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    #106
    Where are the doctors?

    So glad you're getting some response, Red!

    This thread still makes me very uncomfortable. I believe it foments fear and distrust of the medical community and that it's mostly inaccurate.

    *A general doctor who doesn't have any background, training or experience in addiction is not likely to treat a patient with the disease. It is a very complicated illness. A doctor without knowledge or experience with baclofen is unlikely to prescribe it, for the safety of the patient and the safety of the doctor.

    *A general doctor who does not know anything about baclofen is unlikely to treat a patient with baclofen. It has nothing to do with whether or not the drug is generic. (The vast majority of prescriptions our doctors prescribe are generic.)

    *A psychiatrist or specialist in the field of addiction has every right to prescribe (or not) a particular medication. Prescribing off-label and at doses that aren't proven to be safe can be dangerous for the patient and the doctor.

    Imagine walking into a lawyer's office and asking him to represent you in court. For a real estate matter. But he only deals with traffic violations. He's going to suggest you go to see someone who has knowledge and background in real estate, right?

    But you don't want to see that expensive specialist. You want to see the inexpensive traffic-court-lawyer. And you insist that it is his responsibility to educate himself on real estate law so that he can represent you.

    And what if he agrees? I wonder how good your legal representation is going to be? And I wonder if he might run the risk of being disbarred (or whatever) for doing something he has no knowledge or expertise in? Especially if everything goes really, really wrong. What if, in dealing with the real estate matter, someone dies?!? Or loses their mind? It's happened.

    just sayin'

    Educate yourself and then (if you need to) educate your doctor. A lot of them aren't going to be willing. But some will and are. All over the country, from Florida to Washington, there are doctors prescribing baclofen.

    Good luck.

    Edit: This is not meant to imply that it's not hard as hell, and expensive and miserable to do. It just sucks. I know that.

    Comment

      #107
      Where are the doctors?

      Crazy story here. I moved down to SC a little over a year ago, but hadn't gotten in touch with a primary care doctor until today. I had been using Dr. L for baclofen and didn't have other health concerns.

      So after Dr. L stopped prescribing I decided to see if I could convince a local doc to prescribe for me. I made an appointment with someone a co-workers recommended (he didn't know I was taking baclofen), and I went to the appointment today ready to make my case. I was armed with Dr. A's book and several relevant articles (especially the 2012 100-person study). I kept running through the conversation in my head over and over again to prepare.

      When I show up at the appointment today, I tell the intake nurse I take baclofen and I give her my dose (160mg). She doesn't say anything, just writes it down. When the doc finally walks into the exam room we have a pleasant conversation for a bit before he asks the big question:

      "So I see here you're taking baclofen in a pretty large dose. What condition is it for?"

      I was really nervous, but I just answered straight up: "Alcoholism. I've been taking it for 4 1/2 years now."

      His response completely floored me:

      "Oh yes. That's become a fairly common off-label use recently, one with a good amount of success. So how has it worked out for you? I assume that since you've been taking it so long, things are going pretty well?"

      Safe to say I had no problem getting a prescription.

      I should emphasize that this is a small town in a fairly rural area of the deep South. The doctor was just a regular internist, no expert in addiction, and I picked him simply based on a referral from a co-worker who said he was a good listener and seemed pretty knowledgeable.

      I consider myself pretty damn lucky, but I also take it as a sign that the word's starting to spread...

      Comment

        #108
        Where are the doctors?

        Nice story billyb and very encouraging. Do you mind if I add you to the list of members who might be helpful to newbies looking for a doc? Happy to take the docs name and location, too, but its not necessary if you don't mind serving as an intermediary...
        With profound appreciation to Dr Olivier Ameisen for his brilliant insight and courageous determination

        Comment

          #109
          Where are the doctors?

          I'd rather not post his name publicly. Anyone can PM me if they'd like to discuss the situation, though...

          Comment

            #110
            Where are the doctors?

            Do you mind naming the name of the town or part of South Carolina or where its near...
            With profound appreciation to Dr Olivier Ameisen for his brilliant insight and courageous determination

            Comment

              #111
              Where are the doctors?

              Sure - it's in Darlington county, part of the Pee Dee region of SC.

              Comment

                #112
                Where are the doctors?

                Hello All,

                My first post here, though I've been lurking for some time and have had a lot of solid guidance from this board. the quick version of my post is that I am looking for an online Pharmarcy that will ship via courier into Europe. My baclofen orders are now getting stopped by customs as I do not have a prescription. If you wish there are more details below.

                I stated using Baclofen in May this year as I am an alcoholic. I saw a doctor locally (I live in Malta in the EU) and he prescribed low doses of baclofen (30 mg a day). It helped a little with my cravings but I kept drinking. I asked him to to increase the dosage and he refused as he had no experience with higher doses.

