Xadrian's Baclofen Experience

[Xadrian]

Xadrian's Baclofen Experience

Rutru;1528278 wrote: Thank you for sharing your experience with Bac. I am trying to decide whether to use that or topomax. Can you or anyone tell me if you had weight gain/loss with Bac? hair loss?
:thanks:

I lost 20 lbs in the first 6 months.
No hair loss.

[kronkcarr]

Xadrian's Baclofen Experience

X,

If there was a like button I would tap it for your post! It's very nice how you are doing!

[spiritwolf333]

Xadrian's Baclofen Experience

X -When do hear back about your insurance? I had to write some info down the other day at the doctors office when I went about my carpel problem. I did disclose my baclofen mg but I ignored the question regarding former substance abuse programs attended. LoOp has now brought up the insurance information consolidator and now I am concerned. Insurance has partially (minimal albeit) paid for part of rehab. I wonder if this info is now in the data base?

Anyway, I am interested to hear what they say about your insurance application.

I appreciate your comment:
"Yesterday and today also, I was feeling very fine. Not euphoric or something, but just fine. Optimistic. If I could feel like this for the rest of my life, it would be quite acceptable."

I have always thought that I might one day want to know how it feels to be ok with just feeling ok -not high, not low -just ok.

[MaryGoRound]

Xadrian's Baclofen Experience

Lo0p;1528250 wrote: Lie! Don't admit to drinking as much as you did. Alcoholism on your medical record is an automatic denial for life insurance. I used to be a licensed life insurance salesman

Sad but true! It maybe only a US issue. I really want to honest but....not possible in some situations.

[Xadrian]

Xadrian's Baclofen Experience

Doctor's report

Today I had an appointment with my GP regarding the report the life insurer requested with regards to my former and current alcohol usage.

Well, I came home with a pretty decent report, stating a very successful baclofen treatment and no urge for alcohol anymore and that I'm more or less abstinent now.

She also mentioned that my ex-psychiatrist is currently also treating other patients with baclofen, since my success with it.

I made a copy for myself and took the original to the life insurer.

Let's see what happens.

[Xadrian]

Xadrian's Baclofen Experience

I was just informed that my application for a life insurance was denied.

Resuming, they made me fill in a questionnaire, let me get a doctor's report and even now the doctor's report was in my favor, they rejected the application.

Those people really have no idea how baclofen works and that I'm in the low risk zone, according to WHO.

Anyway, there goes my mortgage for now.

What I don't understand: For an extra premium they accept smokers, but someone who's nearly abstinent, they reject without giving an option for extra premium or exclusion of alcohol-related diseases.
Very sad.

By the way, if they reject me, this would mean that half the people on Aruba cannot get a mortgage or either that half Aruba is lying about their alcohol consumption.

Of course, I will try other insurance companies.
If also rejected, it means that I won't get a mortgage and I have to build the rest of my house also by myself.

It also means that I probably cannot buy the house and apartments from my neighbour where we have currently an option on.

My only alternative would probably be winning the lottery.

Anyway, this does not mean that I need alcohol to drown the disappointment.

Hell, I feel stronger than ever and I can also handle this without the poison that stole away so much of my life.

[skullbabyland]

Xadrian's Baclofen Experience

Sorry to hear about those setbacks, Xadrian. Keep up that positive attitude though- there's always other ways to solve a problem, and glad that this setback isn't driving you to drink. You're more than strong enough to take this on, with no "help" from the poison

[Xadrian]

Xadrian's Baclofen Experience

Xadrian;1530990 wrote: I was just informed that my application for a life insurance was denied.

I have decided to not resign myself with the rejection of the life insurance. At least, not without some resistance from my side.

The fact they send me to my doctor for a report, which eventually turned out to be in my favor, while they apparently already decided to deny my application, just because of the stigma tagged to addiction and their ignorance regarding baclofen doesn't make me happy.

I'm fully recovered, there's nothing wrong with me anymore and as long as I take my pills, I assess the chance of relapsing at absolutely nil.

