Hi everyone. I stopped TSM several months ago because I had read that NAL blocked the meds I was taking for depression and anxiety. I believe the source was Dr. Escapa. My drinking patterns immediately returned with a vengeance, and Smart Recovery, AA and other approaches do not work for me. First of all, does anyone know if NAL blocks these meds from working? And if so are there newer meds out there that block endorphins without blocking my prescriptions? Thanks very much for responding. I am not in good shape right now.
Retread

Benzodiazepines like Xanax work against the extinction process with TSM. You really need to wean yourself off them as I did. That being said your alcohol abuse is likely a huge contributing factor to both your anxiety and depression.

I am sure we discussed this a while back?Eskapa had said that whilst it doesn't block their effects, using benzos can affect the extinction process. My take on it is that it prevents mindful drinking.

Retread,

I am so sorry to hear that you are having difficulties, for I have been thinking positive thoughts for you.

Please reach out to the C-3 foundation, for JoAnna or one of the other counselor might be able help you.

As far as the Benzos goes, I think there are other drugs out there to help with anxiety, and there are other drugs out there to help with alcoholism, but I would have to do some research to see what drug can be used with Benzos to help with alcoholism.

Unfortunately, I have read that anxiety and alcoholism goes hand and hand. Some doctors will prescribe Benzos to help with the anxiety from alcohol withdrawal, and then benzos will have to be slowly tapered off of to avoid withdrawals. But I understand that stopping the benzos are out of the question for you.

I understand that you are taking these drugs for you anxiety and you cannot get off of them because it causes your anxiety to increase, but have you spoken to you doctor to see if there is another drug that you can take? Are you in therapy for your anxiety? Is your doctor a psychiatrist? I know that you said your doctor is good at pharmacology, but psychiatrist are doctors that deal only with mental health issues and would know exactly what drugs would help with your anxiety and your alcoholism.

My heart goes out to you retread, for I can imagine how difficult this is for you. You could try TSM again and maybe use HAMS to help with reduction instead of drinking like normal.

Jaba



http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/ ... 99-106.pdf

Retread,

Gabapentin combined with naltrexone had some good results in research studies; however, the problem is that Gabapentin is another drug that you will have to taper off of and there is the issue of CNS depression with the combination of the Gaba and Benzo.

Baclofen is another one that has promising results, but I could not find anything using it with Benzo.

I did find a lot out about Benzo use and it is pretty scary stuff. Benzos build up a tolerance in your system and cause your anxiety to return when using them long term, so most will increase their dose. After doses are increased the likelihood of becoming addicted and increasing the dose in the future is greater.

My hair dresser using them to control his seizures brought on from PTSD, so I can understand that they do have a use, but they still scare me.

Naltrexone and benzos have been used for opioid addiction, so using Naltrexone will be fine, but maybe using a higher dose instead of the normal 50 mg is something that you can ask your doctor about.

I hope some of this helps. I am still searching, but the benzos are the issue for how they effect the receptors in the brain.

Jaba

Retread,

Have you thought about using MJ to help with this process? I found a couple of studies that have found it helps.

Jaba

http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/content/49/3/292

I started taking Gabapentin along with doing TSM about a month ago and so far have had a noticeable decrease in cravings. I should also point out that according to my psychiatrist, whose expertise is in addiction and addiction medicine, there is no issue with tapering off of Gabapentin the way there is with something like Baclofen, even though they both target the gaba system of the brain. It isn't addictive either. I don't know whether adding the benzos would affect anything, but Gabapentin alone is very tolerable and I've had no side effects from it.

Thanks Je, for I can only pull up studies and that is NOT true life experiences.

I am glad that gaba is working for you, for I have heard a lot of good things about it, but never have tried it.

Jaba

Jaba, where did you find a study on Gabapentin combined with Naltrexone? I had seen the results of a study on Gabapentin by itself, but not any on the two together.

Je,

I am sorry, for I usually post when I find research for people to form their own opinion. Here is the research that I was referring to:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21454917
http://www.uptodate.com/contents/pharma ... e-disorder (this is the one that is gaba alone)

Funny, I was in such a rush that day I didn't realize that only one article was for the research and the others were referring to it...sorry. But this is were I came to the conclusion that Gaba was addictive and needed to wean off of it...no more addictive than Wellbutrin which needs to be wean off as well, but I do not think you can abuse Wellbutrin...but I could be wrong.
http://www.drugaddictiontreatment.com/t ... addiction/
Jaba