Sweet success! (with baclofen)

[RedThread12]

Sweet success! (with baclofen)

Dear Dullboy

Hmm . . . if your response to reading through this thread is that someone who takes the inordinate amount of time that is required to keep it going; keep the FACT that baclofen cures alcoholism, has no other life . . . well, I guess, all I can say is that your moniker must be more accurate than you, or I, or Ne, or anybody else, suspects.

Welcome to MWO, Dulllboy!!! What's happenin' in your life? Drinking more than you want? Totally cool with alcohol? What brings you here and how can we help? We're an amazing group, with amazing experience(s) to share.

All the best!

[Julianne]

Sweet success! (with baclofen)

Hello all,
I discovered this forum in November and have been lurking since. I started on Baclofen in early Dec 2011.

I'm a 44 year old professional woman. I didn't have a problem with alcohol in my 20s. But then in my 30s I was living with a guy who was a heavy drinker and got into the habit of drinking wine every night. I've been drinking a bottle of wine every night for the past 10 years - more at weekends. I was a functioning drinker as I managed to do very well at work, although I was down and sick a lot from the AL. I was tired of the lifestyle, but unable to give up the wine habit.

So, I went up 20mg a week (at the lower doses it was 10mg every 3 days) on Baclofen and had very few side effects all the way up - except mild somnolence after lunch every day. Luckily I never had the insomnia SE. However, at 180mg the SEs did kick in, but not as badly as those I've heard described on here.

I hit my *switch* at 220mg on 28th Jan, but went up to 240mg and then to 260mg (however could only stay at that level for 3 days as I was barely functionioning - it was a w/e so I slept most of the time).

I also drank the whole way up, but maybe 50%-75% of my weeknight normal amount. The only time I had a big binge, was the night before I hit my switch.

I stayed at 240mg for two weeks. Even though the SEs were not pleasant, I was actually able to do a lot of business meetings during that time. I was gauging people's reaction when I spoke and got a positive response/no sign that there was anything untoward in my outward communication. I probably was a bit slower and relaxed (impossible to get the adrenaline going, even when I was running late lol!), which wasn't a bad thing as sometimes I'm a bit high-energy and intense in work meetings.

Despite that, I felt very removed from reality, buzzed and like time was whizzing by (if that makes sense?) since I began Baclofen in December so made the decision to titrate down. Strangely, the SEs are worse coming down.

I am now at 120mg and plan to say here for a while (although there are much more SEs at this level than at 120mg going up). I've had no urge to drink since 28th January - even though I've had some very stressful/upsetting days. I haven't decided if I will remain entirely AF or have a drink every now and again. For example, my office has arranged a wine-tasting event for our clients at the end of April and I'm the main 'host' so it might be too obvious that I'm not tasting - although I've no urge to do so (i.e. it's the social pressure). I'm thinking right now that I will just sip on sparkling water and say I'm on antibiotics or something. If I have to take some sips I'm not panicked about it - having read Dr A's book, I'll just dose up 40mg the next day.

I don't plan to become a poster on MWO but did want to put my success story here because of the help I got from reading all of your accounts. I might come back to update in 6-12 months on my progress. I'm going to cut and paste this into the 'success' thread too, if I can find it.

Most of the SEs have already been covered on here, but to highlight a few:

- waking in the middle of the night thinking my alarm has gone off and getting up to make breakfast etc, then after 5 mins wandering around realising it is only 2-3am.

- my throat became very relaxed and I had nasal drip - which could be annoying

- titrating down, I've had diarrhoea a lot, didn't on the way up. frequent trips to the bathroom at night too, which seems to be a common SE.

- numbness in my toes and sometimes my fingers. some drooping in my face ('relaxed').

- I had a 'hair-loss' stage that lasted a couple of weeks. My hairdresser commented on it, but it seemed to stop.

- I put on weight - even tho I'm a chocoholic and on the 2nd day of baclofen I became indifferent to chocolate or anything with sugar in it (that lasted until i had the *switch* and stopped drinking wine, then I started on choc again, but much-much less than before)

- I had no energy to go to the gym from day 1 of baclofen - but restarted at 180 and I'm now killing it - lifting bigger weights, much more stamina, and no muscle ache/stiffness, even after the most strenuous workout.

- my taste buds seem to have changed and I'm making healthier food choices - salad suddenly tastes delicious!

- I'm hypothyroid and my body temp appears to have changed from Baclofen (or being AF). Despite the diagnosis, when I was drinking I was very sensitive to heat (preferred to be in cooler rooms/no heating at night, wore lighter clothes than everyone else etc) - which is not typical of someone who is hypo. Since this bac journey, this has changed and I now need the heating more, and on a cold day brrrr I'm freezing. I also no longer sweat profusely at the gym. Maybe this change in body temp is temporarily causing the weight-gain? I'm not too worried about it as with my healthier diet, lots of exercise, a big reduction in my chocolate habit, and no drinking, my weight will come down eventually (I'm not 'overweight', just want to be slimmer).

- very dry skin on my body, but that is resolving now I'm at the lower dose of 120mg.

