Joes Baclofen Journal! (started 21/06/2011)

[AverageJoe]

Hey I thought I'd start a new topic as I had the starting date wrong in the old topic title, and it wouldnt let me change it! So yeahhh, my story can can be found here I guess

So my first post is the start of my own Bac journey, and I'll try keep tabs. If I can edit this post then I'll try and keep it up to date with times, dosages and side effects.

I'll be posting titration / journal updates then editing this post with dates, times, dosages and a summary - so sorry if you see a bit of repetition!

21/06/2011 - 19:06 - 10mg - before bed. Have drunk quite a bit of vodka an coke but I'm in high spirits that this will work in time, but baba an missus have gone to bed so now is the time to sleep! Will start 15mg spaced evenly tomorrow, and update this topic as it happens!
21/06/2011 - 21:14 - 5mg - Just had another 5mg to make up 15mg for today. This time I really am going to bed haha. Not sure what I felt from the first 10mg. Either way, back tomorrow and will keep this up to date.
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22/06/2011 - 06:13 - 5mg - Woke up quite early after a nice sleep with some strange dreams. Don't feel too hungover after drinking my regular amount, just a bit of nausea from the dose I took this morn. Had a bit more than I maybe should have last night in a short space of time, but will have 15mg today - 5mg at 6am, 5mg at 12pm, 5mg at 6pm!
22/06/2011 - 10:12 - 5mg - slight deviation from my good intentions this morning. 6 hours between doses feels a bit much? I've reduced it to 5mg every 4 hours. Feel a bit lethargic, guessing thats the somnolence kicking in a bit.
22/06/2011 - 14:04 - 5mg - Started drinking at 1pm and had two double voddy an cokes since. Keeping track of how many I drinks I have to put in this journal!
22/06/2011 - 18:38 - 10mg a bit drunk now, and actually I'm updating this nearly an hour later after a couple of disagreements with the missus. Eugh. So I'll take 10mg now, and maybe 10mg before I go to bed (as it did feel pretty good last night) and just see what happens. People!!

[RudyB]

Joes Baclofen Journal! (started 21/06/2011)

good luck, joe. let's get this thread party started!

isn't vodka a cruel irony: as strong as it gets, w so little taste it goes down like water, and the hangovers are subtle so it feels like permission...

[AverageJoe]

Joes Baclofen Journal! (started 21/06/2011)

Thanks RudyB Well I usually have some semblence of a hangover first thing, tiredness after a rubbish disturbed sleep usually.. but I actually feel alright this morning. Nice little buzz going on (mixture of Bac and looking ahead with optimism I suspect!)

I had strange vivid dreams (which I love!) last night, and felt really warm and comfortable in bed. Feel quite refreshed actually I don't care if its placebo or the start of Bac, it's fine with me either way!

[RudyB]

Joes Baclofen Journal! (started 21/06/2011)

yep, bac dreams are awesome! speaking of, i'm gonna force myself back into bed for some of that warm sleep you describe.

oh, and the vodka hangovers: now that i've stopped drinking that potion, i realize that my hangovers were really quite significant, i'd just gotten used to them as a morning or all-day state of being. ergh. don't miss that! and nor will you, soon i hope. but slow and steady wins the race.

[AverageJoe]

Joes Baclofen Journal! (started 21/06/2011)

Hrrmm the kinda Bac 'high' I've been feeling after my small dose this morning feels like its wearing off a bit.. I had 15mg last night, I'm considering having 20mg today - 5mg spaced out every 4 hours (6am, 10am, 2pm and 6pm - an hour or so before bed!). Might not be the best idea but hrrmm! 20mg isn't a large dose? An spaced out evenly is more important than erratic dosing like last night?

[bleep]

Joes Baclofen Journal! (started 21/06/2011)

I went up very quickly, and provided you are aware of the risks (your brain might feel like it's melting!), then there's nothing wrong with going slightly quicker than normal. Make sure you give baclofen a chance at each level to sink into your brain, 5 days is the usual wait, but that only really applies once you get to 100mg's or so.

I would suggest documenting it though, and stick to to it, because even at low doses it's easy to get confused.

[AverageJoe]

Joes Baclofen Journal! (started 21/06/2011)

Yeah I'm using the KeepTrack app lo0p posted about in the other topic I created - and immediatley updating this topic I don't work or anything at the moment, so I'll be around pretty much all day.. 6am - 7pm when baba goes to sleep (and we soon follow!). Also having no real commitments means my brain can melt as much as it needs if it aids reaching the switch a bit quicker!

[BacloTim]

Joes Baclofen Journal! (started 21/06/2011)

AverageJoe;1134852 wrote: Hrrmm the kinda Bac 'high' I've been feeling after my small dose this morning feels like its wearing off a bit.. I had 15mg last night, I'm considering having 20mg today - 5mg spaced out every 4 hours (6am, 10am, 2pm and 6pm - an hour or so before bed!). Might not be the best idea but hrrmm! 20mg isn't a large dose? An spaced out evenly is more important than erratic dosing like last night?