I will ask my ex-psychiatrist to write a report also and hand it in un-called for with a request to revise their decision. I don't have high hopes they will, but I will not accept it without a blow.

What do they want me to do to prove it. Run a marathon? I will. To remain completely abstinent? No problem.

If I have to, I will fly to Barbados myself to explain and illustrate how baclofen works and that my secondary disease has completely disappeared since the chemical imbalance in my brain was restored.

It may make no difference in their decision, but I will make them aware of the above.

[sunnygal]

Xadrian's Baclofen Experience

Xadrian...just came here yesterday. Have read all your posts. You are very intelligent and very strong. I would like to know what information you presented to your doctors to convince them to give you baclofen. I feel very lost right now. No one really knows what I have been going through for the last 16 years. I hide a lot. I need a solution. It seems like you have found it. What information can I give to my doctor to convince to give me strong doses of baclofen.

[skullbabyland]

Xadrian's Baclofen Experience

sunnygal;1531634 wrote: Xadrian...just came here yesterday. Have read all your posts. You are very intelligent and very strong. I would like to know what information you presented to your doctors to convince them to give you baclofen. I feel very lost right now. No one really knows what I have been going through for the last 16 years. I hide a lot. I need a solution. It seems like you have found it. What information can I give to my doctor to convince to give me strong doses of baclofen.

Hi Sunnygal,
I cant speak for Xadrian, but im happy to give you my own experiences if you want. I posted a reply with contact info in the other thread you posted in.

[Xadrian]

Xadrian's Baclofen Experience

sunnygal;1531634 wrote: I would like to know what information you presented to your doctors to convince them to give you baclofen. I feel very lost right now. No one really knows what I have been going through for the last 16 years. I hide a lot. I need a solution. It seems like you have found it. What information can I give to my doctor to convince to give me strong doses of baclofen.

I have drunk more than what was good for me for over 15 years also. My wife knew and the last years probably my parents too. And one of my best friends.

I guess I was hiding it good too, because when I was on baclofen, I don't keep my former drinking secret anymore and all of them didn't have a clue that I drank "against my will".

When I first went to my doctor, I took with me some homework. It was pretty much the print-outs of the links you can find on the 5th post of the second page of "my" thread.
You can find them over there.
You can add the results of a recent French study, which proofs the effectiveness and efficiency of baclofen. You can find it here:
Suppression of Alcohol Dependence Using Baclofen: A 2-Year Observational Study of 100 Patients
And also add this one:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/59463672/Prescribing-Guide-for-Baclofen-in-the-Treatment-of-Alcoholism-Don.pdf

Then you make an appointment with your doctor and if he/she not already knows about your drinking, you tell him/her that in your opinion you have been drinking lately more than you want to and that you decided to do something about it.

Before your doctor comes up with AA, refusal, etc. you tell your doctor that you did a lot of research over the internet, read a lot about AA, refusal and other meds, but that recent insights indicate that alcoholism is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, mainly involving a shortage of the neurotransmitter GABA.

You tell him/her that recently has been discovered that The drug ?baclofen? mimics the effect of GABA and that it is one of the few chemicals known to address specifically the GABA-B receptors. Doing so, it compensates for the GABA shortage and totally eliminates the need for alcohol.

You tell him/her that because of the patent of baclofen has already expired, there are currently not much large-scale studies about baclofen going on, but that the French are leader and that the results of a large 2-year study are already been published and that the French authorities recently approved ?baclofen? for alcohol treatment on a ?case by case? basis, in the rest of the world it is being prescribed ?off label? for the same.

You tell him/her that you like to start baclofen and that you are aware of the fact that he/she is possibly not familiar with baclofen prescription for alcohol addiction, so you brought him/her some information, which you like him/her to read and you want to make another appointment to see if you can get it prescribed after he/she read it.

Then you give him/her the home work and wait for the next appointment.

On the next appointment, your doctor prescribing you the baclofen would be the ideal situation.
My own experience and that of many others however, have taught that in most cases you won't get it prescribed by your doctor, but who knows, you might be one of the lucky ones.

