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Day 2 on Baclofen protocol and I have this silly grin on my face!!

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    Day 2 on Baclofen protocol and I have this silly grin on my face!!

    Normally a problem binge drinker, I just got back from a day in the the ER made necessary by a 4 week, Prednisone fueled, drinking extravaganza. After finishing a weeks worth of steroids called Medrol dose pak (methyl-prednisolone) I suddenly began to drink during the day, every day. This was not my usual drinking pattern by any means but the anxiety coursing through my body was unbearable. A few weeks later I attempted to go to rehab but ended up walking out when they tried to put my belongings in garbage bags.

    From there I upped my drinking, starting in the morning and drinking all day and into the wee hours of the night. I did not want to eat or sleep or leave my apartment, I could not stand to be in my body and alcohol was the only thing that could make being alive manageable. At that point even alcohol wasn't enough so I dug through old medications and found Topamax and Baclofen. I started taking those like candy out of desperation to try and quell the severe anxiety flooding my body. But then I ran out of Baclofen and all hell broke loose. Heart palpitations, weird sensations running down the side of my face, red blotches appearing on my cheeks, peeing every 3 mins, visual and auditory hallucinations and the usual horrific anxiety. At the ER I told them everything and they got me into hospital clothes and took away my belongings. My blood pressure was 169/90. They gave me a Xanax and I slept for 3 hours. I was woken up by the supervisor and told they were sending me home. He concurred that steroids can cause severe emotional disturbances and anxiety, he gave me a 14 day prescription for 10 mg of Atarax. I walked home in a Xanax stupor having had nothing to eat for days. My life sucked.

    Upon arriving home, the Gods and Goddesses had spoken!! Waiting for me was an email from Virtuous labs saying that they had sent me a FREE package of 6000mg of Baclofen!! I had been trying to buy some from them before I went to the ER but they were not answering my pleas. There office was closed due to a death in the family and some other workers were in the hospital so they were way behind in answering inquiries. The guy felt terrible and so he shipped off a free order! I still can't believe it.

    I spent the next few days reading every Baclofen post here on MWO. I took notes and made a whole research file on Baclofen, I am also halfway through Olivier Amiesen's Book, a story that so far has made me laugh and cry.

    Just to clarify, my normal anxiety levels, without steroids, are unbearably high and i drink to feel normal or to get some relief from anxiety. I have done this for years. I am formally diagnosed with PTSD. But that is just a word and doesn't really exemplify the terrible anxiety that prevents me from living my life. of course alcohol just made things worse ultimately but it was all I had until now. Amiesen spoke for me when he talked about his anxiety and how it created his need to drink.

    So last night I just took 10 mg of Bac at around 5pm. By 8pm a certain calmness filled my body that I have never felt before. I had a silly grin on my face and had to stop myself from giggling. I took another 10mg this morning and again roughly 3 hours later a calmness came upon me. I have to say I am thrilled!

    My name is Andrea
    here is my plan:

    Days 1(Dec 20).......10mg at 5pm
    Days 2 - 4: 30mg (10/10/10)
    days 5 - 7 (Dec 24-26): 40mg (10/10/20)
    Days 8 - 14(Dec 27 - Jan 2): 50mg (10/20/20)
    Week 3 (Jan 3): 70 mg (20/20/30)
    Week 4 (Jan 10): 90 mg (30/30/30)
    Week 5 (Jan 17): 110 mg (30/40/40)
    Week 6 (Jan 24): 130 mg (40/40/50)
    Week 7 (Jan 31): 150 mg (50/50/50)
    Week 8: 170 mg (50/60/60)
    Week 9: 190 mg
    week 10: 210 mg
    week 11: 230 mg
    week 12: 250 mg
    week 13: 270 mg
    week 14: 290 mg
    week 15: 310
    week 16: 330

    #2
    Day 2 on Baclofen protocol and I have this silly grin on my face!!

    Hi Andrea

    Thanks for sharing your story. It's fantastic that you've done so much research and advance planning. I wish you the best of luck! Keep us posted on your progress.
    I'll do whatever it takes
    AF 21/08/2009

    Comment


      #3
      Day 2 on Baclofen protocol and I have this silly grin on my face!!

