Dr Ameisen got addicted again

[jim65]

Does anyone know or heard that Dr A fell off the wagon at one point and became addicted again and know recommends not to tritrate down after the switch?

[AmyC]

Dr Ameisen got addicted again

Hi jim65. I haven't read anything like that but I do know that there is no way anyone could stay at the switch dose for the rest of their life and be able to function as a human being. Of course there are alot more people on here that will be able to answer that question with alot more information than I can.

[redhead77]

Dr Ameisen got addicted again

Hi Jim65,

I've heard all kinds of rumors. Dr Ameisen denies that happened. He wrote on my thread at one point some months ago (along with writing it elsewhere), that he does not recommend staying at one's switch dose. He stated he's never stayed at his; he's been up and down.

[jim65]

Dr Ameisen got addicted again

Well I just had a consultation with Dr. Levin and that is exactly what he told me. We agreed on a fee for the session, I have office number, cell number and home number. Interesting because I have found no other information on this. I don't have the actual bill but was given the number on the this web site as well as from another person who says he is his friend. same Number. 312-226-6675. Is that right?

[jim65]

Dr Ameisen got addicted again

sorry, its 312-236-6675

[COSGringo]

Dr Ameisen got addicted again

Have not heard that or read that anywhere.

Who told you that, Levin?

He's a firm believer in getting to your switch dose and never lowering it. I lowered mine and started having some cravings so I am going back up but I was not at my switch dose that long. I went down by at least 40 mg and being on business travel constantly does not help.

Somnolence is what gets me. I don't like being on all these meds but probably don't have much choice for now.

[jim65]

Dr Ameisen got addicted again

Dr. Levin told me that today!!! Once you get to the switch, Never lower the dose, for life. That seems to be very different from what I have read before. I'm just trying to find as much info as I can, and It seems conflicting.

[jim65]

Dr Ameisen got addicted again

This is exactly what I am talking about. In this small thread we have COSGringo and I saying that Dr. Levin says getting to you switch and never lowering it, than we have AmyC and redhead77 saying to trirate down witch seems to be what most people taking baclofen do. I am new to the research so have not read everything. I am also suffering from addiction, anxiety and all the other turmoil that comes from these conditions. So It is my hope to get more clarification, for example if Dr Ameisen has said to reach your switch and then trirate down, but now says to stay at the switch. Well then witch one is it? As far as I can tell, it seems that both viewpoints have been given out by the same experts. Again I may be wrong with Dr Ameisen saying to tritate lower because I have not read his book yet. It does seem that others have receivied this information. Tell me if I'm wrong. Again I,m new. Sincerely Jim65

[COSGringo]

Dr Ameisen got addicted again

Dr. A, if you read his book, titrates down and does fine with it. Dr. L has his own thoughts.

He even seems to think he knows how it exactly works. I asked a neuroscientist about it and he said it sounded like hogwash.

Listen, Dr L has his place. He is helpful in his ways.

Some of these things you will have to learn on your own. There is not enough research to give you a clear cut answer and everyone is different.

I learned a couple things from here but most of what I learned was from going through it.

You will have to just take your own journey and hopefully find your answers.

[jim65]

Dr Ameisen got addicted again

I appreciate your reply COSGringo.

[Grizzy]

Dr Ameisen got addicted again

Hey Jim -

If you plug around this forum you'll see this a topic up for a lot of debate right now. Even among long term multi year bac users. I've met with Dr. L many times, he says not only stay at your switch dose, keep titrating up for a while. He says Dr. A takes a dose in the high 300s every day now. There are people who have contacted Dr. A and report this is not accurate. I don't think Dr. L is trying to fool anybody, but there's probably a communication breakdown.

Also Dr. L is under the impression that taking baclofen is like drinking water, you may have some sleepiness to deal with but that's the only SE he'll attribute to bac. Unfortunately, there're a cornucopia of other (very livable) SEs that come along as you titrate up. For this reason he sees no reason to not stay way up at your switch dose indefinitely, as he thinks you'll just adjust. Read around this forum you'll get a lot of different opinions. I myself titrated up past my switch at 260 up to 340 at the advice of Dr. L, then went down to 300 and held at the advice of Dr. L, then said forget that and went down to 280 for months, then now down to 240.

