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**redcat** · October 16, 2012, 05:20 PM

Poll which brand of Baclofen

Hello Xadrian, thank you for previous response. Regarding the brand of Bac you noted - Ratiopharm. You actually ask the pharmacy to order that brand? How does it work? Is there a difference? Have you experienced a difference? Dr. Ameisen did not mention about the brand. Please help.

**paulywogg** · October 16, 2012, 06:20 PM

Poll which brand of Baclofen

hey,just wondering isnt taking bac just the lesser of two evils? im sorry im new at all of this,but isnt bac something youll have to taper off too eventually?ive read up on stuff but i still dont know much

**Xadrian** · October 16, 2012, 07:28 PM

Poll which brand of Baclofen

RedCat,

Ratiopharm is the brand I got from the pharmacy. I always (for 6 months) had that brand, but I read a few posts on some forums that the pharmacy changed the brand of Baclofen and the usere experienced differences.

Pauly,

According to me there's not much evil about Baclofen. It doesn't let you feel drunk, doesn't damage your liver or other organs, you're not going to be addicted to it, nor has it any recreational use.
It just lets you feel "normal" and takes away the need for alcohol.

Theoretically, tapering off is not required when on maintence dose. It's a medicine that "corrects" something that is out of balance. Muscle patients use it for the rest of their lives without a problem. You could compare it a little with medication for high blood pressure, or insuline for diabetics.
You will possibly need it for the rest of your life. Since it doesn't do you harm, you could use it for the rest of your life without a problem.

But still I'm going to try to lower the dose in a while. But very, very slowly and in the event cravings might re-appear, i go back to the second last dose.

**lostsole** · October 16, 2012, 07:52 PM

Poll which brand of Baclofen

Lioresal. Pretty much the only kind I've ever had from the special pharmacy that takes credit cards. Had plenty of side effects but I am at a high dosage.

SE's are not too bad now. Just get tired now and then.

**Chilipepper** · October 16, 2012, 10:07 PM

Poll which brand of Baclofen

Isn't baclofen just baclofen, whether it's named lirosel or whatever? I guess to answer this question appropriately, you would have to take different brands/manufacturers/pharmacies to develop your own opinion, but then it would still be just an opinion.

Also, things to consider would be did you receive your med through a prescription or an online pharmacy? Ultimately, the greatest question would be the benefit you received from the meds. Did you receive the perceived benefit from the drug - yes or no?

**Chilipepper** · October 17, 2012, 03:37 AM

Poll which brand of Baclofen

What I was trying to say is that baclofen should be baclofen regardless of brand. I know that brands can be specific to different countries, but 10 mg. of the drug should be 10 mg, regardless of brand. 10 mg. Liroseal = 10 mg. Baclofen, unless the drug is bogus. Unlike illicit drugs, what would be the purpose of counterfeiting very cheap, out of patent baclofen?

**Xadrian** · October 17, 2012, 07:23 AM

Poll which brand of Baclofen

Chillipepper.
There could be difference in purity for example, so the 10 mg could be 9 mg or 11.
Also some "help material" in the pills could influence the quality of the Baclofen (rate of deteriorating)

Anyway, some people reported differences after switching brands, so that's why I started the poll.
If you don't want to participate, you're free too.
If you don't have any objections (if it doesn't help, it doesn't harm you either), then please post the info.

**lostsole** · October 17, 2012, 07:41 AM

Poll which brand of Baclofen

Well I had tried one other brand I think Pacifen and I felt no difference between switching onto it and off of it.

**lostsole** · October 19, 2012, 08:35 AM

Poll which brand of Baclofen

Not sure why that came off as a joke.

I think you are a troll.

"live project training in ahmedabad" really?

**tiptronic_ct** · October 19, 2012, 01:12 PM

Poll which brand of Baclofen

Xadrian;1393912 wrote: Theoretically, tapering off is not required when on maintence dose..

Urmmmmmmm.... NO.

Both theoretically and practically, you have to be extremely careful, especially if you've used baclofen for an extended period. Baclofen withdrawal can be just as bad as sudden alcohol withdrawal syndrome. You don't want to go there. You happen to be on a very low dose of baclofen. If someone on a maintenance dose of (say) 150mg was to quit suddenly, they'd probably need hospitalisation.

As far as different brands are concerned, it is better to err on the side of caution. If you're switching from one to the other, try to do the switchover gradually. I.e. take less of the brand you're on whilst increasing the dose of the new brand.

