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    #1

    Which to choose?

    Hello everyone! I'm new. I've been reading a ton of stuff here, and the amount of information is wonderful but overwhelming.

    I'm planning to order either baclofen or naltrexone today online.

    I am really, really excited about what baclofen might do for me. I am also going to try to get a hold of a copy of Dr. Ameisen's book. I have never thought of myself as having anxiety per se, but I have always had terrible problems with muscle knots and pain, so I'm thinking that I might be one of the people that baclofen will work well for. The idea that it might help the underlying problem behind all the drinking is exciting.

    However, I'm thinking it might be better to just get some naltrexone and go with the Sinclair Method. The advantage would be that I wouldn't be possibly sentencing myself to a lifetime of medication that can be hard to get. The downside is that it obviously confers no feeling of well-being that would be nice and would likely do nothing for my other compulsive behaviors.

    I currently drink a couple of bottles of nasty, cheap wine every night, more if I start too early. I also vape nicotine all day compulsively, drink cokes compulsively, etc., etc. I sort of hit the gas pedal too hard on everything.

    Thanks in advance for any ideas.
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    #2
    Which to choose?

    Hi CatLady -Glad you are here and reaching out.

    Is your objective to quit drinking or moderate?

    Why do you believe that you would be sentenced to a life time of medications using either?

    I have been told that just stopping drinking helps tremendously with the sense of well being.

    Perhaps drinking a better-more expensive brand of wine would help? Just kidding.

    Keep reading and keep posting. Again, glad you are reaching out.

    Comment

      #3
      Which to choose?

      Hello CCL, I've not done naltrexone, but there's plenty of people here who are on nal and are using the Sinclair Method and I'm sure they'll be weighing in soon. From the sounds of it, you have some pretty serious OCD. Medications don't make your life better in and of themselves. All they do is help you clear your head so that you can get to the real work of sorting out your life. Regardless which medication you choose, it sounds to me like you would seriously benefit from talk therapy. Even Dr. Ameisen said that baclofen basically allowed him to be clearheaded enough to put into action what he learned in AA and in therapy.

      For the record, I'm at 90mg and 2g/day on baclofen and campral, for the record. I don't intend to stay on either drug forever. My intention is that once I have learned how to live in a way in which alcohol is irrelevant to my life, I intend to stop.
      In the middle of my life's journey, I found myself in a dark wood, as I had lost the straight path. It is a difficult thing to speak about, how wild, harsh and impenetrable that wood is. Just thinking about it recreates the fear. It is scarcely less bitter than death, but in order to tell of the good that I found there, I must tell of the other things I saw there. --Dante, paraphrased

      Comment

        #4
        Which to choose?

        CrazyCatLady;1649857 wrote:
        The downside is that it obviously confers no feeling of well-being that would be nice and would likely do nothing for my other compulsive behaviors.
        Don't be so sure. Many compulsive behaviors operate through similar, if not identical, reward mechanisms in the brain. I have read here on MWO of the sinclair method inadvertently curing chonic masturbation/internet porn addiction, as well as other stuff. If you do go the TSM route, just keep doing what you normally do, but take the pill before you drink, and you never know what else might happen until you try.

        Comment

          #5
          Which to choose?

          Alky;1649900 wrote: My intention is that once I have learned how to live in a way in which alcohol is irrelevant to my life, I intend to stop.
          Let me give you some good advice: Don't! (by the way, why should you?)
          I tried that and it didn't work out (only for a couple of months, but then it went wrong again) and I had to go up all to the switch again.

          So better stay on the maintenance dose and perhaps, perhaps, perhaps you can lower 10 mgs every 6 months or so, just to try if that works out.

          Before your brain will be able to make a sufficient amount of GABA again by itself, will take a long, long time. And that's only in case it already made enough GABA before you started to drink alcoholically.

          I still am wondering if the alcohol caused the increase in GABA or either it was pre-existant.
          Today is the first day of the rest of my life.

          Comment

            #6
            Which to choose?

            Xadrian;1649907 wrote: Let me give you some good advice: Don't! (by the way, why should you?)
            Because I am not having any problems staying alcohol free on the meds, nor do I wish to be on drugs the rest of my life, nor does my psychiatrist believe it necessary to be on drugs the rest of my life. If I want your advice, I'll pull your string. I'm sick of all the armchair MD's on this forum who think they know better than someone who went to school for 10+ years (including internship). The baclofen experience is not monolithic. So let me give you some good advice: you do your thing and I'll do mine.
            In the middle of my life's journey, I found myself in a dark wood, as I had lost the straight path. It is a difficult thing to speak about, how wild, harsh and impenetrable that wood is. Just thinking about it recreates the fear. It is scarcely less bitter than death, but in order to tell of the good that I found there, I must tell of the other things I saw there. --Dante, paraphrased

            Comment

              #7
              Which to choose?

              hi CCL,

              have a read of Dr A's book, it might give you a clearer choice on which medication to choose. otherwise have a look at the results of studies involving naltrexone and other studies involving baclofen.
              01-01-2014 - Indifference reached, success with high dose Baclofen 295mg.

