This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

[redhead77]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Bruun, that Kindle posting of your is hilarious! I can see the dilemma you have, though. It's hard to even get across your point. Would you be better off posting from your phone, like Windy and I sometimes do? Or would that be too much of a pain in the arse?

Bebe, I'm glad you could laugh about your dad. Too bad they didn't have laser surgery for him back then. It's way easier, and doesn't leave scars. Although, some people still have to have surgery. I think it's the people who have bad varicose veins already.

Ne, yes, I think anything it takes to kill the beast. Any tool that works. I also think we should be talking more in general about what the switch is. I had to look up Pinterest. It's a new social networking site? I think I best avoid getting involved in anything else. I still haven't even done my taxes! I'm sure you know the feeling.

Cb, I guess you'll be starting your bac today. Good for you, for taking the plunge. There isn't much to be scared of, nobody has had long term negative effects that I know of. I'm sure you'll find plenty of help here with whatever you need. Whether it's general support, or help with your bac, and how to manage it. We've all been in the sad spiral, believe me. I'm very hopeful this will be the answer for you. You must have read some threads if you were able to find Dr L's number and do some of this on your own. Do you feel comfortable with your plan? The titration schedule he has you on? Ftr, I can't always get on here everyday. I always try to answer as soon as I can, though. Have you thought of starting your own thread to chronicle your experience? Not that you have to. You're welcome to post here or wherever you are most comfortable. There are people who will read, and help on whatever thread you decide to post on. Anyway, if you'd like to tell us more about yourself, I'm sure we'd love to hear it. Not that you have to do that, either.

I'm off to work. I've been working the last three days, but just shorter shifts. I'm still not back to normal, but today I woke up feeling a little better. Thanks for all your thoughts and well wishes. I'm sure they're helping!

Have a good day everyone!

[redhead77]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

I have to ask you my friends, for more collective positive thoughts and well wishes. Tomorrow I have laser surgery on my leg (I have to do one leg at a time). I'm hoping everything will go well. Specifically, that I won't have a seizure from the propofol combined with bac. I'm pretty sure it should be okay, since I trust the knowledge of the person who told me it should be, but I'm still a little apprehensive. I can't wait for it to be over. I'm willing to go through a lot for great legs, but a seizure might not be worth it. JK, but really, I'm in need of whatever you do for positivity (prayer, thoughts, mantras).

I've avoided nal since late last week, just in case I get any opiates during the procedure. I know they usually give vicodin after the surgery too for pain relief. NSAIDS like ibuprofen are out.

Thanks for the thoughts in advance. I hope to be back tomorrow to tell you about it.

[redhead77]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Actually, I think it's been about a week since I took any naltrexone. I read somewhere that it's best to go 7-10 days before taking pain meds. I'm not sure if it matters if I only take it here and there, but that part should be okay.

Anyhoo, wish me luck!

[RobinJ]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

redhead77;1298327 wrote: I have to ask you my friends, for more collective positive thoughts and well wishes. Tomorrow I have laser surgery on my leg (I have to do one leg at a time). I'm hoping everything will go well. Specifically, that I won't have a seizure from the propofol combined with bac.

I am saying a prayer for you now and I will continually keep you in my prayers. I pray that the surgery goes well and that you have a quick recovery.

[cumberbund]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Good luck to you Red! I will be thinking of you today and sending good safe healing energy your way and wishes for a speedy recovery. I really appreciate your presence here... Your story, your consistent posting and your openness has helped me a great deal to be brave in my own life.

Now go relax and get healed, redhead!

Big cosmic hugs,
cb

[spacebebe01]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

I hope the op goes well for you and you recover quickly

[GolfMonster]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

x

[redhead77]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Thank you, Robin, cb, Bebe, and GolfMonster (GM). You guys gave me a great big smile this morning. It turned out to be a piece of cake. I just got home from taking my son to a music recital if that says anything. I had something else planned if needed, but ended up being able to take him myself. It's probably because my leg is all swollen with local anesthetic. It's still very numb now.

I was home by 2:30 this afternoon and feeling fine by early evening. I had a little dizziness, some slight nausea (and I mean slight, I think it was from not eating), and I felt very tired, but wired at the same time. This was the worst of it, actually. I tried to lie down and I couldn't rest because I felt so wired. It was the strangest feeling. I'm not sure why it happened, it doesn't really make sense. I guess maybe one of the drugs made me feel that way.

