Baclofen for Marijuana Dependency...

[bobsd]

Hi Everyone,

First of all, I am so happy to have found this forum! I believe that hearing everyone's story gave me the strength to try Baclofen myself.

A bit about me... I have been using marijuana alcoholically for 12+ years now. What I mean by that is I smoke approximately 5 puffs 10x/day. I try not to spend any part of the day sober. But as you might know, it is easier to function on pot compared to other drugs. Good and bad... I mean, I can be high in basically any situation without 99% of people knowing. But a functioning stoner I am not! I have moved from job to job, constantly underachieving. So, about a year ago, I got sober for about 10 months, attending Marijuana Anonymous meetings about 2x/week. I had a sponsor and worked the steps for a bit, but I never felt like a part of the group (nor did I want to be- I love my friends that I have and do not want to swap them). This Fourth of July weekend, I broke down and smoked at a music festival. Since then, I have been smoking weed at the same rate as before. But I have hid it from everyone (including my live-in girlfriend), making my life such a lonely pit of deception and depression.

I live in a state where I can drive down the street and have 5 medical marijuana dispensaries to choose from, which adds to the difficulty in quitting. A blessing and a curse!

I would like to add my experiences on baclofen. I know there is not much in the way of studies that can prove baclofen's effectiveness on marijuana cessation, but I am willing to share how it worked for me. Hopefully, some others with marijuana dependency issues join me (or already have).

To those that feel marijuana is not addictive and that I should not be posting here, I respectfully disagree with your opinion. Please just move on to the next post, because there are bound to be stoners out there that want another way out. Sorry to have to be preemptive about this one, but I have experienced negativity from a small number of alcoholics at AA meetings, and I hope to not experience the same here.

I am working with Dr. L via phone, and I highly recommend you get in touch with him if you are unable to get baclofen from your doctor. It is reassuring to know you have a professional monitoring you indirectly, and I have found baclofen for really cheap at Costco... My first prescription for (72) 20mg pills was under $11!!! Once again, Costco pays dividends!! The pharmacist had no issue calling Dr L, and she even typed out the entire titration schedule on the bottle.

Since I just took my first dose a few hours ago, I will say that I don't feel a whole lot differently, maybe a little euphoric in a spacey way. I will keep you posted later on today and hopefully daily after that (via this thread).

Once again, thank you to everyone that has shared on this forum. It is so important to help get the word out. I am praying for all of you, along with myself, for success on your baclofen journey!

Greg

[RudyB]

Baclofen for Marijuana Dependency...

hey thanks greg. what a lovely post. welcome to a blessed place. we're mostly very cool here. please don't be put off by the negative vitriol that's being flung about at the moment on some of the threads here; it's temporary and is not typical.

i love that you had the courage to start this thread, and to start the baclofen. i hope it works for you, and i bet it will. clearly it's already working its magic, as you report that spacey euphoric feeling. enjoy that! for some it lasts a long time. i think i still have it most days at 190 mg. oh that reminds me, i'd better go take a pill...

ok. so, i smoke my share of ganja, too. usually a toke or two in the evening, though lately that has increased. i definitely do not experience a cessation of craving for that fine flower, but i am not trying to do that. i've been kicking the booze in the gut. in fact, smoking has often saved me from over-drinking. something about how it gets me back into my body, and happily in my head. (i hope i'm not making you want to smoke.) i still think that bac could work for your issue. it's what you put your mind to, i believe. and, it was originally found hopeful for cocaine, so...

anywhoot, welcome! please do keep us posted.

rudy

[Dosage0]

Baclofen for Marijuana Dependency...

The whole theory behind Baclofen (Please be clear I am in no way a doctor) is that it works on the calming part of your brain and allows your brain to relax without resorting to outside chemicals. I think anything can be addictive if you relax after taking it / eating it / shooting it in your arm. For me, it felt like I was ALWAYS anxious about everything and alcohol was the magic pill I needed to relax. I am now trying to retrain my brain through baclofen that the alcohol is not necessary.

I do not see why this method wouldn't work with another substance, but I have no medical experience and I would call Dr. L and run it past him. What did he say when you mentioned marijuana?

And yes, I am one of those AA people who might have looked at you funny if you said marijuana is addictive. I, like all of them, don't walk in your shoes and welcome aboard. And Rudy is correct, I think it was originally found to be helpful with crack smoking -- I think the guy had MS and was an addict and that is how the connection was made.

Rob

[Cinders]

Baclofen for Marijuana Dependency...

I think this is a great thread and of much possible help to many.

Please keep us updated and many wishes for success to you.

Cindi

[bobsd]

Baclofen for Marijuana Dependency...

Rudy- No worries... I am still smoking and will work to cut back and back until I hopefully hit the "switch". Yeah, that's how I think of it... Baclofen will work for you if you have a serious desire to quit or want a level of usage where you feel comfortable. For me, I am not sure if I want to quit completely or scale it back drastically. There seems to be some issues going on, but to be honest, it is pretty tame compared to the trolls I have encountered in other forums. I hope that everyone takes a deep breath, a step back... Take your fights to the PM's.
Rob- I am in contact with Dr. L, and he has experienced success in patients like myself (in the few he has encountered). That is a major reason for posting my experience/success/SE's. Let's see how this drug works with other substances. Let's see how it works with other addictions, i.e. gambling, food, sex... I appreciate your openness in receiving me as a pothead- It makes sense, you must have an open mind to even get to these forums and try baclofen.
-Greg

[bobsd]

Baclofen for Marijuana Dependency...

