new here

[skullbabyland]

new here

Thanks for the great post, Kronk. That staff infection sounds like a bitch! Sorry to hear you went through that but your life sounds pretty great otherwise- I really relate to what you wrote about talking a big game, running our mouth about this plan and that plan, only to back out. I do that CONSTANTLY. I definitely did it when drinking, and I still do it when sober, but I think I am getting better. I'm still on track with many of my goals, so there's that.

It's a really nice part of quitting alcoholic drinking- getting our financial lives in order. I'm really close to being debt free, next month I'll officially be out of debt and on the plus side, with plenty of work to pick and choose jobs.

I'm so happy for you Kronk, thanks for posting

[kronkcarr]

It's been a long time since I've posted on my thread. So here's an update just a little over 2 months shy of 3 years on bac.

My experience now is that I logically make a choice where alcohol is concerned. I went through a phase about a month ago where I felt burnt out. Work's very busy, I was up extra early getting my son to cross country practice or meets 6 days a week and I was just off and anxious. I don't post much about it, but I was a smoker. When I hired a trainer in May I quit smoking because I couldn't see the sense in working so hard to train for a race and continue smoking.

I chew Nicorette gum. I started back smoking in July or August when I was rehabbing my leg injury. It was so easy to go buy a pack. I hate the smell of cigarettes and how I smell when I smoke. I started getting anxious around this time--maybe due to hiding smoking from my son and the people I work with or maybe from the nicotine. Bac didn't affect my anxiety a bit.

A few weeks ago I decided to stop smoking. There are days when smoking seems like a good idea but I want to be healthy and it's not hard to not buy a pack. This is how it is for me with alcohol. I saw 10 people at work one day this week. That's 10 hours of me listening to people and their issues. When I left work I thought of buying a bottle of vodka to make the day go away. It was a quick passing thought, a habit that raised its head. I knew that it wouldn't erase the day and that I'd feel horrible the next day. No craving involved--just the habit of wanting to escape the world. I went home and had dinner and went to bed early.

LIS, thanks for asking about my running. I think I'm about at the end of rehabbing on the elliptical, "running" in the Gulf with a flotation belt and walking. Rehab was difficult in that I had to slow down, drop back intensity and be patient. I feel different in a good way--more steady, softer, healthier. Today I was 75 minutes in the water. For me it's a lot of time to think of a lot. I started thinking of all the time I wasted drinking. It's really unbelievable the number of hours I spent drinking alone. I feel so good and I don't want to waste time like that anymore.

I got a doctor this week because I need a doctor to ok me for the race within 30 days of the race. He used to be my doctor but I was a new patient because I hadn't been to him in over 7 years. We talked about my bac use and how I'd had anxiety a month or so ago. He asked if I'd like to titrate down and off of bac. He knew of bac for alcoholism and was open to whatever I wanted to do. He wrote a script for .5 mg of Xanax/day. I am coming off bac and I'll see if I need the Xanax. I prefer to take nothing.

I'll post how it goes. I'm not on here much and that works well for me too. I hope you're all well.

[Spiritfree]

Hey,
I happened upon you all when I was googling baclofen. Thanks for being here. I'm in my 6th week of baclofen for over drinking. My dr has stopped me at 60 mg/day. I have sent an email to him asking if he'll allow me to increase to follow Dr A's protocol.
I have had a drink here and not so much there and I can truly say I have no craving or desire to drink. Yay! My first month on baclofen was so lovely. I sat in the sun and watched hawks and was enthralled with the world. Insights just flowed into my mind. Have others had this experience?
In month 2 this all went away and my compulsive thoughts have returned. Could this be because I have quit increasing my dose?
I'm happy to be here and appreciate any insight.
kronkcarr

Hi Kronk -I am so glad that you bumped your own thread.
That over drinking can become problematic overtime; in fact in can actually turn into alcoholism (AUD).

--sf--

[Otter]

SF, why don't you just go away, once and for all. No one wants your input. You have nothing to offer. GO AWAY.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

...I had to slow down, drop back intensity and be patient. I feel different in a good way--more steady, softer, healthier.

So true about so many things, isn't it?



Congratulations on the accomplishments and even the continued success with your work life. That's not something to take for granted...



Why the decision to go off bac completely?



My pdoc prefers valium to xanax for several reasons for the purposes of decreasing or abstaining. Just a thought, if it comes to that...I'm not sure how I feel about either, though I have utilized both. And find them each very useful on occasion. I'm wary but no longer...scared. They're tools like any other. She also suggested not using xanax more than every three days, for no more than a couple of days in a row. I think I've mentioned that I've never abused, or even really used, drugs (or medication) other than baclofen (until depression this year). So I'm less worried for myself than others might be if they have a history of that kind of abuse. Still, I really appreciated her input as to how to avoid becoming dependent on yet another thing, especially one that might need escalation in order to continue to be effective. Not to mention the threat of addiction!



Sorry that was longer and more advice than I intended. Glad to hear you're doing so well. It's inspiring. And holy wow! 75 minutes in the water doing anything sounds incredibly zen. I'm envious of the experience and your commitment.

