People who have tapered back to a low dosage?

[Bminor]

Hello everyone,

I'd like to hear from all of you out there who have had luck with high dose baclofen and were then able to taper down and stay sober.

How high were you and then how low did you go? Did you notice any cravings returning? Anybody taper all the way off and stay sober?

I'm just curious to get others opinions. I've been sober for a long time now and the only reason why I've been tapering down is because baclofen made it pretty much impossible for me to have sex... :upset: I've gone from 200 all the way down to 60-80mg's per day so far without any real cravings returning. I'm also now able to function a little better down there too

I'm thinking of tapering all the way off as an experiment and then if I need it I can always titrate back up.

Thanks!!
B.

[Road to Recovery]

People who have tapered back to a low dosage?

B,
I have tapered all the way off and have stayed sober _ cravings have not returned. Its been almost a year since I last took bac.

[RingingCedars]

People who have tapered back to a low dosage?

But how's yer sex life?

Edit: OOps...good to see you Road--hope all is well.

[LadyLush]

People who have tapered back to a low dosage?

B,
I got to 180 and the somnolence killed me. I went down to 120 - 80 and managed for awhile with willpower. I came back up to 180 and have not had a drink. It's funny how one moment you want it and in another (like 40 more mg) who cares?
180 is good for me right now. Lower, I still control the anxiety but the will to drink remains.
This is where I want to be and I am good. I will probably go to 200 tomorrow but I know this is my switch. I just need to stay here awhile.
Take it all in; this is the real deal!

Margie

[Road to Recovery]

People who have tapered back to a low dosage?

Bminor;1185669 wrote: Hello everyone,

I'd like to hear from all of you out there who have had luck with high dose baclofen and were then able to taper down and stay sober.

How high were you and then how low did you go? Did you notice any cravings returning? Anybody taper all the way off and stay sober?

I'm just curious to get others opinions. I've been sober for a long time now and the only reason why I've been tapering down is because baclofen made it pretty much impossible for me to have sex... :upset: I've gone from 200 all the way down to 60-80mg's per day so far without any real cravings returning. I'm also now able to function a little better down there too

I'm thinking of tapering all the way off as an experiment and then if I need it I can always titrate back up.

Thanks!!
B.

Sorry B, I read your post quickly and missed a very important part. I am having the same problem as you, and I have not taken bac for over a year. I find myself wondering if bac has the ability to permantly change something like libido... Scary thought, but I dont know what else it could be. There is another member that is having the same concern.

[tiptronic_ct]

People who have tapered back to a low dosage?

I've been on 80 for well over a year. Indifference came at 270. I've toyed with the idea of tapering to zero, but have wimped out for two reasons: it keeps anxiety at bay (anything below 70 and it rears its ugly head), plus I'm simply too shit-scared to risk a return to drinking. I don't have cravings at this dose, but by the same token, its entirely possible that I won't have any if I go lower.

I'm comfortable with where I'm at, so I guess if it ain't broken, don't fix it. I'm staying put.

[Bminor]

People who have tapered back to a low dosage?

Road to Recovery;1185692 wrote: Sorry B, I read your post quickly and missed a very important part. I am having the same problem as you, and I have not taken bac for over a year. I find myself wondering if bac has the ability to permantly change something like libido... Scary thought, but I dont know what else it could be. There is another member that is having the same concern.

RTR, I think you and I shared a few PM's about this subject not long ago correct? I accidentally deleted all my PM's so if it wasn't you... sorry. Thanks for your input though.

B.

[Bminor]

People who have tapered back to a low dosage?

tiptronic_ct;1185699 wrote: I've been on 80 for well over a year. Indifference came at 270. I've toyed with the idea of tapering to zero, but have wimped out for two reasons: it keeps anxiety at bay (anything below 70 and it rears its ugly head), plus I'm simply too shit-scared to risk a return to drinking. I don't have cravings at this dose, but by the same token, its entirely possible that I won't have any if I go lower.

I'm comfortable with where I'm at, so I guess if it ain't broken, don't fix it. I'm staying put.

Tip- I am pretty much in the same boat as you I guess. Right now at around 80 mg's things are good enough and I'm not really having any cravings. I think part of me just wants to know what would happen though if I tapered all the way off. Maybe in time I will.