Yeah I notice that it feels like it wears off too fast also. I am on a slow titration though and could only have my bac twice a day when I was at your week. Also that first day can't be placebo because I had the same stuff going on. Call it the honeymoon period or placebo or whatever but it seems real.

Keep on truckin!

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Joes Baclofen Journal! (started 21/06/2011)

Morning, (for me) Joe,

To answer your question: Yes, I think erratic dosing is a good way to get all befuddled and prolong the process of becoming indifferent.

I wonder if you've read around enough to know what that brain-melting-thing really looks like? I can't tell you the number of people who just truck-along taking more and more bac, not experiencing anything particularly noteworthy, until BAM! Suddenly they wake from a deep sleep, convinced that the bogeyman is under the bed. They lift it up, while their wife is in it, looking to take care of the intruder. Not so much fun for the wife, or the husband.

And worse. Much worse, in some rare cases. (check out bleep69's thread. It's a fun one. Sorry to call you out, bleep! :H and :h) ****!

I also can't think of a single person who didn't rush the process in the beginning. Not one. So you're in really good company, for sure, if you decide to do a little of that. I'm glad you're keeping track and appreciate the info on the tracker that Lo0p posted. I don't need it anymore, but holy cow I could've used it bac in the day! I'm going to have my husband put it on his phone today if someone will tell me how to do that. (I know, I know. I'm the only smart-phone owner in the world who doesn't know how to do that.)

Forgive that I've written this here, when it's not completely pertinent to where you are. It IS relevant, I hope, for you and the others that have just started!

It's really exciting that there are several of you starting at around the same time! I look forward to the progress.

Onward and upward, fellow bac-ers!
:l
Ne
****This is not a warning about taking 15 or 30 or even 60mg, ftr. Those were the most difficult levels for ME but I suspect it's really the higher doses that'll kick you when you're least expecting. Again, sorry to put all this on your thread when it's meant for others, too.

[AverageJoe]

Joes Baclofen Journal! (started 21/06/2011)

haha, yeah I think you're right. I could probably benefit from doing a bit more reading into the brain melting!

Well I went into town with the Xbox cash and put it in my bank. I was originally going to order from 4rx.com, but after checking goldpharma I ended up buying (100 x 25mg) x 2 of Baclofen-neurax for ?83.69 inc shipping. Saved about ?17! Which is a bit handy as we're fairly skint this week. I'm currently taking 10mg Pacifen.

I should really work out if its cheaper in the long run to purchase from 4rx or goldpharma, as 4rx has 20% extra free pills on subsequent reorders hrrmmph (as you may have noticed, money is a bit of an issue here!).

Thanks for the replies anyways

[AverageJoe]

Joes Baclofen Journal! (started 21/06/2011)

Hrrmm was a bit difficult getting my first couple of drinks down, they're going down like normal now though! In time I guess

[BacloTim]

Joes Baclofen Journal! (started 21/06/2011)

It is a strange effect isn't it? It happened to me also and that is another one I know can't be placebo. Glad it's doing the same thing for you! Still drinking the same amount here but doing it much slower and not getting so intoxicated because of that. These forums are addictive aren't they? I check it like 40 times a day now. Maybe that will wear off in time.

[AverageJoe]

Joes Baclofen Journal! (started 21/06/2011)

Haha yeah they are addictive, but I'm usually sat around watching downloaded tv shows with the missus anyways.. so hitting F5 isn't too much work Looking forward to my before bedtime dose.. might hit 15mg again as it did the trick last night! an its all still a low dose compared to some, so eh.

I'm not sure if I feel more or less drunk than usual hrrmm. Maybe just the same? Or less, definitley not more. Just feeling my way through all this I guess

[tiptronic_ct]

Joes Baclofen Journal! (started 21/06/2011)

BacloTim;1134879 wrote: Yeah I notice that it feels like it wears off too fast also. I am on a slow titration though and could only have my bac twice a day when I was at your week.

To understand why you're experiencing this, read up on the biological half-life of meds. Here's a link: Biological half-life - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In the case of baclofen, its half-life is around 3 - 4 hours, whereafter it is quite possible that you might start feeling a decrease in its effects. Peak plasma concentration is roughly around 2 hours after administration. I used to call the moment when you become aware of a dose taking hold the "bac rush" (but only in the beginnig, when the SEs were still pleasant).

That explains why most people take more than the three daily doses Ameisen and dinosaurs like myself opted for. 4 or more will ensure that the plasma concentration of baclofen in your system will remain more even. It's like diabetics having to eat regular small meals to keep their blood sugar levels on an even keel.

Interestingly, with chronic use the half-life can double. With my layman's understanding, I liken it to having reach a kind of saturation point. You can then revert to three or fewer doses. I've experimented with quite a few combinations, even a single daily dose, and I've felt fine.

[AverageJoe]

Joes Baclofen Journal! (started 21/06/2011)

cheers for the info tript - the half-life makes sense in terms of the time it takes to wear off.

I should have taken 5mg 40 mins ago, but hrrmmm it's all small doses so I just took 10. It'll work itself out though - but I think alcohol doesn't help you keep a clear head regarding dosage and keeping on track with a specific schedule. Bit of a chicken and egg situation though.