Colin, 65

[Colin]

Colin, 65

TexasAg;1444975 wrote: Good plan. My son use to take all of me and my friends money at poker night because he was the only one sober. We decided to ban him. You might want to have a decoy drink at the table with you so they don't ban you. :H

Cheers!

Booze doesn't always mean you lose the pace. I once won four nights in a row in a serious poker school where losing or winning a week's wages was commonplace. I felt that I would scare them away if I didn't give something back so the next time I took a half bottle of whisky along. It didn't matter at all, in fact I seemed to win more. I was in a supernatural state where I could do no wrong - my bluffs were never called and my big hands were.

Booze doesn't always grab you by the balls.

[Colin]

Colin, 65

DonQuixote has just posted a link
Frontiers | Suppression of Alcohol Dependence Using Baclofen: A 2-Year Observational Study of 100 Patients | Frontiers in Addictive Disorders & Behavioral Dyscontrol

Just reading this paper gave me a feeling of enhanced control of my drinking. The power of the pen or keyboard?

[Colin]

Colin, 65

Since April Fools Day 2012 - A Review

April:
I entered Rodersana, a Dutch drying-out clinic, sometime around the beginning of April. During the first two weeks inside if they hadn't kept me behind bars I would have slid effortlessly into the first available watering hole at the first opportunity.

May:
At the beginning of May I was comfortably teetotal, enjoying weekend parole and had started my currently nine month abstinent stint with baclofen. During this period the nearest I have been to a drink was the thought that a visit to a knocking shop seemed wrong without a few good beers and whiskies.
Q: What are the three best things in life?
A: A drink before and a smoke after.

June - November:
Escalated slowly up to 150 mg. At no time was alcohol a problem but somnolence was. Occasional insomnia was rarely a problem. My comorbidities are depression and boredoplilia (an intolerance of boredom). Saint Renaud has remarked on the seeming correlation of depression and failure to benefit from depression. It seems from PubMed Central, Table 2: Front Psychiatry. 2012; 3: 103. Published online 2012 December 3. doi:?*10.3389/fpsyt.2012.00103 that adhering to baclofen for 12 months makes adhering for 24 months a formality. n.b. The WHO definition of "low risk of chronic harm" is < 40 grams of alcohol (2/3 of a bottle of wine?) per day for men, < 20 for women, and not necessarily complete abstinence. My ambition was never complete abstinence but control. It appears that I now have the luxury of a choice. Considering my past I would reckon that a couple of glasses would be my limit and I would be suspicious if most days were not booze-free. I will be delaying my acid-test (alcohol) until April.

December:
I dropped to 125 mg, in order to avoid confusing any problems with another drug and noticed an immediate return of more alert moments.

January:
I have been increasing the dose by 12.5 mg per day every 4-6 days and am now at 200 mg. I am sleeping much better and the daytime somnolence is just acceptable. This experience is behind my advice to take it easy when increasing the daily dose. Drop back a little and take a break. It might lead paradoxically to a faster arrival.

Since April last year I usually spend two hours a day with some form of physical exercise. My physical condition was as low as it has ever been in April - a slow 200 yard walk was my limit before pausing. Most weight training exercises are still improving with 15% - 20% weight increases once a month and my legs are beginning to look like legs. I can't believe that baclofen is holding back my progress.

Tomorrow I'll be seeing a neurologist about pains in my legs which are the limiting factor for any leg based activity. My other problem is the cartilage behind the kneecaps but this is taking a back seat until the nerve pain has been addressed.

[Colin]

Colin, 65

Alcoholic Polyneuropathy

Alcoholic polyneuropathy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Wikipedia link is for those with the time and inclination to read long articles. Reading and digesting the complete article provides the context which is a prerequisite to informed comment.

"The rate of incidence of alcoholic polyneuropathy involving sensory and motor polyneuropathy varies from 10% to 50% of alcoholics depending on the subject selection and diagnostic criteria. If electrodiagnostic criteria is used, alcoholic polyneuropathy may be found in up to 90% of individuals being assessed.[4] The distribution and severity the disease depends on regional dietary habits, individual drinking habits, as well as an individual’s genetics.[9] Large studies have been conducted and show that alcoholic polyneuropathy severity and incidence correlates best with the total lifetime consumption of alcohol. Factors such as nutritional intake, age, or other medical conditions are correlate in lesser degrees.[8] For unknown reasons, alcoholic polyneuropathy has a high incidence in women.[4]", From the Wikipedia link.

So where are all the MWOers?

Since my preliminary diagnosis by Dutch doctors I have assumed that their suggestions are correct.

