just started with baclofen, a bit desperate

[Xadrian]

just started with baclofen, a bit desperate

Hi Reggie, Except for I don't agree with the weight/dose being rubbish, for the rest you are sooooo right.
Everybodies response to Baclofen is different and the effective doses largely vary.

One shouldn't rush the titration upwards and give the body and mind the chance to adapt to the increased level of Baclofen. You didn't become an alcoholic overnight, so don't expect to be cured overnight also.

But for the third time: BE FREAKING CAREFUL WITH HIGH DOSES!! It's no candy.

[joanna_d]

just started with baclofen, a bit desperate

thanks for your answer Eva. i guess it's just different for everyone, and i'll just continue at my own pase and see how tings go.
i've straightened up my baclofen use, and keep watch of the time or set an alarm. no more messiness, this is to important!

i took the beer that was left in the fridge at 3.30 pm (just now).
i felt really great by the small success last night, just being able to decide i didn't need that last one. it snapped me out of the depressed and fatalist mood of this weekend.
i'm now thinking of going to my studio for the rest of the afternoon, but am a little frightened. i'm intending to just stay aware of what's happening in my feelings, and not rushing to the liquor store to get more beer (and more, and more), but just leave when i feel that urge. but i know me...

other good news: i spoke to my gp today, and told her about all the info i found on baclofen.
i'm still so happy she brought up the baclofen-option (although she said she'd never preciribed it in higher doses that 5mg a day) 'cause i myself had lost faith in all medicine treatments.
i've discussed the option of trying baclofen once before, in the addiction clinic i visited at that time, but the doctor there told me i should first stop drinking completey, to start taking it. they were reluctant to describe it anyway (????!!!!) and certainly not in higher doses. so i concluded this, again was no option right now. after quitting drinking completely for trying campral, naltrexon and antabus over the last year, i just couldn't get myself to it anymore.

my gp was very interested (also, there's an article right now in a dutch magazine about psychology, and a study started at amsterdam univerity with high doses of baclofen) and said she was willing to let me try this, the way i want (so: higher doses than 50mg). i told i'd give her some articles to read about the way to use baclofen and keep her updated on my process.

amazing to me that my gp is so willing to support me with this and go out of the box, and that the default addiction clinic here (that i visited for two years) is so reluctant and backward with their treatments.

meanwhile, i'm cheerful again today, and feeling positive and hopeful.

[joanna_d]

just started with baclofen, a bit desperate

thanks for all your answers.
i guess it's just different for everyone, and i'll just continue at my own pase and see how tings go.
i've straightened up my baclofen use, and keep watch of the time or set an alarm. no more messiness, this is to important! and i'll be carefull.

thanks for the info about what to do when i ('m about to) reach the switch Xadrian. i had no clue on how to handle that.

i took the beer that was left in the fridge at 3.30 pm (just now).

i felt really great by the small success last night, just being able to decide i didn't need that last one. it snapped me out of the depressed and fatalist mood of this weekend.
i'm now thinking of going to my studio for the rest of the afternoon, but am a little frightened. i'm intending to just stay aware of what's happening in my feelings, and not rushing to the liquor store to get more beer (and more, and more), but just leave when i feel that urge. but i know me...

other good news: i spoke to my gp today, and told her about all the info i found on baclofen.
i'm still so happy she brought up the baclofen-option (although she said she'd never preciribed it in higher doses that 50mg a day) 'cause i myself had lost faith in all medicine treatments.
i've discussed the option of trying baclofen once before, in the addiction clinic i visited at that time, but the doctor there told me i should first stop drinking completey, to start taking it. they were reluctant to describe it anyway (????!!!!) and certainly not in higher doses. so i concluded this, again was no option right now. after quitting drinking completely for trying campral, naltrexon and antabus over the last year, i just couldn't get myself to it anymore.

my gp was very interested (also, there's an article right now in a dutch magazine about psychology, and a study started at amsterdam univerity with high doses of baclofen) and said she was willing to let me try this, the way i want (so: higher doses than 50mg). i told i'd give her some articles to read about the way to use baclofen and keep her updated on my process.

amazing to me that my gp is so willing to support me with this and go out of the box, and that the default addiction clinic here (that i visited for two years) is so reluctant and backward with their treatments.

meanwhile, i'm cheerful again today, and feeling positive and hopeful.