I ended up getting a mixture of propofol, fentanyl, and versed. The anesthesiologist started with versed, I think. I was laying there (still a little nervous) and the surgeon started injecting my leg with local. All of a sudden, I started to feel calm and very relaxed. I started getting chatty. I asked if he gave me something. He said, "yes, a shot and a beer." If he only knew. Then he said he was giving me more drugs now. That's the last I remember. When I came to (with compression dressings and ace wraps on my leg and everything completely done), I asked how long I'd been out. The surgeon looked at me and said, "you never stopped talking this entire time." I looked at the clock and it was 40 minutes later! I had the most panicked feeling. You can't imagine what it's like to know you talked to a few people about who knows what, and have no recollection of what you said. Wait! Maybe you do. This is an alcohol recovery website. I'm sure you can imagine the feeling I had. They didn't act like I was crazy, so I know I couldn't have said anything about taking huge amounts of bac, or naltrexone, or anything else like that. As a matter of fact, they all seemed very amused. They were smiling at me, and the anesthesiologist shook my hand before he left. Told me it was a pleasure to meet me as he chuckled out the door. I have to go back tomorrow to have an ultrasound, and I'm embarrassed to even go. I know I could have asked what I said, but I didn't want to know! The surgeon went to the waiting area to tell my friend everything went fine. He told her I never stopped talking the entire time, either.

Maybe it was hard to knock me out (even though they might have wanted to). It's probably cause I have a tolerance from boozing so hard for a few years. Or maybe my red hair contributes to it. But it's over now and I'm fine. Everything turned out well, that's the most important thing. Except, I did end up needing an incision on my leg. He did say it was very small.

GM, I wasn't comfortable telling anyone there about what I take. I decided to let the chips fall where they may. I prepared the best I could by not taking the nal for a period of time, and finding out if bac was safe with propofol. I want to thank you for chiming in this morning, though. It was nice to have it reinforced.

I said I'd be back to tell you about it. In my ridiculously detailed style, I did! :H

Have a good night peeps. And thanks for listening. :h

[spacebebe01]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Great to hear red Im glad it went well for you. I had to laugh at the fact that you were talking about god knows what for the whole 40 minutes

[Ne/Neva Eva]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

hullllllllooooooooooooooooooooooo!

What's news? Two months is WAY too long. How are you?

:l

[redhead77]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Hello.

I appreciate you checking in on me, Ne. Reggie, thanks for the song. And thanks for not deleting it so I could listen. That makes me feel good.

Two months is a long time. I looked for my thread a few days ago and found it on page 7. Thought I should update, but didn't know what to say. I'm not sure I have anything constructive to add to MWO, lately. I don't want to go on about the same crap on my thread. It's kind of feels like the movie Groundhog Day around here at times.

So a recap, I guess. My nanny left the first week of June. I haven't found a replacement as a live-in, but I have a couple of people who come and watch the kids. I'm currently working in a registry position, so I can control my hours, and have flexibility with child care. It allows me to work 4, 8, or 12 hour shifts. I'm not working as much in general, since I make more hourly.

We are still on a gluten-free, dairy-free diet. My eldest son (the ADHD one) is doing incredibly well on his diet and supps. He's like a different person. I'm not sure if anyone remembers this, but he was diagnosed with depression and anxiety at the age of 9. He's no longer anxious or depressed. He doesn't tell me he has "bad feelings" anymore. He's also more focused, and his behavior is much better in general. You know I feel better on that diet, and I've lost quite a bit of weight on it. I continue to take tons of supps too.

Now for what I'm sure you really want to know about...my drinking. To be honest, it's up and down. I'm down to 100mg of bac. I can think clearly, but I do crave alcohol more. I'm also doing TSM, and trying to take a Nal a hour before I drink. I say trying, because sometimes I can't wait a hour (this mostly happens when I get off work late and forget to put it in my purse.) Regardless, I always take it. Sometimes it works incredibly well; I barely want to drink at all. Other times, I drink more than I want to. Some weeks I drink more and others less. I don't think this is unusual for TSM. I recently ordered and started taking gabapentin. I absolutely love this drug. However, I only ordered the 100mg caps. I didn't know how it would make me feel. I'm running through them like mad, and can't always take as much as I want. I'll order the 300mg caps next (today). I'm so grateful to everyone who's posted about this drug. I can't say enough.

