I'm a Bac dropout :(

[mikeone]

I'm sorry to say that I'm a baclofen dropout. I simply could not tolerate the side effects, even at extremely low dosage. I had to break the initial 5 mg/day into two 2.5 mg doses for the first four days and still had a drugged feeling at night, escalating when arising and continuing through the day. When I upped it to 5 mg 2x day for the next three days, the drugged feeling escalated into unpleasant, even "evil" sensations of depersonalization. I forged ahead and began upping the dosage to 10-10-10 mg daily. After three days, I simply couldn't stand it anymore. In addition to the drugged and depersonalization effects, I experienced extreme nocturnal insomnia, burning face, erythema of
the forehead and ankles, incredible flatulence and diarrhea, pounding heart , very dry mouth, bloated and nauseous, and generally felt crummy and dysphoric. Worst of all, for me, was that my hope was that baclofen being a skeletal muscle relaxant, would help the alcohol-responsive cervical dystonia and essential tremors affecting my neck. It actually had the opposite effect.

All the adverse symptoms resolved quickly when I stopped baclofen. It just doesn't seem to fit my individual biochemistry.

As a result, baclofen probably would not address my use of alcohol, which is the only 100% effective "medication" to temporarily eliminate my very pronounced and embarrassing (to me) cervical dystonia plus head and neck tremors a la Kathryn Hepburn but worse. The condition results in almost total social avoidance. As mentioned, alcohol helps the condition completely. When that is inappropriate, I take a combination of clonazepam, lorazepam, diazepam plus gabapentin -- all on an "as needed" basis. None of the benzos make me feel "high" and are almost as effective in reducing the tremor as alcohol. but not quite. I do not believe I am chemically dependent on any of the benzos as I don't use them in excess or regularly and never crave them. Regarding alcohol, I am able to abstain or drastically reduce my intake, but it does not make my neck a happy camper until 4-5 units are absorbed. Hence the "craving" in this case seems more a palliative response than an addictive one. Unfortunately, as mentioned, baclofen even at low levels made the head tremor so much worse that I couldn't stand it. That effect truly surprised me since baclofen is a skeletal muscle relaxant and should have exactly the opposite effect.

BTW, I've also tried Naltrexone, Topamax, Campral, hypnosis, nutrition and all the other stuff, all with no results. My drinking is well under control, simply by deciding to do that. I think substance abuse may simply be a matter of will power and a mind game, and least in my case. IMHO.

Mike

[Dosage0]

I'm a Bac dropout

Mike,

Tough luck with the side effects, I can't say I experienced anything like what you described. Are you on other medications while you are taking the baclofen? I am not a medical doctor, but that low a dosage causing all that seems extreme to me.

Just a side note, there are different manufacturers of the drug and I have seen some mention that one set or another has less side effects. I have gotten mine from Walgreen's in the 20mg variety. I cannot say that I haven't had any bad side effects, because I have, but nothing like you describe at a low dose.

Good luck with whatever you choose,

Dose

[Theme2be]

I'm a Bac dropout

Mikeone,

your post deeply resonated with me. I enteedr into this sight so eager and dropped a load on the complete package. The Topa was a side effect nightmare. Other med's did not work.
I am always hopeful, I pray you are to.
The best medicine thus far has been the loving souls here to connect to. That I find a never ending balm of comfort.

Thank You for your post.
I admire your ability to not drink. I have not reached that point y e t. Ever am on the trail with my senses to discover the best idea.

Best wishes~

[tiptronic_ct]

I'm a Bac dropout

I'm sorry to hear that you've had a terrible time on bac, Mike.

Yours sounds like a difficult scenario.

:goodjob: on controlling your drinking, though.

[Greg]

I'm a Bac dropout

It sounds like a strong natural intolerance or allergy, either to baclofen itself, or to something else if it was a bad batch of tablets. I've ordered online, but am still wary of getting medications from pharmacies not known by others here. If the baclofen was bought from a normal pharmacy store, then it would be almost certainly genuine I'd imagine.

If you aren't sure that the tablets are genuine, I'd say try a different brand from a different source, but very carefully (minimal doses initially) to test for a genuine intolerance to baclofen.

If you just can't tolerate it, maybe ask your doctor if benzodiazepines could be used regularly instead of alcohol for your medical problem, at least they would be the safer of the two if there is no other alternative.

[spacebebe01]

I'm a Bac dropout

Hi Mike, I have to ask I you if you have got your drinking under control what do you want to do. I thought everything offered on here was to help people whose drinking is out of control and maybe you are looking for the wrong type of help for yourself.

