Allergic To Baclofen? I Hope Not.

[spacebebe01]

Allergic To Baclofen? I Hope Not.

Oh Ok ginger lol thanks you for lesson 1

ooops sorry better I dont want to take over your thread with teckie knowhow

I willl go onto my own thread and practise

[GingerDust]

Allergic To Baclofen? I Hope Not.

spacebebe01;1309989 wrote: ooops sorry better I dont want to take over your thread with teckie knowhow.

Same here, B&B. Sorry for the momentary derail.

[BetterAndBetter]

Allergic To Baclofen? I Hope Not.

GingerDust;1309994 wrote: Same here, B&B. Sorry for the momentary derail.

You guys are fine, here in the Wild West... LOL. Anyway... my hives have almost subsided and my stools are becoming firmer, after being off Bac for a couple of days... no withdrawals either, considering my relatively short encounter with it (TMI I know... sorry... but details necessary). I'll resume a Bac titration schedule soon (still haven't found one... I'm a 200 lb. male) that is really gradual and report in as to my progress. Took me a while getting here. Don't mind taking some time getting out. Thanks for all your input.

[BetterAndBetter]

Allergic To Baclofen? I Hope Not.

Ne/Neva Eva;1308991 wrote: Hiya, Better. Welcome! I'm about to give you a bit of a lecture...I am wont to do that. don't take it personally. And rest assured I've taken too much, and too little. Still.

hmmm. Dude. come on now. 100mg...then 25mg...then some more...then none.

I'm not sure that you're allergic to bac so much as yowza! to all the rest. It takes time. It's not magic. And there is a protocol, of sorts. Which is about 20mg a week. After starting at about 5mg. There's a lot of flexibility...but not THAT much.

I've read something recently (in a biology textbook and unrelated to baclofen) about rashes that alarmed me...I can't remember what, but I think you might want to have that checked out by a doctor soon-ish.
Really.

Lecture over. Hang in there. If you decide to try this all again, after you've had the rash taken care of, I'll bump some threads for you to read, or you can just peruse around and decide which one might work for you.

Hi friend...

Still have the last residuals of a rash/hives, but that's mostly gone now. Haven't taken any Bac since my first post. Not really sure what you meant by bump some threads for me, but I'm currently seeking a safe and sane, and slow, titration schedule. I'm doing my homework, searches, etc. but if you have any expanded info I would love to hear about it. Not trying to be a bother, but it sounds as if you have had some success with this method? Personally, even if a slow titration Bac regimen eases even more anxiety than I already have via several mechanisms/methods, with, eventually minimal side effects, while lowering my drinking totals, I would consider it a success. I will keep reading/researching and such, just, like an investigative reporter, I keep trying to follow my leads. LOL. Thanks. So far, what I'm getting, is that there is no such thing as "too slow" in the titration process? If one is not at a point of desperation, in terms of their addiction to alcohol, slower is probably the BEST route? Don't want to be a bother, but I'm pretty determined to figure this out! Thanks again.

[BetterAndBetter]

Allergic To Baclofen? I Hope Not.

This is quoted from a member known as "Phoenix Rising", but comes from 2010. Is this still advisable/current? (Knowing full well that none of us are doctors or "experts", just addicts)...

This is for PortobelloRoad:

Zenstyle's titration schedule:

Here's a safe titration schedule to begin Baclofen: (Disclaimer: this is a personal opinion.)

(15mg) 3 x 5mg daily for 3 days.

(30mg) 3 x 10mg daily for the next 3 days.

Then add on 10mg daily and stay with that for 3-5 days before progressing to the next amount, depending on how it reacts with your system.

If you're not tired you can titrate faster. If you're tired, just take your time. It's different in each individual. Some people experience more somnolence than others in the early stages of taking Baclofen. Let your body guide you as to how fast you titrate.

