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I'm BAAAAaaaac!

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    I'm BAAAAaaaac!

    About 8 months ago, I made a attempt to stop drinking with the help of self-prescribed high dose baclofen. At 250-300 mg/day--I didn't have the memory to keep an accurate account of my dosage--I made it three days AF (after a slow, careful tapering off), and then I started having panic attacks at seemingly random times. My GP was absolutely no help; she gave me 20 1/8 mg tablets of xanax (with no refills), and told me to take 1/2 pill if I felt like I was going to have a panic attack, and then take the other half if that didn't help after 30 minutes. 62.5 MICROgrams of alprazolam to abort a panic attack? Really? You can keep your placebos, doc. Anyway, moving on...

    I started taking baclofen again after a HORRIBLE w/d. For three days straight, I had trouble remembering what day it was, what MONTH it was. I never slept more than a couple hours at a time, and always woke up in a state of panic, and it took me about five minutes to realize where and when I was. I did this at home, by the way--no inpatient rehabs for me, thank you. It's prison by another name, IMHO. They make you do your time, pay your fine, and then send you back out into the world to recidivate.

    I started to go to AA meetings, I bought The Big Book, The Twelve Steps, and some other book whose name I can't remember. I could really identify with their description of alcohol dependence, I just had no faith in the steps to recovery. That, and my temporary sponsor ended up being a schizophrenic megalomaniac (not a good combination).

    So that brings me to my current endeavor. I've started taking bac again, I'm consulting Dr. L, and I even emailed OA. I'm up to 210 mg/day as of today, and I have to say, I'm not feeling most of the side effects I was feeling the last time I took it. The numbness/tingling in fingers, the superhero-enhanced sense of smell, the auditory hallucinations, the agitation, etc. (I could go on forever.) They're all much milder, transient, or not there at all. The only thing I can think of is that he (Dr. L) has got me increasing my daily dose by 20 mg/week. I'm not AF, but I'm definitely not bingeing the way I used to on the weekends. I hope very soon to be completely AF.

    Wow, this post turned out to be much longer than I planned. And as acerbic as it may have sounded in places, I'm actually doing pretty good most of the time. I hope I didn't step on too many toes the last time I was here. I look forward to hearing from my fellow MWOers.

    #2
    I'm BAAAAaaaac!

    Welcome back Bill. Sounds like you've been through the ringer. Glad you're under Dr L's care for titration, be sure to do what the bac gurus here say and package up your doses and set your alarm so you're sure you took them or it will screw everything up.

    I've heard from other people trying again that SEs were different the second time around. Maybe your body adjusted something. Good luck to you, will be interested in your outcome.

    Comment


      #3
      I'm BAAAAaaaac!

      Welcome back Bill! Can't offer any suggestions in the bac department, but just want to welcome you and let you know that it took me a bunch of tries to find what would work for me too. I hope this turns out to be your ticket out of hell!

      DG
      Sobriety Date = 5/22/08
      Nicotine Free Date = 2/27/07


      One day at a time.

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        #4
        I'm BAAAAaaaac!

        I hope it works out better this time for you Bill, stick with the titration scedule, sort your pills out when you are thinking straight so you know what youve taken and what you havent taken, its easy to loose where your up to otherwise.

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          #5
          I'm BAAAAaaaac!

          Actually, Dr. L's dose schedule was three times a day with a slightly higher dose in the morning and in the evening. I think the higher dose in the morning and evening is because you can't take pills when you're asleep.

          When I mentioned I was starting to have trouble sleeping, he suggested I divide the last dose into two and take the first half earlier. I have to say, it's easier than taking a pill every two hours from morning to night. I'm currently taking 75 mg in a single dose in the morning, and I don't even feel it hit me. Like he says, it's like water. I'm still mixing in some of my old stash, AWD (German generic), because, bless his heart, he's not too good at arithmetic.

          Anyway, thanks for the well wishes. It's nice to be back.

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            #6
            I'm BAAAAaaaac!

            Hi Bill , Good luck with your second go around. I, too, titrated up for the second time this past August. I hit my switch to indifference for a second time at 270 and have gone for abstinence this time. So far, so good. I'm on day 72 with very little effort. My SE's were horrible the first time I went for the switch, however, like you, I had very little SE's the second time titrating up.

            Best wishes. Stick it out and keep taking the pills!
            Indifference is in your future with Baclofen. It works!

            My frustration with Baclofen, which is shared by Dr. Oliver Ameisen, is that because Baclofen is an off patent medication there is no profit motive for drug companies to support clinical trials that would demonstrate its efficacy in treating addiction.

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              #7
              I'm BAAAAaaaac!

              Dear Help

              Re side effects, how much were you drinking the first time you went for the switch versus the second? Do you think the amount you are drinking while titrating up affects the severity of SE's?

              Thanks,

              Cassander
              With profound appreciation to Dr Olivier Ameisen for his brilliant insight and courageous determination

              Comment


                #8
                I'm BAAAAaaaac!

                Hey Cassander

                The first time I did drink right up until I hit my switch. My side effects were all over the board, weight gain, dry mouth, horrible visions & dreams, insomnia, bloat, etc. etc... When I titrated up for the second time, I did so steadily (180 to 280 increasing by 10-20 every few days) and I did NOT drink. It did make a huge difference to me.

                I am currently 78 or so days without drinking. I am going for abstinence this time and with Baclofen, it is so easily achievable. I do still have incredible dry mouth and a bit of a groggy feeling in the mornings/evenings, but I'll take it over waking up with horrid hangovers. I am working through feelings of boredom, but its not really boredom, it is life and we CAN enjoy it without drinking.

                Thanks for asking and feel free to PM me with any other questions. Baclofen is the way out.
                Indifference is in your future with Baclofen. It works!

                My frustration with Baclofen, which is shared by Dr. Oliver Ameisen, is that because Baclofen is an off patent medication there is no profit motive for drug companies to support clinical trials that would demonstrate its efficacy in treating addiction.

                Comment

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