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**_serenity_** · April 24, 2011, 06:33 PM

does everybody get side effects on baclofen?

It depends on the person. I didn't have the "drunk look" even when I was at my highest doses, and my SEs were fairly tolerable. See how the low doses treat you, then go up steadily and gradually. If you have something coming up (family gathering, job interview, etc.) which demands that you be on top of your game, just take a little less before the event and take a little extra later. DON'T try to skip a day, ever! Keep your doses fairly steady whenever you can. Unless you're at very low doses, it's very unwise to try to go up and down erratically.

**bleep** · April 24, 2011, 08:02 PM

does everybody get side effects on baclofen?

Hey User,

I was one of those who got the stoned look. A lot of it was due to the fact that I went up way too fast, so a decent dosing schedule will avoid this. I had some important meetings to attend, and found that by not taking baclofen for 8 hours prior to the meeting, I looked and felt completely normal. Felt better than normal actually, because I wasn't horribly hungover. So it's very controllable.

Despite looking stoned, and feeling a bit stoned, I was functioning better than ever. I have a senior management position, and even my boss commented on the positive change. I was more decisive and focused as a result of feeling much calmer than normal. I told people I was taking medication, and left it at that. People are generally too polite to take it further, and the positive results proved I wasn't tripping on acid whilst at work. Family probably won't be as polite, so if they ask, so you might get away with medication for muscle spasticity? Say you are too tense, so are taking something for it, and it's making you look a little weird? But you are feeling better, so will stick it out for a little longer, your doctor says blah blah blah, that sort of thing?

I would seriously consider trying it out. The benefits are legion. You are obviously a fully functional alcoholic, but imagine being a fully functional person instead. Yes, there are SE's, but as I said earlier, you can time these. Mine were mostly fun, although this seems to be an exception rather than the rule. Even though they were fun, it was still a difficult drug to take. It affects your mind, and that's never an easy thing to tolerate. Earlier drug experiences helped me in this regard.

As to whether you will get to indifference without experiencing SE's, who can say? I think it is unlikely, to say the least. A very few people have reported instant results, again these are the exception rather than the rule. I went up quite high, but I am generally very tolerant of drugs. That actually doesn't seem to be a defining factor though, your dose for indifference just seems to be a random number, and the only way to find it is to try it and see.

Best of luck with your decision.

**ignominious** · April 24, 2011, 10:21 PM

does everybody get side effects on baclofen?

This is one of the points of views that I hold. I think this is a relevant place to put it and hope you don't take it personally but use it to make a balanced decision for yourself.

I don't think you should take baclofen. It's possible that you could be SE free but unlikely. If you consider that getting into trouble because you look stoned is more important than than taking the chance to not be stoned again then I think your motivation is in doubt.

I've read sooooooo much about SEs recently and I can relate to nearly all drawing from my experience of titrating up on baclofen. The difference I see is that the SEs were one step away from irrelevant to me considering what was being promised. A life without being a slave to alcohol. Freedom! For gawd's sake if that doesn't make it an obvious choice then I would try something else first.

I don't want to blow AA's horn but they had something in the bit about 'rock bottom'. I don't think you need to be as far gone for baclofen to work but I think becoming AF needs to have turned the corner from being a goal in life to becoming a necessity.

**Ne/Neva Eva** · April 25, 2011, 05:03 AM

does everybody get side effects on baclofen?

I had similar concerns before I started taking baclofen. Unfortunately, I experienced a lot of the SEs that had concerned me! One of the main reasons is because I took bac erratically rather than regularly.
You will be able to mitigate the SEs, if you do get them, by taking it regularly, on a schedule. Also, reducing alcohol consumption may be beneficial for avoiding SEs.

Fully functioning or not, I can assure you that if your drinking is of grave concern you'll be better off sober. Achieving sobriety, with bac or without, is demanding.

Despite the fact that I have a rather long and excruciating list of SEs, no one really noticed. My work performance improved almost immediately. I see my family often and talk to them daily, and I was a closeted alcoholic for the last 5 years. They noticed that I was 'subdued.' On very high levels of bac. I felt a good deal more than subdued!

I did use the excuse that I was being treated for depression and anxiety at one point when I wasn't getting enough sleep and often felt sick. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds often have similar SEs. Namely, insomnia, fatigue, feeling a bit out of it...