I take an arsenal of drugs. Bac, nal, gabapentin, wellbutrin, adderall prn, and xanax prn. Along with tons of supps. Ive even started back on L-glut a little. And I still drink. Don't get me wrong, I'm much better than I was when I started this. I no longer drink in the day. I no longer drink to blackout (which was a regular thing when I drank). My children no longer see me drunk. My eldest son used to comment on my drinking, even at a young age. I haven't heard him use the word drunk, or even mention drinking in a very long time. But I don't feel free. I know there are evenings I drink too much after they're in bed.

That's about it. I'm going to keep taking the Nal. It does make a difference. I can't tell you what month I started taking it, I'd have to go back and look through my thread. It was either February or March. That's not an incredibly long time for TSM to work for someone. It's only four or five months. Also, I wasn't taking Nal very often in the earlier months. I was still on high enough doses of bac, that I wasn't drinking as often.

I'm hopeful that one of these days, I'll truly feel free. Believe it or not, I'm pretty sick of doing this. I don't feel that I can move on, and do some other things I'd like to do with my life, until I'm at a place with alcohol that is right for me.

My instinct is to apologize for my update. I'm not going to, though. You did ask. :l

Thanks again for that.

Redhead

[Ne/Neva Eva]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Thanks, Red. Really, really great to hear from you. More from me later.
:l

[YouKayBee]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Redhead

This is normal for TSM. I don't know where you are at with TSM but I learned you do experience 'spikes' as different triggers arise, and there can be a return to previous drinking before success is acheived. Important thing is that you keep taking Nal before you drink, I initially would take it several hours before, just to be sure. Some say this isn't true TSM, because the half-life means the dose will be less when you do drink, but I don't really give a stuff because it got it in my system and it gave me a fighting chance. Further along the line as a now 'normal' drinker I do sometimes drink more, and sometimes drink less and sometimes not at all. All I know is that alcohol no longer rules my life, and I've never drunk to pre-TSM levels since starting it. TSM is supposed to return you to 'normal' drinking, and some normal drinkers go out and drink a bit more on occasion, and sometimes just stick to one glass. This does confuse a few folk, mostly friends who don't understand TSM. The one friend I have who has studied the method understands completely, the others say "But this pill is supposed to stop you from going out and drinking too much". No it doesn't it lets you decide what you fancy.

I've had a few spikes recently as the result of a change in lifestyle. I was starting to panic that it had stopped working, but had a think back logically, thought about the shift in my routine and stresses etc (actually a mega stress suddenly removed), and reasoned it was just a 'normal' reaction. I know I have zero daily cravings and no desire to go hide in the pub or a pile of bottles, so it must still be working. Now if the old burning cravings came back, then I'd know it wasn't working. By the way these spikes are only 10 or so units max, pre-TSM I'd almost always drink at least 20 if not 30 in a session.

Apologies for the tome on TSM, just hope there's something useful in there for you!

[spacebebe01]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Hi Red Ive no idea why you would think of apologizing for your update, I need to read back to see why you started on TSM, and what happened to bac. I found the boards of MWO after reading the Sinclair book, it was the first think I read about the possibility of a medical cure and I was desparate to try it. I never did, at the time I was drinking very heavily and told my family about the fantastic thing I had found only to get shot down while they carried on trying to stop me drinking, so it didnt happen.

More recently Ive thought about it but I take co codamol pain meds for my back and wonder what would happen if I took nal as well as them.

I think its fantastic that your children are happy with you now and dont think about you drinking any more, that really is where I want to be with my youngest son, I know he still worries about it from time to time.

So thanks for updating Red, you seem to be able to help me whether your talking directly to me or not

Edit: I just thought, since I dont drink all the time any more, maybe I could try nal on the odd times I do drink hmmm would that work? Im not sure or would I think oh now Ive got nal I can drink every day again?? I do need a new plan (again) I know that, I need to think about this more.

[YouKayBee]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Space

As far as I'm aware Nal will block the opiod related pain killers, so you'd not get the pain relief after taking it. Danger comes if you then upped your dose of the codeine or added in other opiod pain relief. I have a card in my purse, which was included in the box of Naltrexone,explains what to do in case of emergency should analgesia be required. It explains opoid based stuff is to be used with care, and only if absolutely necessary then used carefully since due to lack of response, unintentional overdose and subsequent suppression of respiration is a real risk.

Oh and yes the safety net TSM gave me did result in me drinking nightly, until I decided to actively break the newly forming habit. Because for me consumption was still much less than pre-tsm levels then it wasn't too bad, but it doesn't always work out that way. Depends on the individual.