Starting out on Bac: Questions

[Nutshell]

Starting out on Bac: Questions

Emcee;1246634 wrote: Good to hear Nutshell - how much do you up yours each week and how are you doing now? What does are you at? I love reading how everyone is doing sorry If I am taking over Pro's thread. Knowledge is power!

I'm up to 400mg now. I have experienced a day or so of forgetting to drink, or drinking more slowly. I wondered if my slow increase might have caused it to take longer to reach indifference, but other people on here have assured me that it's more about reaching the right number.

[Pronoia2012]

Starting out on Bac: Questions

I went to 80 mg today. had seven hours' worth of sleep and woke to exceptionally bad brain fog and tiredness. I did not want to drink, but I was nonfunctional. I forgot to take my morning dose and was at about 30 percent all morning. After taking 10 mg at 3 pm, the fog somewhat lifted.
I'm back down to 60 mg. No cravings.
Finding that point where you function and don't crave alcohol is, in a nutshell, finding the right number. Just comparing Nutshell and me, you can see how the numbers differ.
--ps: I am flattered that you are talking on my thread;-)

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Starting out on Bac: Questions

I love reading about how everyone is doing too. It's pretty amazing to watch the magic, I mean medicine, unfold.

Nutshell;1246652 wrote: I have experienced a day or so of forgetting to drink, or drinking more slowly. I wondered if my slow increase might have caused it to take longer to reach indifference, but other people on here have assured me that it's more about reaching the right number.
That's great about the forgetting to drink. It is SO easy to second guess and third guess and all the rest, isn't it? That is one area that I find our lack of knowledge frustrating, because it doesn't make sense to me. How can one person find relief at 10mg and another at 300mg? Not to mention the whole indifference thing... I tend to think it's not just the right number, but also time. But that is conjecture based a lot on my own experience(s). It takes what it takes, and then it takes more time....

Pronoia2012;1247008 wrote: I went to 80 mg today. had seven hours' worth of sleep and woke to exceptionally bad brain fog and tiredness. I did not want to drink, but I was nonfunctional. I forgot to take my morning dose and was at about 30 percent all morning. After taking 10 mg at 3 pm, the fog somewhat lifted.
I'm back down to 60 mg. No cravings.
Finding that point where you function and don't crave alcohol is, in a nutshell, finding the right number. Just comparing Nutshell and me, you can see how the numbers differ.
--ps: I am flattered that you are talking on my thread;-)

I like your thread!
hmmm. actually, Hmmmmm. Brain fog. Nonfunctional. Not so good. Is 20mg too much? Or not enough? I'll leave it to you to decide, but if it doesn't work, I'd look to changing it. Sooner rather than later.

Also, it's been a while since I've plugged a pill box. For Nutshell it might look something like this:


(please note all of the cartoon characters...and Darth Vader. Love it. I know which one I'd choose. And it wouldn't be snoopy. Though goofy might be appropriate.)

This is what mine looks like:



please note the entire week's worth of pills, organized by day, and the option for four regular doses. I have found this tool absolutely integral. vital. A lifesaver. I am, in fact, quasi-religious about my pill organizer.

I re-reiterate this point because there are three things we almost all do:
We go up quickly, in spite of our best intentions.
Newbies often run out before they get their second order.
And we forget whether or not we've taken the medicine. When I was on really HDB I couldn't remember a lot of things and spent a lot of energy trying to remember when or if or where my pills were. Ingested? In the car? In the backyard? :H

Hope it's a good day, fellow journey-ers.
:l

[Pronoia2012]

Starting out on Bac: Questions

Another day of 60, not wanting to drink.
Would there be any reason to go up if it remains this way?

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Starting out on Bac: Questions

I don't see why, Pro. If the status changes, you can change the status. And for me it was sort of a continuum. I couldn't stand the smell or taste for a while, then that wore off, and then I obsessed about that and then I was abstinent and now I just try to...go with the flow. So. My point is, if it changes, you can look at why it changed and make a change in response. Ya' know?

Congratulations, sister! WOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! :welcome: to the other side.

How are you feeling?

[Emcee]

Starting out on Bac: Questions

Pronoia2012;1248036 wrote: Another day of 60, not wanting to drink.
Would there be any reason to go up if it remains this way?

That is so awesome! I'm still (im)patiently waiting on my bac and continue lurking around all these posts for inspiration. That's amazing that you feel that way on such a low dose. I hope I can have that kind of success! After reading all the other posts, I think I'd stay at that dose as long as it's working.