If you don't get it prescribed, you ask your doctor which specialist might be prescribing it for you and you ask for a referral to that or another specialist, which can be a psychiatrist (don't mind the charged word, you're not crazy, but in most countries alcoholism seems to be scheduled under psychiatric diseases) or an addiction specialist or even another specialist.

You make an appointment and repeat the instructions as given for the doctor.

If you're lucky, the specialist prescribes it (like in my case). If you are less lucky, there are other ways to get baclofen, if you really want it.
You can find a lot of info and help on this forum.

It's a lot like in court, where you start with a lower court, then go to a higher court and if you loose that also and you're certain thet you're in your right anyway, you take it in your own hands.

But if you decide to start baclofen without doctor's assistence, be careful, baclofen is not candy and no one here, that includes me, is a doctor or a registered specialist.
You do it at your own risk, with the help of people here who did it on their own themselves and share their experiences to help save other people's lifes.

But first take the first step and see if you are a lucky one.
And don't forget: You didn't becoma an alcoholic overnight, so don't expect to be cured overnight also. Expect to have a lot of bumps in the road and don't forget it is a slow process to regain your "normal" life.

Success.

[Cassander]

Xadrian's Baclofen Experience

Xadrian;1531789 wrote: ...When I first went to my doctor, I took with me some homework. It was pretty much the print-outs of the links you can find on the 5th post of the second page of "my" thread. You can find them over there.
...
Then you make an appointment with your doctor and ...you tell him/her that in your opinion you have been drinking lately more than you want to and that you decided to do something about it.

Before your doctor comes up with AA, refusal, etc. you tell your doctor that you did a lot of research over the internet, read a lot about AA, refusal and other meds, but that recent insights indicate that alcoholism is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain...

You tell him/her that recently has been discovered that [t]he drug “baclofen” ...is one of the few chemicals known to address specifically the GABA-B receptors...and totally eliminates the need for alcohol.

You tell him/her that because of the patent of baclofen has already expired, there are currently not much large-scale studies about baclofen going on, but that the French are leader[s] and that the results of a large 2-year study are already been published and that the French authorities recently approved “baclofen” for alcohol treatment on a “case by case” basis, in the rest of the world it is being prescribed “off label” for the same.

You tell him/her that you like to start baclofen and that you are aware of the fact that he/she is possibly not familiar with baclofen prescription for alcohol addiction, so you brought him/her some information, which you like him/her to read and you want to make another appointment to see if you can get it prescribed after he/she read it.

Then you give him/her the home work and wait for the next appointment.

On the next appointment, your doctor prescribing you the baclofen would be the ideal situation. My own experience and that of many others however, have taught that in most cases you won't get it prescribed by your doctor, but who knows, you might be one of the lucky ones.

If you don't get it prescribed, you ask your doctor which specialist might be prescribing it for you and you ask for a referral to that or another specialist, which can be a psychiatrist (don't mind the charged word, you're not crazy, but in most countries alcoholism seems to be scheduled under psychiatric diseases) or an addiction specialist or even another specialist.

You make an appointment and repeat the instructions as given for the [first] doctor.

If you're lucky, the specialist prescribes it (like in my case). If you are less lucky, there are other ways to get baclofen, if you really want it.

You can find a lot of info and help on this forum.

It's a lot like in court, where you start with a lower court, then go to a higher court and if you loose that also and you're certain thet you're in your right anyway, you take it in your own hands.

But if you decide to start baclofen without doctor's assistence, be careful, baclofen is not candy and no one here, that includes me, is a doctor or a registered specialist. You do it at your own risk, with the help of people here who did it on their own themselves and share their experiences to help save other people's lifes.

But first take the first step and see if you are a lucky one. And don't forget: You didn't become an alcoholic overnight, so don't expect to be cured overnight also. Expect to have a lot of bumps in the road and don't forget it is a slow process to regain your "normal" life.

Success.

Xadrian: We are exactly on the same page. In full agreement. Do you mind if I copy and paste your "recipe" above on my "Where are the doctors?" thread?

Also...I am debating off-line with another highly respected member here on this forum whether family doctors and GPs should be responsive to patients who present with alcohol-related problems.