Thanks Cindi... I am praying for success for me and the many many stoners out there who are sick of being stoners. And wow, 10,000 posts?? Sounds like you have a bunch of advice to get out there... I would be glad to receive any advice you may have for me during this exciting/nervous time. Glad to meet you!!

[RudyB]

Baclofen for Marijuana Dependency...

good god, greg! you could be the pioneer for potheads! you could be their poster child, as they all sit buttoned up nice and corporate in front of you as you lecture from the podium about how bac saved your back. imagine it, it just might happen if you do!

glad you're not finding what i won't call infighting off-putting.

and that decision to abstain or go normal is a good one to let hang in the balance for now. you'll come to know what you need to know. (i'm partial, and feel a bit sheepish, but will go ahead and suggest that you stay very open to moderation. why cause pain for yourself if you don't need to? and besides, stoners tend to drive more slowly than any others, so rarely cause car accidents or make pain for the common good.)

this'll be fun!

[Cinders]

Baclofen for Marijuana Dependency...

bobsd;1185479 wrote: Thanks Cindi... I am praying for success for me and the many many stoners out there who are sick of being stoners. And wow, 10,000 posts?? Sounds like you have a bunch of advice to get out there... I would be glad to receive any advice you may have for me during this exciting/nervous time. Glad to meet you!!

I have been here for awhile -- she says with chagrin. I am glad to dispense advice but understand this is one alcoholic who has gotten worse and worse in the last couple of years.

However, I am truly hoping Baclofen helps with your dependency.

I agree with Ruby at this point, don't try to make a decision as to abstinence or moderation. Just put one foot in front of the other and try to make life better. Period.

Cindi

[Doggygirl]

Baclofen for Marijuana Dependency...

Greg, just want to welcome you to MWO and let you know that I too am glad you started this thread. :welcome:

I know exactly what you are talking about in terms of the addictive properties of MJ.

[Greg]

Baclofen for Marijuana Dependency...

Hi from another Greg here, who has also been a pot smoker! I am actually mainly an alcoholic, but I was so desperate to stop drinking that I started using cannabis as an alcohol substitute. It did help, but I ended up becoming psychologically hooked on it. I do think it can be addictive for many people, myself included obviously. I also started getting odd next-day after effects from pot, such as odd and obsessive thinking, worsened anxiety, unsociability, and a general malaise or tiredness that I nicknamed "pot fog". These problems started making it hard for me to function in some areas of life. I only smoked at night, just as I have only drank at night, so maybe the 24 hour gap between each use was creating a type of withdrawal syndrome every day, I am not sure. I was also using Xanax at night however, so that may have also contributed to the problems.

I found that baclofen, even at fairly low doses (eg 50-75 mg), did appear to help me with my pot use, and I am not currently smoking. The baclofen also seemed to help me get away from another bad pattern I had fallen into, namely using codeine or pseudoephedrine during the day as a cheap sort of high and depression relief.

Good luck with it, I would certainly say it's worth giving a go.

P.S. I also found that baclofen appeared to block some effects of marijuana, making it harder to get high, but not sure if others would experience the same thing.

[Isolde]

Baclofen for Marijuana Dependency...

Hiya bobsd! (Your name is fun to try and pronounce :H) Congrats on starting your baclofen journey, how exciting!!

I think you'll find baclofen helpful for cutting down your marijuana usage. I had never used it much in the past, because, quite frankly, I'd never had my own! Once I bought my own stuff, things changed and I started smoking pretty often. This coincidentally coincided with the start of my baclofen journey. I started smoking pretty often. I know how you feel with your g/f, because at the time I was often doing it behind my then b/f's back, who I lived with. As I continued to titrate up on baclofen, my usage started going down. A year later, and I still have some of the same 1/8th that I started with! :H I've only smoked sporadically in the past 10 months or so, and that's only ever been to get to sleep when I had bac-induced insomnia! Ha!

Also, Neva Eva's hubby (who began taking baclofen for alcohol), experienced a decreased desire to smoke as he took baclofen, and apparently he used to be a very heavy smoker.

I have a friend who is a HEAVY smoker and I have told him all about baclofen. He told me he wants to try it for his pot smoking. So I will be watching your progress with interest! Hopefully at some point I'll be able to send him a link to your thread and be like, "Check out how well it worked for bobsd!! Now it's your turn!"

Good luck!
:welcome:

[RingingCedars]

Baclofen for Marijuana Dependency...

Cool thread.:goodjob:

[RudyB]

Baclofen for Marijuana Dependency...

you know, come to think of it gregs, bac may be interfering with my pot high. i know the solution! quit bac! righteo. i'm off to dump those damn pills...

[Dosage0]

Baclofen for Marijuana Dependency...

Yah man... I haven't heard of Bac having any serious long term effects... so you might as well be a Bac guinea pig and post your results for others to see. Let me know how many tacos, burritos, and late night chimichangas you eat!

[bobsd]

Baclofen for Marijuana Dependency...

Hey Everyone,

It is good to see that people out there are in the same place as me...

Well, I took my day 2 dose (5 mg/day in the morning) about two hours ago, and I can definitely feel the "bac buzz" that you all have been talking about. I feel it much more so than yesterday, which makes me excited for it to be in my system! I am still puffing pretty constantly, but I have come to terms with this. I am putting my faith in baclofen, and I am willing to deal with not quitting completely. It will be nice to (hopefully) experience the sensations associated with smoking less and less as each week passes. I deserve to feel that after the 12+ years this drug has placed its grip on me.

I don't know how to react to the overwhelming positivity of everyone's responses, except to say THANK YOU!!