      Hi Andrea, OMG, I so feel for you and I hope you are OK, it sounds like you have found some relief. I am not on Bac, have just started Topa and just happened to see your thread and wanted to see what that "silly grin" was about. I don't know how I might be of help to you but I am at least here to listen if you can use that and am more than willing. The people on this MWO site are the only people that I have in my life that I can talk to about any of this and I can only imagine what you are going thru. Please update and many hugs to you.

      Playland

      Comment


        #4
        Day 2 on Baclofen protocol and I have this silly grin on my face!!

        Tiptronic...thank you for your warm welcome. i will def. keep posting my progress. Last time i attempted to take baclofen i did almost no research and i think this time it will make all the difference.

        Comment


          #5
          Day 2 on Baclofen protocol and I have this silly grin on my face!!

          Hi Playland, thank you for your kind words. I think I am ok now. After the ER I just rested as much as i could and i barely drank. In fact i had one beer the night I got home and one yesterday (6 days later) and honestly alcohol is the last thing on my mind right now. Calm, calm is the only thing i am aiming for now. I took Topamax a while back and it made me very cranky. It did wonders for my chaotic thinking but it made me feel like a total bitch. So i went off it. What are your thoughts on baclofen? I have read as many posts on baclofen that i can stand. I feel confident i have a clear picture of what is in store for me. So far with just 10 mg i already feel a calmness that I need. I cannot wait to get to higher doses and get rid of this horrible anxiety once and for all. I want my life back!!! Alcohol has been nothing but a lie in terms of helping me. So here I go! Stay tuned and keep in touch. Let me know how you are doing on the Topamax. btw many doctors swear by Topamax so obviously it does help some people. My feeling at this juncture is that psychiatry is clueless about alcoholism and anxiety. Even with all these amazing new technologies out there to scan the brain, most doctors cling to the old and useless treatments. I suggest you read Olivier Amiesen's book "The End of My Addiction" aka "Heal Thyself". If you want a clearer picture of how little the medical community does for anxiety and trauma and addiction just look at the statistics for war veterans. recent studies show that a soldier commit suicide EVERY 80 MINUTES. This is why i chose to treat myself. I have seen dozens of psychiatrists, I don't need to have my belongings put in a garbage bag to feel better just so they can throw me on another SSRI that doesn't work. Baclofen has to work, it just does. oops sorry for the outburst!!

          Comment


            #6
            Day 2 on Baclofen protocol and I have this silly grin on my face!!

            Don't apologise for being passionate! That kind of attitude will help you in your journey.

            :goodjob:
            I'll do whatever it takes
            AF 21/08/2009

            Comment


              #7
              Day 2 on Baclofen protocol and I have this silly grin on my face!!

              penelope67;1230396 wrote: Normally a problem binge drinker, I just got back from a day in the the ER made necessary by a 4 week, Prednisone fueled, drinking extravaganza. After finishing a weeks worth of steroids called Medrol dose pak (methyl-prednisolone) I suddenly began to drink during the day, every day. This was not my usual drinking pattern by any means but the anxiety coursing through my body was unbearable.
              Hi Andrea,

              I cannot believe I didn't look into this before in any depth - I royally eff'd up my relationships with family including parents, siblings, cousins, AND friends about 8 years ago when on prednisone. I was being treated for a skin issue, which in itself was a major bit of bad doctoring, and the steroid truly wigged me out. Plus my BP hit the roof and I was already on three BP meds. Last, I hadn't slept for about two months due to the skin thing, which originated as scabies then ended up as fungus/candida inside and outside my entire body. The derm and GP in Northern Cal told me to see a psychiatrist! Anyways, your story touched a nerve as you can probably tell. I too started drinking like crazy at my parents house, while yabbering on the phone to my sister and long lost cousin planning a trip which I then canceled to everyone's confusion and dismay, in my frenzied attempt to escape how I felt.

              I think I almost went to the funny farm with that episode. Its crazy how doctors just RX it without warnings of major side effects. They told me I'd feel better in skin and mood, but I went bananas.

              I can't even think about all that without feeling screwed and remorseful.

              Anyways, sorry to yak on about myself. Congratulations on your path so far, it sounds promising. I relate to some of what you said. I hope your trip on baclofen is a cure for you! Get your life back, YAH!