              Baclofen prescribing guide

              Baclofen for alcoholism - Consolidated Information - Studies, prescribing guides, links

              Comment

                #8
                Which to choose?

                Thanks, everyone.

                I think with baclofen I would be "sentencing" myself to a lifetime of possibly hard-to-get medication because everything I read tells me that this is permanent. Maybe not, but at least years. Of course, if it does what it is supposed to do and I don't experience terrible side-effects, this would be a small price to pay.

                From what I've read about the Sinclair Method; it works. And it is good to know that it might be helpful for addictive/compulsive behavior in general. And it would be a much cheaper and easier option.

                Whichever method I choose, I do intend to address any underlying psychological issues. I just want the possible physiological issues dealt with in the most effective way.

                I'm now wondering if I shouldn't do the Sinclair Method whilst ramping up my baclofen dose, which, If I do, I intend to do slowly using the protocols from the studies I've read. Maybe best of both worlds? Any interactions that we know about?

                Comment

                  #9
                  Which to choose?

                  Alky;1649919 wrote: Because I am not having any problems staying alcohol free on the meds, nor do I wish to be on drugs the rest of my life, nor does my psychiatrist believe it necessary to be on drugs the rest of my life. If I want your advice, I'll pull your string. I'm sick of all the armchair MD's on this forum who think they know better than someone who went to school for 10+ years (including internship). The baclofen experience is not monolithic. So let me give you some good advice: you do your thing and I'll do mine.
                  Success!

                  I'm eager to hear the results.
                  Today is the first day of the rest of my life.

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Which to choose?

                    CCL, rather than rolling the dice and seeing what course of medication works best for you, have you thought of consulting a psychiatrist to see what a medical professional might think works best for you? And you don't have your country listed in your profile, but if you have a legitimate prescription for any of these drugs and you're insured, cost should not be an issue with any of these drugs. Though from poking around these boards, it's easy to get the impression that it's ok to "wing it" and self-medicate, I think it's still best to use these drugs under the supervision of a physician.

                    I apologize for letting Xandrian get under my skin, temporarily highjacking your thread.
                    In the middle of my life's journey, I found myself in a dark wood, as I had lost the straight path. It is a difficult thing to speak about, how wild, harsh and impenetrable that wood is. Just thinking about it recreates the fear. It is scarcely less bitter than death, but in order to tell of the good that I found there, I must tell of the other things I saw there. --Dante, paraphrased

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Which to choose?

                      CrazyCatLady;1650039 wrote: Thanks, everyone.

                      I think with baclofen I would be "sentencing" myself to a lifetime of possibly hard-to-get medication because everything I read tells me that this is permanent. Maybe not, but at least years. Of course, if it does what it is supposed to do and I don't experience terrible side-effects, this would be a small price to pay.

                      From what I've read about the Sinclair Method; it works. And it is good to know that it might be helpful for addictive/compulsive behavior in general. And it would be a much cheaper and easier option.

                      Whichever method I choose, I do intend to address any underlying psychological issues. I just want the possible physiological issues dealt with in the most effective way.

                      I'm now wondering if I shouldn't do the Sinclair Method whilst ramping up my baclofen dose,                       which, If I do, I intend to do slowly using the protocols from the studies I've read. Maybe best of both worlds? Any interactions that we know about?
                      So Cat, are you going to try baclofen after all that you have read?

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Which to choose?

                        There are people here on a cocktail of multiple drugs. Like I said earlier, I am on 90mg and 2g a day of baclofen and campral, respectively. There are several on antabuse and baclofen. I can't think of any off the top of my head on naltrexone and baclofen, but I'm sure they're out there.

                        The reason I take both baclofen and campral is the baclofen helps with the immediate craving and anxiety, while the campral, over the long term, repairs the chemical imbalances in the brain that results from long-term alcohol abuse.
                        In the middle of my life's journey, I found myself in a dark wood, as I had lost the straight path. It is a difficult thing to speak about, how wild, harsh and impenetrable that wood is. Just thinking about it recreates the fear. It is scarcely less bitter than death, but in order to tell of the good that I found there, I must tell of the other things I saw there. --Dante, paraphrased

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Which to choose?

                          I'm going with the baclofen. Getting a legit prescription and seeing a doctor is not an option at this time.

                          I'll see how it goes. If the side-effects are too bad, I'll order the naltrexone and start the Sinclair Method. One thing's for sure, I'm getting this stupid monkey off my back one way or another!

                          Thanks for the replies.

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Which to choose?

                            Cat,

                            Just go up very slowly. Expect to be sleepy, nap and post here often. Stay committed and you'll do fine.

                            Sam

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Which to choose?

                              A couple of members have used baclofen and naltrexone combined, thus attacking the problem from both angles. I don't think there are any interactions between the two drugs.
                              I used the Sinclair Method to beat my alcoholic drinking.

                              Drank within safe limits for almost 2 years

                              AF date 22/07/13

                              Comment

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