Freedom Journey with Baclofen

[emc]

Freedom Journey with Baclofen

Hi freedom4me,
as i said before in the beginning...
Where is your doctor?

freedom4me;1627790 wrote:
I will continue looking for a doctor and I thank Xadrian for posting the thread regarding "where are all the doctors" in answer to my post "need a doctor." I will most likely stop looking locally and go outside of my city. I will keep the forum updated on that issue too.
Baclofen is a treatment that require a doctor that prescribe and that follow you during the treatment.
Here we can support you and give small advices but we are not a substitution of a physician.

freedom4me;1632471 wrote:

As an added note to the above post regarding my "not feeling like myself": I've been somewhat spacey, my mind tends to go into a daze often, when I'm driving somewhere, I have to focus on the directions to where I am going even though I know the way very well. I tend to pass roads or places that I'm supposed to turn on due to being in a daze. I've been forgetting the words I want to say when I'm talking and having to take a few extra seconds to think of the word/words. This is all very strange for me since I am usually very alert & know my way around very well. I hope this doesn't discourage any one reading this from starting baclofen, it is tolerable and workable. I just have to concentrate a bit more and reorient my self often. This too shall pass...

Is adviced to don't drive specially if you have this kind of secondary effects (is written even inside the Baclofen box).
To forgot something it's a thing that happens while titrating up but having problems in talking and finding "words" is maybe another so i suggest you, as Baclofen user, to STOP titrating up NOW and if it persists titrate down 5mg every 3/5 days.
Then you will explain well this all things to your doc and he will tell you what to do and how.
Let us know when you have a doctor then i will continue to follow you...
Have good day!

PS: what is doing a link to a rehab center in the ibocaine thread?
It surprise me bit the care of putting the anchor keywords and the link to home and not to the page of ibogaine treatment...
freedom4me;1633400 wrote: Non AA 12 Step Drug And Alcohol Addiction Treatment Rehab Center

[freedom4me]

Freedom Journey with Baclofen

Hi EMC---No doctors available in my area so far as I have found at this time, search is still on. Only doctor I have found is 3hrs away at a treatment center and they require a 2 week stay and $1000/day. I am very functional, have numerous responsibilities, not willing to fork out $14k, and do not have 2 wks to be absent from my life.

The "dazes" have passed and when I was having them it wasn't like I did not know what I was doing as far as the mechanics and safety of driving (or any other action), I just had to focus on the directions of where I was going or I'd forget to turn where I needed to. It was not a safety issue, just a forgetful issue. I tend to be a multi-tasker and think about numerous things at once, so with the Baclofen (at the time), I was only able to think of one thing at a time. But it has passed and I am doing very well. Titrated up today after 4 days at the previous dose of 40mg/day to 20mg 7am, 20mg at 3pm, and 10mg at 11pm. No side effects occurring (not even somnolence), But I do still sleep very hard at night, and as stated above, the "daze" has passed. I have been titrating up very slowly, only going up by 5-10mg every 4 days. I will slow this down even further now that I am taking 50mg/day and stay here for a week before even thinking about going up any further. It really does help with the drinking, however I have had a few beers, I tend to drink far less and do not experience the euphoria I used to experience with alcohol... Those close to me say I'm much calmer to be around and they notice I'm not obsessing about things I would have normally obsessed over.

If you do not want to follow me until I find a doctor, that is totally your choice, but it may be a while as I am still looking.

Thanks for your concern (it is understood), it is really appreciated, I do take your advice to heart.

[freedom4me]

Freedom Journey with Baclofen

Oh, and EMC regarding the post on the Ibogaine thread: I'm not sure I know what you mean by what you asked...the link leads to the page I was referencing in the post regarding info on ibogaine. I certainly do not endorse it which I stated clearly in the post. It was simply where I referenced information that I had read. (I would have quoted your post in this section like others in forum do, but I do not know how to do that quoting thing).