Lots of ways to manage it, but the bottom line is that you've got to be in it in order to find the desired results. Whether you take it or not is, of course, up to you. I can't recommend it enough. Good luck.
Ne

**Guest** · April 25, 2011, 10:22 AM

does everybody get side effects on baclofen?

I had a huge struggle with Side Effects, even though after an initial erratic phase I did hold steady for quite some time. I did appear stoned/drugged and had trouble with speech as well as co-ordination. I think it all depends on the individual and if you are in a situation where you can avoid lengthy 1-2-1 contact with other people, then that probably helps since you can run off and have lie down if need be! I found if side effects were bad I could focus my mind, and override it for a short period of time but it felt like torture.

One thing I learned to do was alter dosing according to activities, finding that taking a dose just before a period of high activity meant I would hardly feel the somnelence usually experienced. Whereas a large dose before a sedentary activity, where others are around is asking for trouble! Well unless it's a situation where those involved don't mind you nodding off that is.

**username1** · April 25, 2011, 05:08 PM

does everybody get side effects on baclofen?

ignominious;1104673 wrote:

If you consider that getting into trouble because you look stoned is more important than than taking the chance to not be stoned again then I think your motivation is in doubt.

I've read sooooooo much about SEs recently and I can relate to nearly all drawing from my experience of titrating up on baclofen. The difference I see is that the SEs were one step away from irrelevant to me considering what was being promised. A life without being a slave to alcohol. Freedom! For gawd's sake if that doesn't make it an obvious choice then I would try something else first.

I don't want to blow AA's horn but they had something in the bit about 'rock bottom'. I don't think you need to be as far gone for baclofen to work but I think becoming AF needs to have turned the corner from being a goal in life to becoming a necessity.
It's just difficult to explain it I guess. It's not just that I could get in trouble but, the people that know I've had problems with drug abuse in the past and they see me in a stoned state or whatever, they could be concerned or worried about me again. They could think I'm going back to my old habits.

Not only that, my parents still provide a roof over my head and food, they don't like it when I shut them out. I used to just stay in my room with the door shut 24 hrs a day and drink day/night. Once I stopped drinking during the day, our relationships have been improving so what am I supposed to do, risk stirring up more drama and have them think I'm going back to things being messed up? It's not as simple as you're making it sound, I have a serious decision to make and I have more than just myself to think about.

you might get away with medication for muscle spasticity?

I don't know if telling them I have muscle spams would work since there's no history of that in our family or even know anybody that has had that problem. I was thinking I could say I'm taking pills for insomnia, which could maybe explain the somnelence.

The other issue that one of my uncle's is a psychiatrist, so there's kind of an issue there that if I looked *that* messed up, they would probably get him involved again. When things were much worst with me a few years ago when I was drinking 24/7, they had him talk to me a few times, we never talked about drinking, but due to my anti-social behavior they thought something wasn't right and so if they feel like they need to get him involved again since things don't seem 'right' with me, he could ask me what kind of meds I'm on and figure it out, or tell me to stop taking what I am now and recommend something else.

I don't want him to know about my alcoholism he's on my dad's family side and he'll probably tell my dad and I don't want them to try their own methods to treat me, like send me to rehab or something. When I was a teenager and got busted with coke they had sent me to rehab and I don't want to go through that again.

I just hope it will work for me for not taking the meds for 8 hrs would keep me normal, since usually I know a day or few days in advance if there's a family function to go to. I just don't want to start any drama and would like to avoid it if possible.

**bleep** · April 25, 2011, 05:31 PM

does everybody get side effects on baclofen?

There is always the option of coming clean. You say you might get packed off to rehab, which is something I'd want to avoid at all costs, but what if you tell them about baclofen as well? Print out some of the case studies and reports. There is documentary evidence to be found in the Consolidated Baclofen Information Thread.

A lot of people are extremely skeptical about it though, so I would be cautious if going this route. Dr Levin would hopefully be available to speak with your uncle, and perhaps convince him. It sounds like they put a great deal in store regarding his opinions, so if you could get him involved and on-sides, perhaps there is hope?

It is a tricky drug to conceal, although it's possible. Not everyone gets the stoned appearance SE, although there are other SE's to consider as well. I would give some serious thought to perhaps bringing someone into your confidence.

**alexan** · April 25, 2011, 05:39 PM

does everybody get side effects on baclofen?

