As posted elsewhere it is 20 days plus here. I have a number of people here to thank for that. I hope everyone has the best Christmas they possibly can! Thank you all!
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The end of Christmas Day. A quiet one for me as for the first time in more than ten years my daughter was elsewhere and what with my dad passing away a year ago it was just me, my partner and my mother, who hosted it. A lovely meal of course - she is still an excellent cook in her mid/late 80s! And no booze of course!
Someone has kindly PMed me to let me know that our resident troll has posted some of his usual poison on a couple of threads I post on. I have him on ignore and I'm not going to change that as life here has been a lot better without reading his crazy stuff. Two points to make though from what has been reported to me. The first is that I had a bit of a brain fart in counting days - something I believe he latched on to. Hands up for that. I used to count days obsessively when I did AA, and found it unhelpful, so I don't these days too much. The second is that I am apparently promoting baclofen as some sort of 'magic pill'. In actual fact if one reads back on this thread (if you haven't lost the will to live by now..) you might notice that when I stopped drinking three weeks or so ago (which I did) I expressed some doubt that it was the baclofen that was relieving me of cravings. After this last couple of weeks I do actually believe it is, as their absence is very marked and a very different experience to earlier attempts to quit. If indeed it is the reason I have a great deal to be thankful for. I also believe in my case being able to stop drinking at the time helped a great deal. But a magic pill? My particular experience was a pretty bumpy one.
I can't think what motivates this guy. I really can't. He's a nasty piece of work and I thought by ignoring him I would be free of his poisonous presence. I am learning it seems what quite a few others have warned me of. Sadly it makes one feel less able to be open and trusting here because any vulnerability will be pounced on with glee by mister troll.
With apologies for the negativity and defensiveness.Last edited by Mentium; December 25, 2015, 04:54 PM.Comment
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It looks like he sobered up today and deleted the posts - at least the second time he has done so in this thread. Many of us have suspected that he might still be drinking and in denial (or lying) about it, given how bizarre and incoherent many of his rants are. The only reason I don't put him on ignore is to confront him when he bullies people, and to do damage control when he pulls outrageous shit like suggesting opioids as an alternative to alcohol (thankfully the mods closed that thread down). Anyhow, congratulations on your AF time, and have a happy new year.
-tkComment
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Terry -thank you for carrying the Baclofen torch and keeping control of those who are problematic on the forum. Only you know how valuable you are -especially to yourself. Thanks again. (Hey, how bout another vacation picture from ya -lol-jk TK. Happy New Year.Comment
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I've been wondering the same thing. The troll displays such typical drunk behavior, I can't think of any other rational explanation. Why else would someone post so much random, inexplicable hostility towards an unassuming stranger, only to delete the mean words later? I can't think of a single reason other than drunkenness. In any event, Mentium, I for one am really happy you were able to find your way out, and it's especially awesome that you found relief at such a low dosage. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. :hug:Originally posted by terryk View PostComment
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Just checking in here. All is well after a sober Christmas. We have house guests for three nights as of today. Neither of them are drinkers, which is a help. Not that I'm really tempted, but if an open bottle of wine was plonked in front of me...
Still on 80 mg here and while can't say I'm 100% free of the urge to drink this last couple of days I feel very different from earlier attempts to stop. Above all overwhelming cravings of the sort I found very hard to resist are absent. That is a big deal for me!
Hoping everyone is well!Comment
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Well it is pretty quiet in this neighbourhood of the forum these days. I guess a lot of people are still away visiting relatives and all the stuff that goes with the Christmas season. More or less back to normal here as our visitors have left now. My mother is coming to us for the day on New Years day and I will cook lunch, but that is about it in terms of 'celebration' and whatnot.
Some time back in this thread when I decided to level off with the baclofen and take stock I said I would consider whether to keep taking it or to quit altogether – to keep the dose stable (at 80 mg), go up again or perhaps slowly wean myself off.
After serious consideration I have decided to stop. There are several reasons for this. The main one is that I have never felt quite 'right' while taking it. I have not felt 'myself' and have felt a kind of low grade un-wellness I can't quite put my finger on. It has also made me depressed. That returned a few days ago, even at the lowish dose I am on. I have also found both the drama here (not to overstate it) and the complexities of ensuring a steady supply of tablets not to mention the rather dizzying experience of consuming large quantities of the stuff and being frightened of the possibility of a source drying up and/or not arriving. Add to this the ill informed warnings from my 'consultant' not to go over 100 mg, all of which have led to a high level of ambivalence in my mind about this 'journey'.