There's a debate whether one reaches their "switch" at a lower dosage if one titrates slowly. I titrated slowly (to 100mg in 5 weeks). I was fine at 90mg, I added on the last 10mg just to be sure. I've now titrated down to 80mg + 20mg p.r.n. (if I'm going into a drinking situation or I feel a craving).

I read an article from a reputable website where they recommend, at 80mg/daily, to take it 4 x 20mg, which is what I do. Otherwise, depending on what your schedule is and when your cravings are worst, you can choose to take larger doses at certain times of the day.

Everyone’s body and elimination of Baclofen is different. There is no “set in stone” amount to titrate to. Please use Dr. Ameisen’s titration as a guideline for yourself.

Dr. Ameisen’s Titration:

Ameisen titrated up to 3.6mg per kilo (270mg/daily) at which dose he became indifferent towards alcohol.

He stayed at that dose for 12 days then, due to the fact that he was experiencing somnolence, he titrated down to 1.6mg/kilo (120mg/daily) and he stayed at that dose for a long time. Today he continues to take 30-50mg/daily.

Whilst titrating up, and at the lower dosage of 120mg/daily, he took an additional 20-40mg p.r.n. (on an as-needed basis/once daily) if he was experiencing cravings – this would produce a state of deep relaxation within the hour, followed by somnolence.

(1 kilo = 2.2 pounds.)

Interesting Facts:

As well as alcoholism, Ameisen had a pre-existing anxiety disorder – the lower dosage of 120mg/daily took care of both anxiety and symptoms of alcohol dependence. (He came off his anxiety meds.)

Interestingly, before experimenting with high dosage Baclofen, Ameisen had tried Naltrexone (50md/daily) and Campral (2g/daily) for 12-18 months each but discontinued as they didn’t stop his cravings or relapses. He then went onto Baclofen (180mg/daily) for his anxiety but didn’t exceed that dosage as he was unaware that higher dosages were safe. He took that for 12 months - it didn’t suppress cravings or relapses. He then tried Topamax (300mg/daily) for 3 months and discontinued as, again, no reduction in cravings or relapses.

He researched Baclofen and realized it had the potential to suppress cravings and alleviate anxiety simultaneously. He calculated the amount needed for body weight based on a study in rats and the fact that neurologists were using up to 270mg/daily (long term) for multiple sclerosis and 300mg/daily in spasticity.

He then went back on Baclofen at 30mg/daily, adding 20mg/daily every third day. He used 20-40mg p.r.n. From Day 1 anxiety was reduced, muscular tension began to subside and sleep was more restful. It took him 5 weeks to reach 270mg/daily at which point he was indifferent towards alcohol.

His daily consumption prior to Baclofen was typically 750ml of Scotch a day.

He’s been abstinent since January 9, 2004.

Dr. Ameisen's Book:

"The End of My Addiction" by Oliver Ameisen, M.D. Available at Amazon.com or your local book store.


I hope this helps everyone that wants to try Ameisen's Baclofen cure. If I’ve forgotten anything, PM me or post on here and I’ll add it on.
Last edited by Zenstyle : 07-07-2009 at 11:54 AM. Reason: New info.

[Greg]

Allergic To Baclofen? I Hope Not.

I'm not a doctor, but I have heard enough about allergic reactions to sound a note of caution here. If you get the same rash or hives when you restart baclofen, then I'd say you almost certainly DO have an allergy to at least something in the pills. I had a similar reaction to penicillin years ago, and that didn't become noticeable until several days after I had started taking it. You could try switching to a different brand, in case it is a filler ingredient in the brand you have.

I don't wish to talk you out of using baclofen to get over your alcohol problem, but if there is indeed a real allergy to the drug itself, you will probably have little choice but to not take it, since allergic reactions can become severe and even life threatening if they are ignored. I hope it is just something in the particular brand you have.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Allergic To Baclofen? I Hope Not.

Morning, BandB.

Sorry for the delay!