Simplistically, the debate is as follows. She says that alcoholism and addictions are complicated illnesses that require the expertise of a specialist, beyond the scope of a family doctor's remit. She does not expect a family doctor to know anything about alcoholism, medical tratment therefore, baclofen or baclofen complications.

I say...ok...maybe she is right...today at least...but...here's my argument:

Alcoholism and substance abuse are epidemic. I will get around to posting stats, but suffice it to say that more than 10% of any patient population will present these conditions, whether identified by the patient or not. More than a third (probably more) of any patient population will have a family member who is struggling with alcohol or substance abuse.

If you combine alcoholism, substance abuse, and other addictions and compulsive behaviors, and then add in anxiety, depression and other stress-related conditions and mental illnesses, I wonder if the ordinary family doctor has a single patient in today's world who doesn't present some variation or combination of these conditions...

These are all DISEASES of the brain.

I am going a bit beyond "alcoholism" with the following but...here goes...

It is increasingly becoming apparent to doctors and researchers at the cutting edge of medical knowledge and discovery that many (most?) physical illnesses are the result of mental and/or psychological "stresses" that impact the brain and the immune system and our complex and interlocking hormonal and endocrine systems and ultimately manifest in physical illness: heart conditions, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, neurological disease, etc.

I can supply plenty of support for these assertions to anybody who is interested...

It is increasingly apparent that the "stresses" of life can lead not only to depression and anxiety...they can and do lead to anxiety induced alcoholism...they lead to overeating and obesity and diabetes...they lead to malfunctioning immune response and arthritis and asthma...they lead to inflammation of the arteries and heart disease...

If family doctors aren't trained to identify and treat stress-related behaviors and disease today, it is only a matter of time before they are and do. It may turn out to be the most important preventive thing they can do. No, it will turn out to be the most important thing they can do.

So, I conclude that the family doctor today must at least be able to recognize brain-related illness such as alcoholism and either treat or refer to a specialist. It seems to me that simply avoiding the issue is unacceptable. A referral to AA is unacceptable. Dodging the question altogether is unacceptable. Refusing to self-educate on baclofen and other medical treatments for addiction is unacceptable. If all else fails (as in every case presented to the front line family doctor) refusing to refer to a specialist is unacceptable.

Of course, many alcoholics are in denial and do not recognize the disease. I think a family doctor is still obligated to inform the patient of the consequences of alcohol abuse, much the way my family doctor looks (or should be looking) at my lab work and identifying the markers for incipient heart disease and diabetes and making recommendations regarding diet and life style (or should be making recommendations...).

However...

I am 63 years old. By WHO and other accepted standards, I abused alcohol for over 40 years. I don't think my family doctor, my internist, my GP, my psychiatrist, my cardiologist (I have seen all these types over the years) has ever...once...asked me about my alcohol intake...Even when I was 50 lbs overweight and presented with anxiety and depression and workaholism concerns and elevated levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose...

We have a long way to go.

Sorry to ramble for so long on your thread X. I started out just wanting to say I agree with your post.

Cassander

[Xadrian]

Xadrian's Baclofen Experience

Cassander;1531817 wrote: Xadrian: We are exactly on the same page. In full agreement. Do you mind if I copy and paste your "recipe" above on my "Where are the doctors?" thread?

Please feel free to do so.

[bleep]

Xadrian's Baclofen Experience

I would agree 100% with you Cassander. A GP is in general the person's first line of defense, and this problem is so pervasive and widespread as to be included in what I would consider general knowledge for a GP. A treatment such as this, and indeed all the other various chemical solutions should be included in that general knowledge.

[Cassander]

Xadrian's Baclofen Experience

bleep;1531825 wrote: I would agree 100% with you Cassander. A GP is in general the person's first line of defense, and this problem is so pervasive and widespread as to be included in what I would consider general knowledge for a GP. A treatment such as this, and indeed all the other various chemical solutions should be included in that general knowledge.

Thank you bleep. Now let's convince the rest of the world between A and Z (America and Zim...)