No more baclofen for me

[Guest]

No more baclofen for me

Ne/Neva Eva;1151660 wrote: Look, there is no study, anywhere about rats and baclofen that has anything to do with coughing.
The coughing thing? and the nasal drip? That's not a deal breaker in the grand scheme, or if it is, then bac is not the right choice. No harm no foul.
The depression thing? Many, many things going on about that. And I'm not making light, and I'm not being dismissive. That's a really bad thing to have happen. Lots of things to be done about it, though, and without any insight it's impossible to know what caused what, or why. For instance, depression is very common, exceedingly common, for people when they start to drink less...

Ditto your experience, Ukb. Bac was not the right choice. For many, many, many reasons. How's the nal? Haven't seen an update in a while.

Bottom line? Bac is not the right choice for everyone. I am not for a minute suggesting it is.

Lots of documentation right here, going back a couple of years at least, btw. Also lots of documentation about low-dose-bac. For those that are taking it that way, it is definitely an active ingredient in craving cessation at low-doses. Something not to be trivialized just because the current goal of many MWOers at this time is indifference. It's an effective tool, period.

Ne

I posted on the Naltrexone works thread just this Thursday(21st), been a bit busy since then. Will try to grab 2 minutes later but nothing much has changed in a day or two.

[Bruunhilde]

No more baclofen for me

Brian-thanks for the link, the fact that niacin elevates mood is news to me, in spite of the fact that I've used it on and off for twenty years for my cholesterol. Hmmm. Also, that link keeps crashing my computer. {warning}

[wanttobesober]

No more baclofen for me

Hi to All,

Ne,

Thanks! I think everybody has to find his or her best way to achieve sobriety. Baclofen was just not for me. Think about it, I really do not like the idea to pollute my body with a harsh chemical for the rest of my life. If L-Glutamine will work for me, I will be much happier.

Bruun,

That link is safe. I visited that website at least 10 times without any problem. My virus protection and browser also scans the webpages before I click on any links and it shows that it is safe.
Are you still taking Gabapentin?
I think I will add that to my supp collection later.
I also read that evening primrose can also decrease craving for alcohol.

Zen,

Thanks for the suggestion. I will read the book!

Cheers,

Brian

(Today I have just found a bottle of rum somewhere in the house that I was hiding from my wife. That sucker went down on the drain :-)) )

[Bruunhilde]

No more baclofen for me

Brian, I suspected it might just have a bunch of pop-ups. I have an old web browser and that's probably why my pooter crashed on it. I wanted to read the rest of it so I'll visit from my other pc.
Still on the gabapentin, 300mg day most days. Also should say I'm on niacin, fish oil, calcium, magnesium, D, C, choline, B12 and a hair/skin/nails multi, and baclofen. Oops and whey protein and All In One. No longer taking lithium orotate nor a grocery bag full of other supplements.

Seven Weeks is an awesome book!

[DrunkAndTiredInFLA]

No more baclofen for me

Ukblonde;1151016 wrote: D&TinLA

I just wanted to say I can identify with you totally here. I'm not going to tell you which way to go but that I too suffered with depression whilst on Baclofen, crippling depression too. Baclofen stopped my life dead and the last sentence in your post is exactly how I felt towards the end of my Baclofen use. I truely, honestly feel for you this morning.

A lot of well meaning people asked about my dosing etc, but I had to make my own decision. It's your life and only you know how Baclofen is affecting you right now.

I actually do still use Baclofen (partly because I still have some remaining), in times of anxiety, nervousness or simply if I'm not sleeping I do pop the odd 12.5/25mg - and I find it can work very well. I do worry about relying on it though!

Anyway you might wish to try using it this way too. Oh and don't feel a failure either, I put myself through that for a bit and it isn't worth it!

Thank you! Thank you so much for your support and understanding. I am sorry to hear that you went through this as well. Unfortunately, baclofen GAVE me anxiety and insomnia. These were also side effects not given to me. =(

I congratulate those who have made it through to indifference without these SE's and would like to ask that you do not judge those of us who have decided that because of these SE's to quit taking the medicine.

I haven't read all the posts yet but I will do that right now. I did read the one that asked me if I consulted my doctor (Dr. Levin). No, I have not but I am not quitting cold turkey if that is your question. I do know that you have to wean yourself off of baclofen.

[DrunkAndTiredInFLA]

No more baclofen for me

bleep;1151551 wrote: Sorry to hear it. Are you both aware that these effects are temporary while you look for indifference, and that they disappear entirely after a while?

I hope you manage to find a way out of this. Have you looked into naltrexone?

Bleep, I have tried posting another thread and didn't get much help. Hence, this thread. Depression is not something to be played with. Depression can lead to suicide and no one wants to see someone die. Lucky for you, you are one of the hundreds or thousands who did not have this problem, but for those of us who do, it is not something to play with. Searching for indifference while not giving a shit about your life isn't exactly going about things the right way.

[DrunkAndTiredInFLA]

No more baclofen for me

bleep;1151567 wrote: Fair point UK, but surely you agree that yours was a severe reaction, and that not many people go through that? For most people the SE's a re unpleasant, but after a couple of months there is a relief from them.

Bleep, clearly if this has happened for Blonde and myself than this is something worth looking into.

Thankfully, I have only been on baclofen for 2 months but saw myself going down the road of suicide if I continued. =(

[DrunkAndTiredInFLA]

No more baclofen for me

Ne/Neva Eva;1151660 wrote: Look, there is no study, anywhere about rats and baclofen that has anything to do with coughing.
The coughing thing? and the nasal drip? That's not a deal breaker in the grand scheme, or if it is, then bac is not the right choice. No harm no foul.
The depression thing? Many, many things going on about that. And I'm not making light, and I'm not being dismissive. That's a really bad thing to have happen. Lots of things to be done about it, though, and without any insight it's impossible to know what caused what, or why. For instance, depression is very common, exceedingly common, for people when they start to drink less...

