This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

[Ne/Neva Eva]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Lucky you, ukb!

We were up around the same time last night, red!
There is a difference, for me, between the sleep disruption that happens initially (and sadly, often for a while) and the need for less sleep that it turns into.

It is a HEAVY burden in the beginning. Taking a cue from Serenity, who did it all right, imo, managing that with other options is likely a good way to handle it.
For me it settled into waking throughout the night, but I began to be able to stay in bed and guard my sleep.
Now the fact that I need so much less sleep is a gift. I thought it was going to be fleeting and lamented the fact. Now I think it's going to be normal-ish. I'll need as much sleep as I need!
Last night I woke up in a different way, though, and reading your post, I took a cue from you. I unearthed the xanax from it's hiding place, took one, and got 4 more hours of sound sleep. Thanks!
It's going to be a much better day now.
(oh and thanks for the other too. )

I LOVE YOU ALL TOO!
Ne

[Guest]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

The only problem I do have is getting out of bed in the morning because I'm so 'asleep', so not necessarily a blessing.

[TracyA]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Sleep well, Red. I was initially surprised that Xanax can be helpful in this process. The doc confirmed it for me this morning. I hope you rested well.

[redhead77]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Good Morning Lush, Ne, Tracy, UKB, Bleep (and everyone else who reads this).

Yes, I did end up having a restful slumber once the xanax kicked in. Felt a little groggy upon waking, but up and at em now.

Ne, I'm looking foward to not needing as much sleep, and actually feeling good doing it. I wonder if it's the bac only or also a reduction in alcohol intake. It's amazing what one's body can do when it's not poisoned on a regular basis.

UKB, I'm glad you popped in here. I wanted to say congrats on your AF days. I'm gathering your at day 16 now? I too usually sleep really hard too since taking bac. Like that hard kind of sleep where you wake up and you have lines on your face for half the day. :H, Or you have a kinked neck. It seems I either sleep like that or wake up a lot and can't fall asleep.

Tracy, I know you've been doing a lot of writing over on the AA side effects thread. I would imagine most of what you write is smart and educated. Honestly, I haven't read it of late because of some of the bickering. Has it again become a sharing of information as it was meant to be (with the occassional bicker, we are a debating group)? If so, I might pop in and read.

Bleep, I didn't think 100 mg was much at all. Most of the folks around here seem to find their switch at 200-300 mg, some even more. I hope that I will be spared those really high doses, but I'll accept it, and plod away even if that's my fate.

Had an interesting experience last night with drinking. I've had a few now as of late. I'm going to write on moms on bac. I think that thread needs some attention. Hopefully, Kona will come back soon. I miss her. So, I will be writing about my drinking there today. Soon. I know if your not a mom it is hard to comment, but I have this thread too. :l

Redhead

[Guest]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

That's ok Redhead, yes I'm just not bothered about alcohol right now. I'm not experiencing any cravings at all, although I have thought about drinking - but that was out of sheer habit. I'm actually missing getting plastered and have considered stopping the baclofen so I can have a go again(I can't even force the stuff upon myself at the moment). Ah well.

Yes the sleep is dead sleep where you don't move, or turn. I'm a restless sleeper usually drink or no drink. I walk, talk, thrash around but nothing with baclofen. I do worry though that should there be an emergency I just wouldn't wake, and living alone that could be serious.

[TracyA]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

redhead77;1078416 wrote:
Tracy, I know you've been doing a lot of writing over on the AA side effects thread. I would imagine most of what you write is smart and educated. Honestly, I haven't read it of late because of some of the bickering. Has it again become a sharing of information as it was meant to be (with the occassional bicker, we are a debating group)?

I would suggest that Otter start another thread as the current subject, with a nudge from Guitarista, is how to get the alternative therapies into the mainstream. After sleeping on it, I'm not sure how I feel about that. I do see, and have always seen, a potential that some people here may be pushing bac out of financial and/or personal gain. With something so new, I'm going to have to feel in my own body first-hand before I believe it myself. I would have to need it to work successfully for an extended period of time before I'd try to "educate" someone else about it.

In Ne's thread she wrote about how there were very few real successes and, so far, Sunny is the only "for sure" successful female. I was thinking about it all this weekend because it seemed to me that people whom I assumed were post switch, looked like they were dropping like flies. I even looked up if it could be a full moon or something! :H

I take heart when talking to Dr. L, because he obviously is not in it for the money. I'll post more about that later on my thread. But, I'd abandon the "side effects" thread. It will be a topic again at a later date, I suspect.

[LadyLush]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Tracy,
I beg to differ. I think many have succeeded and moved on. Read the threads. I think those that are still here are our angels keeping us afloat. Keeping the torch going.. They found their purpose in life, this one anyway,
There are Many, many success stories... We just don't have the privledge of knowing and seeing how wonderful their life is now.
I am hoping this thread will bring some out of the shadows now :l


Lady

[redhead77]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

I hear you Tracy regarding the successes. But what is the true measure of success as far as alcoholism goes? I mean, I know it isn't cool to spend a night loaded, but all of these people have reduced their alcohol intake by such extreme amounts. It's unbelievable really. I consider that successful, not perfect, but successful. Now, does this drug guarantee that you will never spend another day drinking? That my friend I can't answer. It seems like no, except in a few cases. These cases are utilizing other tools as well. Baclofen may not be the perfect answer, it fixes the physical part. We all need to deal with the conditioning part too. We have been conditioned to drink in a lot of scenarios. This is just my humble opinion btw.

[LadyLush]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Red,

Sorry, cross-posted!


Lady

[bleep]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

You raise an interesting point Tracy.

I still consider baclofen to be a success story for me. Despite two nights of not remembering getting to bed. I have always lost my memory after drinking, so that is no big deal to me. It turns out the one night was a 6 in the morning affair, the other was a 11 at night, quietly going to bed. Previously, every night of this whole trip would have been massive, 5 or 6 bottles of wine and probably a few drugs thrown in for good measure. Last night I curled up in bed with some videos.

Baclofen has saved my life and my marriage, and has improved the life of my son immeasurably. I would, and do, recommend it to everyone I meet.

[TracyA]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Sorry, I didn't mean to make anybody feel bad. Success, in it's simplest terms, is getting what you want, I guess. I know it has to work because it really is working for me too. I just want to know that the switch is real and can be permanent if I want it to be so. What Ameisen has, what Tip has, and Loop and Sunny - that's what I want, not to want to drink.

[SassyLassy]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

Hey, Red,

We find each other on different threads, but I keep remembering that we both started on Bac at about the same time (feb 4 for me). I'm at 110 mg, and the schedule says I should move up to 130 starting tomorrow-I think I'll do it. Not sure if I've shared this here, but I'm 47, female, and wondering when my switch will come. I'll race ya?! JK

[Ne/Neva Eva]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

TracyA;1078427 wrote:
In Ne's thread she wrote about how there were very few real successes and, so far, Sunny is the only "for sure" successful female. I was thinking about it all this weekend because it seemed to me that people whom I assumed were post switch, looked like they were dropping like flies. I even looked up if it could be a full moon or something! :H

So what's the difference?
I went through Sunny's posts with a fine tooth comb. Lots of differences. Only one that matters is that she just didn't drink. No matter what. Another big one (for me) is that she took it consistently and effortlessly going up, and took several months to go down.

Lots of people using bac to lessen their drinking. 4 people have posted in the last two days that they've been successfully modding for a while (years!) but are now ready to find complete indifference. Those two things alone help me develop my personal path/plan.

And then there's _serenity_. She did everything right, as far as I can tell. Her success is perfect, so far.
Her story is also on the boards, but there's more. She titrated regularly and consistently according to Dr. L's recommendations for the most part. The rest she'll have to elucidate.
And Low too.
There are several things that these 3 have in common. The big difference? Serenity and Low drank all the way up. Sunny didn't.

redhead77;1078443 wrote: But what is the true measure of success as far as alcoholism goes? I mean, I know it isn't cool to spend a night loaded, but all of these people have reduced their alcohol intake by such extreme amounts.
... That my friend I can't answer. It seems like no, except in a few cases. These cases are utilizing other tools as well. Baclofen may not be the perfect answer, it fixes the physical part. ... This is just my humble opinion btw.
My opinion too. 2 nights in 35 days I drank. 6 months ago I couldn't go 2 nights in 35 days without AL. Literally. Not 2 nights in a month was I sober.
I take exception to the latter part, though. In my case, when I'm properly medicated, there is no need for other intervention in terms of AL. None. More on that in my own thread, I suppose...

TracyA;1078616 wrote: Success, in it's simplest terms, is getting what you want, I guess. I know it has to work because it really is working for me too. I just want to know that the switch is real and can be permanent if I want it to be so. What Ameisen has, what Tip has, and Loop and Sunny - that's what I want, not to want to drink.

Lo0p drinks/drunks (ha!) very occasionally. Yes, it really works and it's really working for you, Tracy. yipppppeeeee!
Indifference is real. Serenity had a switch, I guess. Noone else has. I think it can be permanent if you decide to make it so. Even Low wondered if he could have a drink. But it's an easy thing to do when you just don't care about it. Until you suddenly CARE about IT again. you know?

TracyA;1078616 wrote: Sorry, I didn't mean to make anybody feel bad.

Me neither. I'm so damn grateful I'm not the bac-posterchild. (though omg, I wish i was)
Serenity is! :H (wear the ribbon proudly, sere, you've earned it. hmmm. maybe to the gaga concert???) Someone want to design and post that sash?

[Ne/Neva Eva]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

damn. sorry that's so long.

[coalfire]

This Redhead's Baclofen Thread

I was thinking about it all this weekend because it seemed to me that people whom I assumed were post switch, looked like they were dropping like flies. I even looked up if it could be a full moon or something! :H-Tracy


So did I!!!! I actually went into google that morning and checked it. It wasnt.


* Full moon calendar 2011 *