I haven't been able to find anything on my internet searches for this, and I know none of us are doctors here, but I'm gonna ask anyway. Since I take the anti-convulsant medication lamictal, would that theoretically guard me from withdrawal-based seizures caused by ending baclofen too abruptly? I've experienced these seizures before I was ever on lamictal, and they're no joke. Once I get back on baclofen in the coming month, I'm wondering if my lamictal (even though its not designed for these types of seizures) will affect the seizure threshold at all. I'm not even close to needing a doctor's advice or having to worry about this yet, but I figured this might be an interesting post.
-
-
Lamictal and baclofen
Baclofen and Lamictal CD Drug Interactions - Drugs.com
Does baclofen interact with Pristiq or Lamictal? - Drug Interactions Questions - Ask a Pharmacist on Everyday Health - EverydayHealth.com
They don't say much. Pubmed has nothing on the combination. -
Lamictal and baclofen
Yeah, the lamictal and prozac are prescribed. Unfortunately I've already tried to convince him to put me back on baclofen, and he fully denied it. I've talked to quite a few of his other post-rehab patients, and it seems he's pretty keen on diagnosing them as bipolar, myself included. I understand that many folks who are bipolar have tendencies to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. And as you probably know, the condition often includes bouts with severe mania that can lead to hospital visits and trips to a psych ward. I know my doc is a good guy and he's concerned I could end up making mania-induced decisions in the future. But I've never exhibited mania-like symptoms before, I've only had major depression. So, the other side of the coin tells me that he doesn't want to prescribe me something that could get him into trouble or endanger his license. Either way, I've made two attempts to get a new script from him, and it's unfortunately been a moot point. Even if he miraculously changed his mind, he probably wouldn't give me more than 20 mg a day (I felt my indifference around the 120 mg point). It's disappointing to have felt so liberated for a couple months, only to be denied more progress.Comment
-
Lamictal and baclofen
Also, I think I may have been his first patient that was allowed 120 mg a day, because all my friends who were prescribed baclofen were never allowed more than 60 mg a day. I don't blame his reasoning, but I obviously disagree with it. He offered to prescribe me provigil to help with cravings and I was willing to try it (it's a mild schedule IV stimulant), but without insurance it's $500 for a 30 day supply. Thanks but no thanks. That could buy me months and months of baclofen at the dosage I'm planning.Comment
-
Lamictal and baclofen
Modafinil is attractive to baclofentists because it helps counteract the daytime somnolence induced by baclofen. For this reason I will be asking my shrink for a prescription.Comment
-
Lamictal and baclofen
Corleone25-
Just a word of caution- it has been reported in the medical literature that baclofen can induce or exercerbate mania in patients with pre-existing psychiatric co-morbidities (bipolar):
From https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...ml#post1223158 :
Phenylethylamine-like properties of baclo... [Neuropsychobiology. 1983] - PubMed - NCBI
Neuropsychobiology. 1983;9(4):219-22.
Phenylethylamine-like properties of baclofen.
Wolf ME, Keener S, Mathis P, Mosnaim AD.
Abstract
Baclofen therapy resulted in improvement of dyskinesias only in patients with trunkal tardive dyskinesia. However, the appearance of undesirable side effects did not warrant continuation of treatment with this drug. Baclofen did not have any therapeutic effect in schizophrenia and moreover a trend towards a worsening of the psychiatric conditions with irritability, assaultiveness and prominent auditory hallucinations was observed. The effects of baclofen on tardive dyskinesia and schizophrenia can be explained in terms of its phenylethylamine-like properties.
PMID:
6646393
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
From the full-text: Baclofen is postulated to inhibit dopamine transmission, be an antagonist of Substance P, and an agonist of PEA. Of 10 patients in the study 5 were schizophrenic, 4 were bipolar, 1 organic mental disorder. Baclofen caused mania and irritability in 2 of the bipolar patients (each respectively), and varied amounts of irritability, assaultiveness, and hallucinations in 4 of the schizophrenic patients.
-------------
EDIT: I had originally referenced an MWO member on baclofen and lamictal. I may have gotten details wrong. Here's a post from that individual explaining their situation: https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...ml#post1140512
It should also be noted that there are many reports here of hypomania/mania as a symptom of hdb by people with no (known) history of psychiatric co-morbidity (my own included).
Not trying to put the kibosh on your desire to continue baclofen at all, it's just something to be aware of.
-tkComment
-
Lamictal and baclofen
Possibly/probably not. And you would still (probably) experience other unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Best to keep enough baclofen around so you can titrate down safely (and comfortably) if you have to (-10mg/day per week - which is the only advice I give out here on taking baclofen).Corleone25;1546034 wrote: I haven't been able to find anything on my internet searches for this, and I know none of us are doctors here, but I'm gonna ask anyway. Since I take the anti-convulsant medication lamictal, would that theoretically guard me from withdrawal-based seizures caused by ending baclofen too abruptly?
-tkComment
-
Lamictal and baclofen
I've definitely read through a lot of literature pertaining to the bipolar/baclofen combination. Since he was the first doctor I've ever met who diagnosed me bipolar, I'm not quite convinced he's correct. I've had major depression as far back as I can remember, but I never had the opposite effects of mania. I never had a natural switch where I went manic and overly happy for any period of time. I suppose I could start slowly on baclofen this time (I went up pretty quickly in dosage before) and keep a watchful eye for an overly happy demeanor. I imagine a slower titration could help.Comment
-
Lamictal and baclofen
Thanks for the reference Terry. It gives some insight into other's mental gymnastics.
https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...ml#post1140512Comment
-
Lamictal and baclofen
Thanks to everyone who's offered insight and information so far. Much appreciated.Comment
-
Lamictal and baclofen
There is no enzyme that is just "dehydrogenase." The only overlap in the metabolic pathways is the acetaldehyde step, ALDH2. But to the extent this is significant (it's unclear to me that modafinil results in any amount of histamine to be gotten rid of in the first place), what you would see would be the alcohol flush reaction. Alcohol dehydrogenase has no role in the metabolism of modafinil or histamine.Palladium;1546862 wrote: Histamine and alcohol compete in the liver for the same degradative enzyme –namely, dehydrogenase – and that slows down the rate at which alcohol can be eliminated.
And no, I'm neither a doctor nor a toxicologist.
[ETA: And excess histamine appears to be decarboxylated on the spot rather than hepatically.]Comment
Comment