I'm glad to hear about the rash subsiding. Greg's points are not out of line. Systemic reactions like that can be really serious, (anaphylactic shock serious) so be careful when you restart, okay? And don't hesitate to see a doc. (Thank goodness some guys have girlfriends! )

PhoenixRising was one of my early mentors! She lives relatively close to where I am and inspired me to keep the faith...
If I have time today I'll find and bump some threads.

I am not a doctor, have no medical background and am not in any way qualified to give medical/titration advice. Just so you are clear!

Titration schedules vary. Generally starting at 5mg/day for 3 days, then 10mg/day for three days, then adding 20mg/week is what is being bandied about right now on MWO. It might be a good idea to start that slowly to make sure that you aren't actually having an allergic reaction to whatever is in your pills.

More from me soon-ish! (sorry.)

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Allergic To Baclofen? I Hope Not.

Here's one:

Lo0p;1192020 wrote: It's changed over the past year or so but from all the information I can gather he's pretty consistently been prescribing these (2 versions) to all his new patients for several months now:

First 3 days (or entire first week): 5 mg three times a day. For a total of 15 mg per day.

Next 4 days (or entire second week): 10 mg three times a day. For a total of 30 mg per day.

Every week thereafter he has you increase the total daily dosage 20 mg per day.

So in version 1, week 2 would be 50 mg per day

week 3: 70
week 4: 90
week 5: 110
week 6: 130
...
week 10: 210
...
week 15: 310
...
week 17: 350

Version 2 is the same thing only offset by one week.

Doses are to be taken evenly spread out in the morning, middle of the day and "a few hours before bed". The smallest dose (e.g. week 11, 230 mg would be: 80 mg, 70 mg and 80 mg) is to be taken in the middle of the day.

My a$$ this is a "side effect free" titration schedule. But he claims it is. The one patient of his that I referred to him in real life, reported to me that she had no negative side effects all the way up until indifference. But w/e.

I'm pretty damn sure that's it. I wouldn't be surprised if someone has recently been prescribed something different by him. His titration schedule has certainly evolved over time.

It seems like a kind of a pain in the butt to me for no other reason than this: each level requires you to split a pill in half.

It's from this train-wreck of a thread:
https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...ule-52878.html

(Please do your best to ignore the drama. Bill is, was and will be again a difficult to understand member of MWO.)

[BetterAndBetter]

Allergic To Baclofen? I Hope Not.

Thanks guys, for all your advice. I will definitely exercise caution on the next go. I hope I'm not allergic to something in the filler in the pills... I've had very few allergies in my life, but you never know. Even with the hives, I never had any breathing difficulties or anything that felt serious. Just the skin reaction. Would like to try other "brands". Dang... If only big pharma didn't have such a hold on our medical freedoms, but that's another post. Keep the faith, peoples!

[BetterAndBetter]

Allergic To Baclofen? I Hope Not.

Ne/Neva Eva;1311347 wrote: Morning, BandB.

Sorry for the delay!

I'm glad to hear about the rash subsiding. Greg's points are not out of line. Systemic reactions like that can be really serious, (anaphylactic shock serious) so be careful when you restart, okay? And don't hesitate to see a doc. (Thank goodness some guys have girlfriends! )

PhoenixRising was one of my early mentors! She lives relatively close to where I am and inspired me to keep the faith...
If I have time today I'll find and bump some threads.

I am not a doctor, have no medical background and am not in any way qualified to give medical/titration advice. Just so you are clear!

Titration schedules vary. Generally starting at 5mg/day for 3 days, then 10mg/day for three days, then adding 20mg/week is what is being bandied about right now on MWO. It might be a good idea to start that slowly to make sure that you aren't actually having an allergic reaction to whatever is in your pills.

More from me soon-ish! (sorry.)

