My Bac Journey started today

[alexan]

My Bac Journey started today

Okay cool. I'm reading your Baclofun diary now. Thanks Murph.

Just as a btw can you guys tell me which is the book to get for someone considering going down this path?

I have found two by Dr. Ameisen and would like to hear your thoughts on which to get:

The End of My Addiction
Amazon.com: The End of My Addiction (9781616793272): Olivier Ameisen M.D.: Books

and

Heal Thyself
Amazon.com: Heal Thyself: A Doctor at the Peak of His Medical Career, Destroyed by Alcohol--and the Personal Miracle That Brought Him Back: Olivier Ameisen M.D.: Books

[bleep]

My Bac Journey started today

They are the same book, just with two different titles. Well worth a read, imo.

[Murphyx]

My Bac Journey started today

alexan;1094333 wrote: Murphy I just noticed your signature and can't believe you switched after only eight days at 150mg. Isn't that rather quick?
-- Thanks

Yes, far too quick. Silly quick. If I were to do it over again I would go much slower. Another reason why it's better to do this under the supervision of a doctor if you can; alcoholics may stupid decisions.

[Charlieboy]

My Bac Journey started today

hey

I don't want to bang on with bad news, I am struggling tho. The bac, despite new brand, is just making me feel so darn peculiar. jittery, headaches are back, not myself AT all. Friday night I necked booze just to try and feel normal?! To level out.
Been a bad weekend. I wdn't mind the SE's if I wasn't craving getting drunk but I still am. My body is in stress, it feels wired and booze offers relief. Surely it shouldn't be this way round!!
Its maddening. I have to seriously consider what to do, I think my body is urging me to get off the BAC, i really have not felt right for a long long time. Its so debilitating but its so annoying cos I reckon my swictch is close. I keep taking it, despite I feel it making me feel really weird, cos I just so want it to work. Perhaps I have just poisoned myself with that dodgy brand i was taking - just don't know anymore!!!! MRI was fine by the way, perhaps I am just one of the ones it doesn't work for. Ughhh. Decisions, decisions.
Cheers

[bleep]

My Bac Journey started today

What are you on Charlie? 200mg's? How long have you been on that dose? You have only been taking baclofen for about a month, maybe a bit more?

A lot of people report feeling weird, it may just be something you are going to have to push through. If you are feeling like this at a certain level that you've been on for a while, get past it, pronto. High dose baclofen generally isn't regarded as too much of a party drug, but clearly it sounds like you are on a level that disagrees with you.

Regarding the drinking, I and others have noticed that it comes and goes in waves throughout the process. I drank more than ever at certain levels, next to nothing at others.

Obviously I'm not familiar with exactly how you are feeling, but baclofen can fuck with your head, obviously, and thankfully. Try and keep the goal in sight.

Read your signature.

[Charlieboy]

My Bac Journey started today

yep

yep. Its just very frustrating thats all but i guess one has to accept the shit in order to end up with the final results. I guess I would have hoped that by now, at this dose, things would have become much better and reality is, they're still bad. Its a bit maddening. It has been about 6 weeks i guess and it's been intense. guess I had hoped for a more dramatic and positive result by now, as alot of others have reported. I'm sure it will all come good tho. Cheers.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

My Bac Journey started today

ha and lol.
Good thing bleep beat me to the punch.
What he said.
But I'll add, because it's me, did you think it was going to be easy and effortless?
xo, Charlie.
just keep taking the damn pills.
Ne

[Charlieboy]

My Bac Journey started today

hi -

Hi

I received this response from Dr Chick who specialises in addiction and meds including Baclofen. I am going to go and try and see him. As he says, I suspect Bac may not be the answer for binge problem. I thought it may be helpful to see his response. thanks


Hi Mr
Higher doses of baclofen can cause you to feel strange - even to act strangely.
I suggest gradual reduction to below 100mg/day. From 150mg /day of baclofen it is not safe to stop immediately - you would feel very anxious, perhaps crave alcohol, and could even have a seizure..
It is possible, of course, that the pills you bought were not baclofen at all! But we do not know.!

If you are an occasional binge drinker, I would not have suggested baclofen, which is appropriate for people who are trying to recover from regular very heavy drinking, and/or people with great underlying anxiety, and who have decided that they wish to become teetotal.
I might have taken a different approach, but would need to meet you and make a full assessment.
Good wishes
Jonathan Chick

[Charlieboy]

My Bac Journey started today

nal/Bac

I have been reading that taking 50mg of Nalterxone before drinking(whillst also taking Bac daily) can help alot to reduce a binge - if anyone has had any success with this, please let me know. I have written to Dr Chick to ask his opinions on this too so will let u know if he responds
Thanks
C

[bleep]

My Bac Journey started today

Charlie, I don't know what to say. Hopefully Dr Chick can help with your situation. Do you think you are an alcoholic/addict? That to me would be the deciding factor in making my decision whether to carry on with baclofen or not.

Good luck man.

Not sure if you know or care, but your surname is still visible in the post you made.

[Charlieboy]

My Bac Journey started today

of course

I am undoubtedly an alcoholic/addict. I feel I have put my all into Bac and so far, have essentially noticed no improvements. Some moments where I thought I could taste success but in reality, I have continued on my same destructive path. I came here hoping to find a way to moderate my drinking and was very open minded that I may even end up stopping altogether. I was hoping it would be a magic pill that essentially removed my propensity for binges. Sadly, so far, things have just progressed as usual. Every time i drink, the cycle starts again. Attempts at sobriety have never lasted more than 8 days. I plan to have a chat with Dr Chick. I guess I have to accept defeat and just get totally sober once and for all. I think I am chasing a pipe dream thinking I can have just the one...
I know its boring to hear repetitive relapses and stories that are not successful and I appreciate your continued support and patience. I will be weighing up what to do next this week.
Thanks

[Murphyx]

My Bac Journey started today

Whoa bummer.

Charlie, I'm not sure that you should expect a gradual improvement in your alcohol craving. Some do, some don't. I didn't get reduced cravings until I switched. What dose are you on? 200? That's still fairly low. OA switched at 270. I think Dr L said most people switch between 220 and 280.

If the SEs are debilitating then you need to get off bac, but if you think you can continue, maybe you should.

Just my thruppence worth.

[Charlieboy]

My Bac Journey started today

Thanks Murph
I so want it to work. As I said, I am weighing it all up and think it will be useful if i can have a phone consultation with Dr Chick.
Thanks

[Charlieboy]

My Bac Journey started today

I have just come off the phone to Dr Chick who is an addiction specialist in Edinburgh, using both Bac and Nal amongst other things. We had a long chat all about Bac(he is a big admirer and says its especially good for people who want to achieve abstinence) etc etc and his advice to me was to bring the BAc level down to about 80-90 mg/day - a healthy dose for warding off anxiety and keeping you grounded but with minimal SE's and to couple this with Naltrexone before drinking. He advised that taking as much as 100mg before a drinking session was fine, but to start at 50 as it can make you nauseous. I have tried both these seperately with not a great deal of success so this will be my next approach at getting this problem under control and I have read some encouraging info online about this combination approach. Who knows, one can only try. I am a bit dubious about dropping the BAc down but if I think back to how i felt on approx 100, it was chilled - SE's weren't too bad and I was able to continue with my meditation, sleep well etc etc which I have been completely unable to do at higher doses. Here's hoping this combo may work, will keep u posted. thanks

[bleep]

My Bac Journey started today

Hey Charlie,

Good luck with your new approach! You should find that once you are on a dose for a week or so that the SE's disappear completely.

The option of indifference will always be there if you need it.

Please let us know how your method works for you.