Anyhow, thanks again. I'm also posting this for other lurkers like me.

[Julianne]

Sweet success! (with baclofen)

oh and the most serious SE! I lost ALL of my libido - like a numbness of the body - since the first week. It is now returning - but i think i will have to go lower to have it return to normal. That sucks and is my most negative experience of Bac.

[suneelca]

Sweet success! (with baclofen)

I didn't really start Bac intending to quit drinking per se -- just wanted to moderate down from a bottle or so of wine per night, plus two bowls of pot and cigarette smoking. So after briefly going to 200mg six weeks after first starting, I came down to 140mg or so pretty quickly because of bad SEs.

That was in November. Now it's March, and am on day 3 of being AF -- the longest stretch in the last ten or so years.

Didn't really start even having AF nights until January (after starting in late September), and that because of a commitment to my therapist. Was still doing two to three glasses of wine a night, which to me was already a huge improvement. By late February, was having two AF nights per week, and was down to less than two bottles of wine per week. Again, to me, a huge improvement.

So where does that leave me? Am fine with where I am, but can note a couple of things:

- JohnR put up a post about hitting the switch at 75mg after hanging out there for a year, although his does seem more switch-like and 'abrupt'. I've read this around these parts before, but maybe something switch-like can and does happen for some of us at lower doses. I guess it's just a matter of time until that materializes. I understand that some folks don't feel like they have that luxury.
- Bac has seemed to have worked better and better for me as I've off-loaded other meds. I had been on a galaxy of them pre-Bac, and shed them one by one (including pseudo-meds like pot). Last one with major potential mind-altering etc. effects is Seroquel, and have been on 100mg for sleep. This was also to help with the transition off of alcohol and the resulting potential insomnia. Still, have been experiencing major somnolence. So MD asked me to adjust dosing from 40-40-40, with last dose before 7 pm, to 40mg in afternoon and 80mg around 9 pm, and to get off Seroquel. Cut down to 25mg and voila, somnolence is gone.

Still on lamictal -- a mood stabilizer -- but would like to be off that as well.

What can I otherwise say? Comme toujours -- vive le Bac!

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Sweet success! (with baclofen)

Thanks to you both. And congratulations! I wanted to add this one in:

https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...bac-61226.html

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Sweet success! (with baclofen)

https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...ons-41943.html

[azurmyst]

Sweet success! (with baclofen)

Help Please

I just recieved my bac yesterday. I only bought 100 tablets and listening to the stories I dont think that is enough. Has anyone started at 10mg 3x daily cause I want to make it last at least a few weeks. I do not drink every night every other night is the temptation for me. I do not have a high tolerance to drugs( a pm anything over the counter will knock me out.) If i take gaba and ltryptophan together I cant function.. If i take it at night I wake up the next day so messed up it is like I took a sleeping pill. Really wobbly

HELP PLEASE


BTW congratulations Karen on the success story.:goodjob: I cant wait to get there and I know I can.

:h:thanks:

[COSGringo]

Sweet success! (with baclofen)

I would order more. A lot more if you are going to commit to this and I think you have to commit to it and really ride it out for a while. For me, 30 mg is like pez. I don't think that's high at all but if you are concerned why not start even lower? How about 10mg 2x per day until you get used to that?

I don't think it's that strong but when you are up there it starts getting different at least for me and not for others.

I have a scrip which will cover what I am going down to now but I have like 600 hundred more stashed away. I just don't want to ever run out or at least have enough to come down all the way without getting ill. I don't trust docs in the usa anymore and you never know how hard it could suddenly become to get them from overseas.

I don't think you have to worry it's just I would rather think worst case scenario and be ready. If you are going to do this personally I would go to River or another trusted source and get say 400 of them. That's just me but I think you have to look at this as long term. I am not stopping it by any means. Just adjusting that's all.
PM me if you need some specifics.

[BetterAndBetter]

Sweet success! (with baclofen)

COSGringo;1313276 wrote: I would order more. A lot more if you are going to commit to this and I think you have to commit to it and really ride it out for a while. For me, 30 mg is like pez. I don't think that's high at all but if you are concerned why not start even lower? How about 10mg 2x per day until you get used to that?

I don't think it's that strong but when you are up there it starts getting different at least for me and not for others.

I have a scrip which will cover what I am going down to now but I have like 600 hundred more stashed away. I just don't want to ever run out or at least have enough to come down all the way without getting ill. I don't trust docs in the usa anymore and you never know how hard it could suddenly become to get them from overseas.

I don't think you have to worry it's just I would rather think worst case scenario and be ready. If you are going to do this personally I would go to River or another trusted source and get say 400 of them. That's just me but I think you have to look at this as long term. I am not stopping it by any means. Just adjusting that's all.
PM me if you need some specifics.

