Consolidated Don't Do This Thread

[Fred_The_Cat]

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And one more thing that bears repeating- DO NOT RUN OUT.

If you run out, not only are you subjecting yourself to a rollercoaster of some intense withdrawal effects, but you are also taking three steps backwards in your recovery.

I started seriously taking baclofen around Oct-Nov of last year. I hit my switch around December and thought it wouldn't be a big deal to stop taking it. BIG mistake. It was an intense feeling of terror that felt like antipsychotic withdrawal- think of your body being throttled really hard at full blast while a crapshoot is going on in the next room to decide when your soul is going to be ripped out. Don't let that happen.

Then there is the inevitable relapse that comes with cutting your dose too soon. You will very quickly find yourself drinking as much as you were before you started, and you will have to titrate up, hit your switch and titrate down to your maintenance dose AGAIN. You've just wasted a lot of time that could have been spent developing better living habits.

I'm not being facetious here, order a 6 month to a year supply of baclofen if you can afford it. It will take that long to see meaningful results.

[Fred_The_Cat]

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And, as simple as this sounds- find a staple beverage that is not alcoholic. For the past 4 years I probably had a blood hop content that closely mirrored that of Sierra Nevada. Part of the habit to get rid of was reaching for a beer every time I felt like drinking something. Discovering Chai Tea worked miracles. Not only do I have a go-to in the fridge but I have finally gotten my tastebuds back enough to enjoy it.

[spiritwolf333]

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Fred, I still don't have a read on you, but you make a hell of a lot of sense. So, I guess my read is really unimportant anyway. You are reasonable in your both your positive and negative thoughts. I especially like your emphasis on the fact that addiction is a highly complex disease -because it is and after the pill, comes reality.

[Xadrian]

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Fred_The_Cat;1532795 wrote: And one more thing that bears repeating- DO NOT RUN OUT.

If you run out, not only are you subjecting yourself to a rollercoaster of some intense withdrawal effects, but you are also taking three steps backwards in your recovery.

I started seriously taking baclofen around Oct-Nov of last year. I hit my switch around December and thought it wouldn't be a big deal to stop taking it. BIG mistake. It was an intense feeling of terror that felt like antipsychotic withdrawal- think of your body being throttled really hard at full blast while a crapshoot is going on in the next room to decide when your soul is going to be ripped out. Don't let that happen.

Then there is the inevitable relapse that comes with cutting your dose too soon. You will very quickly find yourself drinking as much as you were before you started, and you will have to titrate up, hit your switch and titrate down to your maintenance dose AGAIN. You've just wasted a lot of time that could have been spent developing better living habits.

I'm not being facetious here, order a 6 month to a year supply of baclofen if you can afford it. It will take that long to see meaningful results.

Same kind of experience for me, beit me more slowly tapering off and therefore not the terror you experienced.

Anyway, after a few months the beers began tasting too good again and, although I hoped going up to the maintenance dose was going to be sufficient, I had to go up all the way to the switch again.

My advice is the same as yours: Don't try to taper down to zero after you find your maintenance dose (and if you do, plan to do it over years, not months or even weeks and certainly not days or cold turkey).
Tapering down to zero will probably not work in the long run.

[RedThread12]

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Do not initiate a self-regulated baclofen protocol if you are diagnosed bi-polar. Observing over these years, if you do, your poles will likely intensify and move further away from each other - basically exacerbating the bi-polarism into infinity, and beyond.

And do not initiate a self-regulated baclofen protocol if you are not willing to take the time to read as much as you possibly can, here, in these very threads. Many of your questions will be answered, and you will reach the starting gate with some confidence that you have a clue regarding WTF you are about to do to save your life. Then, DO that. And do NOT hesitate to ask questions, or for help.

[zampa75]

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MaryGoRound;1530342 wrote: My advice is do not expect Bac to do everything for you. You must have a real understanding of what you are trying to accomplish. It is my experience that I will drink even if I don't "need" to drink.

From my recent experience on bac I can go to a high level and not have a single thought of drink but the rest of life is horrible (depression, disrupted sleep, etc). I can't live like that.

I am trying for a maintenance dose that I can live with.The SEs do diminish when I am on a steady dose.

Use Bac as a tool. It is a strong drug that effects people differently. Some people just cannot tolerate it. Please do not assume you are a failure if it doesn't work for you. There are other options.

What are the other options you think of? You mean Campral, Topamax, Naltrexone? I've been there, more than once for each, and they just did not work, or the side effects, in the case of Nal, made it impossible for me to keep taking it - not that it would have been a solution anyway. I think if people like me are willing to risk the SEs of Bac - and I do so hope I'll be lucky enough to go through a mild version of them, fingers crossed - it's because they have tried everything else, and they're quite desperate. I am, hands down. I do know that the magical pill won't solve everything alone: I will have to change my habits too. And please if one of the options you thought about is not up here in my list, please do tell. Thank you... I can't take my life as is anymore. I want a new one, like everyone here...

[Xadrian]

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I would bet my money on baclofen.
Especially if your drinking is anxiety related.

