Advise on Baclofen

[nmballa]

I have been considering trying to find something to help alleviate my cravings for alcohol. It seems that once I take that first drink I just keep putting them down. When I drink I tend to drink to an extreme. I having been reading the board regarding Baclofen and am intrigued. I would classify myself a borderline alcoholic, I use it to calm my anxiety and to alleviate stress. I don't usually black out and am very much in control when I drink. I don't act out or become violent or sloppy. But I need to find something to alleviate the urges. Also, my last 3 physicals have shown elevated liver count and over the last year when I drink I find that I have a dull ache for several days after in my upper right abdomen. Basically I am trying to nip this in the bud before it gets out of control

My question is if Baclofen is a good option for me. I don't want to completely quit drinking but I need to moderate my intake. I am not interested in going to AA just in controlling my urges. The various member threads I have read all seem to correlate to what I am saying in regards to not dropping alcohol but just controlling it.

If I do pursue this would it make sense to see a specialist or my general practitioner. I saw the name Dr. Levin mentioned and that he or she was located in Chicago. I'm in Milwaukee. Would it make sense for me to make the trip down there? Not sure if my insurance would even cover an out of state visit but perhaps he could point me in the right direction.

Thanks for any and all feedback.

[nmballa]

Advise on Baclofen

Also, are people self medicating or is this something I should only consider under the supervision of a professional. I am the type to typically take it upon myself to do thorough research and tackle it on my own. I'm also a big supplemented i.e. fish oils, vitamins, etc. Well aware that's a completely different thing but my insurance is very weak and am in the midst of a career change so the most affordable option is what I need to consider. I will try my general practitioner but am not sure if she will go along with it.

[BillF]

Advise on Baclofen

I'm an outlier here, so take my comments with big grains of salt.

This is a support forum, and you can make cyber-friends here to get you thru bad times.

I think the biggest move is just wanting to address your alcohol problem. There aren't any big differences in outcome with medications or whatever after that.

It would be tough to find a doctor willing to prescribe hdb. Dr. Levin is certainly an option for the drug, but I believe most takers just order bac online.

Longer term, my experience (and supported elsewhere) is that moderation is very hard to achieve, and eventual abstinence is more likely.

Good luck.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Advise on Baclofen

Hi, nmballa.

There is a lot of information to be found here, for sure. What you want to take, and from where, and how, is ultimately up to you.
I can't really speak to your experience since the last time I felt like that about booze was, oh, maybe 20 years ago. :H

Treating "alcohol use disorders" (that's what peeps are calling it these days) with everything available makes a whole lot of sense, despite some of the things you might read around here. Particularly with medications, of course. After all, this is the meds section...

There's a really good doc in Milwaukee, I think. But you'll have to give me a day to figure out where I put the info.

I'm sorry I can't really help in terms of whether or not you should take baclofen. It worked for me. But you and I are in vastly different places. It seems a little like using a sledgehammer to pound in a tack (or whatever) but I don't really know.
And as to the moderation, hmmmm...I dunno. I've never met anyone that has successfully done it. I think that's the goal of the people who participate on the topa thread...Maybe they'll have some advice directly related if you jump in there.

I'll try to get back with the number tomorrow...And there's plenty of info around here about Dr. L, too.

[Allthestars]

Advise on Baclofen

Hi there nmballa, your story is a wee bit similar to mine, but I was using alcohol to numb the pain from a back operation that went wrong, and when they eventually did sort out my pain medication I found I was still getting the alcohol urges to deal with the stress of loosing my job as a paramedic due to my back injury. Anyway, to cut a long story short the doctor prescribed baclofen for me as it is also prescribed for spinal injuries, and after a few months of taking it ( they tapered up the dose) I found I wasn't wanting to drink as much but I just put this down to being pumped with painkillers. But I would still get the days where I would drink. So I came online to find some help and stumbled across baclofen research in helping alcohol dependency. I knew my doctor would not prescribe any higher than the 60mg a day he prescribes me for my spinal injury, so I now collect my monthly prescription and the extra I order online from an online pharmacy which doesn't need a prescription. There is quite a few people on here who can give u the names of the genuine online pharmacies, as there is a few dodgy ones out there. Anyway to cut another long story short........I haven't had any alcohol or want for any alcohol for 59 days. I was again like u, I was not an alcohol dependant person who was a slobbering mess (but u will find a lot of alcoholics fit into this category, more than u would think and that's why they think they don't have a problem with alcohol) and I was in control of myself and didn't black out. But I recognised I def had a problem with drinking especially when I started hiding my drinking so my other half wouldn't moan at me.
I realise what's different is you still want to have the occasional drink, for me I am very happy not to see alcohol again as I know if I start drinking again I will use it as a crutch for whatever stresses or problems life throws my way.
Only you can decide whether baclofen is right for you but there is a lot of great advice ( please remember it is only advice and there is no doctors that I know of on here to answer ur medical questions) and new friends to be made on here who have or are walking in the same shoes as you!.......unless they are jimmy choos which cost a fortune!

So whatever u decide to do good luck with your journey
Xx

[Lookingup]

Advise on Baclofen

Everyone that is interested in Baclofen should check out the website baclofen4alcoholism.com. Very informative, he also explains how to use Baclofen and the sad fact that doctors are ignorant and most people have to get it for themselves online. I just ordered it so I'll keep you posted as to how long it takes to get here (U.S.) and if it looks legit and if it works.
I think it's important to share info, that's all. Hope this may help someone


still drinking.....

[joethelion]

Advise on Baclofen

Hi mballa,

This is my first ever post here although I`ve been reading the posts for some time now. I`m trying to understand more about baclofen, because of my experience, which I think you can benefit from.

I was becoming an alcoholic, having 350-400 gr (13 oz ?) of vodka daily and having hangovers on the mornings (for maybe 15 years then). After 3-4 months of naltrexone, I can say it worked well for me; I started to drink 3-5 beers daily unless it`s a special occasion; with some AFs. I`m not a small guy and my blood analyses are OK, so I`m happy about this progress.

My wife on the other hand is a more serious case. She drinks more than 2 bottles of wine daily. She has alcoholics from both sides of her family, and I have to admit even after 9 months of (not so regular) naltrexone she`s getting worse in that she drinks more.

But still I think she benefited from naltrexone to some extent because before nal she used to have binges of 15 days or so, awful hangovers (which caused the binges to go on), blackouts etc. Nowadays at least she wakes up ok because -for us- what nal does is it helps keep control once you start. For my wife, nal didn`t help with cravings it seems (some say she has to hold in there for several more months) but it completely ended hangovers. Now we want to add bac to the picture and see how it goes.

So for you -my personal opinion- ; I don`t have any experience with bac but naltrexone could be promising.

Good luck !