Kindling with baclofen discontinuation

[Peralik]

Hi
I have discontinued baclofen use after being on 180mg/day for 2 years. As a result, I have been disphoric for quite some time.
I restarted, and I am currently on 75mg/day. However, it affects my sleep and my thinking is less sharp. So I am reducing with the goal to stop.
However, I realise it is harder this time. Reduction results in increased anxiety and depression compared to the first attempt.
Such effects are called kindling: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindlin...ic_withdrawal)
Has anyone among the users here made a similar experience?
Thank you very much!

[Spiritfree]

Hi Perlik -wow, I am so sorry that you are experiencing the difficulties that you are with Baclofen. Thank you for your wiki reference to "kindling". I was able to read it and learned some new 'stuff'. From what I could read and understand, the article talks about "kindling" as it relates to withdrawal from gaba-a receptors (alcohol, benzo-s, etc.) I am certainly no expert and may be completely wrong, but I thought that Baclofen primarily affected the gabb-b receptors.

Regardless, as we all know Baclofen titration up or down and withdrawal can cause extreme havoc to a person. I wish you the best in your journey.

(Hopefully, tk and others with vast experience in this area will soon reply to your thread)

--sf--

[Peralik]

Hi, thanks for your replies. Actually, there was another useful reply that got deleted for some reasons. There, it was sensibly argued that it is not kindling as this is associated with brain overload (due to withdrawal) leaving an imprint that makes discontinuation more difficult next time. This could happen when stopping baclofen cold turkey. Still, I would not start and stop baclofen more often than necessary.
I take now 10mg every day, mostly because to avoid restless legs that appear to be a side effect. Sleep is also not back to normal. But as you all say: key is going slow. I reduced from 180 to 10 in 4 weeks, which might have been a little fast.
Mood changes manifested about 36h after a reduction. Interestingly, at first the mood got better, before turning worse. Possibly, this seduced me to reduce a little too fast.
I take about 20-30g of alcohol a day, which is ok for me. Still I lack libido, energy and enthusiasm. This is what I enjoyed most being on baclofen - it was so energising. I found it amazing that there was never a craving for baclofen, even when I knew that taking baclofen could ease the symptoms. Take care.