I got 500 x 25mg from River Pharmacy, for approx. $180. Times are tight for many, but if you think that Bac is a plan of action that you want to walk out, the peace of mind is worth it. In my younger days, I had a couple of pretty bad experiences with alcohol withdrawal, which supposedly withdrawal from Bac can be compared to. Anyway... You know when you have those moments in life that suck so bad that even though you know you won't remember how horrible it is later on, you still manage to send that message to your Future Self... "You DO NOT want to experience anything like this EVER again." That's what alcohol withdrawal felt like for me. Please make sure you cover your bases. Maybe save the money if necessary and then begin the regimen when you have a comfortable surplus of Bac. If your alcohol abuse is not at a life-threatening level, it might be worth it, and knowing that you are doing something about your situation will help you even before you begin a regimen. We call that pill "hope"! ;-)

[COSGringo]

Sweet success! (with baclofen)

Yes 500 is a good amount. To me you just can't have enough of it. I'd rather stop taking it and have leftovers than ever run out. That scares me. Plus I don't like getting those deliveries from overseas. Our special mailman is kind of weird.

[BetterAndBetter]

Sweet success! (with baclofen)

COSGringo;1313284 wrote: Yes 500 is a good amount. To me you just can't have enough of it. I'd rather stop taking it and have leftovers than ever run out. That scares me. Plus I don't like getting those deliveries from overseas. Our special mailman is kind of weird.

"Special" mailman. LOL. I can only imagine. Legal drug importation, by fellow citizens, is something every good patriot should keep an eye on. (Just joking... I don't know the situation, but that's what your statement made me think of!)

[COSGringo]

Sweet success! (with baclofen)

He reminds me of Forrest Gump. He was our regular mailman now he just does the special deliveries. He likes to stare at my packages and comment when they are from India.

[spacebebe01]

Sweet success! (with baclofen)

Azure I hadnt read this when I last spoke to you, I agree that you should order more but also I started on 5mg x 3 a day, I cut the 10mg pills in half. I suppose it depends on how quickly you want to do this but IMHO it wont do any harm to spend the first few days on 5mg especially since your not drinking at a life threatening level, (I know all drinking can be life threatening I suppose but I would think you know what I mean).

How long did you delivery take, you can work out how long your 100 tablets will last by writing down your intended titration schedule, you could start now and go very slowley until the next delivery arrives, but never, ever leave yourself without enough to withdraw down, I started with 100 10mg pills and ordered more when I realised how many I would need and I have never ran out of pills, even tho I have this bad habit of ordering them by the 300, because I get free postage with that amount so somehow in my mind thats how many I order!

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Sweet success! (with baclofen)

:H:H to the special mailman.

azurmyst;1313225 wrote:

BTW congratulations on the success story.:goodjob: I cant wait to get there and I know I can.

Thanks, sister.
I know you can, too.
I can't take meds either. It's one of the reasons I was so superstitious about taking anything with bac...(really silly stuff. I wouldn't take aspirin. I took benadryl, but only when I was really desperate.) (I really wish I could go back in time and have a talk with my former self...But then, why stop there? Hell, I'd be jumping all over! "No, Ne! Do not fall in lust with THAT guy!" Lordy, that would be a very common refrain. That and, "DO NOT DRINK that JUST ONE MORE." The two often went together, of course.)

Anyway. 100 pills isn't enough, but I see you've already received that wise counsel. Even if you just want to try it out, and only start at 5mg/day, up to say, 30mg/day. That's what? A month without much titration...

We've got some pretty easy access in the US to legal bac if you want to go that route. Otherwise, I'd order some more just to be safe. You can always sell it (very discreetly) to someone here. (I keep bac-ups in case someone is going to run out...)

I'm excited for you! :l

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Sweet success! (with baclofen)

AllyB;1313653 wrote: I know some of the old regulars will know who I am but for anyone who doesn't I'm Longshot's wife. I found this place in autumn 2010 while researching medication for alcoholism and decided to suggest baclofen to him based on what I read here. He started in October 2010 and shortly afterwards joined MWO and started posting here for about 6-8 months. I pop in a bit more regularly but not very often. However after reading the update from the poster susanna who was a regular here while I was, I thought I really should post an update for new readers so they can read up on how things turned out for a few older users. The posts we both made are a bit all over the place but this is the main thread I think.

The summary is that Longshot had a very, very bad drinking problem which he very nearly died from in 2010 yet still kept drinking. He started baclofen that October and titrated quite randomly for a while, hitting an eventual high of 525mg. He had some horrendous side-effects but battled through them as the change in him was evident from the first day on baclofen. The worst was horrendous insomnia but the supplement 5-htp and the medication seroquel got him through that. Eventually we got our GP to prescribe baclofen and he settled at a maintenance dose of 275mg. Around that time we started coming on here less and less, as alcohol dependence just stopped being a part of our lives. He's on 50mg a day now and the way our lives were a couple of years ago feels like something that doesn't really apply to us any more.

The big change is that we are expecting a baby later this year. And believe me this is not something that would be happening if I thought there was any chance of things returning to how they were. Longshot actually titrated to 0mg during the time we were trying for the baby as the effects of baclofen on sperm aren't clear. That was tough at times but ultimately manageable.

So if anyone is contemplating baclofen, struggling with the side-effects or thinking of recommending it to a loved one, I just want you to know that it has certainly had an enormous positive effect on our lives.

From this thread:

https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...ead-48273.html