Who was/is using baclofen plus gabapentin?

[Greg]

Sorry for asking a question that everyone here should really know, but I have been on the forum so infrequently lately that I can't remember who mentioned using a combination of baclofen and gabapentin.

If the person doing that is reading this, would you mind telling me the dosages of both medications, how long you have been taking them, and whether they are still working as well as they did when you started? I would be interested in any anxiolytic and antidepressant effects you may have experienced, in addition to anti-craving effects of course.

I ask because I have not been doing as well on Antabuse since I stopped using marijuana as an alcohol substitute. I have still had AF periods lasting 2-3 months, but then along come the excuses to "forget" to take the Antabuse because I gradually can't stand the increasing cravings to drink and my anxiety and depression without using cannabis. Sooner or later, all I want to do is drink heavily all over again. I should have posted more often I guess, and asked this question before I drank again, but I feel really embarrassed about having repeated relapses after having gone 19 months without alcohol a couple of years ago.

By the way I have attempted high-dose baclofen but have found it very difficult to handle, so I am hoping a lower dose of baclofen with something else (e.g. gabapentin) may be a more realistic answer. I also can't return to cannabis as an emergency measure because it is almost impossible to obtain in my area due to recent police operations against sellers.

[StuckinLA]

Who was/is using baclofen plus gabapentin?

I've tried gabapentin but feel absolutely nothing from it. 600 mg in the morning and usually 600 mg in the evening unless I forget. But like I said, I personally feel zip, zero, nothing either when taking it or missing a dose, and now am basically taking it simply because I bought it so it's there. There was a pdoc who wanted to prescribe me something ridiculous like 2400 mg/day, but I think 1200 mg/day is more the standard.

I believe the people you're thinking of are Redhead77 and Windycitylady. They're not on here too often, but probably would respond to PMs. Red I think takes gabapentin PRN for anxiety, and somewhere around 120-160 mg/day of bac. Windy takes a much lower bac dose, around 40-60 mg/day, and she takes bac and gabapentin every 4 hours like clockwork. Elsewhere she's credited her year+ of AF to the combination of bac, gabapentin, willpower, and marijuana. And I don't think I'm spilling anyone's private business here, as they've both written this stuff the threads. I just happen to creepily remember it...

As for me, just FYI, I am not AF (far from it), and taking a very low bac dose but thinking about titrating up again, given the cycle of drinking in the evenings and benzos during the day that I'm in. Not sure what I really want to do with the gabapentin considering it's pretty expensive without a prescription, and I haven't felt any effects with it--though we'll see how it goes.

[Colin]

Who was/is using baclofen plus gabapentin?

I'm on citalopram 40 mg, gabapentin 1.2 grams, mirtazapine 7.5 mg and baclofen 150 mg. I'll be posting later in my own thread with details of my last week's experience.

All the drugs seem to be doing what they are supposed to do.

[spacebebe01]

Who was/is using baclofen plus gabapentin?

Hi Greg, its a while since I have talked to you on here, sorry to hear your still struggling. I have taken gabapentin for quite a long while now as I get it prescribed for fibromyalgia. I am on 600mg x 3 per day. If I need to take more I can do but very rarely do. While Im taking it I dont really notice it but if I miss a dose I really feel it, I start getting aggitated and just not quite right, so I would say that a continued medium sized dose has made a difference to me. Or maybe thats because Im starting to withdraw from it, I havent checked but I think that because I take it three times a day it must have a pretty short half life.

I was never successful with Bac but did take gabapentin at the same time, ok on low doses of bac but I could never manage to get to a high dose.

I do have to add that this combination did reduce my drinking for a while but in the long run I still ended up on a vodka bender so for me it didnt work.

Do you see a doc Greg? I am only asking because since I got a proper assessment and diagnosis from a pdoc and have recieved treatment for it I have been able to not drink. Which actually goes along with what I already knew about myself that there was an unerlying cause for my addiction to alcohol, I am not saying this is the case with you at all please dont take offence.

Is the cannabis causing you problems, because you say you feel bad without it, what is the reason for stopping it or would you feel ok about carrying on with it for a while if it stops you craving a drink. I dont really know about cannabis as I havent had any for years and even then it wasnt a regular thing with me although in the past I have considered trying it as an alcohol substitute.

Good luck

[windycitylady]

Who was/is using baclofen plus gabapentin?

Ha!
I haven't been here in forever, decide to pop in....
Yeah, Stuck pretty much nailed my daily routine and the things to which I credit my AF time. "Bac, gabapentin, willpower, and marijuana." That's hilarious and true.
I have been taking a little more bac lately, closer to 80 or 90 mg/day. That wasn't really a conscious decision on my part. I switched to the liquid and just found myself adding a little more each day.

Greg, I think the gabapentin is worth a shot. I don't take it for cravings, although I know many people claim it helps in that respect, and I've seen some studies saying as much. Personally, I take it for my depression and anxiety. I take 400 mg every four hours like Stuck said (I adore you, Stuck), for a total of 1200 - 1600mg/day. That's the downside to gabapentin. It does have a short half life.

I know we've been over this in the past, but you definitely don't want to use marijuana? I mean, if it works
for you...

