I'm 32. 71 kg. For years I have been drinking daily. It started as one or two on the weekday evenings and several on the weekends. In the last year or so, it escalated to 10-20 drinks spread evenly throughout the day. What started as a fun way to relieve anxiety and social awkwardness has become simply a way to stop the withdrawal symptoms. If I stop for more than a few hours I get shakes, sweats, confusion, and more than anything, anxiety. Drinking is rarely fun any more. It's just a necessity.

In January, I tried going cold turkey a few times. The aforementioned withdrawal symptoms made each a short-lived experiment. This despite having a very very helpful and supportive spouse and family.

AA (which is likely the only support group in this town) is not a option for a multitude of reasons. Some of my clients go there. My reputation as a professional would be damaged. I'm on the board of directors for a related organization. And the meetings are held at my spouse's workplace, which would be horribly embarrassing for her. Plus, I'm an atheist, an anarchist (to some degree), and not into the cult-like nature of the AA mentality.

I found May Way Out and forums and regained hope for the first time ever - mainly in pharmaceutical solutions.

It is almost impossible to see a doctor here (Ontario) unless you already have one. I am living in a new town (a small town) so I do not have one. I have been on a waiting list for almost a year. In desperation, I broke down and asked a family member (who is a family doctor) for help. He prescribed me a small batch of diazepam (at his insistence) and 60 mg of Baclofen daily (at my insistence).

I started taking the 60 mg of Baclofen daily, which immediately reduced my withdrawal symptoms. I have gone alcohol free several days in the last few months, up to about 5 days at a time. This has not happened in about 10 years. It felt great at first. The feeling of freedom was overwhelmingly awesome. But whenever I feel good, I start drinking again. To add insult to injury, the Baclofen seems to dull my emotions, leaving me feeling "flat" at best or depressed at worst.

I immediately ordered more Baclofen from an online source to see if taking more would rid me of my addiction.

I have started taking large amounts of multi-vitamins, milk thistle, and B complex, all of which have helped my overall health noticeably. Also taking l-glutamine, l-theanine, melatonin, and 5-htp, none of which seem to do as expected.

Unlike many of its proponents, the Baclofen has not really reduced my anxiety in general. I still feel nervous and uncomfortable on a daily basis, without good reason, and suffer from restless legs constantly.

I have not been taking the diazepam, for several reasons. I know that some days I will have to function without the booze, and the diazepam can (and has) allowed me to do so. Also, I know that I could survive very happily on a smaller amount of booze coupled with some diazepam. I do not want that to become my new addiction. Finally, it is hard to get a prescriptions for benzodiazepines here (especially without a family doctor), so having half a bottle of diazepam on hand is very comforting and I do not want to be without it.

I have had two appointments with the most reputable counselling agency in town. The counsellor I saw was very disappointing. Despite claiming to have 30+ years of experience in addiction counselling, this "psychotherapist" seemed to have very little to offer me.

At this point, I am trying to take as much Baclofen per day as I can handle. So far, that is 100 mg. More than that and I cannot sleep at night and I fall asleep all day (as odd as that seems). As a professional with an office job, that is obviously unworkable. I can take up to 150 mg/day on the weekends, but that gives me incessant twitches, confusion, and unending fatigue. I have been on it for almost two months. Maybe that's not long enough, but I'm giving up hope on it.

I am still drinking. Some days less that original. Some days none, which is awesome and gives me so much hope. But once I ramp up to daily drinking, I cannot stop again, mainly due to the physical withdrawal rather than cravings or emotional/psychological reasons.

Today I received two months' supply of Naltrexone, and I am so excited. I can't start it today (as I've already been drinking), but I will start tomorrow.

My only worry is that they are capsules, not tablets, so I can't start with 25 mg. Usually I tolerate drugs quite well (including SSRIs in the past), but the Baclofen has been an exception.

Also not sure if I should increase, decrease or keep the Baclofen dose the same.

Can't tell you all how happy I am that this forum is here. I will try to post my progress regularly. Now all I have to do is explain this to my wife.

Welcome aboard!

Wow, you've been through a lot. I hope that TSM works for you. If you can't take a half pill (my naltrexone comes in tablet form) I would recommend taking it on a full stomach. Nausea and feeling "spacey" are very common side effects, as is sleep disturbance. The side effects can be quite harsh at first, but they are also very fleeting and go away within a week for virtually everybody.

I hope TSM works for you.

My best,

Nick

Welcome!
You know you CAN seperate the capsule, divide the contents in half, then swallow one of the halfs. You could put one half back in the capsule, the other half you could try just putting it in a tablespoon of water and down the hatch, or wrapping it in something organic, like a small piece of lettuce or whatever, that you could swallow whole. I used to be able to buy empty capsules at a whole foods co-op when I lived in Seattle.
I am curious where you purchased capsules of Nal?
Dave

Wow, Terry! You've definitely been through a lot. Your dedication to get better shows. I've never heard of naltrexone coming in capsules though, but I guess it exists if you have them. I wonder if those absorb into your body more quickly?

