I thought I'd make this thread even if I'm the only person posting on it, just as a record for others looking to explore this option. I was a long-term lurker on forums before I took the plunge.
I started taking baclofen about 6 weeks ago. You can find a good summary of almost everything you need to know here Baclofen Treatment for Alcoholism.
Over 6 weeks, I've titrated up to 100mg a day, in the following doses: 8am - 30mg. 12.00 - 30mg. 4pm - 40mg.
While titrating up, I got hit by waves - crashing, overwhelming - waves of tiredness. I still get these in the evening - I fell asleep mid-sentence while reading to my little girl at bedtime.
I also had bouts of diarrhoea when I went up a dose - short, sharp bouts of diarrhoea. That caused some hairy situations - but now I know, and I prep for it. It actually only really happened going from 60->70->80mg a day.
I found two reliable places to buy it online - for about 16p a pill (10mg) (That's about 22 US cents, 18 euro cents). That's a lot - BUT, it's cheaper than booze. Baclofenman got his doctor to prescribe it - but that's rare in the UK - rare anywhere outside France. From what I see, that's quite cheap. I can post where I got it if the forum is cool with that.
I feel 100mg is too low a dose to reach indifference BUT the all-consuming thirst come 5pm has ebbed. So - something is happening. It remains to be seen what.
Also, the waves of tiredness have ebbed - except in the evening. I think that's because I'm still drinking, and apparently that can lead to shocking tiredness. I mean by this: can't keep your head upright, slouching mid sentence tired. Like a sort of 'comedy' narcolepsy - except I know that disease is no laughing matter.
I kept drinking out of habit - and out of a sort of panic, that it was 5pm, and I could, so I should, cos I always do, and it made me a nicer, better person. (I'm not an angry drunk. I'm actually much more relaxed and agreeable when drunk.)
This evening, I had 2 drinks around 530pm - I'm on my own, looking after my girl. I could hardly hold my head up for tiredness (not drunkenness - apparently drinking while on bac can lead to shocking tiredness). So... I stopped refilling at 6.30pm. I've been in a sort of panic since - I mean, what on earth is sober me supposed to do with himself? I'm so damn thirsty - not booze thirsty, proper old-fashioned dry mouth thirsty. It's 9pm, and I haven't drunk since 630pm - except tea.
This is remarkable - but I don't think I could face the tiredness. But I'm sober at 9pm on a Saturday (well - two drinks three hours ago. Sober for me!).
I'll keep the universe posted on how it goes. Early days, but this is interesting.
Comment