**lostsole** · October 19, 2012, 01:50 PM

Poll which brand of Baclofen

Agreed with the switching. Always makes sense to be sure.

I know with other meds like benzos they really do vary a bit. I have only had 2 flavors of baclofen.

**RedThread12** · October 19, 2012, 08:15 PM

Poll which brand of Baclofen

Well, looks like this is a good enough time for me to climb back up on my soapbox, which is: anyone who is taking baclofen, or considering taking baclofen, will give themselves an enormous gift by taking a day or 5 to read bac through the bac threads, here on MWO. I know, I know . . . even though MWO saved my life, the search engine sucks, which does NOT make this an easy task. But starting around 2009, there are indescribably informative, helpful, interesting, informed posts that, IMHO, should be required reading for anyone taking baclofen, or considering taking baclofen.

For example: https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...fen-46174.html This is information from a consistently reliable source who went there, did it, and got the t-shirt in order to know what he knows. No conjecture. Experience.

Just about anything LoOp has ever posted (well, except maybe about going to Burning Man, which was fun and interesting, but not critical for the bac path

) is more than worth anyone's time to find and read. As are literally hundreds of threads and posts that probably contain more information about what it actually requires to take the bac path than any individual, and especially, any physician, knows. Ne has quite a bundle of threads and posts, dating back quite a way, that are treasure chests of information from many, many of the 1st and 2nd generation baclofentists. Even reading her thread that has survived - thank dog - from the beginning, and looking into what was happening with people who contributed to THAT is a mind-bending amount of knowledge and help. And I'm really happy to see (thanks, Tip!) that Tiptronic is still watching over us. His threads and posts are also from his direct experience; full of accurate information, personal insightand experience; and powerfully helpful.

Baclofen works. It just does. Although, as counter-intuitive and mystifying as it is to me, apparently not for everyone. But it is far less likely to work when anyone fails to fully utilize the knowledge and support that do exist . . . and I'd say that, with the Consolidated Baclofen Information thread, where published studies and case reports are posted, along with the wealth of experience that people have posted, a good 75% - 80% about what is known about baclofen can be found here. Maybe more. Yes, there's that much to read, folks.

I'll step down from my soapbox, now. But I'll keep on talking about this, and encouraging everyone, no matter how much you think you know, to learn more, right here on MWO. I've been free from drinking against my will since Oct. 2009, thanks to this forum, Dr. Ameisen, and baclofen. That's 4 years of freedom. AND the knowledge that I Never. have to drink like that again. EVER. Wow. I still get teary eyes and goose-bumps with gratitude about that. Life without alcohol, or at least, without it's debilitating effects, is still a pretty tough row to hoe, as they say around here. I just heard an interview of Leonard Cohen (I'm currently in a totally inexplicable and perhaps inexcusible LC "groupie" phase); when the interviewer commented that surely, some people consider him a wise man and ask his advice about life, he smiled a little and said, "Yes." "And what do you tell them?" she asked. "I tell them all the same thing," he replied. "Duck." :H

I didn't exactly hi-jack your thread, Xadrian, since it IS about different brands of baclofen, and LoOp's thread may still be the most amount of information available about just that. But I have used it to expound a point of view that is off that topic. So I'll hand it back to you now. Thanks, for your contributions. Hope you're here for the long haul. It's a message that saves lives.

**baclofan** · October 19, 2012, 11:26 PM

Poll which brand of Baclofen

Xadrian;1393912 wrote: Ratiopharm is the brand I got from the pharmacy. I always (for 6 months) had that brand, but I read a few posts on some forums that the pharmacy changed the brand of Baclofen and the usere experienced differences.

Hi Xadrian, in my opinion Ratiopharm brand is an excellent one. I've tried several other brands and only Teva brand doesn't cause tinnitus even at a moderately high dose.
Ratiopharm is under Teva corp umbrella - Teva has taken over Ratiopharm quite a few years ago but in some countries is marketing their meds formula under Ratiopharm.

Here in Canada every baclofen Ratiopharm pill has engraved symbol TEC, which stands for Teva Canada.

**lostsole** · October 20, 2012, 08:29 AM

Poll which brand of Baclofen

Sorry Xadrian, they can all cause tinnutis. Read up on this forum. There was one guy on Teva who had extreme tinnutus.

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