[redhead77]

just started with baclofen, a bit desperate

Xadrian;1393468 wrote:

Same question to you: Discounted by whom?

Wasn't it discounted by Ameisen, himself? Later, after he wrote the book?

[joanna_d]

just started with baclofen, a bit desperate

(decided to stay at home and try and work some here. no need to push myself into danger zones right now)
(this doesn't feel like indifference to me though. "the switch" almost feels like some magical event to me. i hope i'll notice it when it happens...)

[joanna_d]

just started with baclofen, a bit desperate

drinking again, but feel (after having had enough booze, but not enough to get me in black out) that i'm done almost for the rest of the evening.
the thought of further drinking sickens me, to be honest.

[joanna_d]

just started with baclofen, a bit desperate

(sorry for posting my probably boring to you things. it may be kind of helpful to me0
(man do i feel sick from the booze right now...)

[joanna_d]

just started with baclofen, a bit desperate

someone on this forum said this really well: it also feels like saying goodbeye to a good friend

[redhead77]

just started with baclofen, a bit desperate

Ah, yes it does, doesn't it? Hang in there Joanna. Tomorrow is a new day and if you don't succeed tomorrow then one of the days after that. Don't lose hope, girl. Btw, you are not boring. We've all been there...here, where you are. :l

[joanna_d]

just started with baclofen, a bit desperate

thanks Red.
i'm quite disgusted right now, bur finishing this lat beer.

[Xadrian]

just started with baclofen, a bit desperate

Good friend

Don't forget that what appears to be a good friend in reality is your worst enemy.
It's like a wolf in sheep clothes, a kind of Judas. A thief of your life, your time and your dignity.
It's time to say farewell to that "good friend".

[joanna_d]

just started with baclofen, a bit desperate

you are so right Xadrian. thanks for dragging me out of the mud of shame & self pity.

[joanna_d]

just started with baclofen, a bit desperate

i just thought of this: maybe i'm feeling the aclohol losing it's grip on me, and am frightened by that and try and cling on. maybe that's why i tend to drink more now.
good one to take with me today, to investigate my thoughts.

and as Redhead said:today's a new day

[joanna_d]

just started with baclofen, a bit desperate

i'm thinking of increasing my 2 night doses by 5 mg. so that'll be 85mg daily now (after a few days of 75mg).
my doubt is: if i am clinging on to alcohol because i'm afraid, maybe it's better to take it slowly and investigate my fear first.
on the other hand, i just can't wait...

[Ne/Neva Eva]

just started with baclofen, a bit desperate

Hi Joanna!
I found it almost impossible to take my time, increase in regular amounts, on a schedule, and with my eyes on the goal! Still, I wish I had. It might not have taken me so long to get to indifference, and it might have been a lot easier. Sometimes when I went up, the SEs would be too much and I'd have to go back down again. (Or up! Sometimes the SEs were better when I went up. It doesn't seem like it makes sense, but that's the way it works.)

It will happen. But there are two factors. It's not just the amount of baclofen, it's the amount of baclofen and the amount of time.

The other thing about rushing is that you may get to the point where you decide to give up. It happens to the vast majority of people, so please don't imagine that it's unlikely. Everything can be going along just fine and then WHAM! Something unexpected happens and suddenly it's very difficult to jkttdp. This is a marathon, not a race. (And I totally get wanting it to be a race. Everyday felt a little bit more burdensome when I was still drinking against my will and suffering the SEs. But it's been more than a year and a half, and I'm very, very grateful I pushed through.)

Edostan, a guy who found indifference even while fleeing the (literal) fallout from the nuclear reactor meltdown in Japan last year, called his increased drinking the "last dying breath of the beast." (Or something like that! You can search his name and find it, if you want to. It's a really good post!)

Hang in there, Jo! The beast is on the way out.
:l