Announcement
Collapse
No announcement yet.
Bill G's baclofen journal
Collapse
X
-
Bill G's baclofen journal
Hi Bill. Welcome I think you've made the right choice to come here and share the experience.
I don't think it would do any harm if you post the record that you've been keeping about drinking and dosage. Units are different in different countries so bear that in mind.
The other thing that immediately springs to mind (in light of cOffee's thread) is that you should make some provision so that hospitals will know that you may need to be tapered off baclofen if you become incapacitated. i.e. knocked unconscious by a car or something.
Good luck and I'm glad you're here.Started Baclofen 3/9/10 Hit my switch at 250mg on 21/11/10 Present maintenance dose of 50mg : started drinking after 1 year, upped dose to 80mg and stopped: Tapered to 30mg, started 6 months of drinking, upped dose to 240mg to stop 12/7/12
-
Bill G's baclofen journal
Hi Bill. I'm new and will be doing this solo myself when the bac comes. I completely understand your disgust with the addiction medicine in the U.S. Probably about a year ago I went to my PCP and asked to be put on Campral. He looked at me and said no way, I don't need that, I'd have to get weekly liver tests as well. No, that would be antabuse. I've been to a number of different therapists and they all say the same thing -- AA. Do we use treatments from the 1930's to treat heart disease and cancer?
Anyway, glad you're here, keep us in the loop and I can't wait to see that inevitable post where you go, "I hit the switch!"
Comment
-
Bill G's baclofen journal
Hi Bill. Thanks for starting this thread. We have a lot of similarities. I too am flying solo and I get a few "wtf am I doing moments". I came out of the gate a little too fast, then slowed it down and started going up 25 mg a week and never had any unmanageable SE's. I think you have a good plan and I will be very interested in your progress!Good judgment comes from experience; experience comes from bad judgment.
Comment
-
Bill G's baclofen journal
Hi, Bill,
Hey, I started Bac on Feb 4th as well...I called Dr. L to get a prescription, but had also ordered some online prior to that. Was scared to do it completely solo, and felt better about the meds coming from a local pharmacy. Anyway, I just moved to 50mg/day today. I wish for results faster, but also worry about SE's. I have felt spacy, almost drunk, on Fridays and Saturdays as I move up the dose. Other than that, nothing. (Gained a few pounds - grrrr- but don't know if that's the Bac or just midlife spread!). Dr. L told me to move up 20mg/week, for what it's worth. Keep us informed of your progress, will you? Thanks.
Comment
-
Bill G's baclofen journal
Bill--
Congrats on starting Bac. I also think it's a good idea to limit your increases to 20 mgs/week as you go up. I found that the worst SEs happened in the lower doses, as I got used to the idea of Bac in my system. Once I hit 100-120, most of the SEs became downright pleasant. And when they started getting "bad" again, I hit my switch--and found out that those "bad" SE's were mostly the result of hangovers, rather than the Bac. I actually would get hangovers from 2-4 beers a night! My body truly grew to be intolerant of alcohol.
You'll do fine on Bac, I suspect. Keep posting your progress. I think it's great to have a "diary" thread--a place to call your own, and report any progress/SEs as they happen. I found that some SEs were just passing phases, and went away on their own. The somnolence I experienced at the lower doses disappeared as I went up.
Best of luck to you!:l
Comment
-
Bill G's baclofen journal
Ha. Hi Bill, and :welcome:
Sorry it's so belated. (I think it was you to whom I responded on a different thread about 'having issues.' I laughed, because I thought it funny. Who doesn't have issues, right? But it was insensitive given where you were/are and I apologize.)
The SEs are strange animals. I think everything is on the table when it comes to them, honestly. Although I also believe that, at least in my case, if I read about them, or thought enough about them, I found them! I stay far, far away from the old SE threads even now.
I have definitely had the experience of a heightened sense of smell. I also have a new-found love of REALLY spicy salty food, atm. But all of my SEs have ebbed and flowed and the only time they were really pronounced or uncomfortable is when I took bac erratically and/or drank exorbitantly. (which often went hand in hand)
I appreciate your caution in terms of preparing for the 'just in case' moments, but there are some pretty extreme examples. 100mg is a far cry from say, 450mg. I think I am going to print out the thread otter started about bac withdrawal and put it in my car and my purse... Maybe all you need is a man-purse?
Glad you're posting. We all like to be along for the journey!
:l
Comment
Comment