Help - advice needed!

[hangingoninFL]

As those of you that have been around for quite awhile know, I have been titrating up and down on BAC since last summer, primarily due to SE. In early February, I decided to finally be committed to it. I titrated back up to 350 mg per day (divided into 7 equal doses). I really had no severe SE this last time around, other than somnolence, and was able to titrate back up to that dosage fairly quickly. The problem is that I have still not hit my switch. I still look forward to "happy hour" every night at 5PM. I have also been struggling with severe depression, and the alcohol is the only thing that alleviates it. I have tried ADs, amino acids (tyrosine and tryptophan), but nothing removes that black cloud like alcohol.

Should I continue to try to titrate up and hope that I find that elusive switch, or should I just come to the realization that BAC is just not going to replace the mood elevation that I get from alcohol?

[RedThread12]

Help - advice needed!

Check your PM box, HangingOn.

[bleep]

Help - advice needed!

How long have you been at 350mg's FL? Baclofen takes time to work it's way into your brain, especially if you have titrated rapidly. Each level would still also not have sunk in. I think. Obviously this is all conjecture.

If you have just reached 350, I would hang around for a while, and see what happens. If you come back and say you've been there for 3 weeks, I'll be a bit stumped. The only thing I could suggest would be to go slowly higher. I went higher, and I know of another who did as well, and as far as I know, it is safe.

[hangingoninFL]

Help - advice needed!

I have titrated up rather quickly, from 225mg back in early Feb to 350 today. Although I haven't had significant physical SEs, you might be right in that my brain just hasn't "caught up" to my increased dosage yet. This is why I am asking for feedback, I don't want to throw in the towel while there is still hope.

I would really like to hear from anyone that has used alcohol to self-medicate depression as I do.

[bleep]

Help - advice needed!

Ah, that's encouraging - try hanging around and see, for a week at least. I never used booze for that reason, so I can't help you there, but there are several members here who did. Give the time zones around the world a chance to get out of bed, I'm sure someone will be along at some point.

Hang on to your towel for now.

[Greg]

Help - advice needed!

hangingoninFL;1085612 wrote: I would really like to hear from anyone that has used alcohol to self-medicate depression as I do.

Hi, I also used it to self-medicate depression, for 20 years basically. My depression itself was however a symptom of social anxiety and awkwardness; loneliness set in as I went year after year socially isolated, then depression, then alcohol, then alcoholism.

I found that alcohol "worked" immediately and way better than any antidepressants I had tried, but I also think that bupropion/Wellbutrin/Zyban could help many cases of depression that have not responded to all the usual serotonin-type antidepressants (eg. SSRI's, tricyclics). Some cases of depression unresponsive to normal AD's also respond to MAOI AD's, but these require serious diet restrictions and can interact with many other drugs. Also mirtazapine/Remeron/Avanza/Zispin can help where others don't. These are not addictive and don't usually have tolerance as a major problem.

Baclofen has never been claimed to help 100-percent in cases where someone drinks as a direct relief from depression, if the depression itself is not treated aswell. It does help greatly with alcohol thoughts and cravings of course. All I can suggest is to try any and all antidepressants you haven't already tried, and find a doctor willing to do this if yours is not willing. A psychiatrist will often be more knowledgeable and willing to try different approaches than a GP, since they are specifically trained in mental health and also have a lot more time to devote to it.

Good luck, and please realise that I am not a doctor or other sort of medical person. I read a lot about medicines and case histories that's all, plus of course I have the experience with using alcohol as a self-medication...unfortunately in the end it can cause even worse depression, probably due to its extreme hangover effects and many other negative effects on the brain and body.

P.S. I can't be sure but I'd guess that alcohol helps depression due to its effect of enhancing release of natural opioids (endorphins) and effects on dopamine. Bupropion acts on dopamine too, but not as immediately, and not addictively as a rule. Unfortunately the opioid effect cannot be simulated by standard medications.

[Murphyx]

Help - advice needed!

Greg, great post, you captured everything I wanted to say.:goodjob:

FL, I also used alcohol as a means of self medicating for depression, until it became so much more. Try all the different groups of ADs (obviously not all at once ) and give them time to work. In the past prozac worked for me, but then a few years later I tried it again and it did nothing for me. Now I use buporprion (Wellbutrin) and it does the job very well. It allowed me to separate the depression from the alcoholism and to treat al with baclofen.

Experiment FL, experiment.

[spacebebe01]

Help - advice needed!

Hi FL, I havnt started on bac yet so cant comment on that except to say that it usually does take time for a lot medications to kick in and start working on the brain. I do however have experience on drinking and depression, I totally understand what you mean, alcohol works, and works quickly in relieving the horrible feelings of depression that can take over both mentally and physically, but we also know that this is very short lived, in fact with me its probably only a few minutes relief at which time I never stop drinking having gained what I first wanted, relief from the way I felt, but continue drinking and get myself into the whole mess that brought me on here in the first place. Thats why I have made the decision to try bac and am waiting for delivery of my 1st pack.

Never stop trying to stop is my motto right now.