Just read up on "anaphylactic shock" and your caution sounds wise. I would guess that Bac falls under the category of "neuromuscular blocking agents" that can trigger it. Damn, I need a drink! Joke. But still sort of bummed out by the possibility that my body doesn't like Bac. I'm throwing this out there for the benefit of all of us trying to figure this stuff out. As for me, it might be back to the Naltrexone and the waiting game. At least, for me, Nal never had anything but good effects. After four months it hadn't decreased my drinking by much, but at least it kept me pretty lucid when I drank. I remain optimistic that our increasing knowledge of pharmacology and physiology will present us with a cure for addiction that is sure-fire and effective for all. And doesn't require a regular appointment with Dr. Higher Power and his choir of chain-smoking sinners (we all have opinions... that's one of mine). Chin up!

From Wikipedia (emphasis by boldface mine):

Causes

Anaphylaxis can occur in response to almost any foreign substance.[11] Common triggers include venom from insect bites or stings, foods, and medication.[10][12] Foods are the most common trigger in children and young adults while medications and insect bites and stings are more common in older adults.[5] Less common causes include: physical factors, biological agents such as semen, latex, hormonal changes, food additives such as monosodium glutamate and food colors, and topical medications.[8] Physical factors such as exercise (known as exercise-induced anaphylaxis) or temperature (either hot or cold) may also act as triggers through their direct effects on mast cells.[5][13] Exercise induced events are frequently associated with the ingestion of certain foods.[4] During anesthesia, neuromuscular blocking agents, antibiotics, and latex are the most common causes.[14] The cause remains unknown in 32-50% of cases, referred to as "idiopathic anaphylaxis".[15]


Diagnosis

Anaphylaxis is diagnosed based on clinical criteria.[5] When any one of the following three occurs within minutes/hours of exposure to an allergen there is a high likelihood of anaphylaxis:[5]

1. Involvement of the skin or mucosal tissue plus either respiratory difficulty or a low blood pressure
2. Two or more of the following symptoms:-

a. Involvement of the skin or mucosa
b. Respiratory difficulties
c. Low blood pressure
d. Gastrointestinal symptoms

3. Low blood pressure after exposure to a known allergen

During an attack, blood tests for tryptase or histamine (released from mast cells) might be useful in diagnosing anaphylaxis due to insect stings or medications. However these tests are of limited utility if the cause is food or if the person has a normal blood pressure,[5] and they are not specific for the diagnosis.[11]

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Allergic To Baclofen? I Hope Not.

Oh, geez. Ya gotta know something about me...I'm studying biology. I just started. I don't know anything about anything...Except those things that go bump in the night! The professors seem intent on delighting us with info about things that'll kill you.

Go ahead, ask me about microscopic parasites. ewww. I've been delighting my husband, a chef, with info about food stuff all semester. Nevertheless, I am living dangerously and just juiced a case of lemons, more than a hundred of 'em, many of which were moldy with--I'm guessing--penicillium. (?green fuzzy stuff.) Whatever. I'm still living dangerously...

so. Anaphylactic shock...That was rather dramatic. I don't know anything about it, really. Certainly not in relationship to baclofen.

I always weighed what I was experiencing with bac with what I'd experienced in 20+ years of drinking against my will... Bac won. And then bac actually won.

EDIT: I did not actually juice the moldy ones. But according to my prof, my text and wiki, I should have thrown out the whole case. Not going to happen! What's a few bad lemons in a whole case? I'll let you know in a couple of days... :H

[BetterAndBetter]

Allergic To Baclofen? I Hope Not.

Ne/Neva Eva;1311584 wrote: Oh, geez. Ya gotta know something about me...I'm studying biology. I just started. I don't know anything about anything...Except those things that go bump in the night! The professors seem intent on delighting us with info about things that'll kill you.

Go ahead, ask me about microscopic parasites. ewww. I've been delighting my husband, a chef, with info about food stuff all semester. Nevertheless, I am living dangerously and just juiced a case of lemons, more than a hundred of 'em, many of which were moldy with--I'm guessing--penicillium. (?green fuzzy stuff.) Whatever. I'm still living dangerously...

so. Anaphylactic shock...That was rather dramatic. I don't know anything about it, really. Certainly not in relationship to baclofen.

I always weighed what I was experiencing with bac with what I'd experienced in 20+ years of drinking against my will... Bac won. And then bac actually won.