I'm not a brave person and though I have always been an 'early adopter' with ideas, technology and so on. I'm not cut out to be a pioneer with baclofen though. I also have some concerns that not enough research is around concerning the impact of high dose bac in the long term, though some people feel strongly that there is no need to be concerned. Again I have no wish to overstate the issue. The main reason is the way it makes me feel.
I am currently attending several SMART on-line meetings a week. I'm feeling motivated and positive about staying AF – and intend to stay that way. So this isn't a route back to drinking. But if I do go back and it becomes as intolerable as it was before I came here, well I can always have another go if it comes to it.
I would not wish to put off anyone considering this method. Newcomers, please read this as one person's personal view and experience. There are plenty of people here (I wish they would post more mind you!) who have become indifferent to alcohol by this method. I have read their experiences and some of them are really quite inspiring. I can work and it often seems to. It has done at least to some extent for me for that matter, to the point where cravings have not been part of picture the last few alcohol free weeks.
With thanks for the oodles of support people have offered me here. Still here, still reading and hopefully contributing now and again.Comment
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Please do keep posting now & again, Mentium, I am really interested to know how you get on without baclofen. I have been thinking about posting my experiences over Christmas, but not sure I can cope with the trolling which will result. I will send you a PM.
This thread has been full of thoughtful observations, & I have valued it especially because you too are in the UK. Which reminds me - you folks up north have been hit again with floods! I know you said you were not in an area of danger, but how depressing for you. And it must affect travel & shopping & other activities even if you are not actually submerged. Let's hope 2016 brings better weather at least.Comment
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Thanks Molly. I'll look forward to the PM. The troll sadly is a fact of life and I suspect inhibits many of us.
We have missed the worst of the storm Frank disruption and we personally, at the top of a hill as we are were not affected directly by the floods earlier in the month, but the whole city has been somewhat traumatised. Seeing rows of houses with all their residents' belongings out on the street, ruined by flood water is dispiriting. Thank you for the thought.Last edited by Mentium; December 30, 2015, 01:48 PM.Comment
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Hi Mentium. You may want to check out this link. Someone posted this awhile back and it's been in the back of my mind ever since.
Congratulations on your success!
MComment
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You folks really do baffle (amaze) me. If you believed that I were truly a troll, you would not mention "the troll". It is very sad to keep reading your resentful, harmful referrals -but hey, that is life. Serenity, and anyone else who continues posting alienating posts about me, please show evidence of "my hateful" or "my harmful" posts. You won't do this because you have nothing to back up your statements, only your excuses to try and harm someone that you do like because I don't agree with you.
Mentium, I am glad that you have finally made a decision to stop taking Baclofen relative to the harm that it has caused you. Your information can be helpful to others who try Baclofen and experience like kind effects.
Please, let us all work together to make this a better, more informative web site/forum for those seeking help. Peace to you each and happy New Year.Last edited by Spiritfree; December 31, 2015, 07:51 PM.Comment
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Hello all. A quick check in here. I've reduced the baclofen fairly quickly and I'm down to 40 mg with no discernible unpleasant effects. They seem more likely going up rather than down! I am attending my SMART meetings, which focus on relapse, triggers and the like, which in itself is very helpful. A very practical 'system' I recommend anyone to read about. Unfortunately the SMART on-line forum is very badly designed and does not encourage the sort of exchange of views etc. that a forum like this can.
I have no major urges to drink though. I hope that remains. Perhaps that is to do with motivation. Not to mention feeling several hundred percent better these days and wanting to stay that way. In the past cravings have come out of the blue like some sort of unavoidable breaker from the ocean.
I hope everyone is doing OK. Have a great year!Comment
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Mentium, glad to hear you're doing well. If you have no 'major urges' to drink and you're feeling good then you're past the first big hurdle :-)
i'm guessing that SMART meetings are like what i call GT or CBT - counselling or meetings basically? it is good to have someone to talk to, especially if they're people in you situation so you can give each other a kick up the arse when needed :-)Comment
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Hello all. I'm posting this here rather than in a possibly more relevent thread because it keeps my stuff in one place.
Just to note two things. Firstly still doing well and sober, but the second is the main reason.
People recommending excercise as an aid to staying sober is a bit of a cliche and one I suspect many of us kind of skip over, but I just want to say that having joined a gym a few days ago and having had three decent aerobic type workouts over five days (nothing wildly energetic I hasten to add) has made a huge difference in a very short period. Specifically, my mood is much lighter and far less gloomy than it has been for a good while and perhaps even more helpfully given that it is one of the pillars of my history of addiction, my anxiety levels are really quite markedly reduced.
A bit of a 'doh' discovery. I recommend giving it a go!
Hoping everyone is doing well!Comment
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