                So I purchased online (River Pharmacy) - titerated upwards to 120mg a day, hit the switch and ended up on a maintenance dose of 70 mg a day.

                I had four AF months behind me, lost a load of weight, my thought processes about alcohol began to change and things were good. However now my packages from river pharmacy are getting stopped at customs and I am out of baclofen. The cravings returned (after a period of deep depression which may not may not be linked to sudden stoppage of baclofen use) but I am managing to keep a lid on it so far...however yesterday I had a period of drinking which I hid from my wife (I used to drink secretly around the house) so that is not a very good sign at all.

                I am going to try other local doctors to see if they will prescribe baclofen at the rates I was using to stay AF but i don't anticipate much success (Ive tried a couple already...no deal).

                So if anyone knows an online pharmacy where I can use courier service I would be very grateful.

                Regards

                Adam

                Comment

                  #113
                  Where are the doctors?

                  Adam,

                  Maybe you could return to your "old" doctor and tell him the results of your baclofen experience.
                  Maybe now he's convinced and prescribe you the 70 mg.
                  Today is the first day of the rest of my life.

                  Comment

                    #114
                    Where are the doctors?

                    Adam--

                    FWIW, there are plenty of bona fide studies that show that baclofen is safe at 70mg (and higher) per day. They were done in connection with the "legitimate" use of baclofen for muscle spasm. They have been referred to in this forum...I think terryk may have referenced them at one point although I may be mistaken.

                    You might bring the French prescribing guide to your current physician, perhaps also the recent decision of the French government health authority authorizing off-label prescription of baclofen for alcoholism. Both are referenced somewhere here on this forum.

                    You also might want to consider liquid baclofen (available here in the US) although I don't know what's involved in overseas shipment.

                    Lastly, isn't baclofen available OTC in Spain? That's right next door to Malta, right?

                    Good luck,

                    Cassander
                    With profound appreciation to Dr Olivier Ameisen for his brilliant insight and courageous determination

                    Comment

                      #115
                      Where are the doctors?

                      Adam

                      I'm UK and use Inhouse pharmacy, I find they are very good. No problems with delivery as yet.

                      InhousePharmacy-europe.com
                      Honour Thyself

                      Comment

                        #116
                        Where are the doctors?

                        Cassander;1573888 wrote: Adam--

                        FWIW, there are plenty of bona fide studies that show that baclofen is safe at 70mg (and higher) per day. They were done in connection with the "legitimate" use of baclofen for muscle spasm. They have been referred to in this forum...I think terryk may have referenced them at one point although I may be mistaken.
                        The safety of high dose baclofen

                        Two journal articles where safety of hdb is confirmed to 240mg/day, and 270mg/day.

                        The link is always in my signature (as well as a link that describes how to calculate how much baclofen to ALWAYS have immediately at hand to enable you to titrate down comfortably in the event of an emergency or supply shortage).

                        -tk
                        TerryK celebrates 6 years of sobriety and indifference to alcohol thanks to baclofen

                        Comment

                          #117
                          Where are the doctors?

                          i'm lobbying some in Holland.
                          for now there's an Eindhoven based psychiatrist that's started prescribing (works with clients throughout Holland) and two doctors in Dordrecht and Rotterdam in know.
                          please pm me for information when needed.

                          still talking with people at the Brijder (Noord Holland). this is a large public health facility, which also means it takes quite some time for things to actually happen.

                          Comment

                            #118
                            Where are the doctors?

                            I updated the list of doctors at the bottom of the first post in the thread to add info offered by billlyb and joanna_d.
                            With profound appreciation to Dr Olivier Ameisen for his brilliant insight and courageous determination

                            Comment

                              #119
                              Where are the doctors?

                              terryk;1573928 wrote: The safety of high dose baclofen

                              Two journal articles where safety of hdb is confirmed to 240mg/day, and 270mg/day.

                              The link is always in my signature (as well as a link that describes how to calculate how much baclofen to ALWAYS have immediately at hand to enable you to titrate down comfortably in the event of an emergency or supply shortage).

                              -tk
                              Hey. I couldn't find the HDB ones. Did I overlook them?

                              Comment

                                #120
                                Where are the doctors?

                                Ne/Neva Eva;1574830 wrote: Hey. I couldn't find the HDB ones. Did I overlook them?
                                I think so:

                                That link goes to two papers: Clinical and Pharmacokinetic Aspects of High Dose Baclofen and High Dose Oral Baclofen: Experience in Patients with MS in one of the Consolidated Baclofen Information Threads

                                -tk
                                TerryK celebrates 6 years of sobriety and indifference to alcohol thanks to baclofen

                                Comment

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