Well there's the insurance issue, the DMV issue, whatever other issues we don't know about yet and the fact that your doctor isn't likely to prescribe enough baclofen for it to work. Cinders has a doc that precribes for her but she has to supplement it with meds ordered off the internet.

10mgs 3x a day is what everybody starts off with. There are titration schedules over on MWO. I did 150mgs the first day and 250mgs the second day. It worked for me but I've heard of people nearly dropping dead by being irresponsible like this so...

AAggGGGggHH!!!



I drank for 2 days...straight!

Does this mean I'm relapsing?!?!

Do I need a new birthday????? I'm only six days old as it is!

heh.... someday I hope to be confident enough to actually get cocky...

hehe you drank 2 days each 1 unit, I would not be concerned by that. Are you sure complete abstinence is not an option for you?

I've absorbed Dr. Ameisen's book, read everything I can get my hands on...gotten thru many posts at MWO and will go there again after this. I am excited to try it and yet nervous as well if I start w/o my DR's approval & Rx. He was good about being behind TSM and I am his only patient on it as well as a high dose (100mgs) of NAL...I think he would probably prescribe BAC, but I am not sure I want to be on the radar screen about my drug use anymore.

I have done some serious calculations about how to titrate up...worried about the somnolence bigtime...yet seems to be the biggest side effect & all others are rare. But your testimonials and others on MWO and in the book make me think alot of the warnings are just that. I am excited to try it and worried at the same time. Much more so than last year when I started TSM. I have since stopped taking NAL in the last week as I hit my anniversary and didn't see the point. Am hoping my liver function will improve, night and day sweats will decrease (or is this menopause??!! I DUNNO - hate it!! BLAH!!) as will those stupid, nagging, horrid dreams!!

Anyway, LoOP, I am going to be asking you questions b/c I am still questioning everything about taking BAC. Some have said somnolence is a problem, which I worry about as I simply can't be bothered with that; others have said if you stay active then it acts exactly opposite and you are super-focused. I hope so, b/c I need that...I have a very physically/mentally demanding job and need to remain up on my feet, verbally quick, and aw dat...just can't be nodding off & that is the one thing I worry about...plus, on a different level, I work out often and want to maintain muscle strength, endurance, breath control, etc...

Anyway - just a few more concerns as I continue to read and research. I hate to self-medicate, but thinking I might do that this time around. Hope all else continues to go well w/ you, muh dear! Any input & comments would be appreciated.

XO

Hi Houtx,

I'm worried about you - I'm a newbie so please take this with a grain of salt, but I don't think you should quit nal yet. Wait until you begin baclofen and begin to have AF days. You have spent all this time building up extinction, and I don't think you should risk reversing that.

I hung out with my drinking bud last night; so far he is the only one I have confided in about TSM besides you guys. He was fascinated, but can not try TSM because he has kidney stones and must keep opiates on hand in case of sudden and very serious attacks. Our discussion turned to baclofen, and he recalled that a decade ago he had problems with muscle spasms and his doctor prescribed baclofen. Coincidentally, during that same period he "just decided" to quit drinking, and went 1.5 years AF.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Very Best,
-wort

EVERYTIME I drank I took Nal before it. As wort pointed out you could destroy the extinction on your opioid receptor. As previously said, alcoholism is most likely a combination of both. Opioid receptor and GABA. I would in no way risk this advance that you have now.

houtx, if you start slowly and titrate up very slowly you won't have any side effects. The side effects you have seen have been mainly from people upping the dose more quick than suggested!
Baclofen is like doping - you feel so strong and powerful and for me even parts of my normal fears have been totally gone. You hardly get tired during work or sports. But at night I usually was quite tired to sleep - sadly it woke me up at 3-4am and I was again working!! But again - if you dose it like suggested - or even slower you won't have this problem at all! This insomnia happens for me only at doses above 120mg a day - below that I sleep like a baby.

wort, what a coincidence that your friend stopped drinking on Baclofen . I can so relate to that. I always wanted to be a moderate drinking, but could not imagine stopping drinking.
Now I am at my 40th AF day - and feeling better than ever. THANK YOU BACLOFEN!

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WOW - thx for the input Craving & Mabalee, and I appreciate your concern, wort -

I am on the fence as far as continuing TSM. It has helped reduce my consumption by keeping count, making me more aware, etc., but I drink out of habit and really have felt no real results being on it a full year! Took 50 mgs then 100 mgs last 6 months - no changes. Reading "Heal Thyself" ( new title for "The End of My Addiction")...Dr. A suggests not taking any other craving reducing meds, also that BAC hits a GABA-B receptor agonist that is totally different than the GABA-A (?? I can't find the reference) that NAL, Campral, TOPA, and the others target.

Many of you here have found succes with TSM, I have not. I am totally convinced it works even in small ways with some of us, and HUGE ways with a lot of you. I have found a great source of therapy and support and everything else here, but really, I think it's time I give up on NAL and try BAC. I cannot tell you how much I have been plagued with the night sweats, flushes and weird dreams. If it were curing my addiction, it wouldn't phase me...unfortunately it's just annoying me and I am ready to try a new method that sounds pretty darn promising...

Just trying to decide if I should foot the bill and be under the radar insurance-wise, or go back to my DR and save some $$. Am thinking I will order initially online and see how it goes.
Craving and Mabelee and LoOp and any others using BAC - I want to keep track of how this is going w/ you. I'm nervous...but ready to go!

PS: Wort - don't you LOVE it your friend accidentally went AL free while on BAC?! I read that elsewhere in patients who were on it for the reasons it is prescribed - they lost interest in doing drugs or alcohol. Phenomenal - just like those of you who found success w/ this. I want to believe something will work for me - am hoping this is it. Sure sounds like it & I am hopeful!

Sorry to steal your thread LoOp!! XO

Hi Houston! Super busy, I will absolutely respond to your questions tonight when I get to sit down and relax. Off to make & eat post workout meal #2 (29g pro 70g carb <5g fat) ...

This thread is the perfect place for this discussion