Is baclofen similar to diazepam?

[_EndOfTheLine_]

Another question....is baclofen like diazepam when you take it? I don't want to be doped all the time....
also, if you stop it suddenly, wil you have seizures?

[_EndOfTheLine_]

Is baclofen similar to diazepam?

thanks for the info! i'm a bit concerned about the idea that I might get addicted to bac...is this a risk? what are the risks for bac?

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Is baclofen similar to diazepam?

Nope. Not addictive. At all. Small abuse potential. (Apparently some people do it. I don't get that at all.)
The risks in terms of what? You can check out a whole bunch of info on the Consolidated Baclofen Thread, linked in my signature.

You can't die from overdosing on it. You can have really awful experiences doing just that. You can taper off of it, and never take it again. It doesn't make you feel "YAY!" happy. Or at least not in the way you'd think. It made me YAY happy when I didn't drink against my will anymore.
You can have side effects. There are great varieties of them to choose from. There is a link to an entire thread devoted to them on the CBT!

[_EndOfTheLine_]

Is baclofen similar to diazepam?

Thanks again for the replies guys. I'm paranoid when it comes to my health.

[Greg]

Is baclofen similar to diazepam?

I'm not one of the high-dose baclofen users here, so hopefully one of them can answer your questions more thoroughly than me.

All I can say is that, for me, baclofen (at lowish doses, i.e. within normal guidelines) and benzodiazepines do have similarities, despite the usual reputation of benzos being "highly addictive" and baclofen being "non addictive". Tolerance can happen to the sedative effects of both, and this obviously happens with baclofen otherwise people could never end up taking the high doses needed for treatment of addictions. Sudden withdrawal from both drug types can cause serious symptoms, but it sounds like baclofen can be tapered off more easily than benzos. Having said that, I managed to taper right off benzos (from being on 1 mg Xanax, which equals 20 mg diazepam, every day for years) within 17 days at one stage.

Baclofen seems to cause a less doped type of anxiety relief than benzos too, and does have a different feel to it. The fact that it can cause severe insomnia at high doses makes it different to benzos too, in my experience anyway.

One big advantage of baclofen over most recreational drugs is that it does not seem to induce cravings for higher doses. In fact, every story of high dose use I have read here has been one of people having to push themselves to go up in dose, defintely not wanting to. They also don't report cravings for it while reducing their dose. I have never had cravings for benzodiazepines either, or ever felt a need to take more to "get high", but nevertheless they are definitely abused by some people, whereas recreational baclofen abuse must be rare, if it even exists at all.

[Bill.P.]

Is baclofen similar to diazepam?

_EndOfTheLine_;1192114 wrote: Another question....is baclofen like diazepam when you take it? I don't want to be doped all the time....
also, if you stop it suddenly, wil you have seizures?

NO, not at all
And I would challenge any of the morons who say that to produce scientific evidence to that effect

Here is the deal.
You use baclofen at a high dose, you will lose the desire to drink.

DO NOT listen to any retards that tell you differerntly. These are the same idiots that complain to restaurants saying they cant eat a food portion b/c they have thi s or that.

The deal is, yeas, you can

[ignominious]

Is baclofen similar to diazepam?

Hi End

This was a serious concern of mine, having been addicted to several substances already. Despite all the addiction definitions; tolerance, withdrawals ect. I can personally attest that baclofen is definately not addictive.

Good luck

[DrunkAndTiredInFLA]

Is baclofen similar to diazepam?

Bill.P.;1192193 wrote: NO, not at all
And I would challenge any of the morons who say that to produce scientific evidence to that effect

Here is the deal.
You use baclofen at a high dose, you will lose the desire to drink.

DO NOT listen to any retards that tell you differerntly. These are the same idiots that complain to restaurants saying they cant eat a food portion b/c they have thi s or that.

The deal is, yeas, you can

Bill, it clearly states on the information sheet given to you by the pharmacy when you buy baclofen, that if you suddenly stop taking baclofen that you can have seizures. That information is enough to worry me. And I, for one, am certainly not going to stop taking baclofen to find out.

[HurricaneMatt]

Is baclofen similar to diazepam?

My shipment from the online pharmacy was delayed. I have had to cut my dosage from 210mg/day to 90mg/day just so I can have a few days supply. I have been up all night with hot sweating/cold shivers and violent mood swings. (Got in an argument with my roommate over something stupid). I don't know if this can procede to suizes but I sincerely hope not.

I'm not saying to stay away. I have found it has helped me reduce my craving and anxiety without a "high" that comes from benzos. I found out the hard way if you take to much too fast it feels like you are exhausted and its hard to breath. VERY uncomfortable and NOT fun. It feels like a giant BOA constrictor is closing around my chest and It would get harder and harder to inhale. I started feeling guilty and stupid for overdoing it but that should be expected. Overdoing it is what got me into this mess.
I'm in a world of hurt right now which should at least indicate caution is warranted.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Is baclofen similar to diazepam?

Greg;1192141 wrote: Tolerance can happen to the sedative effects of both, and this obviously happens with baclofen otherwise people could never end up taking the high doses needed for treatment of addictions. Sudden withdrawal from both drug types can cause serious symptoms, but it sounds like baclofen can be tapered off more easily than benzos. Having said that, I managed to taper right off benzos (from being on 1 mg Xanax, which equals 20 mg diazepam, every day for years) within 17 days at one stage.

Baclofen seems to cause a less doped type of anxiety relief than benzos too, and does have a different feel to it. The fact that it can cause severe insomnia at high doses makes it different to benzos too, in my experience anyway.