Hey Username,
I feel for you... Listen if you feel like holding off on it then do that. I know if I had full-time work right now, I just couldn't have done it.
OR you could always titrate very very slowly... 5mg usually does nothing for me... Here is a story I just read:
https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...fen-49577.html

**username1** · April 25, 2011, 06:17 PM

does everybody get side effects on baclofen?

bleep;1105139 wrote: There is always the option of coming clean. You say you might get packed off to rehab, which is something I'd want to avoid at all costs, but what if you tell them about baclofen as well? Print out some of the case studies and reports. There is documentary evidence to be found in the Consolidated Baclofen Information Thread.

A lot of people are extremely skeptical about it though, so I would be cautious if going this route. Dr Levin would hopefully be available to speak with your uncle, and perhaps convince him. It sounds like they put a great deal in store regarding his opinions, so if you could get him involved and on-sides, perhaps there is hope?

It is a tricky drug to conceal, although it's possible. Not everyone gets the stoned appearance SE, although there are other SE's to consider as well. I would give some serious thought to perhaps bringing someone into your confidence.

I'm sure I could come clean to my mom, she knows how much I drink and has asked me to stop before. She would probably understand if I told her about baclofen and would accept whatever I thought was best for me. It's just that things seem to be going well in their eyes lately and if side effects are noticeable on me, then my Dad is the type of person that wouldn't want me around him in his prescense, even if he knew it was due to my alcoholism since in his eyes it would be something, 'i brought on myself'. My Dad and his family are all about appearances and very 'uppity'. So, relationship wise I would be going a step back. Regardless, they do provide for me and I understand that, some people are just the way they are. I'm not holding anything against them.

If they find out that baclofen can make you feel good or give you a euphoria, they will probably not go for it, no matter if another psych is talking to them about it. Just like my general practioner wouldn't prescribe it when I went last week, said he wasn't comfortable and prescribed me antabuse. I'm pretty sure that's the way they would want me to go as well, which I don't want. I want something to cure the cravings and make me feel indifferent, where I never even want to think about it. I don't want to be forced to quit (antabuse) since it will just feel like, I'm 'missing out' when I'm not drinking.

I appreciate all the feedback in this thread, I have a serious decision to make it's unfortunate side effects are an issue but, at least there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Just need to figure out how to make this happen, maybe I have to postpone things a little bit, maybe if my business goes well I can get my own place and start my sobriety from there.

Actually this just gave me an idea, I could take a long vacation like I did last year, I went to Europe for 3 months. I could possibly do this again if moving out isn't an option in the near future. I've heard a change of environment is also good in recovery/sobriety, so it could help me even more. Maybe after a couple months I will get through the side effects and can return home healthy and continue where I left off, and nobody would know anything.

**ignominious** · April 25, 2011, 08:06 PM

does everybody get side effects on baclofen?

Hi Username

It's never as simple and I hope you come to a workable decision.

Looks to me that there's a bit of a problem with your dad and talking about alcohol or drugs. One thing I'd strongly recommend is if they do suggest having a talk with your dad's brother again is that you agree that talking to a psychiatrist might be useful but insist on someone not in the family. There are so many things that would be taboo to talk about with your uncle.

I had a mother who was all about 'appearances' and know the pressure and rewards offered to keep you wanting to maintain good relationships. I'm 50 years old and having stopped drinking a few months ago this issue is foremost in my mind. I know this will sound strange but I envy you that you have a chance to sort it out now.

My mother sent me too see a psychiatrist when I was 17 and he suggested that if I liked I should come back with my mother. When I told my mother this, she brushed it off with, "you seem to be so much better that I don't think you need to go again". I rue that day, if I had insisted going with her I may have been able to save myself 30 years of pain and isolation.

Best of luck.

**bleep** · April 26, 2011, 01:03 AM

does everybody get side effects on baclofen?

I was just about to suggest that as a possibility. It would be perfect if you could arrange a couple of months in some relaxed setting. I actually think it's the perfect way to take baclofen. Time away from everything, so you can focus on it, and go faster because work and social interaction aren't part of the distraction

If you can arrange that, you are onto a winner.

**Toro** · April 26, 2011, 02:50 AM

does everybody get side effects on baclofen?

Didn't get any real sides, aside from a bit of somnolence at really high doses before I hit my switch. I would only dose up that high in the late afternoon to ensure I didn't cave in that evening, so it was a choice between looking slightly spaced out in the evening (only at really high doses) or being drunk, I know what I would rather people see me as.

My day to day use isn't noticeable to anyone, if anything it's helped with anxiety and had a beneficial impact outside of sobriety.

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