Congrats!!!
Em

[Pronoia2012]

Starting out on Bac: Questions

I'm drinking.
As in 1 1/2 beers on NFL playoff day, one at the track the next weekend.
I'd rather not want at all, but if this is all I want, it remains manageable.

[Emcee]

Starting out on Bac: Questions

Hi Pro! Are you still at 80mg? If so, are you planning on going up to try to get to the 100% indifference stage (the switch)? Today is day 6 for me and I'm only on 10mg so I can't say I've had much progress other than the first two days I was so scared to drink after taking the meds that I was AF one night and the second only had 2 glasses of wine in a 3 hour period - which is so unheard of for me. But the last 3 nights I've drank like normal - boo.

What is your plan for Super Bowl Sunday? Will you be around others drinking? My husband is a HUGE Patriots fan so he will be drinking...I'm not as big into beer as I use to be, so hopefully I can limit my wine that night to a reasonable amount.

Question for ya - Are you looking for indifference or just a way to manage your intake, to keep it low? I would welcome indifference altogether, but my world is so surrounded by alcohol that I would really like to just have a drink and then stop after 1.

Hope you have a great day!
Em

[Pronoia2012]

Starting out on Bac: Questions

Your question about whether to seek "the switch" is what I've been struggling with. I'd like to hear from others here, too, on how they chose to go for the "switch" or not.

My goal is to abstain in general and moderate more and more occasionally. I'd rather just stop because the behavior becomes less interesting than try to force a perfect switch or remember a "sober birthday."

When I've drank, it's been in response to a stressful social group situation. (Sunday will be like that.) I don't like that. However, the desire goes away after 1-2 drinks. I do like that.

I didn't see a decline in drinking at 10 mg. At 15, I became violently sick while drinking. At 30, I went from 8 drinks to 0. At 80, I went from 0 drinks to 1-2. It was easier to drink at 80 than at 60. I may be lowering the dose between 30-60.

I'd see indifference as the conclusion of managing intake until you're at zero. You can easily have a drink and stop after 1.

[Emcee]

Starting out on Bac: Questions

Pronoia2012;1254632 wrote: Your question about whether to seek "the switch" is what I've been struggling with. I'd like to hear from others here, too, on how they chose to go for the "switch" or not.

My goal is to abstain in general and moderate more and more occasionally. I'd rather just stop because the behavior becomes less interesting than try to force a perfect switch or remember a "sober birthday."

When I've drank, it's been in response to a stressful social group situation. (Sunday will be like that.) I don't like that. However, the desire goes away after 1-2 drinks. I do like that.

I didn't see a decline in drinking at 10 mg. At 15, I became violently sick while drinking. At 30, I went from 8 drinks to 0. At 80, I went from 0 drinks to 1-2. It was easier to drink at 80 than at 60. I may be lowering the dose between 30-60.

I'd see indifference as the conclusion of managing intake until you're at zero. You can easily have a drink and stop after 1.

Oh wow, I can't believe you got so sick on such a low dose! I am on my last day of 10mg today and then tomorrow I up to 30MG, so I'll never even see 15mg. Lots of drinking going on at my house on the weekends...it's like that's when I tell myself it's ok to indulge. I mean typically I don't grab a beer or glass of wine until at least 5 or 6pm, but I don't stop until I black out - HATE THAT! WHY??? I know not to have that 6th, 7th, 8th beer, but yet, I drink it. Last night I was at a social event for work w/a co-worker and i had 3 glasses of wine and she had 2. Then I got home and continued to drink...it's horrible. I have zero self control.

I wonder why your cravings creeped back in at 80? Maybe you should go up 20mg and see what happens there? Just seems like you have to get up there a bit to get to indifference. Just my two cents.
Em

[Mirawizad]

Starting out on Bac: Questions

I never did Baclofen right the first year. I always drank once or twice on it a week and got drunk about once every other week.

Now I was scared but kept going up and up until I was indifferent to alcohol. And now I'm finding I can just keep going down and still maintain that indifference. Currently I am on 160 mg of baclofen. It took going up to 240 to reach indifference. I was wondering if I would ever reach it at one point or did I mess myself up being on both alcohol and baclofen for so long.

I went out and bought two of the best bottles of wine I would love, and a nice $30 bottle of Sake. Put them right in my room by my bed a few weeks ago. Haven't had a single desire to drink them, even though my life has been stressful, got sick, many issues. I am amazed myself. But that is the miracle that is Baclofen. I plan to stay at the 160 for a while. The higher doses I had to take a boat load of coffee.

[Mirawizad]

Starting out on Bac: Questions

>I'd see indifference as the conclusion of managing intake until you're at zero. You can easily have a drink and stop after 1.