EDIT: I did not actually juice the moldy ones. But according to my prof, my text and wiki, I should have thrown out the whole case. Not going to happen! What's a few bad lemons in a whole case? I'll let you know in a couple of days... :H

No worries. I really appreciate your concern. We're all sort of doing this on our own in terms of medical supervision and the more info the better. I will certainly give Bac another try... at a very low level... titrating slowly... It's all good. Thanks again. Whatever reaction I had I would not classify as severe. Even though I was taking a lot more initially than most recommend. I'll keep my gf well-informed as to what I'm doing and she'll keep me in line!

[GingerDust]

Allergic To Baclofen? I Hope Not.

So sorry, B&B. :l

Hiya, Bill (who has posted hundreds of times, under numerous names, and was banned repeatedly for trying to push his "home brewed" baclofen on a recovery website).

Go away, troll. You are a lunatic. You are a cancer. You are an amazingly destructive sociopath, a criminal, and an asshole to boot. Why don't you just shoot up all the steroids that you LOVE so much, take baclofen until your brain bleeds, and see if you can't find even a modicum of sobriety for your own sorry self.

Leave people here alone. Really, people who honestly post here do not deserve to be in the presence of such nasty, destructive, greedy, self-obsessed, self-promoting, innately dishonest, wholly worthless, piece of crap like you.

B&B, you would be very well off to get the advice of a licensed doctor if you are concerned about anything that the lunatic said. Saying that he is a NUTCASE would be a vast (HUGE) understatement. I'm sorry that he invaded your thread. He won't be around for long. The moderators are quite familiar with him, and his posts will disappear. When that happens, I'll delete this post too, so that your thread is not derailed.

Hang tough. :l

[BetterAndBetter]

Allergic To Baclofen? I Hope Not.

Just an update:

I returned to a titration schedule yesterday. I'm taking it slow, at two daily doses of 6mg (approx... I'm quartering 25mg tabs). Amazing to think I jumped in at 100mg, first day, before, considering I can "feel" the Bac at such a low amount! I think, after reading a lot more about various titration schedules, I have a much better idea of how the successful one's work. And it does seem that there are no "cookie cutter" schedules... it varies for almost everyone, but slow and steady, while listening to your body sounds pretty safe and sane. Baclofen is apparently a very powerful, yet considering it's effects, relatively safe, drug. It's been good to learn that sometimes, after titrating a while, an increased dose will actually eliminate certain side effects. Like there are certain "plateaus" in the process that may be something more research into this will make more obvious. Anyway... so far so good. It's good to be back on track with Bac. I think that, somehow, the Tom Petty song "I Won't Back Down" works here.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Allergic To Baclofen? I Hope Not.

That song is a favorite. My dad, he of all things fun, started taking drumming lessons at age 61. (He rocks. lol. And he thinks he's a rock star. So do I! but anyway...) That was the first real song he learned.

My version is the eminem song. Much ruder. Works for me. Anyway, again...

How are you? How were first two days? I'm always a bit jealous of those people who feel immediate relief from their first dose. I was WAY too scared and anxious about baclofen for that to happen.

Have you read about the beauty of the pill box in your journey through MWO-land? Mine is one my most treasured possessions...Even now. I couldn't for the life of me remember if I'd taken my bac this morning. (40mg at 4am. Tough to recall anything before coffee...) And Space just posted about her trusty pillbox--reminding me that it would do me a lot of good to just fill it up at the beginning of the week and then I can forget about it.

A friend of mine who is Navy reminds me occasionally that it's a good thing to get all the minutiae (and bull shit. not that he swears. He NEVER swears in front of me. whatev.) out of the way. That way the mind is free to tackle the big stuff. Like which leg to put in the underwear first. (What a relief that we don't have to think about that one...)

I'm rambling and I know it. I'm facing packing the kitchen. You'd be rambling, too, if you had to pack up all that stuff!

Hope it's a better day today, better!