Follow Dr. L's regimen titrating up, then you'll have to do a lot of research and listen to your body as you decide what to do next.

[StuckinLA]

Dr Ameisen got addicted again

https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...ion-66360.html

Somewhere around page 3 is the link to the fully polished English version. This is what they're using in France, and what I think most people are going by here.

It's very clear that you should go down. People who stay near their switch tend to be people who switch in the lower (150s?) ranges, and even then it only seems to be folks who want to moderate their drinking rather than give up entirely.

Gosh, this is such a sensitive topic that I hate even weighing in, and when I say "tend" please keep in mind that I'm only basing this on the limited amount of stuff I've been through here on the boards.

[jim65]

Dr Ameisen got addicted again

Hello again. I have reread all of the postings again and I really appreciate them. Something smells very fishy here and this is why. It has nothing to due with any of the postings but what I was told by Dr. Levin during our phone conversation yesterday. First of all I was very happy with his call and sounded very promising and convincing. He is the one who said Dr A became addicted again. He said this happened some time ago and that it had happened when Dr. A was staying with him in Chicago. He says he corresponds with him at least monthly if not more and they even appeared on a radio show together. Since Dr A has changed his mind on Tritrating schedule to the new dosage instructions and not to go down. He stated now Dr. A's and his success ratio is now 99.4% with only one failure that happened when the patient did not follow the instructions completely. This can't be too long ago because with one failure and still being at 99.4% this is only about 100 people if I do my math correctly. As far as side effects he also told me the only thing I would feel would be a little sleepiness. Yet I have viewed many other posts saying this is not so. How can he be ignoring all these complaints? At first I thought Dr. A must not be coming clean with his story, but I now am thinking perhaps Dr. L's story is not the truth. I can't believe this is some kind of communication breakdown between the two. Someone is not being truthful and this is a tragedy for we, the sick one's looking for help. Dr. L talked about something called B.D.N.F I don't recall what it stood for and the name Ito Masao. He also suggested wanting to talk every week or every other. Sounded good to me because I might have an issue or two or 1,000. I wish I could get a record of what exactly what was said, but apparently the phone companies do not record conversations. If you can't trust the Dr. who is prescribing your medicine. Then what? Just the Last week I almost went with Pill Thomas. I agreed to everything but on the day of the money transfer had spaced out my wallet and did not have it. Then talked with family members. They advised be to do a little more research and to at least try to my Doctor about it. You should see the Email Phillip Thomas from Baclofen4alcohlism.com sent back. Where do these people come from???

[redhead77]

Dr Ameisen got addicted again

Hi Jim65,

I understand your concerns. I think a lot of us have heard much of this stuff, but I specifically understand your concern about the doc prescribing to you and the stories. I agree, it doesn't make sense, and the stories you're hearing aren't what I've heard. But the bottom line is baclofen works for a lot of people. It might not cure 99.4% (as a matter of fact, I'm sure it doesn't). According to Dr L's standards, I'd be a failure and I'm one of his patients. I know of a number of people he's written scripts for who haven't magically 'switched'. Some have, and others (myself included) have improved dramatically with their drinking, or used it as a tool to get sober. But it might be worth a shot as far as you're concerned to try it.

Who cares what the dynamic is between Dr L and Dr A? It would be great if it all made sense, but it doesn't, and that doesn't mean you shouldn't try the drug. Trust me when I say that you don't need to talk to Dr L every week, or very often, to get a script and to get refills. You won't have to pay him much money. Just maybe try it, take care of you, and ignore the rest.

Just my humble opinion.

[jim65]

Dr Ameisen got addicted again

These are not stories. I am far to new to know of any such stories. This is what Dr. Levin told me yesterday. I agree with you. Jim