European doctors might have missed the wonderful education of their American colleagues but they don't stop their education after following a course. Further, following a course and passing an exam simply proves that one can follow a course and pass an exam - it says nothing about an ability to dispense good professional advice. It is well within the bounds of possibility that the potential earnings have influenced a movement from youthful idealism towards monetary accumulation.

Recently and probably as a result of a more rapid increase in baclofen, I have experienced a return of leg cramps at night. If I am correct these symptoms are due to the alcoholic polyneuropathy and not to the baclofen increase. The baclofen increase simply highlighted the preexisting condition.

EDIT: Next physical post is:-

Colin;1453073 wrote: That could easily ...

[Stamphingeman]

Colin, 65

Colin and Xadrian, thanks for sharing and shining a light into a very dark place.

[spacebebe01]

Colin, 65

Hi Colin, I was planning on going out this morning but for some reason started reading your thread and I was gripped. I either do or have taken all the meds you mention and do have a cocktail of wonderful prescribed drugs myself:H but am one of the people who tried bac and gave up due to not being able to handle the se's. I am so glad tho that it is working for you I love to hear of people who are succeeding in beating this.

ps. you write wonderfully

[TexasAg]

Colin, 65

Colin, thanks for sharing.

I'm not sure if what I have is similar but I have general pain and weakness in my muscles and joints. I had never heard of Alcoholic Polyneuropathy. I get tingly sensation in my legs and hands. Not sure what you mean by "The baclofen increase simply highlighted the preexisting condition." For me, it has been recent (last couple of months) but definitely started after I began Baclofen and quit drinking which if I read correctly, shouldn't my body started healing after quitting drinking? Why would it have started after I quit and is Bac contributing?

The Wiki entry states it can be a vitamin deficiency, Thiamine was pointed out so I'm thinking I should start taking a multivitamin and thiamine?

Thanks again for the info. Stuck on another thread had a very severe case of pains and tingling and attributed it to Bac. He has since stopped taking Bac and his pains are gone.

Cheers!

[Colin]

Colin, 65

Stamphingeman;1452766 wrote: Colin and Xadrian, thanks for sharing and shining a light into a very dark place.

I hope you are not suggesting that I shine my light up my bushel.

[Colin]

Colin, 65

TexasAg;1452987 wrote: Colin, thanks for sharing.

I wish you wouldn't use emotive words such as share. Along with shame, guilt and failure it belongs to the AA/religious political block. I see AA as part of our problem and not as part of the solution.

[TexasAg]

Colin, 65

Colin;1453039 wrote: I wish you wouldn't use emotive words such as share. Along with shame, guilt and failure it belongs to the AA/religious political block. I see AA as part of our problem and not as part of the solution.

No problem.

I found this article.

The Role of Thiamine Deficiency in Alcoholic Brain Disease

Cheers!

[Colin]

Colin, 65

TexasAg;1453048 wrote: No problem.

I found this article.

The Role of Thiamine Deficiency in Alcoholic Brain Disease

Cheers!
That could easily be part of my problem set. Thiamine deficiency is also blamed for alcoholic neuropathy. My memory is certainly deteriorating and seemingly at a faster pace than my fellow old farts'.

The clear link is that boozing is being blamed for thiamine deficiency.

EDIT: Next physical link is:-
Colin;1455300 wrote: Yesterday evening I played ...

[Colin]

Colin, 65

TexasAg;1453048 wrote: No problem.

I found this article.

The Role of Thiamine Deficiency in Alcoholic Brain Disease

Cheers!

Frightening stuff Tex. In my case the horse bolted a long time ago but it seems that a life-saving additive to alcohol would be thiamine. We only need a few milligrams and if it doesn't affect the taste or smell......

[spacebebe01]

Colin, 65

What a great idea Colin I wonder why no ones done it, it would seem like a win win for everyone involved, the drinker, the drinks companies, the health services, families the list goes on

[Colin]

Colin, 65

spacebebe01;1453396 wrote: What a great idea Colin I wonder why no ones done it, it would seem like a win win for everyone involved, the drinker, the drinks companies, the health services, families the list goes on

Isn't it? I have begun the process of alerting the press (de Volkskrant in the Netherlands) to the possibilities. I have also suggested that the Guardian (UK) and the New York Times might be interested.

[to be continued]

[Xadrian]

Colin, 65

Colin;1453488 wrote: Isn't it? I have begun the process of alerting the press (de Volkskrant in the Netherlands) to the possibilities. I have also suggested that the Guardian (UK) and the New York Times might be interested.

[to be continued]

Maybe they could add some liquid baclofen to the alcoholic beverages too, to keep the drinking within proportions?