Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

[Zman]

Hi All,

I, like the rest of you, am very interested in everyone's Baclofen progress. However, due to the growing number of people taking the drug, it is getting pretty difficult to effeciently follow everyone's progress. So I thought I'd start this thread so that everyone could post their progress in one place.

I am very interested to hear how the people who have reached AF status, such as Bill P and BillB, Zen, Evie, Cinders are getting along, as well as how people like me, Siwan, Jen, Veritas and many others are doing as we titrate up. So I thought I'd start this thread.

I dont mean to highjack anyone's personal threads, and by all means, keep posting your progress on those. I just thought one thread where we can check on everyone's continuing progress would be helpful.

I am currently at 30mg a day, and think I still have a long way to go as far as titration, as the cravings and excessive drinking are still very much there. (Hopefully, not for too much longer).

Good luck to you all,

Z-Man

[beatle]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

I think someone else tried to do this before... but I guess it didn't work. Anyway, it's a great idea, so let's start again here. It's become very confusing and takes too much time to follow all the threads. I am all for consolidation.

[louise]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

That was my intention with the "More the Merrier on Baclofen" thread, but not many were posting on it besides me. So I'm happy to switch over to here - I think your title may be clearer! I'm at 50 mg, have been titrating very slowly since 6/24. Am having very few cravings and am mostly AF.

[Zman]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Oh sorry Louise, I didnt realize! I thought that was your personal thread.

[oliveoyl]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Great idea Zman:goodjob:

[beatle]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

It seems to me what most people taking Bac are saying is that the cravings don't go away with the Bac (at least at first), but they are easier to resist.

Dr Amiesen writes that he had less cravings after he started the Bac, but he seemed to drink almost as much on the Bac as off until he reached his switch-off point at a very high dose. (After that he had NO cravings and NO interest in alcohol at all).

I wonder if others have experienced it this way?

[Cinders]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Hi,

I'll jump onto this thread and delete my old one.

It will be easier for me since I can't always post everyday.

In my case, I wanted to be AF, so as soon as the cravings abated, I was home free.

Today I am at 100 mg/ day to 110 mg /day tid. I have few if any cravings. The occasional thoughts but completely able to deal with them.

I don't think I hit my "off switch" because I was having horrible dreams at 160 mg /day tid and had to back off.

I am going to stay at my current dosage for a while and see how it goes. I will not drink, though, no matter what. Bacloflen has made my cravings completely controllable. Completely.

Cindi

[Evie.Lou]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Cindi, I am so curios to know the difference between your "off switch" and having your cravings completely controllable ???
I am trying to understand cause maybe I never hit that "off switch" like I thought I did.
Once my cravings were controllable I figured that was as GOOD as it was ever gonna get ???

[beatle]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

That's exactly what I am wondering about -- if it helps my cravings to the point where I can resist them, i.e. they are under control, should I stop there, or should I keep going until I have absolutely no interest in alcohol (am "indifferent", as Amiesen puts it).?

[Cinders]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

The book talks about OA hitting a point where he was completely indifferent to alcohol.

Now, I am not sure if I ever got there. I am not indifferent to it. I do think about it.

But, I can stay away from it.

However, I simply could not tolerate the high dosage. (I probably titrated up too quickly because I was so desperate to get to AF, though. If I find myself struggling, I will titrate back up but at a much slower pace.)

I can't really answer your questions.

I don't know if OA's indifference meant he could deal with thoughts, or had no thoughts.

Cindi

[Siwan]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

withdrawn

[Cinders]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Siwan,

It doesn't sound too ugly. It sounds like you are making huge progress.

Titrate slowly, keep trying to stay AF when you can, and just use the care Evie.Lou has mentioned about drinking and taking any drugs.

I hope you get to a level with some serious relief for you soon.

Cindi

[Evie.Lou]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Siwan, I agree with Cindi...be happy with PROGRESS >>>>>>>>>each step forward gets you closer to your goal.
Please just beware of the med count. I have been cutting off my daily dose from the blister pack every morning as a precaution. I want TO KNOW how much I have taken, NOT GUESS !!!
Keep up the good work. You are doing fine. i can read it in your posts !!!

[Siwan]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

withdrawn

[Cinders]

Consolidated Baclofen Progress Thread

Siwan,

I deleted my old thread.

However, I titrated up way fast. I was willing to deal with side effects.

I was able to stay AF at 80 mg/day, however, just with a bit of white knuckling, not too bad, though.

However, I don't want to white knuckle, so I kept going.

When I got up to 160 mg/day, my sleep became very disturbed with vivid nightmares that I could not awake from. It was very scary.

So, I titrated back down over a week.

I am not white knuckling right now. However, I do want to say I am dealing with thoughts, but they are just thoughts. Not compulsions. If you know what I mean. I never got past the thoughts.

Cindi