Question regarding high dose Baclofen depression

[Reizende]

My boyfriend of many years had been wanting to stop drinking and learned about Baclofen a few years ago. His drinking was starting to make him very angry and hostile towards me so I located this forum and he called one of the doctors and started a Baclofen titration. He got up to around 150 mg and started becoming extremely depressed and it was about that time he was scheduled with an appointment to call the doctor. The doctor added Wellbutrin to his Baclofen at a very low dose. He has been on the Wellbutrin since about the 31st. He hasn't eaten much, hasn't slept much & doesn't seem to care about himself anymore. The past few days have been so bad & he doesn't want me in his life & says this has been building up a long time. I have tried to be loving and understanding, but I truly am dense sometimes and I feel bad about it. I only knew of this forum to ask this question, so I was wondering if this is a result of the Baclofen? Or some other issue that he and I have?

[Bruunhilde]

Question regarding high dose Baclofen depression

Hi Reiz,

I've heard other members getting depressed on high dose bac. I'm not on it, but I think UKBlonde and at least one other got depressed on it. You might check with UK for more details.

Of course it could be other things, too. Is he continuing to drink on the baclofen? That makes the side effects of bac worse. Is he not drinking? Some people get less depressed when they stop drinking because alcohol is a depressant. Other get more depressed because they are no longer hiding in a fog of alcohol, and see the world and their situation in sharp focus, which can be depressing if they can't control the negative thinking.

Good luck Reiz, good of you to help your BF.

[Guest]

Question regarding high dose Baclofen depression

Yep I was very depressed and generally completely wierd on high dose. I also know a couple of other members had the same, one of which has contacted me via PM on this very subject. I started thinking about using anti-ds but decided that Baclofen was affecting me worse than drinking ever did, and so switched to Naltrexone instead.

I can say however that once I titrated off Baclofen (I now take 25mg before bedtime for sleep and the occasional 10mg once in a blue moon if I'm a bit edgy), the depression lifted completely. Sure I've had the very odd day where I've been down, but those days were following a significant event and to be expected!

It's a fine balance between improving your drinking, and the SEs at times.

Interestingly enough (and this isn't a selling you Naltrexone point) I do not get depressed on Naltrexone - which would usually be expected because it is an endorphin blocker!!!!

[bleep]

Question regarding high dose Baclofen depression

A couple of people have reported depression, although whether this is due to baclofen, or pre-existing conditions is uncertain. How is his drinking?

[Reizende]

Question regarding high dose Baclofen depression

He has continued to drink the whole time he has been on the Baclofen, but says that he doesn't really feel the drinking anymore and continues to do it, he thinks out of habit. It calms him down, but doesn't get him drunk anymore. Since his mood has improved a little this morning, we actually had a chance to have a serious talk without either of us getting emotional about everything. Apparently, we met at a time of his life when he spent everyday, most of his day either drinking or on other substances since he was a teenager and he has never figured out who he is. In the process he also doesn't really know who I am either. I am thinking there may be a lot of people out there with loved ones who can't patch things up because they are meeting their spouses or significant others for the first time in their life when they sober up. Its heartbreaking for me, but I want him to get better. I can't be selfish.

[Lo0p]

Question regarding high dose Baclofen depression

Wellbutrin is a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, which would explain him sleeping and eating less. Norepinephrine is like...adrenalin (epinephrine). Lack of sleep can cause a whole host of other mental problems.

Ask the doc for a different AD.

[Reizende]

Question regarding high dose Baclofen depression

Lo0p;1159388 wrote: Wellbutrin is a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, which would explain him sleeping and eating less. Norepinephrine is like...adrenalin (epinephrine). Lack of sleep can cause a whole host of other mental problems.

Ask the doc for a different AD.

No, the not sleeping & not eating was before the Wellbutrin. As long as he isn't taking it late at night. Now he tells me he is starting to get sleep and an appetite some.

[Godwhacker]

Question regarding high dose Baclofen depression

I did feel a sense of anhedonia on high-dose Baclofen- the inability to enjoy anything. It's lessened now I've decreased the dose, but it's still there. Again, I'm not sure if it's related to previous depression or whether it's something new. I'm going to continue titrating down and see if it goes away; if it doesn't, then it's most likely something that was there before.

[SlipperyPete]

Question regarding high dose Baclofen depression

Bruunhilde;1159254 wrote:
Other get more depressed because they are no longer hiding in a fog of alcohol, and see the world and their situation in sharp focus, which can be depressing if they can't control the negative thinking.

Reizende;1159371 wrote: Apparently, we met at a time of his life when he spent everyday, most of his day either drinking or on other substances since he was a teenager and he has never figured out who he is. In the process he also doesn't really know who I am either. I am thinking there may be a lot of people out there with loved ones who can't patch things up because they are meeting their spouses or significant others for the first time in their life when they sober up. Its heartbreaking for me, but I want him to get better. I can't be selfish.

He sounds like me, and I think Bruunhilde nailed it with that one.

[BacloTim]

Question regarding high dose Baclofen depression

she was talking about me I think it is unrelated to the Baclofen because I've wanted to be single for a long time. I'll work on the depression more. Actually I don't even feel depressed she is blaming on that I think. Well I was depressed but the Wellbutrin has helped now.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Question regarding high dose Baclofen depression

Can I encourage you both to be gentle with one another? And take time and talk... Even if the end is inevitable.

Bac causes all sorts of emotional upheaval, as does drinking less! Anhedonia is a prime example and absolutely an SE that abates with a different dose. Euphoria is another one...