Does baclofen have long-term sustained anti-anxiety effects?

[Greg]

Does baclofen have long-term sustained anti-anxiety effects?

GingerDust;1250585 wrote: Greg, I have tried 5HTP and I think it is the same thing as L-tryptophan. My stomach throws tantrums at the slightest provocation, and the 5HTP made it mad. I have just about given up on all the supplements because of gut problems. As long as I can do a daily vit and the baclofen, it should be okay.

I had digestive problems when trying 5-HTP too, but am able to take L-tryptophan without any problem. Although both are converted to serotonin (and other substances) once taken, I think I recall reading that 5-HTP can be converted throughout your system and lead to a fair bit of serotonin being in places other than the brain. This could be why it causes digestive troubles. Someone who knows more about supplements could say more, and I think there is a thread about this in the Holistic section too.

[copacetic]

Does baclofen have long-term sustained anti-anxiety effects?

Long term (+ 17 years) Baclofen user

Greg;1248922 wrote: I would like to ask a question of anyone who has been taking baclofen on a daily basis for a long time now, whether it is low or high dose use.

Does baclofen maintain its anxiety-reducing effects after daily long-term use? I ask because I am looking for an alternative to daily benzodiazepine use, but have not yet taken baclofen every day for long periods. I have found it helpful this way for the short periods I have taken it. I have told my doctor I now want to wean off benzodiazepines permanently, and he is unlikely to reinstate my prescribed Valium once I am off it. I would just stay on benzos like Valium or Xanax except that I am too worried about tolerance setting in, having to go up to higher doses, and then having to wean off those high doses.

Before I actually do stop all benzo use, I would like to know there is something else (medication wise) that can offer a long-term way of feeling calm and relaxed, without being limited by tolerance. Apart from baclofen, I have also considered a few of the anticonvulsants, and may try the antidepressant mirtazapine (Remeron) again. Unfortunately, the herbal/natural things I have tried have been ineffective at the doses normally sold, apart from L-tryptophan having some helpful effects.

Any experiences would be greatly appreciated. I know there is an anxiety thread already but am not sure how much of the information there is applicable to long-term daily use of baclofen as an anxiolytic.

I am so grateful that I found this site. I have been taking 20 mgs of Baclofen with no side effects for almost 20 years. I am now recovering from knee surgery and the dr. here got hysterical when she found out that I had been on Baclofen for that long and immediately (w/o my permission) cut the dosage to 10 mgs. After 2 days, I became incredibly stressed and couldn't sleep. Thank goodness my DH brought me Baclofen from my own (legal) prescription. I know it's addicting, but it seems that with an addiction you always crave more and more and I never have. Of course, I'm now taking Percoset (which I hate) for pain. I probably shouldn't be posting on this site since I have never had a problem with alcohol (rarely drink) -- of course, Baclofen may be why!! Anyway, thank you all for your comments!!! It was originally prescribed to me for muscle spasms. I remember that I was sleepy the 1st 2 days -- and had the best sleep ever --- but no side effects since. So far, a wonderful drug!!! And it still works for me!!

[Cassander]

Does baclofen have long-term sustained anti-anxiety effects?

copacetic;1250902 wrote: I know it's addicting, but it seems that with an addiction you always crave more and more and I never have.

Cope

Welcome. Nice post. But I don't think there is any evidence that baclofen is addicting. Any at all.

Cass

[Kerry Blue]

Does baclofen have long-term sustained anti-anxiety effects?

A few points:

I came off Baclofen more or less cold turkey after getting up to high doses of 150 mg. I found that a lot of the anxiety I had was because the Baclofen kept wearing off. When I started titrating down I got very edgy throughout the day and had to push up my dose again.

I do think that Baclofen has long term benefits because I now feel much calmer and have what I would describe as a normal anxiety response whereas when I started taking it I had a very serious anxiety problem.

Baclofen is, from my own experience of coming off it, not addictive. I have no desire to take it and even coming off it I was not looking for it and only took it reluctantly because the anxiety was becoming unpleasant. In fact, it is so "not addictive" that I don't like the idea of taking it up again. You get shakes coming off it but that is not a sign of addiction, just withdrawal symptoms.

Baclofen differs from benzos in that the latter are addictive and you do reach for them as they wear off. They are hard to come off and even after coming off the original anxiety continues.

My feeling is that long term Baclofen use for anxiety does have a cumulative and prolonged after effect of eliminating symptoms of anxiety.

[Greg]

Does baclofen have long-term sustained anti-anxiety effects?

Kerry Blue;1289405 wrote: A few points:

I came off Baclofen more or less cold turkey after getting up to high doses of 150 mg. I found that a lot of the anxiety I had was because the Baclofen kept wearing off. When I started titrating down I got very edgy throughout the day and had to push up my dose again.

I do think that Baclofen has long term benefits because I now feel much calmer and have what I would describe as a normal anxiety response whereas when I started taking it I had a very serious anxiety problem.

Baclofen is, from my own experience of coming off it, not addictive. I have no desire to take it and even coming off it I was not looking for it and only took it reluctantly because the anxiety was becoming unpleasant. In fact, it is so "not addictive" that I don't like the idea of taking it up again. You get shakes coming off it but that is not a sign of addiction, just withdrawal symptoms.

Baclofen differs from benzos in that the latter are addictive and you do reach for them as they wear off. They are hard to come off and even after coming off the original anxiety continues.

My feeling is that long term Baclofen use for anxiety does have a cumulative and prolonged after effect of eliminating symptoms of anxiety.

Hi Kerry,

I know that benzodiazepines are a lot different to baclofen for many people, probably most people in fact.

For me however, your situation with baclofen was almost exactly the same situation I encountered when taking Xanax every day for a long time. I didn't psychologically want or crave it, and didn't increase my daily dose or abuse it, but I did find anxiety and other unpleasant symptoms arising in between doses. Luckily I was able to postpone taking more of it at such times, whereas a lot of people would reach for more, as you said. Things became really difficult (withdrawals) when I tried cutting it down, so I ended up switching over to Valium (longer half life so much smoother) and tapering down off that.

Please note that I'm not trying to write a pro-benzo post here, just saying that I was lucky enough to have avoided some of the addictive feelings others develop towards these drugs.

I'm glad to hear that you have found baclofen to have a prolonged anxiety reducing action too. I have been on and off it so much now that I should start from scratch with it, and I should have pushed through my side effects (insomnia in particular) early on when I first tried it back in 2009 or 2010.

Good luck in your own battle!