About to start a Baclofen Journey
Hi Tim: Just want to pop in to add to your warm welcome to MWO. Sometimes it takes us (okay, me) a little while to get around, but you've found a truly incredible group of support and experience and information here.
I found MWO in Oct. '09, which is when I started taking baclofen, and it was reading everything I possibly could from the early baclofentists that gave me the confidence to give it a go. I encourage you to do the same thing. Knowledge is power, 'ya know. There have been a lot of threads and a lot of stories about baclofen go by on this board that contain amazing, powerful, information. Reading them ALL helped me understand what the possibilities might be, and empowered me to make the right choices for myself. I encourage you to do the same and read, read, read, all the way back.
I have a good feeling about baclofen working well for you fairly quickly. Not being an "all-day" drinker, not having the physical addiction; continuing to research and seek out all the tools that you can add to your resources; not capitulating your entire life to drinking . . . all of these things will work for you, with baclofen.
FWIW, I was one of the "lucky" ones. I started on the "olden days" titration scheduled of 10 mg, 3x/day. I took my first dose in the parking lot of the Post Office where I picked up my "letter." It was morning, but I'm sure I'd already been drinking. Within 10-15 minutes, I literally felt a deep, visceral "letting down," in my body. It was the release of anxiety that Dr. Ameisen describes, that was driving my craving to drink. I KNEW then that baclofen would work for me. I did not know that the first day that I took bac would be the last day that I drank against my will and choice.
AND, my side-effects ranged from negligible to enjoyable. Really. Never any somnolence, never any insomnia due to a non-addictive med I was already taking for sleep, never any breathing issues - maybe due to long-time yoga practice.
I see your question about when to take your doses. That will depend upon what dose you decide to start with. If you're going to start with 5 mg/day, I would suggest taking it mid-afternoon, in order to stave-off the evening cravings. If you start with 5 mg. 3x/day, you might try 5 at 10 am, 5 at 2 pm, and 5 at 5 pm.
Reading back (notice I'm mentioning that AGAIN!), you'll find this is one of the "person-specific" issues that many people have grappled with and resolved in many different ways. Having been a morning drinker, it was best for me to take my first dose when I woke up. I've always used the 3x per day format, regardless of my dosage. It's worked perfectly well for me. It does not work perfectly well for everyone. But starting from somewhere will inform you about what works for you.
Also - if you have not read Dr. Ameisen's book, I'll take a strong stand and say that it's really a "must" if you are going down this path. Keep posting and asking questions. . Baclofen works!
Hi Tim: Just want to pop in to add to your warm welcome to MWO. Sometimes it takes us (okay, me) a little while to get around, but you've found a truly incredible group of support and experience and information here.
I found MWO in Oct. '09, which is when I started taking baclofen, and it was reading everything I possibly could from the early baclofentists that gave me the confidence to give it a go. I encourage you to do the same thing. Knowledge is power, 'ya know. There have been a lot of threads and a lot of stories about baclofen go by on this board that contain amazing, powerful, information. Reading them ALL helped me understand what the possibilities might be, and empowered me to make the right choices for myself. I encourage you to do the same and read, read, read, all the way back.
I have a good feeling about baclofen working well for you fairly quickly. Not being an "all-day" drinker, not having the physical addiction; continuing to research and seek out all the tools that you can add to your resources; not capitulating your entire life to drinking . . . all of these things will work for you, with baclofen.
FWIW, I was one of the "lucky" ones. I started on the "olden days" titration scheduled of 10 mg, 3x/day. I took my first dose in the parking lot of the Post Office where I picked up my "letter." It was morning, but I'm sure I'd already been drinking. Within 10-15 minutes, I literally felt a deep, visceral "letting down," in my body. It was the release of anxiety that Dr. Ameisen describes, that was driving my craving to drink. I KNEW then that baclofen would work for me. I did not know that the first day that I took bac would be the last day that I drank against my will and choice.
AND, my side-effects ranged from negligible to enjoyable. Really. Never any somnolence, never any insomnia due to a non-addictive med I was already taking for sleep, never any breathing issues - maybe due to long-time yoga practice.
I see your question about when to take your doses. That will depend upon what dose you decide to start with. If you're going to start with 5 mg/day, I would suggest taking it mid-afternoon, in order to stave-off the evening cravings. If you start with 5 mg. 3x/day, you might try 5 at 10 am, 5 at 2 pm, and 5 at 5 pm.
Reading back (notice I'm mentioning that AGAIN!), you'll find this is one of the "person-specific" issues that many people have grappled with and resolved in many different ways. Having been a morning drinker, it was best for me to take my first dose when I woke up. I've always used the 3x per day format, regardless of my dosage. It's worked perfectly well for me. It does not work perfectly well for everyone. But starting from somewhere will inform you about what works for you.
Also - if you have not read Dr. Ameisen's book, I'll take a strong stand and say that it's really a "must" if you are going down this path. Keep posting and asking questions. . Baclofen works!
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