Also, for everyone out there to know: Many of you do not live in the USA under our healthcare and many of those that do live in USA get health insurance coverage through their employer and do not understand what it is like for a business owner to obtain healthcare. As a business owner, we have to find private policies and since the advent of Obamacare (Affordable Healthcare Act--what a joke!), my private health insurance premium went up by $310/mo and I have a $10,000 deductible which means I have to pay the first $10,000 of everything we incur. Which means, that unless I have a major accident or some major surgery, this deductible will never be met. The members of my family covered under our healthcare policy have NO health issues what-so-ever and we are not on any meds, yet we have to pay a huge amount of money for health insurance and meet a huge deductible before any coverage kicks in. Since the advent of Obamacare and in the face of an increasing premium, I have searched out other options for healthcare, but I have found all the policies I have checked out are the same--huge premiums and huge deductibles. Maybe there is something else out there for us, but I have not been able to find it as of yet.

What all of the above means to me regarding addiction and taking Baclofen is this: searching for doctors to prescribe and over see Baclofen therapy is that much harder due to having to see a doctor, take my research, explain my story over and over, and pay for a doctor visit out of pocket over and over. So, my search is pretty much over the phone and via the internet at this point. The money to pay out of pocket time and time again is simply not there...not to mention having it on my healthcare record regarding an addiction could cancel me out of changing my policy if I do find one that is better and cheaper.

So, thus, I'm sure my dilemma can be better understood regarding finding a doctor.

[spiritwolf333]

Freedom Journey with Baclofen

Hi Freedom -sounds like you are doing really great. I have read many times that most local doctors have no problem prescribing up to 80mg baclofen -especially if you have muscle spasms. When drinking, my muscles were quite spastic. And on the flip side of the coin, if you are honest with your local doctor, he may be more than willing to jump on board with baclofen. But for many of us, this is quite difficult to do; we don't want our local doc to know we have an alcohol problem. Just a thought.

[freedom4me]

Freedom Journey with Baclofen

I really have no problem with my local doc knowing about my alcohol problem, I discussed it with him in 2012 and he prescribed Librium (way before I knew anything about Baclofen). My problem is my insurance company knowing I have an alcohol problem, since I had a lot of trouble getting health insurance last year due to what my doc put on my record at his office. Insurance companies even raise your rates when they see "anxiety" as a diagnosis, but alcohol abuse... much, much worse... However, I may be able to go with the spasticity, idk. Thanks for your help.

[spiritwolf333]

Freedom Journey with Baclofen

freedom4me;1633459 wrote: I really have no problem with my local doc knowing about my alcohol problem, I discussed it with him in 2012 and he prescribed Librium (way before I knew anything about Baclofen). My problem is my insurance company knowing I have an alcohol problem, since I had a lot of trouble getting health insurance last year due to what my doc put on my record at his office. Insurance companies even raise your rates when they see "anxiety" as a diagnosis, but alcohol abuse... much, much worse... However, I may be able to go with the spasticity, idk. Thanks for your help.

Sounds like you have a great doctor to work with. If you are not turning anything in regarding alcoholism to the insurance company, then all should be fine anyway. At least if you have the oversight of a physician, you can feel more assured ordering online. But most importantly, you will have someone helping you wade the waters -so to speak. And if your doctor has already worked with you regarding alcoholism, you are well ahead of the game.

As far as insurance, I have turned in two rehabs, countless counseling hours, medications, etc. and my insurance has remained the same. (Insurance only paid about 35%) I am with a major national carrier. Now, tobacco use, we are talking a major increase in premiums.

[spiritwolf333]

Freedom Journey with Baclofen

Hi Freedom. I had said in an earlier post that I am now committed to posting much less -if at all. However, I did want to respond to your thread. I know that you are so desperately trying to put the plug in the jug. This will happen with some staying power and baclofen.

Too often, people come on this forum looking for a quick solution. A pill. A pill that will forever more allow them to quit drinking and then only drink when they want to. Baclofen comes real close to this answer.