Just give it a try and see what it does for you.
You have a pretty good chance that it will work for you.

[zampa75]

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I do appreciate this thread guys, and I mean it. We should be well aware of what we are going into.

But allow me to make a point: let's stress on the fact that everyone is different. I have started Bac three days ago and I am holding onto its promise and the hope that goes with it like my life depends on it. Because IT DOES. So I read this thread and though it is GREAT AND VERY IMPORTANT to be aware of all this, I find it scares the hell out of me, and it challenges the little light of hope I am forcing myself to keep alive inside. Also, I say 'let's please remember that everyone is different' because I remember that, when I was really wanting to get started on Topa years ago, I read of horrible horrible side effects that kept people from functioning, and they made it sound like 99% of people would experience them, and I got so scared I just gave up on it, right away, without trying. Years later desperation made me try it out, instead, and I refused to listen to the fear of SEs - so much so that I almost forgot about them. Turned out that the only side effect I had was an hour or so of heavy sleepiness in the afternoon, and that was gone, totally, in two weeks. Even the diminished appetite - which, believe me, in my case was more than welcome, some sort of blessing since the damn alcohol has done me the great gift of 30 extra pounds - that side effect only lasted a few days, and it was not there at all the second time around.

So, by all means, do tell us what can go horribly wrong on Bac, and make it loud and clear that you should not stop cold turkey, but please do not say something like "you shouldn't drive on Bac" like it's the Bible and everyone is affected by it the same way. Facts? numbers? Most people experiencing it - or not?? When I read it I almost started crying: I have to commute for what I do, hours every day, and that is exactly the reason I had to stop Nal. It made me so horribly dizzy, almost hallucinating while driving that I almost crashed twice. So when I read that line here I felt like screaming/crying/cussing/banging my head on the wall. If that was the case there is no way I could keep taking it.

I hope what I wrote here made sense, and that it did not offend anybody. I do know you guys are just trying to help! But I am just having a real hard time allowing myself to hope, especially when it looks like I will have to go up in dosage on my own b/c my doc did not sound like he was on that page... I am just f***g scared this won't work either, and what would that scenario leave me with? There is only one answer to that. I cannot live like this anymore. I am exhausted of being myself. Exhausted.

Again, sorry for this long venting. I do hope I did not offend anybody. And trust me, I do understand what you are doing here. I just hope everybody IS different...Like with Topamax.

[zampa75]

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Xadrian, please know that I saw your reply AFTER I posted this long rambling of mine. Thanks! I so appreciate your positive attitude! Thanks!

[Colin]

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zampa75;1536836 wrote: I am just f***g scared this won't work either, and what would that scenario leave me with?

Just do it. It's worked for a lot of people, may be you too. Stop whining.

[dundrinkn]

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Z,
While there is no "magic" pill -- no wait, there is a magic "pill". For me baclofen has accomplished what nothing else could. Campral, Topamax, valium, and a ton of other stuff -- drugs, AA, meditation, therapy, diet, supplements, etc. Just hang on. Take the pills and put one foot in front of the other.

If you do get SEs, just hang tight at your dosage until they ease. They will ease. People have problems when they ramp up too fast, or go really high. Once you feel the "ahh" -- there will be a day when you feel the relief from the intense craving and anxiety -- try to put together a few alcohol free days. The more you put together, the easier it is to do it again. I went up to 160, I think, but really only needed to go to 100. I kept going up waiting for the Bac to stop me from drinking. I finally did that. It was just a matter of working with my mind. Putting it off. And putting some days of not drinking together.

I still drink on occasion, but I find that if I can not drink, everything feels better. My body, my mind. I had depression going down to a controlling dose. But I stopped going down, and have been at 80 for a few weeks now, and the depression lifted.

I still have some nervy leg pain. Others have gotten off bac because of it. The pain isn't constant, and is tolerable. I have yet to experience a side effect that was anywhere nearly as debilitating as drinking a ton of booze every freakin' day. Just go slow and keep breathing.

[Colin]

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dundrinkn;1536928 wrote:
I still have some nervy leg pain.

Try your doctor with amitryptiline and/or gabapentin. Alcoholic polyneuropathy might be the cause.

I'm working on gabapentin. It certainly helps but there is a lot of room for improvement.

[zampa75]

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Colin;1536925 wrote: Just do it. It's worked for a lot of people, may be you too. Stop whining.

I was not whining. I was venting, to my fellow alcoholic friends. And sharing my experience and my fears. I thought this was the place to do that, besides one to look for a way out.There is a big difference. If I whined, you'd notice, trust me.

Dun, thank you. You did understand the point of view I was writing from. I wasn't saying 'poor me poor me.' I was saying I need to believe it works b/c I am damn tired of being the mess that I am. I need to believe. Period. I do appreciate your detailed feedback! That's exactly what I need the most right now. :thanks:

[Colin]

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zampa75;1536941 wrote: I was not whining. I was venting,

Sorry, I missed the fine distinction.

[zampa75]

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I like the irony.
(Not really)

There is a big difference. If you don't see it, it does not mean there isn't. Or that I did not mean there to be. 'Cos I did.