For me I only considered wanting to continue drinking when I had NOT hit the switch. Once I hit the switch I really could care less to try to even have that first drink. What would be the point? Although, I can have that one or two glasses of wine, although I get FAR too relaxed on it at the switch. I just think before the switch for me is always thoughts of wanting to fit alcohol into my life, after the switch my thoughts don't even include alcohol - nope not even to "solve" problems or deal with stress anymore. If that makes sense? I would say hit the switch before you decide how important alcohol is to you. It just might surprise you as it did me.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Starting out on Bac: Questions

I don't think there is a "switch." It gives the impression that it's on/off. If you want to stick with that as a metaphor, I think it's more like a dimmer.

It's much like this for me:

Pronoia2012;1254632 wrote: I'd rather just stop because the behavior becomes less interesting than try to force a perfect switch or remember a "sober birthday."

Pronoia2012;1254632 wrote: Your question about whether to seek "the switch" is what I've been struggling with. I'd like to hear from others here, too, on how they chose to go for the "switch" or not.
...
When I've drank, it's been in response to a stressful social group situation. (Sunday will be like that.) I don't like that. However, the desire goes away after 1-2 drinks. I do like that.
...
I didn't see a decline in drinking at 10 mg. At 15, I became violently sick while drinking. At 30, I went from 8 drinks to 0. At 80, I went from 0 drinks to 1-2. It was easier to drink at 80 than at 60. I may be lowering the dose between 30-60.

I'd see indifference as the conclusion of managing intake until you're at zero. You can easily have a drink and stop after 1.
I am so thankful that I can have a glass of wine or a beer when I'm in a social situation where it's appropriate/expected. (New Year's Eve with my husbands boss and 5 other people. It would have been really strange if I hadn't had a drink. And I hate the idea of avoiding "drinking" situations...) I don't know that I would chance it if I tapered off of baclofen, or even took a lot less. But right now, this works for me.

I don't know why one wouldn't look for the place when anxiety (or the chemical imbalance, whatever you want to call it) is so well managed that indifference to alcohol is a state of being, but it's not for me to say!
That said, going down to a place that was comfortable for me in one space/time never worked. It was never the same. And I had to go up, and stay around that relative place, in order for it to stick.

Time, though, is a big factor. That and finding alternatives when the compulsion to drink is gone. What are you going to fill up the time with???

Mirawizad;1259209 wrote: I never did Baclofen right the first year. I always drank once or twice on it a week and got drunk about once every other week.

Now I was scared but kept going up and up until I was indifferent to alcohol. And now I'm finding I can just keep going down and still maintain that indifference. Currently I am on 160 mg of baclofen. It took going up to 240 to reach indifference. I was wondering if I would ever reach it at one point or did I mess myself up being on both alcohol and baclofen for so long.

I went out and bought two of the best bottles of wine I would love, and a nice $30 bottle of Sake. Put them right in my room by my bed a few weeks ago. Haven't had a single desire to drink them, even though my life has been stressful, got sick, many issues. I am amazed myself. But that is the miracle that is Baclofen. I plan to stay at the 160 for a while. The higher doses I had to take a boat load of coffee.

Mirawizad;1259224 wrote:
For me I only considered wanting to continue drinking when I had NOT hit the switch. Once I hit the switch I really could care less to try to even have that first drink. What would be the point?

My experience is much like his. Though I went up and down after reaching indifference, so I drank some and then didn't and then did and then found a comfortable place where I could figure out what it was that I wanted. Nice that the result has been that I don't want booze! Compulsively or otherwise. Now when I have a glass of wine, I don't feel very well the next day and I'm too damn busy to feel yucky. Ya' know? It's an easy decision. And rather miraculous.
(Not the pill. The pill is simply medicine. Not magic.)
Hope it's a good day!

[Mirawizad]

Starting out on Bac: Questions

>Now when I have a glass of wine, I don't feel very well the next day and I'm too damn busy to feel yucky. Ya' know? It's an easy decision. And rather miraculous.
(Not the pill. The pill is simply medicine. Not magic.)

I couldn't agree more. I have had one glass of wine in the last few weeks and it's nice to enjoy but not really go for that next one because the dimmer lights are low enough if you will. Thanks for your insights.

[needbulls]

Starting out on Bac: Questions

:thanks::new:As someone new, this has been a VERY interesting read....and something I am passed ready to try. Quitting seems easy in the morning, but in a couple ours, those cravings just ramp and ramp. Can anyone point me to a resource for practicioners who support this type of treatment? Even better, if someone knew of any in SE WI. Thanks so much for sharing experiences, and hopefully showingn a way out to an achololic with 20 years of denial.