started with baclofen..

[lewis123]

started with baclofen..

skullbabyland;1620120 wrote: Hi Lewis- welcome- one thought is to perhaps consider going up slower than you've said- it seems so many people go up too quick and SE's become a serious problem. Keep in mind that a jump from 15mg to 30mg, while still a low dose, is a 200% jump to your system. That could present problems.

I seem to be one of the "go slower!!" voices around here but I think it's important. SE's scare me and have really derailed so many of us who are so desperate for a way out. I for instance only go up 5mgs a week for this reason. Just a thought... Welcome and good luck to you, keep us posted!

do you really advice me to go op only 5mg a week? Because it can maybe take more than 10 weeks than when any craving is gone?

tomorrow i'll start with 20 mg.

Things are going normal, cravings every evening, drinking every evening.

Lewis

[neophyte]

started with baclofen..

lewis123;1623278 wrote: do you really advice me to go op only 5mg a week? Because it can maybe take more than 10 weeks than when any craving is gone?

tomorrow i'll start with 20 mg.

Things are going normal, cravings every evening, drinking every evening.

Lewis

i went up at about 25-30 mg a week, the sides were berable at lower doses but 200mg plus is when it got bad. maybe slow it down once you are in higher dose territory or the sides start to get unberable. slower at higher doses is better imo. i pushed through some nasty dose increases and potententially could have switched at a lower dose but i kept pushing the dose as i was getting fed up and impatient with obtaining the switch.

[skullbabyland]

started with baclofen..

lewis123;1623278 wrote: do you really advice me to go op only 5mg a week? Because it can maybe take more than 10 weeks than when any craving is gone?

Well, yes increasing by 5mg/week is very slow-- I'm not advising you specifically, because I can't tell you what is right or wrong for you, and of course I'm not a doctor. I am only saying that such a slow increase is what I felt was right for me. And also, that I've read many many people here who went up too fast and gave up because the SE's were too horrible. And some were left with debilitating anxiety and depression.

However, there are also people who dealt ok with the SE's and found success on a faster dosage than the slow one that I chose, such as Neophyte and others. I would have prefered to have this same experience but mine was different.

Really, I can't say which way you should do it. Do you have a good doctor, and if so can you talk to them about this? Either way, my point to you is that you should do lots of reading, as much as possible, and whatever you decide, to do it carefully and with having done the proper research.

Good luck to you Lewis.

[Samandkatharine]

started with baclofen..

Hi Lewis

I'm at 80mg. So far I'm able to abstain at this dose. I can go through the day not thinking about when I can open a bottle of wine, the only side effect that I find really frustrating is the inability to stay asleep longer than 3 hours w/o waking up at night. I'm getting really bitchy and I'm playing around with magnesium, melatonin and such to hopefully solve the issue. I know others that sleep like babies on baclofen and I'm jealous of them. :durn:

Sam

[neophyte]

started with baclofen..

Samandkatharine;1623378 wrote: Hi Lewis

I'm at 80mg. So far I'm able to abstain at this dose. I can go through the day not thinking about when I can open a bottle of wine, the only side effect that I find really frustrating is the inability to stay asleep longer than 3 hours w/o waking up at night. I'm getting really bitchy and I'm playing around with magnesium, melatonin and such to hopefully solve the issue. I know others that sleep like babies on baclofen and I'm jealous of them. :durn:

Sam

this is what happened to me on baclofen when going up in dose. i would feel sleepy all day, often i would go lie down in the park to try and cat nap during the day. at night i would get no relief. i would wake up 3-4x a night and have difficulty falling asleep. after when you are stable at a dose, it does get better, but its a slow process. i've been stead on the same dose for about 2 months now and its still slowly getting better. i can sleep most of the night. however i usually wake up at 4am, i take my bac dose and then i sleep for a bit longer.

i also tried messing around with melatonin, zinc, strong anti histamines and even valium. they made me fall asleep quicker but nothing helped with waking up constantly. there was no real benefit in any of them, try them all out minus the valium.