However, as I have personally found, the alcohol was only part of the problem. In fact, with baclofen, it was almost like cheating the system. I no longer wanted to drink -period. In fact, the thought of drinking alcohol became disgusting. But then I was left to deal with my thinking. Herein lies the crux of the alcohol problem.

Yes, our minds become calmer -in most cases. We don't want alcohol in our system. And yet, some of us still don't know how to deal with the real issues from day to day. Some of us only remember that alcohol was a good device to help us not think about our reality -so we drank. Drinking has been well established as our comfort zones. Full of baclofen and indifference, we again choose to drink against our will. We might even say to ourselves that at least with alcohol in our/my system we will know how to feel.

Firewater provides an illusion. An illusion that is very difficult to break from until we are given the real chance to break from it. Baclofen did this for me.

None of this may apply to you Freedom although I suspect some does. The most important part of all us this rhetoric is the hope that you will find your Freedom. after all, is freedom from the bottle not the one most important perceived objective of the active alcoholic?

I truly wish you the best in world. Please continue to let us know how you are doing.

SW

[freedom4me]

Freedom Journey with Baclofen

Hi Spirit. You have truly been a "guiding spirit" in my journey. I appreciate you thinking of me and posting to me. I actually enjoy your posts and am sorry I have not seen more of them. I totally get your posting the baclofen is not the answer, it is a wonderful way to get to the answer, to allow alcohol to be removed from the picture and allow self evaluation, growth, & change in one's coping mechanisms. Once alcohol is out of the picture (using baclofen), we still have to deal with the other issues that caused alcohol to come into the picture to begin with. I also understand your apprehensiveness about posting. This section of the forum has been a dog-eat-dog world lately.

I am doing well. I am on 50mg/day since last Sunday (20mg at 7am, 20mg at 3pm, 10mg at 11pm). I have had some interesting, non-debilitating SE. I have disinterest in most activities at this time, but I am told that will pass. I still have some forgetfulness, but not unsafe levels. My face flushes & turns red if I do drink. My libido is non-existent. I am told all of this is normal and will pass. Sleep is still very deep and I do not need as much of it as in the past (before baclofen). I plan to go up by 5mg on Friday (tomorrow), and I will include that in my 11pm dose making that dose 15mg.

I am still drinking daily but not near as much. Mostly because I am bored and disinterested in any activities. Even reading a book is a chore lately (and I love to read). Although I have plenty that I need to do, I'm just not too interested in doing them. Maybe that is part of the somnolence. I need to just cut off the drinking so the bac will do its wonders better, but I'm having a hard time doing that at this point. Cravings are still present, obsessing over the ritual & habit of drinking is still present although neither is as strong.

I am about to be very busy starting next week, so hopefully the busy-ness will help the boredom/disinterest and as a result help keep my mind occupied so I avoid drinking. Seems like if you HAVE to do certain activities you get them done without much thought about WANTING to do them.

[freedom4me]

Freedom Journey with Baclofen

I started Baclofen on 2/21/14, it has been 21 days now and I'm taking 70mg/day (20mg @ 7am, 30mg @ 3pm, 20mg @ 11pm). I do experience some side effects including: shoulders aching & stiffness in the night while I am sleeping, left hip/lumbar area of back mildly aching, difficulty sleeping through the night, waking up between 2-4 am and not being able to get back to a sound sleep that only leads to a dozing where I have lucid weird dreams and strange repetitive thoughts that won't go away. I am still forgetful and have to concentrate on remembering things or write them down. I have numerous sticky notes all over my desk. Each day I have to write down what I need to get done for the day or I may forget something. I am snoring now, but did not snore before the bac. I feel a bit drugged when I wake up in the morning and it takes me about an hour after waking up in the morning for the feeling to go away.

My motivation & interest in doing things is back which helps a lot! I do find concentration on reading is difficult and I end up reading a paragraph a couple of times before it sinks in, but my thoughts are wandering while I am reading.

I still have cravings for drinking and still trying to abstain. I am also trying to quit using the e-cig at the same time since it makes my chest feel heavy in the morning when I wake up.

