This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

[PbarE]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Ne/Neva Eva;1069864 wrote: Supply? hmmmm. I literally wipe out my pharmacy when I refill. So now I call in advance. I'm not suggesting that this indicates a lack of bac in the city or country or world. I'm just saying that this aspect also needs to be taken into consideration when continuing high-dose-bac treatment.

I have the same problem down here in Texas.

I live about two hours from the Mexican border. I used to buy other medications over there, and they were always authentic. In fact, they were manufactured in the U.S. And they were DIRT CHEAP. For example, a 30 day supply of provigil would cost $600 over here. In Mexico, it would cost $80.

I am going to do some investigation and will keep ya'll posted.

[redhead77]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

I'm titrating up. I'm currently at 70mg plus I take10-20 mg prn for cravings on the days I'm AF. It does work, if I actually do it. I mean be AF and use the bac to ease my way. I still have to fight really hard to be AF, so I assume because I can make mysellf occassionally AF, I haven't hit anything.

I know there are some many amazing things going on here but I still have to contribute my little bit of BS drama. it makes me feel slightly embarressed. Still, I was wondering when one gives up on another alcoholic. Stops helping, stops believing they will help themselves or change.

I have this really good friend who cares about me a ton. I've known him since high school. I care about him too. The problem is he's a raging alcoholic. To the point that he has just lost his job of 15 years (a good job), and moved back to our home state. He was living with his mom until he cashed in his retirement and finally got his own place. That's great except he still has no job and he's going to the bar everyday. The retirement money is going to run out eventually, and he has no plan to stop drinking. I've been telling him about this forum and the very real fact that he no longer needs to be this person. He refuses to listen or even take the time to look. I think he wants to remain an alkie. I never knew that was possible.

Actually reading this, I think I've answered my own question. Now??

[redhead77]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

I'm titrating up. I'm currently at 70mg plus I take 10-20 mg prn for cravings on the days I'm AF. It does work, if I actually do it. I mean be AF, and use the bac to ease my way. I still have to fight really hard to be AF, so I assume because I have to make myself be so, I haven't hit anything.

I know there are some many amazing things going on. It makes me feel embarrassed to even be talking such trivial things. Still, I'm wondering when one gives up on a fellow alcoholic. Stops helping, stops believing they will help themselves or change.

I have this really good friend who cares about me a ton. I've known him since high school. I care about him too. The problem is he's a raging alcoholic. To the point that he has just lost his job of 15 years (a good job), and moved back to our home state. He was living with his mom until he cashed in his retirement and finally got his own place. That's great except he still has no job and he's going to the bar everyday. The retirement money is going to run out eventually, and he has no plan to stop drinking. I've been telling him about this forum and the very real fact that he no longer needs to be this person. He refuses to listen or even take the time to look. I think he wants to remain an alkie. I never knew that was possible. I still have hope that maybe that's not the case, but I'm quickly losing faith in him.

He wants me to move in with him, and obviously I'm not that stupid. At what point do I just say, good bye, call me when you can get your shit together? Not that I have mine together at all, but at least I'm trying.

Actually, reading this, I think I've answered my own question. Now.................?

[coalfire]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Maybe if you could afford it you could do one last thing for him. Buy him a copy of OA book and inside the front cover write the website address of MWO in red marker. Literally put it in his hand. Then say" Thats it. I can do no more for you. Ring me if you want to talk about it." Then go.

[redhead77]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

That's good advice coalfire. I don't live in the same state as him now, so I could send him the book with the website in it.

[coalfire]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Yes it might be even better if arrives in the post. He has to open it then.

[Booktree]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Redhead, I can totally relate to your post. I have told a number of friends in the "recovery" community (those I trusted to be open-minded enough and who have been having troubles with relapse, etc.) about MWO & baclofen & OA's book. Not one of them took me up on it or looked into any of it.

The first friend I told about it went on and on about how if he could just "get his spiritual life" in order, he would be fine and dandy. Well, he ended up relapsing again and is now serving a year in prison (for multiple DWIs). He will also never see his children again. The other friend also laughed off the idea that addiction is a brain disease and the idea that a pill could cure it. He has (fortunately) not relapsed, but recently lost his job and got kicked out of his sober house and is now living back at home with his mother across the street from his crack dealer's house...

Anyway, I guess all we can do is put the word out there and hope that at some point someone will listen. I like Coalfire's idea about the final gesture of kindness. After that, what more can you do? Not much, I would say. I hate to resort to 12-step lingo, but I do recall hearing something in treatment about "detaching with love"...

[riofebdinan12]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

I like Coalfire's idea about the final gesture of kindness. After that, what more can you do? Not much, I would say.