[bleep]

started with baclofen..

I would go up pretty quickly until you get SE's. Then you can settle on a steady titration once you are at that point. No need to waste time.

[lewis123]

started with baclofen..

Ok? i'll go up a little bit quicker than. I'll keep you posted here. Yes i have a good doctor i see him every week to talk about how i feel.

I had a strange feeling today, i want to get rid of the cravings etc but i was thinking "what i am supposed to do than in the evening". Sounds stupid because i know i can watch a movie without drinking alcohol or see friends without smoking pot, i can do sports, .. But it's just such a routine now.

Greetz

[skullbabyland]

started with baclofen..

Doesn't sound stupid at all, Lewis- I think we ALL have to answer that question for ourselves- it's a very important one and in some ways learning what to do while sober is one of the hardest parts. I found that movies/TV, reading (mostly about health, sobriety, MWO) really helps. I don't go out much for now. And I go to bed really early, like 9 or 10 pm. It really helps me.

[lewis123]

started with baclofen..

skullbabyland;1623590 wrote: Doesn't sound stupid at all, Lewis- I think we ALL have to answer that question for ourselves- it's a very important one and in some ways learning what to do while sober is one of the hardest parts. I found that movies/TV, reading (mostly about health, sobriety, MWO) really helps. I don't go out much for now. And I go to bed really early, like 9 or 10 pm. It really helps me.

Thnx,

the book "the heart of addiction" just arrived, so i'm gonna read a bit now

If it doesn't bother that i'm asking questions here i have one. And maybe it's different for everyone but most of people experience somnolence during the day? I do a lot of sport including weithlifting, do you guys think it will be hard to keep doing these things when i'm on a higher dose of baclofen? I also hope SE won't be that hard because i have a job where i have to be concentrated during the whole day. (i'm a dentist actually).

Grtz

[neophyte]

started with baclofen..

can anyone recommend any more good books? preferrably something that not only talks about addiction but the neurotransmitters involved or something that explains what happens in the body when addicted.

[Yourfriend6116]

started with baclofen..

Hey Lewis- I'm on 140 of Bac and I only notice somnolence when I'm sitting doing something like reading. I think an office job like sitting at a desk all day is the toughest because of the non-active time. I have two little kids so no time to really get tired. As far as working out it helps me with any somnolence. I think the more active, the better. I actually work out more and longer since I'm not hung over and/or concerned about getting home to drink. With that being said, we all have our own experience. Keep sharing/asking questions. We are all learning together. :thanks:

[Samandkatharine]

started with baclofen..

Books to read

Drinking, a love story- by Carolyn Knapp
A girls eye view of alcoholism but still a great book. She eventually died of lung cancer way too young.

Moments of Clarity by Christopher Lawford Kennedy- yep, a Kennedy! He was the hunk on All My Children for many years..hey, I watched that every day! Many stories of famous sober people.

Netflix has a great series called Addiction. The people on this show make me look normal. Sad but eye opening.

I know a great book by Oliver amneison!

Sam

[lewis123]

started with baclofen..

Wooooow i just came from a pub with a friend and i ordered water!!! Dont know whats going on but he ordered a beer and i just didnt feel like drinking :S i sit their with him for 3 hours just chatting, he ordered 5 beers and i had 3 waters. I'm just home now, this is the first time in 7 years i just didnt feel like drinking / smoking pot. Maybe its placebo because i'm only @ 20mg, but i dont care i had a great evening, sober!

C u all tomorrow

Lewis

[lewis123]

started with baclofen..

Nevermind, worst hangover ever now. Damn

[emc]

started with baclofen..

Hi Lewis,
little surprised that you are still on 20mg...
It's good in general to titrate up slowly to have less SE but like that maybe is really too slow. ;-)
You can easily make +10mg every 3/5 days, if you feel it and SE permitting.

Anyway really good that you have already some benefit even on this low doses.
I had the same even just on first week of treatment - probably little placebo but even less anxiety...

Keep us updated.