[mikeone]

I'm a Bac dropout

Greg;1211753 wrote: It sounds like a strong natural intolerance or allergy, either to baclofen itself, or to something else if it was a bad batch of tablets. I've ordered online, but am still wary of getting medications from pharmacies not known by others here. If the baclofen was bought from a normal pharmacy store, then it would be almost certainly genuine I'd imagine.

If you aren't sure that the tablets are genuine, I'd say try a different brand from a different source, but very carefully (minimal doses initially) to test for a genuine intolerance to baclofen.

If you just can't tolerate it, maybe ask your doctor if benzodiazepines could be used regularly instead of alcohol for your medical problem, at least they would be the safer of the two if there is no other alternative.

The baclofen came from Walgreens and was manufactured by Teva--the real stuff. I do take benzos regularly, and mainly drink wine in the evenings. All that stuff puts me to sleep by 8:30 - 9:00 pm, but then I'm wide eyed and raring to go by 6:00 am next morning and almost never a hangover -- only to repeat the cycle again and again each day.

Everybody's different in how they react to meds. Maybe, because I've been whacking my GABA-A receptors so enthusiastically for so many years with wine and benzos, stirring up the GABA-B sites with baclofen was simply too for those little brain cells to handle and they rebelled. Dunno. Just a guess. But the baclofen definitely gave me the creepy feeling that something evil--almost alien--was taking place in my noggin.

Mike

[mikeone]

I'm a Bac dropout

spacebebe01;1211805 wrote: Hi Mike, I have to ask I you if you have got your drinking under control what do you want to do. I thought everything offered on here was to help people whose drinking is out of control and maybe you are looking for the wrong type of help for yourself.

Re: drinking & out of control--I would say yes and no. I went cold turkey for four months early this summer with no cravings (been there, done that repeatedly), but then visitors from abroad who are big-time wine lovers descended on us and I re-succumbed. Social triggers have always been my undoing. Since then, I have been getting slightly buzzed each evening at home with my wife who is similarly inclined. Because it seems to take longer and longer for that first glass to kick in, I usually have 3 or 4 before I feel any effects at all. I can usually stop at that point by switching to seltzer or even milk, but several times a week it gets away from me and I get to the double vision stage. At that point I really put my foot down but by then it's too late because the stuff already lurking in my system seems to accelerate its effect for many hours with no further input. Hence I'm still working on finding a way to stop forever. I know it can be done, but I'm not there yet.

Mike

[spacebebe01]

I'm a Bac dropout

Hi Mike, I do hope you find a way to stop, there are many different ways of stopping drinking, this is not a one size fits all thing and maybe you are at the stage where you can nip this thing in the bud and not let it get any worse. Off the top of my head apart from meds I can think of suppliments, changing diet, excercise, talking therapies, talking with others on line or f2f, AAmeetings, SMART meetings, Lifering meetings, hypnotherapy, religion, life planning and will power. There will be more alternatives youneed to find what works for you. I sent you my best wishes.

[Greg]

I'm a Bac dropout

Mike I'd second what spacebebe says about alternatives. It does sound like you have a true baclofen intolerance, as your tablets came from a reliable source. Everyone reacts differently to medicines as you say, and there are some cases of serious intolerance/allergy reactions to virtually every type of drug. I'm sorry to hear that you are one of those who has such a reaction to bac. I've used benzos for many years too, but fortunately have not (yet) developed a severe baclofen intolerance.

You said you already tried naltrexone, but was that only in the way it's usually prescribed by doctors, i.e. they tell the patient to take it while remaining abstinent? Some people follow a way of taking naltrexone which has been nicknamed The Sinclair Method (or TSM), which basically involves taking 25 mg (later 50 mg if tolerated) of the drug an hour before you start drinking. Over many months, this is supposed to subconsciously lessen the brain's desire for alcohol, by blocking alcohol's rewarding effects each time you drink (although you can still get sedated and physically intoxicated). A few people here have or are following this, and there is a forum specifically dedicated to the method:

The Sinclair Method Forum

I didn't stick with it for the many months required, unfortunately, but some do claim it has helped them a lot.

[rangiatea]

I'm a Bac dropout

Glad I take low dose bacs.Ive had that spaced out feeling and halluciations on sudden High dose bac a month ago.Seem to me that bac has more complex neurochemical effects than being a simple GABA B agonist.

[mikeone]

I'm a Bac dropout

Greg;1212158 wrote: Mike I'd second what spacebebe says about alternatives. It does sound like you have a true baclofen intolerance, as your tablets came from a reliable source. Everyone reacts differently to medicines as you say, and there are some cases of serious intolerance/allergy reactions to virtually every type of drug. I'm sorry to hear that you are one of those who has such a reaction to bac. I've used benzos for many years too, but fortunately have not (yet) developed a severe baclofen intolerance.