And no reason to feel embarrassed. Ever.

Hi Space! Love you and miss you! Would like to get more caught up soon! But right now I'm hanging out with my new man (you heard that right!) and should get going. But I'll be back soon.

Love and hugs to all!!

[windycitylady]

Who was/is using baclofen plus gabapentin?

Ah, sorry, Greg. Just reread the last part of your post about not being able to get marijuana. Didn't catch that the first time.

[Greg]

Who was/is using baclofen plus gabapentin?

Thanks everyone for the replies. My current pattern is evening drinking, up to 20 standard drinks, and 1 mg of Xanax during the afternoon to ward off withdrawal symptoms. Far from ideal, obviously.

I have indeed seen doctors about my issues, but there has never been one standard diagnosis. Originally I was told I had depression and anxiety, which caused my alcoholism, but later on a psychiatrist told me she thought I have either Asperger's Syndrome or Avoidant Personality Disorder, due to my lifelong shyness and relationship difficulties. She wasn't sure which problem I do have though, and wanted to refer me to another specialist for a $280 appointment. Considering that neither disorder is treatable anyway I decided not to spend nearly $300 to get the second opinion.

Marijuana is probably my best hope, as it did allow me to remain AF for 19+ months when nothing else worked. I will be looking at getting more when possible. Just let me give a warning for others considering this route...DON'T USE SYNTHETIC CANNABIS!!! It may seem great initially, but it is very short-acting and encourages you to redose numerous times. The amount used can increase rapidly, and then intense withdrawal symptoms can occur the following day. In my case this was mainly intense anxiety, far worse than I have ever experienced with alcohol withdrawal. A very strong compulsion to use this drug can also occur, despite the negative side of it...much like alcohol!

[StuckinLA]

Who was/is using baclofen plus gabapentin?

I didn't know there even was synthetic cannabis. So just FYI or maybe to say I identify and empathize, I'm also currently in the "drinking at night/benzo during day for withdrawal anxiety" pattern. Which is really going to suck nuts when I run out of the benzo in about let's see, 15 days or so.

HDB didn't work for you, and you're thinking about LDB, which is cool. Someone around here, who started a thread asking about liquid bac, is on about 20mg/day and says that takes the edge off the withdrawal enough that he can moderate. Any thoughts about LDB? Or did I just already forget that you already talked about that?

The other thing I'll say, and will probably put on my own thread in a minute, is that I was a real mess the first night in Vegas this past weekend. Like extreme anxiety. And I can't say for sure what it was, since I've got so much chemically dancing around in my head these days, but it could, possibly, be that I didn't bother bringing any gabapentin with me. That's probably not it, but just thought I'd throw it out there.

[bleep]

Who was/is using baclofen plus gabapentin?

This seems to be popping up a lot all of a sudden. In a study, baclofen was found to be almost as effective as diazepam in reducing the symptoms of AWS. The 'almost' was because diazepam reduced anxiety a little quicker, otherwise they were the same. And that was at 30 mg's for 10 days, so definitely in LDB territory.

Here is the study: Baclofen in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syn... [Am J Med. 2006] - PubMed - NCBI

Stuck, something to consider for when you run out...

[COSGringo]

Who was/is using baclofen plus gabapentin?

Greg, some do have luck with MJ or MMJ (med). I have to say combining the 2 is a mess. You end up feeling really bad.

I thought it would help me but it did not but I can see how it really could. I am by no means trying to dissuade you.

Synthetic? Oh lord no. Don't dare touch that mess. K2, spice. Ugh. Hopefully you can get the medical type where you are at. Best to go to a pro.

You probably want Sativa strains if you can do that. Indica is more for a body/pain issue.

I live in a place where I had a card and now it's legal. Booze was still always my favorite drug. It made me more sociable and such. A good fit for me but bad obviously in the long run.

Just make sure you smoke it before you touch a drop. That's my minor advice.

Gaba just made me too spacey. I hear it can definitely help though.

Guess I 'd rather try the MJ route if you can get it medically.

[Greg]

Who was/is using baclofen plus gabapentin?

Hey Stuck, I was actually advised to ditch my daytime benzos by an alcohol counsellor some years ago, and ended up with "the electric fleas" and ultra-nausea each day. I think the counsellor was trying to shock me into giving up the booze, reasoning that the benzos were allowing me to get away with drinking huge amounts every night without too many consequences the next day. Maybe baclofen could help with this, as bleep mentioned.

Thanks Cos for the advice. Unfortunately medical MJ does not yet exist here in Australia, although it has been decriminalised in some states (not mine though). Our police make a big show of ripping plants out and arresting suppliers, as if this is somehow "saving society" while alcohol and tobacco remain legal and kill more people than all illegal drugs combined. The naivety of this annoys me every time I see it. Hopefully things will change, but for now I will still have to get MJ illegally.

[COSGringo]

Who was/is using baclofen plus gabapentin?

Ah, yes I forgot you're down under.

Well I am betting on the street they would still know the difference. I am in CO, US and it's getting interesting. I suspect federally MJ will be lowered on our "schedule" of meds very very soon. It's the only way they can deal with it since so many states have made it medically available and couple states completely available.

Good luck Greg. It's tough out there.