I am very happy for those of you who continue to fight the good fight and for those of you who have already reached indifference. Unfortunately, I have decided to stop taking baclofen. I have a life to live and sleeping during the day and not much at night isn't going to work. My school work is suffering more than it was when I wasn't on baclofen. I have also noticed that I have become very depressed. This is NOT healthy! I fear that continuing baclofen could be detrimental to my health and well being. I can only hope that this drug hasn't made me permantly depressed. It's been a tough decision to make but depression is no joke and messing up in school isn't good either. I still believe that baclofen can help addicts, and if it hadn't made me so depressed and I actually had the time to just work through the medicine while not having to work or go to school, I would continue taking baclofen, but I do have a life to lead and being on baclofen is messing it up more than just drinking. I thought that I would reach indifference by the time that fall semester started. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to progressively take the medicine as Dr. Levin prescibed do to extreme side effects. I started taking baclofen, because there supposedly weren't any side effects. I found out during the second week that this was not true but I continued on. However, at this point I cannot continue with baclofen because it's interfering with my life more than the drinking is.
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Still fighting the good fight.
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No more baclofen for me
What was the response of your prescribing physician when you told him this? You have discussed it Dr Levin haven't you?
The unexamined life is not worth living
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No more baclofen for me
D&TinLADrunkAndTiredInFLA;1151009 wrote: I am very happy for those of you who continue to fight the good fight and for those of you who have already reached indifference. Unfortunately, I have decided to stop taking baclofen. I have a life to live and sleeping during the day and not much at night isn't going to work. My school work is suffering more than it was when I wasn't on baclofen. I have also noticed that I have become very depressed. This is NOT healthy! I fear that continuing baclofen could be detrimental to my health and well being. I can only hope that this drug hasn't made me permantly depressed. It's been a tough decision to make but depression is no joke and messing up in school isn't good either. I still believe that baclofen can help addicts, and if it hadn't made me so depressed and I actually had the time to just work through the medicine while not having to work or go to school, I would continue taking baclofen, but I do have a life to lead and being on baclofen is messing it up more than just drinking. I thought that I would reach indifference by the time that fall semester started. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to progressively take the medicine as Dr. Levin prescibed do to extreme side effects. I started taking baclofen, because there supposedly weren't any side effects. I found out during the second week that this was not true but I continued on. However, at this point I cannot continue with baclofen because it's interfering with my life more than the drinking is.
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!Comment
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No more baclofen for me
I have to agree with you-Baclofen is not for me!
I've felt better on Prozac.....
Baclofen had me dizzy & dragging(and still drinking).
I guess everybody's different. It works for some I guess.....Comment
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No more baclofen for me
That's a shame to hear Faith; still you gave it a good long go I suppose. How long were you on bac for and what was your titration?
The unexamined life is not worth living
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No more baclofen for me
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?Comment
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No more baclofen for me
Regardless of whether you try HDB again, you can still use the pills remaining as UK said, for sleep and anxiety. Also, try gaba and tryptophan to improve your mood. If you want to try a mood elevator, try gabapentin, it is working for my mood very well.Comment
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No more baclofen for me
...but Bleep good comment but what is temporary?1 month, 2 months, 4 months. I felt rubbish pretty much from when I started Baclofen, it got worse with dose and only ended when I quit HDB almost 4 months down the line. During that time I contemplated death quite a few times. I could have continued and found indifference (which I mostly have now and without necking upmteen pills daily, and without any SEs) two days later, or I could have ended my life after another month of feeling the way Baclofen made me feel. Not a gamble I was willing to take.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?Comment
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No more baclofen for me
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.Comment
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No more baclofen for me
I don't know if others don't go through this, Baclofen hasn't been studied widely yet and the OP could be going through the same for all we know. So far only a few people have documented their experiences with Baclofen.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.Comment
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No more baclofen for me
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.Comment
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No more baclofen for me
Hi DrunkAndTiredInFLA,
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!
BrianComment
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No more baclofen for me
I agree Brian,
L-glut is wonderful.
Thanks for the link(very cool)!Comment
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No more baclofen for me
Hi havefaith,
Sure! I am glad you liked it.
Comment
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No more baclofen for me
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.Comment
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