You said you already tried naltrexone, but was that only in the way it's usually prescribed by doctors, i.e. they tell the patient to take it while remaining abstinent? Some people follow a way of taking naltrexone which has been nicknamed The Sinclair Method (or TSM), which basically involves taking 25 mg (later 50 mg if tolerated) of the drug an hour before you start drinking. Over many months, this is supposed to subconsciously lessen the brain's desire for alcohol, by blocking alcohol's rewarding effects each time you drink (although you can still get sedated and physically intoxicated). A few people here have or are following this, and there is a forum specifically dedicated to the method:

The Sinclair Method Forum

I didn't stick with it for the many months required, unfortunately, but some do claim it has helped them a lot.

Yep, I did try naltrexone using TSM. Since naltrexone cancelled out the first few drinks, I found myself actually drinking through it in order to get an effect rather than giving it (alcohol) up. I also became concerned that since it's an opiate blocker, if I needed emergency surgery with anesthesia, what a pain that would be! I know there are other ways doctors can induce anesthesia and the importance of carrying a medic-alert card alerting responders to the fact that you're using naltrexone, but since it didn't seem to help me to stop drinking, I decided it wasn't worth the risk. Besides, I am convinced that in my case, GABA-A's muscle-relaxing and socializing effect, and not the opiate reward system, is what is driving me to drink.

I was on the TSM forum for awhile but left looking for other alternatives such as some of the ones on this site. Various pharmacological approaches seem to help some of the people some of the time, at least anecdotally, but I've come to the conclusion that in my instance there ain't no magic bullet. Still, it's interesting, and encouraging, to read about other people's successes with various meds and nutrition regimens. I'll probably bounce around these boards--including SMART which I've been following for over ten years now--until something sticks.

Mike

[Greg]

I'm a Bac dropout

TSM enthusiasts do say the stuff works despite any level of drinking, such as drinking right through it to get an effect, but also that it takes way longer than Dr Eskapa's book apparently says. I think many months are needed. I didn't find it helpful within the short time I took it, which was only a few weeks to a month from memory.

Personally I am looking into hypnotherapy, as I am constantly experiencing one part of my mind urging me to get drunk/high every night while the other part of me argues against this "need". It is a daily battle, with my emotional/subconscious addicted side winning far too often. I am hoping a good experienced hypnotherapist may be able to guide me into accepting the idea that I can be relaxed and enjoy nights without substances.

Keep on trying the various things. So many alcoholic and addicted people I have known have spoken about underlying issues that I do think something beyond medication is needed by many, including myself.

[DrunkAndTiredInFLA]

I'm a Bac dropout

Wow, Greg, where were you when I first joined a few months ago? I was told by so many that my side effects weren't because of baclofen. Yet, they started when I started taking baclofen.

I appreciate your understanding of Mike. Thank you!

Greg;1212158 wrote: Mike I'd second what spacebebe says about alternatives. It does sound like you have a true baclofen intolerance, as your tablets came from a reliable source. Everyone reacts differently to medicines as you say, and there are some cases of serious intolerance/allergy reactions to virtually every type of drug. I'm sorry to hear that you are one of those who has such a reaction to bac. I've used benzos for many years too, but fortunately have not (yet) developed a severe baclofen intolerance.

You said you already tried naltrexone, but was that only in the way it's usually prescribed by doctors, i.e. they tell the patient to take it while remaining abstinent? Some people follow a way of taking naltrexone which has been nicknamed The Sinclair Method (or TSM), which basically involves taking 25 mg (later 50 mg if tolerated) of the drug an hour before you start drinking. Over many months, this is supposed to subconsciously lessen the brain's desire for alcohol, by blocking alcohol's rewarding effects each time you drink (although you can still get sedated and physically intoxicated). A few people here have or are following this, and there is a forum specifically dedicated to the method:

The Sinclair Method Forum

I didn't stick with it for the many months required, unfortunately, but some do claim it has helped them a lot.

[Greg]

I'm a Bac dropout

DrunkAndTiredInFLA;1213507 wrote: Wow, Greg, where were you when I first joined a few months ago? I was told by so many that my side effects weren't because of baclofen. Yet, they started when I started taking baclofen.

I appreciate your understanding of Mike. Thank you!

Thanks D&T. I haven't read what others said to you about side effects, but I imagine some baclofen enthusiasts may have been trying to encourage you to keep on going with the treatment if they seemed to be playing down the side effects. This can backfire however, as people can get annoyed if they feel they are not being taken seriously when trying to share and ask about side effects.

As for where I have been, I'm often away from the forum for days or even weeks, due to not having constant internet access. I do try and check in when I can, but I miss a lot of what happens here.

I hope Mike finds an alternative, and I'm glad to hear of your apparent indifference.