[beatle]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

We should also remind ourselves that most people are brainwashed, literally. It's not easy to break out of a mass cult spanning generations that you don't even know you are in.

Both frustration and compassion are in order.

The giving of the book is a great idea, I think. I'm just not sure about the "tough love" approach. I've seen devastating results from that.

[_serenity_]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

I can certainly see your frustration. When I've told friends about bac, the response was a collective yawn. People absolutely cannot see how a drug can cure this disease, when they've been told their whole lives that it's about "willpower." I tried willpower, and it kept betraying me every time I felt weak, or excited, or depressed, or bored...

Bac took no willpower. It simply did its work. I continue to be amazed at how effective this drug was in eliminating my alcoholism.

[bleep]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

I think I echo most people's sentiment here. There's not much you can do. Whilst I am amazed at the change in me, as is my wife, my friends seem to have taken it in their stride. Disappointed they've lost a drinking buddy, almost. I find it very peculiar.

I think the book is a good idea. Without knowing your friend, I would say that he does want out, but, like me, thought that there is no way out of this pit. I remember when my wife confronted me, saying it was her or the drink, and I knew I couldn't not drink. Or I could, but I would be miserable beyond words. When I told her this, we both looked at the other, knowing there was no way out. Thankfully we were wrong, but if someone had told me the answer was a little pill that would solve the problem, we would have laughed.

Give him the book, and cross your fingers. Maybe send a few pills with it.

[Guest]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Most alcoholics don't want to break out of their addiction at some time or another, and there are different getting off points for everyone. For some that is death, for others like ourselves it's a lot sooner. I've had phases where I didn't want to stop drinking, more recently it was because I truly was tired of fighting this battle. If I think back alcohol was a problem in my life for a long time, but I never really recognised this nor wanted to stop my partying for the first 10 years. I perhaps thought about it but would always say "Well I'll stop when xyz happens" or "I'm not that bad, I don't drink in the mornings/at home alone" and so it went on. Also not everyone can cope with the idea of a sober life, that entails responsibility and a complete change of life for many. If you know nothing but drinking everyday, then it's a massive leap to face changing that.

[gratitude]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

red,
I think the best thing you can do is be an example of what BAC can do. that is the only way people will believe it works. if they can see it. and even then some will say... well, she must not have been a real alkie. keep doing what you're doing. gratitude.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

I think my first 200 or so posts on MWO were about this very topic. I am a child of AA. Thoroughly indoctrinated. I simply could not believe that there was medicine to treat what I had. I didn't believe it was a disease. My first (only) post on Otter's Baclofen_UK website was exactly that: Is alcoholism a disease? ha!

It's not possible to believe it, even after you see the beginning of the transformation in someone. Especially, I think, if the goal hasn't been met yet. Sort of like having the religious guy knock on your door at 9am offering you eternal salvation, serenity, and riches beyond your wildest imagination. Then seeing him drooling over the floozy in the bar at 9pm while his wife and 6 children are at home waiting for dinner. You know?

In the beginning of the AA book there is something that says, "Attraction, rather than promotion."
I am attracted to people who walk the walk and leave the talking to others. I want to emulate them in this and many other things. (I am notoriously bad at that!)

I have given away 8 books at this point. Family, friends and 2 people suffering from the disease. Not one person has read it. Not one. But they've got it. I still have every AA book I've ever been given. I turned to them (in the past) when I was despairing and looking for a way out. Maybe now, those people will have that book when they most need it?

That said, I agree with beatle. I'm not a fan of tough love. I'm also not a fan of getting sucked into someone else's pathology. There are limits. Moving in? :H How alkie is that that he would even think of it???
But cutting him off? If it's because he's draining your energy and you need to focus on getting well, of course he's got to go.
I won't belabor the point. Some of you know I'm struggling with this in my own home. But let me assure you, every single day brings me closer to being heard. The transformation is that profound. It's that powerful. I don't even have to talk about it atm.
Love you all!

[TracyA]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Red, I felt every sentence of your post. It's painful to think that now - when there's finally a real cure out there - people just turn away.

AA nearly drove me insane. There are lovely people in AA, some of the kindness, most human people I've ever met. But the dogma, the brainwashing, the utter lack logic in approaching this very serious condition drove me right up a wall. And every time I drank, it was proof that I was spiritually unfit. The cruelty inherent in a program that does not work for most, teaches that "to drink is to die" and teaches that it's all a spiritual malady from which some will never be cured (you know, the ones who are "constitutionally incapable of honesty) - it makes me upset just to think about it.

I love Coalfire's idea of one final gesture of kindness. It has a peaceful Buddhist-like "letting go" about it.