Thanks for the input.

B.

[ignominious]

People who have tapered back to a low dosage?

I hit my switch at 250 and imediately started to taper down. I had no significant increased desire to drink untill I reduced to 40mg where I found myself repeating my alcoholic behaviour. In terror, I ramped up my dosage tyo 80 or so and was able to stop drinking in a few days.

For the last month I have kept steady at 50mg which is fine to curb the cravings. At this level I can remember what the cravings are but am still firmly in control. I feel I can learn more about my destructive thinkng patterns at this dose than at a higher dose where alcohol is a distant memory. I am also hoping that eventually I will be able to taper off compleately.

[ignominious]

People who have tapered back to a low dosage?

And as Tip pointed out, I also have had a considerable return in my anxiety at my present dose. Trying to find an alternative to treat that.

[Bminor]

People who have tapered back to a low dosage?

ignominious;1186288 wrote: I hit my switch at 250 and imediately started to taper down. I had no significant increased desire to drink untill I reduced to 40mg where I found myself repeating my alcoholic behaviour. In terror, I ramped up my dosage tyo 80 or so and was able to stop drinking in a few days.

For the last month I have kept steady at 50mg which is fine to curb the cravings. At this level I can remember what the cravings are but am still firmly in control. I feel I can learn more about my destructive thinkng patterns at this dose than at a higher dose where alcohol is a distant memory. I am also hoping that eventually I will be able to taper off compleately.

Hey Ig-

That's actually great information and a really good way of looking at it where you say you can learn more about your destructive thinking patterns by remembering what the cravings are. I remember when I was on a much higher dose of Bac, I couldn't even remember what it felt like to be drunk. I would sit there and try to imagine the feeling just to see if I could make myself crave it, and I just couldn't figure it out... it's like it was wiped from my memory. Now, on a lower dose, I'll see a beer commercial or something and I can think to myself, "yeah I think that might taste good" but then I'm very quickly able to tell myself "it would only kind of taste good, and you really don't want it anyway dipshit". I guess that's the closest thing to "craving" that I get these days.

[tiptronic_ct]

People who have tapered back to a low dosage?

I think one must just point out that if people do decide to taper, that they do it very slowly. It takes a few days for the body to adjust to a lower dose. I initially tapered too fast, with the result that slight cravings returned. A quick bump up solved it easily enough, but I guess it's better to be safe rather than sorry.

One thing I'm uncertain of is how long one should remain at the switch dose before tapering. I managed just over 2 weeks, at which point the SEs really started wearing me down. What is evident from the experiences shared here is that it isn't necessary to remain at the switch dose indefinitely.

[ignominious]

People who have tapered back to a low dosage?

Although I previously stated "immediately", I also stayed at my switch dose for a few days. SEs notwithstanding. I was flabbergasted that I had actually ceased to want to drink and therefore was reluctant to take any chances with my new found sobriety. As it became clearer that the impossible had happened I began to venture down.

Totally agree that a new dose takes a few days to get used to and am so pleased that a quick increase does, by many accounts, restore sober sanity! I am concerned that having to resort to upping the dose to restore sobriety may have diminishing effectevness and for that reason I shall probably stay at 50mg for some time untill I feel confident that I can handle life on a lower dose!

[Ne/Neva Eva]

People who have tapered back to a low dosage?

I'm taking 120mg/day down from (ugh) 340. I was only there for a minute or two because I couldn't think straight. Or even in circles.
I may go down to 80mg, because I've often taken that when I forget my last dose! Can't even blame the bac since I've got no SEs! :H

[DrunkAndTiredInFLA]

People who have tapered back to a low dosage?

Thank you Bminor for starting this thread. I, too, have been wondering this same thing myself. I am still battling alcoholism. I am currently at 120 mg a day. Unfortunately, due to side effects, I have had to bump up my dosage VERY slowly. I have been taking baclofen for over four months now and at times I lose hope. I am glad that I was able to read all of the posts on here. It has encouraged me to continue to fight the good fight. I don't want to continue increasing the dosage, but I am happy to read that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that I don't have to stay at a crazy high amount of baclofen to continue the happiness. Thank you all for sharing your stories with me/us. I will continue to read this thread as a form of encouragement. :thanks: