and can not rely on the new addiction free you, then YOU HAVE NOT SWITCHED.

I repeat HAVING THE OCCASIONAL DRINK AFTER THE SWITCH DOES NOT LEAD TO AN ALCOHOLIC DOWNFALL. However, since I found out that one of the people who previously objected to that statement actually stopped taking baclofen, then I should have said HAVING THE OCCASIONAL DRINK AFTER THE SWITCH DOES NOT LEAD TO AN ALCOHOLIC DOWNFALL SO LONG AS YOU FIND YOUR MAINTENANCE DOSE AND KEEP TO IT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. Sigh.

High dose baclofen as a cure for addiction does not work for everyone. Dr L talks about a 99% success rate. That seems suspiciously high, but then again I don?t blame him; the chances of a patient sticking with the treatment are much higher if the patient believes they are almost certain to be cured. Elsewhere I?ve seen much lower success rates. On the French forum they talk about 85%. But that?s a very high cure rate. I think I?ve also seen a figure of 60%, but for the life of me I can?t remember where. Whatever the number cured, a large number of the rest will have been helped by baclofen to either reduce their consumption or even to become abstinent. So it?s been a success for them also.
)

Thank you, Murph, for resuscitating my dwindling hope for baclofen as a cure.

There has been quite a bit of discussion lately about how the baclofen switch is really a process after all, that happens in steps... well, I've tried every 'process' there is and failed. I don't find that steps work for me. I don't want to get there and then not be there and then figure out how to get there again and then doubt the whole thing again...

I've probably cross-posted with others, as I started writing this a half-hour ago, then lost it in my over-zealous keyboard athletics.

I have some other reactions to other posts here, but first, thank you for this.

[Cinders]

Murph’s Baclofen (or should that be BacloFUN) diary

Friends,

His last radio interview indicates he is still sober. I heard it on youtube somewhere.

But, at the end of the day, I think he is a very reticent person to go out and be a "messiah" for us alcoholics.

Would you? (I am assuming Otter would and many others who have seen the miracle.) but do not press him.

If Dr. OA wants to post, he will.

He is a kind man but reticent. I don't blame him.

btw, the youtube segment I saw was posted on here, so you'all can find it. (Southerness, you'all, kind of like fixin' to..)

Just read between the lines. Dr. OA is quiet. I don't think he wants to make a fortune off of Baclofen's ability to cure us. He wants to spread the word.

But, at the end of the day, he wants to have his own privacy and quiet.

Does that make sense?

Do not feel badly if he doesn't respond. He is, in the vernacular, shy. But, he is still sober based on the French interviews he has been giving.

What promise!!! Not just hitting the "switch" but being able to stay there. An alcoholic's dream.

Cindi

[bleep]

Murph’s Baclofen (or should that be BacloFUN) diary

Thanks for that Cindi, I have never bothered to listen to them, I have always assumed they would be in French!

I hear your points regarding his not posting, and they are valid. I'll stop going on about it.

Thank you.

[beatle]

Murph’s Baclofen (or should that be BacloFUN) diary

Oh yes, and regarding nicotine addiction and all the snide and innocent remarks here...

As I understand it, the nicotine addiction vis a vis the brain is completely different than the alcohol/drug addiction.

I'm sorry I don't have time to articulate myself better nor to dig up research I have done on this, but they are basically working on different parts of the brain/physiology.

From what I know, there is no relationship between nicotine and alcohol addiction. Baclofen does not, and never has been purported to, act on nicotine addiction.

If anyone has evidence to the contrary, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

[bleep]

Murph’s Baclofen (or should that be BacloFUN) diary

Beatle, at really high doses I have definitely felt no need to smoke. I have done nothing about it, I don't want too much on my plate, but the effect has been real, for me.

[beatle]

Murph’s Baclofen (or should that be BacloFUN) diary

that's great, bleep. Nonetheless, if I remember correctly, the two addictions are not connected with the same physiological responses. It's a brain thing, I think, and my brain thing needs help at the moment.

[Bruunhilde]

Murph’s Baclofen (or should that be BacloFUN) diary

Bleep, maybe you just like to smoke when you drink or when you're hung over and since you're doing none of the above? No need?

[bleep]

Murph’s Baclofen (or should that be BacloFUN) diary

Nah Bruun. I just like to smoke!