Baclofen and Anxiety

[Baclofenman]

I'm curious about your titration up, Nic, and whether it was a function of going to fast. It's not always, so I'm not suggesting that was the case for you.

I asked the OP this very question yesterday Ne - The Op has since posted but not answered the question so I guess they dont want to share - Which is a shame

But I know that when I took too much baclofen, I had a muscle spasm in my right neck and shoulder that was both painful and really disconcerting. So I wanted to ask you about your experience.

I also had a bad experience when I took too much, including dizzyness, nausea, bluring of my eyes and convulsions in my right arm - Very disconcerting

Regards


Bacman

[Ne/Neva Eva]

I think we all just cross posted, Bacman. She answered the question.

[Baclofenman]

I asked the OP this very question yesterday Ne - The Op has since posted but not answered the question so I guess they dont want to share - Which is a shame


I also had a bad experience when I took too much, including dizzyness, nausea, bluring of my eyes and convulsions in my right arm - Very disconcerting

Regards


Bacman

I must learn to type faster - Thankyou Nicnak

Regards


Bacman

[nicnak68]

NE
I reached a second sort of indifference at 270.I would poor a large glass of wine but couldn't Finnish if and the rest went back in the bottle.Then I hit all this grief from the gp and gave it all up


BUT IT DOES BLOODY WORK!

[time2quit]

^^This^^
Miranda I too am experiencing the same thing. An overwhelming sense of Well being since starting the meds. I never even realized wasn't feeling as good as I could. I knew the first few drinks or a couple norcos or valumes made me feel "better" but I am generally a happy go lucky guy. What Ive realized is just because I have a good demeanor and generally like people and was Happy it didn't mean I didn't have something else going on. If that even makes sense.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Looking over the threads, I see what happened. Several trolls ended the useful exchange of information. If anyone knows of another site, another forum, and feels safe in posting it, I'd be very appreciative.

You're right, Miranda.

We're working on another forum at the moment. It will be ready to go by March 1st. The name of it is "TheEndofMyAddiction.org". Keep an eye out and I'll post when it's ready.

If you feel like donating, we're almost at our goal. Here's the fundraiser:

https://www.gofundme.com/forumforbac

Even if you don't, you can read the mission statement and goals there. One of the topmost priorities is to make sure that it's a safe haven for people who want to share support and find reliable, relevant information.

[kronkcarr]

I also found great relief when I started baclofen. I didn't know that I had anxiety. I posted about sitting in the yard and watching the birds fly by. I got really into music too. What I found as a year or so went by was that I enjoyed staying home and being with myself. I remember posting about how it came to me one night that I had value and loved myself.

Toward the end of my third year on baclofen I started getting anxious again. Or maybe it's an OCD kind of feeling. I stopped baclofen, still have the OCD stuff and don't over drink. Baclofen worked for me.

[Mentium]

Baclofen really does seem to have a spectrum of effects. Personally going up to 140 mg a day and then backing away I found no impact on my generalised low to medium (I can't think of another scale to describe it!) anxiety. I did feel pretty weird while taking it though. I take mertazipine for depression, which thankfully works, and I have wondered if there was some interaction between the two.

[Mom21961]

Social anxiety is why I started drinking at all hours of the day. Baclofen has cured that anxiety, and the obsessive thoughts that use to come with it.

Mom2

[Cassander]

I'm sorry to see this thread seeming to peter out. I was thrilled to find it. I have been searching for a forum where I could cross-reference my experience with baclofen, in particular its impact on anxiety.

Looking over the threads, I see what happened. Several trolls ended the useful exchange of information. ...

Yes, Miranda, that's what happened. I was very disappointed, too, because over the years the thread had been very helpful to many members of the forum. Back in the day, I read everything I could find about alcoholism, anxiety, and baclofen. I became convinced that anxiety is an all-too-frequent partner in alcoholism, and I found many, many reports of relief from both craving and anxiety with successful baclofen therapy. As many others do, I am still looking forward to the day when baclofen and other medications become mainstream treatments for alcoholism (as, for example, baclofen increasingly is in France). I'm glad you have found the thread helpful in some way. Cass

[Spiritfree]

Miranda:

Baclofen worked miracles for my anxiety -after about three months at a dosage of 180 mg. Baclofen did not work to resolve my underlying brain disorders for drinking in the first place, but Baclofen did remove the anxiety long enough for me to be able to address these 'other' issues.

(Miranda, I do not see any troll posts on this thread; I have bumped it several times because I believe it to be of extreme importance.)

Thank you for your post.

[MeJustMe]

I have had anxiety for as long as I can remember. Drinking fixed that... for a while. Long periods dry in AA never did. I started taking SSRIs for depression five years ago and that removed most of the anxiety. When I reached indifference the first time on Bac last May on 75mg, I had the most marvellous feeling of peace for about a week. It wasn't a high, I was just incredibly calm. It didn't last, unfortunately. I have reached indifference twice since (long story) on 185mg and that feeling hasn't come back. Ameisen noted that his muscular tension he always suffered disappeared when taking Baclofen. Mine, except for that week, hasn't

I occasionally still have bouts of anxiety, and it feels more physical than mental, if that makes sense. I wonder if it is a Bac SE.

[StuckinLA]

I really want to post here to show solidarity with all of you re: anxiety. Too drunk to write a real post, so this is it.

[lex]

Baclofen really does seem to have a spectrum of effects. Personally going up to 140 mg a day and then backing away I found no impact on my generalised low to medium (I can't think of another scale to describe it!) anxiety. I did feel pretty weird while taking it though. I take mertazipine for depression, which thankfully works, and I have wondered if there was some interaction between the two.

Mentium-

Funny you should mention this. I too felt very weird taking baclofen-even a low dose-and now I am wondering whether there was some interaction between the baclofen and the still-in-clinical-trials antidepressant I was taking at the time. I actually have other reasons to believe there was. I think I will give baclofen another shot, now that I am no longer participating in that clinical trial (drug was ineffective for me though it passed the efficacy trial with flying colors).

I write this so that others who may be having issues with baclofen are alerted to the possibility that the "side effects" they are experiencing might be due to a drug interaction rather than to the baclofen itself.

[lex]

One day I hope to get past the feeling that this is somehow wrong. Again, it's that worry that I am legally high.

Miranda212- give yourself a break and let it be. I had this same issue years ago while I was taking Nardil (an MAO inhibitor antidepressant). While my stalled career was blossoming beyond my wildest dreams, I occasionally wasted energy feeling guilty about having an "unfair" advantage due to the efficacy of the antidepressant. But now, oh if only I could recapture that efficacy! I'd never, ever feel guilty about it again!