[freedom4me]

Freedom Journey with Baclofen

I started Baclofen on 2/21/14, it has been 21 days now and I'm taking 70mg/day (20mg @ 7am, 30mg @ 3pm, 20mg @ 11pm). I do experience some side effects including: shoulders aching & stiffness in the night while I am sleeping, left hip/lumbar area of back mildly aching, difficulty sleeping through the night, waking up between 2-4 am and not being able to get back to a sound sleep that only leads to a dozing where I have lucid weird dreams and strange repetitive thoughts that won't go away. I am still forgetful and have to concentrate on remembering things or write them down. I have numerous sticky notes all over my desk. Each day I have to write down what I need to get done for the day or I may forget something. I am snoring now, but did not snore before the bac. I feel a bit drugged when I wake up in the morning and it takes me about an hour after waking up in the morning for the feeling to go away.

My motivation & interest in doing things is back which helps a lot! I do find concentration on reading is difficult and I end up reading a paragraph a couple of times before it sinks in, but my thoughts are wandering while I am reading.

I still have cravings for drinking and still trying to abstain. I am also trying to quit using the e-cig at the same time since it makes my chest feel heavy in the morning when I wake up.

[skullbabyland]

Freedom Journey with Baclofen

Hi Freedom- saw that your thread got a bit quiet so thought I'd pop in and say hi. I hope your busy week is going well. How's AF time going?

I too still find some of the SE's you describe, especially about concentration reading- I've been on bac almost a year and all the other SE's (such as bad sleep and repetitve thoughts etc) have more or less gone away though some still pop up a little from time to time- nothing too disruptive thankfully- but the reading concentration thing persists a bit. But it's not too bad, I can retain the information read with a bit of effort.

Also, there's a Tobacco-Free Roll Call thread in General Discussion that I post on when I quit smoking- we discuss e-cigs and other nicotine replacement stuff such as nicotine patches and lozenges. I use the lozenges and am almost 2 months smoke free now... anyway, come join us there if you're so inclined

Anyway hope you're well Freedom!

[freedom4me]

Freedom Journey with Baclofen

Hi Skull,

Happy Tuesday! I am having some difficulty. Been AF for a week, but drank last night (4 beers), feeling very tired today. I've been experiencing uncomfortable sore muscles for the past 2 weeks, but they have become worse since I started on 70mg of Bac last Thursday. I am suppose to go up to 80mg starting today, but am wondering if I should stay at 70mg a little longer? The muscle soreness is in the back of my neck, left shoulder, left hip, and back of both knees. I have not been exercising, so it is not related to that, but the soreness feels like I did exercise. It seems worse at night, but that may be due to trying to sleep.

I will look at the tobacco free roll call. Thanks for stopping by

[kronkcarr]

Freedom Journey with Baclofen

Hi,

Your muscle soreness symptoms are familiar to me. You may want to titrate up to see if they'll clear. I found that I sometimes has less SEs when I went up. I know we respond to bac in different ways but it's worth considering. Good luck.

[freedom4me]

Freedom Journey with Baclofen

Last night I took a bath in Epsom salt and the muscle soreness has gone away. I have read on the forum about magnesium, but I cannot take magnesium by mouth due to it causing diarrhea. So, maybe I was lacking magnesium and the Epsom salt provided that. Is it possible that baclofen exacerbates the lack of magnesium that is already present in an alcoholic since it acts on the muscles as a relaxant? As it is, I will titrate up today to 80mg since I stayed at same dose of 70mg yesterday and continue with the Epsom salt baths.

[Samandkatharine]

Freedom Journey with Baclofen

Hi Freedom,

A few Bac users have described muscle aches and feelings of tingling that you have. I recommended magnesium as a benign way to relieve it. I don't think Bac causes magnesium deficiency, but drinking does.

There are forms of magnesium that do not cause diarrhea. Magnesium glycinate does not. Also, Epsom salts will relieve soreness, but will not absorb into the body as way of replenishing a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium chloride will.

Sam