Good luck in your TSM journey. You're in the right place!

Antaxone 50 mg from Pharmaz
Shipped from Spain
small capsules: half blue and half turquoise
7 capsules per blister pack

Hi Terry,

I am in no position to advise on a pharmaceutical combination - but Dr JC Garbutt can - he conducted this 2009 study: Combination of Naltrexone and Baclofen for Alcohol Dependence

You can contact him here: jc_garbutt@med.unc.edu

http://www.med.unc.edu/alcohol/garbutt.html


"The most widely accepted idea for naltrexone's effect is that it reduces the alcohol "high", which decreases a desire to consume alcohol. As a result, alcoholic patients treated with naltrexone are less likely to relapse to heavy drinking.
However, naltrexone does not have any effect on other symptoms that may contribute to relapse such as anxiety, sleep problems and irritability. Baclofen, an FDA approved medication for muscle spasms, may improve some of these symptoms."


Terry, Can i just ask one question? How much coffee do you drink? I used to get terrible social anxiety from coffee until I gave up...

Euch. Won't be doing that again. It's very water soluble, but tastes incredibly bad. Anyway, first 25 mg down. Let's see how it goes.

I backed off the Baclofen bit today (from 150 mg to 120 mg, more evenly spaced), because I just couldn't take the side effects, and because I am worried about doubling the side effects by adding Naltrexone.

Andy_M: I have been a life long coffee fan, although usually only one (strong) cup per day. I can't even do that now, the anxiety is too bad.

Honeymoon? Too early to tell.

Pre-TSM:
Over 12 units per day. Zero AF. 150 mg Baclofen per day.
Feeling depressed. Myriad of agonizing physical al withdrawal symptoms. Lots of Bac side effects, mostly somnolence, confusion, lack of concentration. Terrible insomnia.

Day 1 TSM:
Down to 120 mg Baclofen. 25 mg Nal.
9 drinks and no desire to drink more! Wow. Much decreased desire to drink. No euphoria. Just relaxation and fatigue. Drinking mostly to reduce the physical withdrawal.
Still insomnia. Some minor side effects from the Nal and Bac. Woke up with horrible hour or two of mental confusion thinking I had poisoned my neuroreceptors forever.

Day 2 TSM:
Down to 100 mg Baclofen. 25 mg Nal.
6 drinks! Again, decreased desire to drink. Again, mostly relaxation and fatigue.
Slept like a baby for the first time in a long time.

Day 3:
Only taken 40 mg Baclofen for the day (it's only noon).
Haven't decided if I should take an AF day yet or not.
Greatly decreased alcohol withdrawal today. Much happier and more productive.
Little to no craving for a drink. Usually I think about it all day.

I know it's early and this is going to be a long road. But I am certainly encouraged.

I'm going to stay on the combo for a while. Hardest part will be finding a dose of Bac that keeps cravings and withdrawal down to a minimum without major side effects.

Again, I hope I'm not damaging my brain. My liver and kidneys I'm less worried about.

Sure would be nice to have a doctor's help.

Unfortunately, we are the pioneers. Hopefully, you are laying the groundwork for countless people to follow.

Naltrexone has an initial anticraving effect that is fleeting and part of the process. It does sound like the honeymoon. Unfortunately, it doesn't last long for most of us and is part of a long, roller coaster ride towards regaining control.

Hang in there.

Day 3 I did end up with some anxiety and chest pain around supper time. Took the 25 mg. Waited an hour. Calmed down. Oddly didn't feel like I needed the drink at that point. Had one anyway. It just about knocked me on my ass. Hardly wanted a second. Again, no euphoria, but a good feeling. Some mild nausea. Had two more drinks over the evening to prevent chest pain and rapid pulse. By 11:00 I was so tired I couldn't work anymore. Slept like a baby for the second night in a row.

No desire to take a drink this morning. Nice! Woke up feeling refreshed and ambitious. It's been over a month since that happened.

Some mild nausea persists. Really glad I started with 25 mg of Naltrexone. Seems to do the trick and I wouldn't want to feel any sicker or more tired than I do on 25 mg.

Planning to stay at around 100 mg Baclofen for a while.

Again, far too early to say what will happen, but for someone like me, who suffers from physical withdrawal from alcohol more than any other problem (no depression, social anxiety, etc.), the combo (Bacanal?) might be an effective and graceful way to detox instead of benzodiazepines. (I'm just thinking out loud here. Sorry.)