[dundrinkn]

Hi Kronk. So glad to read your update. You sound fabulous. Happy running! I am going to be taking that back up again soon. I am doing the MAT therapy and hoping to get all the muscles firing again so I can get back to it. I love running.

I used to be a smoker as well. Funny, I was thinking of taking up nicotine gum just for added concentration. Kinda dumb. Won't do it. But the thought just crossed my mind this past week.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Kronk, I would like to know how you do that walking in water thing. I mean literally. Like a link to the belt and is there a technique? We have a lot of water around here, and while I don't swim where I can't see, I could walk...It sounds like a really good way to get exercise and zen.

[Lostinspace]

kronk - I’m so glad that your rehab went well and that you’re about to get back in the race - literally! And thank you for mentioning that you’ve been a smoker off and on recently. I’m trying to push myself to go back to the gym now that it’s a little too uncomfortably cold to go for walks in the evening, but my number one excuse is that I won’t be able to run on the treadmill (or do any other “hardcore” cardio) because I’ve gone back to smoking in the evenings. I have a very closely impending quit date, so it’s good to know that you can just quit, then take on a challenging training program like you did.

I’m looking forward to hearing your updates on coming off of bac. You’ve done a lot of really good introspection and reflection on your drinking since starting on bac. That should go a long way in keeping you in a good place as far as those moments of habit are concerned, like that brief flicker of a thought to go buy vodka after a stressful day. I am curious to know, though, if any cravings resurface, or if you’ve been on bac long enough to fix the underlying neurochemical problem. I hope you’ll update us on the race, too, because it sounds really exciting!

[Spiritfree]

Kronk -you add very positive and insightful news for others to read and gain inspiration from.

I wish you well in your running, not taking medications, and your bright hope for your future.

I must say this for all the other addicts out there that do have real difficulties abstaining from nicotine and alcohol; These addictions (nicotine and alcoholism addictions) are symptom driven vs lack of willpower. You were never on a high dose of baclofen, nor were you ever on a high dose of alcohol. It would/could truly help others to know the facts relative to your situation when you post these types of posts.

Respectfully,
--sf--

[Ne/Neva Eva]

What a jackass.

Please, oh please, please! Have him on ignore and don't read it. It's a waste of moments of our lives we will never get back.

:hug:

Back to my question: What kind of belt-thingy did you use to walk with? In water how deep? Shark deep? That would be a problem. But shallower than about 4 feet would be okay, especially since I'd be walking in the Chesapeake bay, and not the ocean. There aren't many sharks there. Not that my reptilian brain understands that fact. It is absolutely CONVINCED that THERE ARE SHARKS in EVERY body of water. Very annoying that reptile.

[Mentium]

(Edit: I'm still new to the forum and navigating the posts. This is a response to the first post in this thread - over two years old - apologies! I'll leave it though as the sentiments still apply. Will now go read the whole thread!)

Hi and welcome Kronkcarr. I'm new here too and new to baclofen as well. Today is day 19 and I'm on 70 mg. The guy who prescribes for me may have a limit of 100 (this is being checked by someone else here who is seeing him later this week) - and will take steps if needs be to be able to increase the dose if I have to. Let's hope not. I think I would be willing to go to the low 200s if I have to, though I can't think why I would arbitrarily choose that. We'll see - and hopefully things will happen sooner.

I haven't personally had the sorts of experiences you describe so far. I have had some odd mental states - pretty subtle and not alarming and a few tingles in my hands. I have had a few days with a reduced desire to drink and this resulted in a lower consumption than 'normal', but so far I have not experienced 'indifference'. I have not felt as 'high' when drinking either and I feel that my habit is in the process of being disrupted somehow - hard to put one's finger on it.

Anyway I'm new here and new at this. Tried all sorts of other methods in the past including AA. None worked for the long term and personally I now have strong feelings about AA and its approach.

But enough of that. Welcome from a fellow newbie!

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Such a nice welcome, Mentium! Of course, as you've figured out, kronk has been around for awhile. And lovely for her, and for the rest of us, is doing really well. She definitely inspires me!

[Otter]

bump

[kronkcarr]

Kronk, I would like to know how you do that walking in water thing. I mean literally. Like a link to the belt and is there a technique? We have a lot of water around here, and while I don't swim where I can't see, I could walk...It sounds like a really good way to get exercise and zen.

Ne, It's a floatation belt that you can get at Sports Authority or Dick's. It keeps you buoyant. You go out until you can't touch bottom and then I start jogging. There's no foot strike so there's no pounding. I haven't seen any sharks but I have seen a dolphin and a manatee within 6-8' and that was cool. You can do it in pools too. Google it and you can read about workouts etc.

Thanks for your info about valium vs xanax. I took half of a xanax and didn't like it at all. So I'm drug free for a couple days now and feel fine and don't desire liquor.

[Lostinspace]

kronk - I’m so glad to hear it’s going well so far. I hope it continues to go well for you as you stay drug-free. Check in with us every once in a while, even if just because we like seeing you