              Comment


                #8
                Day 2 on Baclofen protocol and I have this silly grin on my face!!

                Tiptronic I guess you are right but it's not easy, as i am sure you know, to go against the grain. I am so tired of not being understood and worse i am so tired of not being my best self. But you are right, it's bkz of my passion i am still here and it is my passion that will see me into success. Thanks for pointing that out. I have a right to feel frustrated and passionate!! lol

                Comment


                  #9
                  Day 2 on Baclofen protocol and I have this silly grin on my face!!

                  Bruunhilde, wow that is some horror story. The skin problems alone were bad enough but to have prednisone thrown into the mix and then go insane? yes it was unfair you did not know that was a possibility on steroids. I look back to my doctor casually prescribing this medicine and me blindly filling the script having no idea what was about to befall me. It would be comical if it wasn't so tragic. What's even worse is that while on the methylprednisolone i felt FANTASTIC! I was reborn! I tell people it was just like that movie "Awakenings" I came alive and then once the meds wore off i went insane. Looking back I can't even believe that was me only a week ago! Let go of the guilt, it was not your fault. The ER doctor called steroid The Great Pretender. They mess with the adrenals which create our fight or flight responses. Fight or Flight is is meant to protect us from grave danger so having a fight or flight response in the midst of ordinary life is totally crazy making.
                  Thanks for your support. I have been talking to Beatle offline and she has been a Godsend. I feel so much hope for the first time in a long time!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Day 2 on Baclofen protocol and I have this silly grin on my face!!

                    Hi Andrea, I really agree with you about the health care professionals not knowing really anything about the alcohol/addiction issue, it's pretty sad that we must educate and treat ourselves, and they don't even tell us what they do know such as SE of medications that they do give such as prednisone, hmmm. And I must say, this fellow at virtuouslabs.com, he does sound like an angle rather than a person.

                    You asked if I know anything about Bac and the answer is "no", I barely no anything about Topa, I have "suffered" for over fifteen years and finally found the MWO site thank whatever. After reading the threads I was afraid of the SE of the Bac and decided to try to Topa and so here I am one week into it with some good results. I'll keep you posted and will keep checking on you.

                    Hi Bruun, thanks for the tip to check other threads and nice to meet you Cantstop, I'm glad you also found the virtuouslabs angle.

                    playland

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Day 2 on Baclofen protocol and I have this silly grin on my face!!

                      Hi Again,

                      I just read my last post and can see that I am on the Topa, haha, I can't spell anymore.

                      planland.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Day 2 on Baclofen protocol and I have this silly grin on my face!!

                        Cantstop it sounds like you have had a terrible terrible time, I am so sorry and i hope you are doing better now. I guess i am not surprised Virtuous labs sent you a free batch but still it is not something to be taken for granted, he may have indeed saved your life. What a kind and generous person. yes i think Serendipity is definitely what we share in this situation!! Love that word.
                        So are you still taking baclofen? If so how high have you titrated up?

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Day 2 on Baclofen protocol and I have this silly grin on my face!!

                          don't worry Playland, spelling is overrated lol
                          yes the SE's do seem scary but if you read all the posts most people handled them by going down a dose and remaining longer on that dose before titrating up again. I think you should get Amiesen's book and just read it. trust me you will not be able to put it down, it will speak to you. I read thru all the bac posts and took notes of anything someone said that helped them while on baclofen, whether it was taking the last dose at 5pm or to take it with food or what happened when it finally started working! If you prepare to take it and get knowledgeable then you will be ready if Topamax ends up not being the answer. if nothing you will have the info to help someone else who may come along and need Bac even if you don't. Anyway thanks for sharing your thoughts and for your support. I really appreciate not being alone while going through this!

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Day 2 on Baclofen protocol and I have this silly grin on my face!!

                            Hi Andrea, thanks for your encouragement too, and yes, I am going to get the book, it really sounds interesting. Last night I looked some of his information on the web and it was quite impressive so I will order it. Not much time to post right now but I'll be back tonight. Take care.
                            playland

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Day 2 on Baclofen protocol and I have this silly grin on my face!!

                              Cantstop, thanks for sharing your story, what a horrible experience. And what a wonderful end to it. Virtuous labs is Da Bombe. The kind of people that we should all be.

                              :h

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