The reason people take more, Greg, isn't because the sedative effects wear off. It has little to do with that, actually. It's not a cumulative sedation, or sedation at all that people experience when they titrate up... It's cessation of craving.

Like Zenstyle and many others I had terrible side effects. Hallucinations, detachment from reality...The list goes on. and on. and on. It was excruciating. I gave up twice. Still intrigued by the promise and the stories of people who found indifference I tried a third time. And wanted to throw my baclofen away on more occasions than I wanted to keep taking it. It was less "recreation" than it was "chemotherapy." And that, maybe, is more analogous to the result.

The thing is, it isn't like that for everyone. Some find distaste for alcohol/indifference rather easily and at lower doses. Some find the side effects aren't excruciating. And many find that it's not worth the exchange. It's an off label use for a medication about which we know little for the purposes we are using it for.

The science is there that bac is safe, both long term and at high doses. It's there that it is not addictive and nothing like benzos. It is also true that in the research that has been done related to what we are using it for (albeit at lower doses) the side effects are practically non-existent. And people still found their anxiety reduced, their craving for AL lowered and their consumption reduced.

Hope it's a good day for everyone!

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Is baclofen similar to diazepam?

HurricaneMatt;1192325 wrote: My shipment from the online pharmacy was delayed. I have had to cut my dosage from 210mg/day to 90mg/day just so I can have a few days supply. I have been up all night with hot sweating/cold shivers and violent mood swings. (Got in an argument with my roommate over something stupid). I don't know if this can procede to suizes but I sincerely hope not.

I'm not saying to stay away. I have found it has helped me reduce my craving and anxiety without a "high" that comes from benzos. I found out the hard way if you take to much too fast it feels like you are exhausted and its hard to breath. VERY uncomfortable and NOT fun. It feels like a giant BOA constrictor is closing around my chest and It would get harder and harder to inhale. I started feeling guilty and stupid for overdoing it but that should be expected. Overdoing it is what got me into this mess.
I'm in a world of hurt right now which should at least indicate caution is warranted.

We cross posted, Matt. It's going to be okay. Most of us have had the experience of not having enough on hand and having to do exactly what you had to do. It's a terrible feeling, but not one that is life-threatening or seizure-inducing.
Where are you in the world and when is your shipment due now?

(End, if you do decide to try it and your going to order it from overseas, order enough!!!)

[Greg]

Is baclofen similar to diazepam?

Ne/Neva Eva;1192329 wrote: The reason people take more, Greg, isn't because the sedative effects wear off. It has little to do with that, actually. It's not a cumulative sedation, or sedation at all that people experience when they titrate up... It's cessation of craving.

Like Zenstyle and many others I had terrible side effects. Hallucinations, detachment from reality...The list goes on. and on. and on. It was excruciating. I gave up twice. Still intrigued by the promise and the stories of people who found indifference I tried a third time. And wanted to throw my baclofen away on more occasions than I wanted to keep taking it. It was less "recreation" than it was "chemotherapy." And that, maybe, is more analogous to the result.

The thing is, it isn't like that for everyone. Some find distaste for alcohol/indifference rather easily and at lower doses. Some find the side effects aren't excruciating. And many find that it's not worth the exchange. It's an off label use for a medication about which we know little for the purposes we are using it for.

The science is there that bac is safe, both long term and at high doses. It's there that it is not addictive and nothing like benzos. It is also true that in the research that has been done related to what we are using it for (albeit at lower doses) the side effects are practically non-existent. And people still found their anxiety reduced, their craving for AL lowered and their consumption reduced.

Hope it's a good day for everyone!

Thank you for sharing your experience with this. I will admit that I have been terrified of baclofen, out of a fear that it could be too similar to benzodiazepines. This is one reason why I chose cannabis rather than baclofen at the start of last year, but I didn't want to turn others off baclofen by openly saying this at the time. After all it is still the only medication reported to have such a robust effect against alcohol cravings without itself being addictive. I did also get some severe insomnia and racing-heart side effects from it, but I also get some pretty horrible side effects from both alcohol and pot when I think honestly about it!

[HurricaneMatt]

Is baclofen similar to diazepam?

What does "cross posted" mean?

Here is the most recent tracking data. No estimated delivery date. Its just hung up.
Detailed Results:

====
Inbound Into Customs
Processed Through Sort Facility, October 10, 2011, 4:05 pm, ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS)
Origin Post is Preparing Shipment
Processed Through Sort Facility, October 07, 2011, 3:16 pm, CHENNAI (EX MADRAS), INDIA
=====

Im in PA

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Is baclofen similar to diazepam?

Cross posted means that we were writing/posting at same time. I don't know what that means re. When you'll get your meds. Loop might know. Will check back this afternoon.

[GingerDust]

Is baclofen similar to diazepam?

Zenstyle;1192135 wrote: I will say one thing... and others may disagree... and it may be because I am one of the people that suffer from more side effects than some... but drinking a lot and titrating up didn't work for me. It was as if I had to curtail the drinking to let it work.

That is what I am experiencing. I get dizzy and ill if I drink much on baclofen. A six-pack of beer normally would not phase me. Yesterday it phased me face-first into bed.

If addiction is based on a reward system being in place, baclofen is not addictive in my experience. There is nothing fun about it. As people have already pointed out, it's difficult to increase dose because it does not feel good. I can't see how it could become addictive anymore than chemo could. :yukko:

Edited to add: I didn't see the second page of this thread before responding, so I just repeated what had already been said. Sorry.