This Redhead's Baclofen Thread
:blinkylove:
:nutso::ey::crap::lordhelpme:
These would have been some of the emoticons I would have used over the last several days: mania, anger, euphoria, love, and some bizarre sexual thoughts. I would vacillate between the emotions to the extreme, sometimes in a period of hours. To top it off, I couldn't collect my thoughts well enough to write. Not that I should have, and not that I wanted to. I was feeling paranoid and antisocial. I was wondering if I was wackadoodle (luv it Ru) to do this to myself. I was able to rationalize somewhere that my perceptions were likely not real; my amygdyla and whatever else in my brain was under a chemical assault!
It seems everything is finally settling down. Yay! I had been on 210 mg a moon or two ago. I was doing well, wrote about my visit to Dr L on the dose. For some strange reason the SEs came back, and they were terrible. I felt like I had OD'd. I couldn't figure out what had happened. I didn't miss doses and take extra (I don't think?). I tried to wait it out for
3-4 days, and it just wouldn't go away. I had to drop back down, again. At the same time I switched my main bac dose, my 20 mg script to the Costco brand. The worst of the SEs (for me) dissipated. My worst SEs were foggy thinking and disorientation, these were the SEs that worried me most for my job. I've been working my way up with my new brand, albeit slowly. My last titration I did 10 mg around the 17th, and then another 20 mg shortly after. I went up by 30 mg in less than a week. The titration I tolerate is 10 mg every 7-10 days. So, even with my new brand, I threw myself over the edge. I knew I would. The method to my madness was to get it done. It was also to ensure when I come down to a 200-210 dose, that I'd have a reduction in SEs, with no desire to drink. I was able to do this because I scheduled myself light at work (and refused to pick up xtra shifts). I know even if the SEs are horrible, I'm not going to die. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right? In this case, it most certainly will.
SP, Holy Schnikes Batman! I had no idea I was this close to becoming a senior member. Now I have the opportunity to make my 1000th post a memorable one. It's about time for that, for both actually.
Ru, there have been some longer-term studies involving HDB. They've been done on MS patients. The drug appears to be safe long-term, at least for them. AMS stands for acute mental status changes. Acute usually means reversible. I wrote he has no idea with laughter, cause you can bet we've all experienced some mental status changes on HDB. What he was talking about was in reference to baclofen toxicity. We titrate up, so we are less likely to suffer some of the more severe repercussions. His background is in internal medicine, so he doesn't understand HDB, and his specialty training isn't in neurology. Many MD's outside of neurologists don't understand HDB. I've had to educate and correct a few of his statements. When I do, he has little argument. Truth be told, some of us are more knowledgeable regarding HDB than the doctors treating alcoholic patients. It's sad but true. Hopefully, this will change in the future. I don't care if he finds my thread anymore. Maybe he'll be lucky enough to learn something. I'm not interested in a romantic relationship with him, so worse case scenerio, he stops texting me all the time. I guess you know when you know.
*I had a dream about my Mom last night. She was coming on my thread writing all kinds of supportive things (like sjm does with you, Ru). The difference was, she had been on bac and was indifferent to alcohol. It was a good dream. I woke up feeling all warm and loved. If dreams really do mean something, I wonder if it was her telling me I'm doing the right thing. Not like I didn't know already, but just some xtra encouragement, and her way to tell me how proud she is of me!
I'm off to get a gym membership today. I've been working out at home for months. I do high-intensity interval training. It's been great. I've lost weight, look pretty darn good. My body quickly gets resistant to exercise though. I do know why. Maybe it's because I was athletic when I was young? Anyway, I figure I can kick it up at the gym. Use weights, take some yoga, pilates, well, they have a ton of classes there. Unfortunately, no hot yoga (unless that's changed, I haven't worked out there in 3 years!). And then a delightful evening with the chitlins.
Just so you guys/gals know, I won't be posting until then. I'm saving my 1000th post for the memorable one. I don't plan on it taking long. But you know me, I always have to be sure. In the meantime, you can bet I'm doing just fine.
:blinkylove:
:nutso::ey::crap::lordhelpme:These would have been some of the emoticons I would have used over the last several days: mania, anger, euphoria, love, and some bizarre sexual thoughts. I would vacillate between the emotions to the extreme, sometimes in a period of hours. To top it off, I couldn't collect my thoughts well enough to write. Not that I should have, and not that I wanted to. I was feeling paranoid and antisocial. I was wondering if I was wackadoodle (luv it Ru) to do this to myself. I was able to rationalize somewhere that my perceptions were likely not real; my amygdyla and whatever else in my brain was under a chemical assault!
It seems everything is finally settling down. Yay! I had been on 210 mg a moon or two ago. I was doing well, wrote about my visit to Dr L on the dose. For some strange reason the SEs came back, and they were terrible. I felt like I had OD'd. I couldn't figure out what had happened. I didn't miss doses and take extra (I don't think?). I tried to wait it out for
3-4 days, and it just wouldn't go away. I had to drop back down, again. At the same time I switched my main bac dose, my 20 mg script to the Costco brand. The worst of the SEs (for me) dissipated. My worst SEs were foggy thinking and disorientation, these were the SEs that worried me most for my job. I've been working my way up with my new brand, albeit slowly. My last titration I did 10 mg around the 17th, and then another 20 mg shortly after. I went up by 30 mg in less than a week. The titration I tolerate is 10 mg every 7-10 days. So, even with my new brand, I threw myself over the edge. I knew I would. The method to my madness was to get it done. It was also to ensure when I come down to a 200-210 dose, that I'd have a reduction in SEs, with no desire to drink. I was able to do this because I scheduled myself light at work (and refused to pick up xtra shifts). I know even if the SEs are horrible, I'm not going to die. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right? In this case, it most certainly will.
SP, Holy Schnikes Batman! I had no idea I was this close to becoming a senior member. Now I have the opportunity to make my 1000th post a memorable one. It's about time for that, for both actually.
Ru, there have been some longer-term studies involving HDB. They've been done on MS patients. The drug appears to be safe long-term, at least for them. AMS stands for acute mental status changes. Acute usually means reversible. I wrote he has no idea with laughter, cause you can bet we've all experienced some mental status changes on HDB. What he was talking about was in reference to baclofen toxicity. We titrate up, so we are less likely to suffer some of the more severe repercussions. His background is in internal medicine, so he doesn't understand HDB, and his specialty training isn't in neurology. Many MD's outside of neurologists don't understand HDB. I've had to educate and correct a few of his statements. When I do, he has little argument. Truth be told, some of us are more knowledgeable regarding HDB than the doctors treating alcoholic patients. It's sad but true. Hopefully, this will change in the future. I don't care if he finds my thread anymore. Maybe he'll be lucky enough to learn something. I'm not interested in a romantic relationship with him, so worse case scenerio, he stops texting me all the time. I guess you know when you know.
*I had a dream about my Mom last night. She was coming on my thread writing all kinds of supportive things (like sjm does with you, Ru). The difference was, she had been on bac and was indifferent to alcohol. It was a good dream. I woke up feeling all warm and loved. If dreams really do mean something, I wonder if it was her telling me I'm doing the right thing. Not like I didn't know already, but just some xtra encouragement, and her way to tell me how proud she is of me!
I'm off to get a gym membership today. I've been working out at home for months. I do high-intensity interval training. It's been great. I've lost weight, look pretty darn good. My body quickly gets resistant to exercise though. I do know why. Maybe it's because I was athletic when I was young? Anyway, I figure I can kick it up at the gym. Use weights, take some yoga, pilates, well, they have a ton of classes there. Unfortunately, no hot yoga (unless that's changed, I haven't worked out there in 3 years!). And then a delightful evening with the chitlins.
Just so you guys/gals know, I won't be posting until then. I'm saving my 1000th post for the memorable one. I don't plan on it taking long. But you know me, I always have to be sure. In the meantime, you can bet I'm doing just fine.
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