Hang in there wort. Patience is THE hardest part!

Nick, BGH and PV,

Thanks for the encouragement - it really helps.

In reading about some of the TSM clinical trials (eg. COMBINE) I noticed some that some required 5 AF days prior to starting treatment. That would have been hard for me. Maybe some of these studies get quicker results because they filter out folks with stronger addictions.

-wort

Hmmmmm . . . .Good point. Some of us are always looking for the reason it has been unreported in the literature that so many take six to nine months -- or more -- to see results.

Wort: You sound as though success is around the bend, although the journey may be longer than you had hoped.

Week five, and I have definitely seen improvement. Units are still up, but depression has subsided. I have never had problems with depression before, but the past few weeks have been a struggle. I have been almost back to normal over the last three days - what a relief. I think this was a kind of withdrawal process, so maybe I am over it now.

I have a plan to get my units down. I've made an appointment with my GP to see if I can get a script for baclofen to include with Nal for perhaps 30 days or so. Then I plan to go back on Nal only for extinction. I've ordered Amiesen's book which should arrive two days before my appointment next Friday.

Best,
-wort

Hi wort, your plan sounds a little like mine going to my doc and seeing if he would give us baclofen for a few months. The only problem I have is when we stop the Bac and then go back to drinking for the extinction with the Nal aren't we going back to where we're at right now? So, are we doing it just to give our bodies some rest seeing we won't be taking Nal or drinking? The two meds seem to be at odds with each other.

corkit

Corkit,

I am pretty sure Nal and Bac are fine together. If we are lucky with Bac, then AF days will come soon, along with some Nal-free days as well. If Bac works too well, then a cure will never come, because you must drink to achieve extinction. The only hope I see for a real cure is extinction. Bac for life does not seem good.

-wort

You're right wort, that's my concern it's sort of a catch 22.


corkit

Corkit,

I found a rather dated article in Time that explicitly states that baclofen must be taken indefinitely:
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1913016-2,00.html
See page 2.

-wort

Agree w/ all the above - and it has just been so common that those who had early SE, the "honeymoon" etc - met w/ success. Just do what you do and let it work - feeling good it will for you. Relax & good luck!

XO

HouTx,

I've been curious about you. Keep in touch.

-wort