Ditto your experience, Ukb. Bac was not the right choice. For many, many, many reasons. How's the nal? Haven't seen an update in a while.

Bottom line? Bac is not the right choice for everyone. I am not for a minute suggesting it is.

Lots of documentation right here, going back a couple of years at least, btw. Also lots of documentation about low-dose-bac. For those that are taking it that way, it is definitely an active ingredient in craving cessation at low-doses. Something not to be trivialized just because the current goal of many MWOers at this time is indifference. It's an effective tool, period.

No one is saying that indifference is impossible but people need to know ALL of the side effects. I was told that there weren't any side effects when I started taking baclofen. Clearly this isn't true.

Also, there is evidence of a baclofen cough reflex in cats and guinea pigs - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...00173-0276.pdf. I am not making stuff up. I researched it. Unfortunately, it was after the cough started. There is no mention of cough as a side effect but that doesn't mean that it's not a side effect.

[DrunkAndTiredInFLA]

No more baclofen for me

wanttobesober;1151696 wrote: Just like UK, I perfectly understand what you have experienced with Baclofen. I also decided to quit Baclofen because of the side effects. For me the cure was worse than the original disease. I almost fell asleep while I was driving my car home from work, was totally disoriented at work for a couple of days while I was on 200 mg / day.
I just could not do it anymore. Now I taper off. Today I am on 100 mg / day and probably have Bac out of my life in about 7 to 10 more days.
Also when I decided that I will try something else, I came across an article that says that there is a way to get off alcohol with supplements.

DoctorYourself.com - Alcoholism

I have found it very interesting. So I use currently:

Vitamin C: 3 x 3000 mg
L-Glutamine: 3 x 2000 mg
Thiamin (B1): 2 x 500 mg

The key ingredient is L-Glutamine as it can dramatically reduce alcohol craving for some people. It looks like it does this for me, as I am on my 9th day AF and do not crave AL at all. If you buy L-Glutamine, buy the powdered form as it absorbs much faster than the pill
form. If you feel the cravings just pop in a teaspoon of this powder under your tongue (approx 5 grams) and your craving is gone in minutes. That is what some people say.
I do not know, because as I said I do not have any cravings right now.
I know it will not work for everybody, but neither Naltrexone nor Baclofen do.
I also tried Naltrexone before for 3 months with no success.
You can buy these at Walmart under $20.
I think it worth a try. Even if it does not help you much, at least you will not have side effects.

Good luck!

Brian

Thank you Brian! I appreciate the healthy advice! =)

[DrunkAndTiredInFLA]

No more baclofen for me

Ne/Neva Eva;1151769 wrote: Sorry to hear how it ended up for you gonna be. Lots of info in holistic too about productive ways to battle w AL using supps. Good stuff there.
Also wanted to pointed out that most people in treatment are using bac as a tool--not looking for switch. Low dose can be very helpful too! Keep up the good fight.

Really? This is funny because I have been told by people on the baclofen threads that it doesn't matter how long you have been taking it, it's what your dosage is. IE - the more of the medicine that you take the higher your chances are of indifference. I have yet to see anyone say to me, "stay at your dosage." I have always been told to go up.

[wanttobesober]

No more baclofen for me

Zenstyle;1151890 wrote: Supplements and overcoming addiction... The "must read" is Seven Weeks to Sobriety. Even if you don't follow the exact protocol it will give you a good insight to the supplements alcoholics need to repair their bodies.

Zen,

Thanks again! I ordered the book last night from Amazon.
Lots of positive feed-backs over there. There are some with only one star,
but most likely they are AA pushing idiots who can not accept the facts that there are
other ways to quit AL than their stupid 12 steps.

DrunkAndTiredInFLA,

Check it out!
Here is the link for the feed-backs:

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Seven Weeks to Sobriety: The Proven Program to Fight Alcoholism through Nutrition

Cheers,

Brian

[Murphyx]

No more baclofen for me

DrunkAndTiredInFLA;1152070 wrote:
I did read the one that asked me if I consulted my doctor (Dr. Levin). No, I have not but I am not quitting cold turkey if that is your question.

No, I wanted to know what advice your prescribing physician had given you when you informed him of your symptoms. Don't you think that should have been your first action? I can't imagine why you took it upon yourself to simply discontinue with your medication when you have the experience of Dr Levin to call on.

[wanttobesober]

No more baclofen for me

Hi Murphyx,

I disagree with you.
He told me that "You should not have any side effects".
Also he told in the radio interview that you have posted, that Baclofen has
99.5 % success rate.
What else can he say when you say that the side-effects were intolerable?
I do not see the reason why should one pay for one more consultation unnecessarily.

just my 2c.

Brian

[Murphyx]

No more baclofen for me

wanttobesober;1152107 wrote:
What else can he say when you say that the side-effects were intolerable?

I don't know, I'm not a doctor who has successfully treated hundreds of alcoholics with baclofen. Perhaps you should ask him. I can not understand why you haven't. And I doubt it's because of the cost; Dr Levin is hardly known for milking his patients now is he?

[havefaith]

No more baclofen for me

You know, when I spoke to doctor Levin about a month ago-He was a very nice caring man & I enjoyed our conversation about the effects of Baclofen. But the one thing that concerned me a little was that our conversation was a little scripted.Kinda like one shoe fits all.
And when I went into my own personal medical history-He quickly went back to his speal on Baclofen(which I understand is the reason why I called in the first place).
I guess I just figured that if a doctor was going to put you on some medication, he would want to know more about your physical condition.
Needless to say, I kinda agree with Brian(I want to be chemical free) so I'm going to try a more natural way!