Where are the doctors?

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Where are the doctors?

terryk;1574858 wrote: I think so:

That link goes to two papers: Clinical and Pharmacokinetic Aspects of High Dose Baclofen and High Dose Oral Baclofen: Experience in Patients with MS in one of the Consolidated Baclofen Information Threads

-tk

Got it. I started at the beginning of the thread and didn't make it to the end. I've found a couple of other things, too. Will post later-ish maybe.

[adam777]

Where are the doctors?

Thank you to TerryK, Xadrian, Cassandra and Emily for the advice.

Firstly I had no idea Baclofen was an OTC medication in Spain, I can fly direct to Madrid in 90 minutes so perhaps I'll take Mrs 777 for a weekend away and stock up. I did not get much luck with the doctors here (though I did not try my old doctor only because I couldn't get into see him before the middle of Nov)

As it happens though Mrs 777 (being very practical and frugal) went to the head post office to ask them to return my packages as I had lost the prescription and when she handed in the notification slips they handed over the packages...

... nope I have no idea why that happened either.

So I am okay all the way though to the end of January now.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Where are the doctors?

There are two doctors in my area (Hampton Roads, Virginia) who prescribe. Neither of them are going to be baclofen-prescribing-doctors, because they don't treat people with addiction. (We had a relationship with them before and that makes all the difference.)

I went to see a psychiatrist about getting treated for ADD. THAT experience was as nightmarish as some of the fictional accounts are here. It was only indirectly related to baclofen. I was honest about baclofen, because I'd like to be honest with any doctor who is about to prescribe medications so I can be assured that what I'm taking is safe. BIG mistake. His assumption was that I was drug seeking. His first question? He asked me how long I'd been taking xanax. (I don't.) Then after a pretty contentious 15 minutes he said that he doesn't prescribe stimulants to alcoholics.

Mind you, I have access to both xanax and adderall. I've tried them. They don't work for me. If it was that easy, I'd just be taking the meds that everyone prescribes when they hear ADD and anxiety. But adderall in particular is really not a good option because it makes me feel like crap and it tickles the switch somehow. We all know that benzos aren't a good long term option for most of us, right? So...Off to the professional I went. What a mistake.

I went to the guy to talk about antidepressants so I didn't have to do all the effin' research and self-prescribe again. Ha! So much for that. Ironic that for both my husband and I, baclofen was the easy part of getting help.

I also know of a guy who found a doctor in northern California. Again, not necessarily a doctor who is going to prescribe baclofen to someone he's never met in active addiction but the point is that it is possible and it's not as rare as we might think.

Hang in there, peeps and good luck.

[Juan BH]

Where are the doctors?

That guy would be me. I have been lucky enough to find a doctor in the greater Sacramento/Sierra Foothills area willing to prescribe a maintenance dose. I got a couple of "No" answers before finding him, so keep that in mind if you are looking for a doc out there. I am willing to discuss my situation through PM.

[Cassander]

Where are the doctors?

Alky;1595496 wrote: Made some serious waves at the doctor's office this morning. We were trying to get to the bottom of my high cholesterol issue when she asked if I was taking any other medications, so I came clean about the baclofen and why I use it. She knew absolutely nothing about bac's use in addiction treatment, but to her credit seemed genuinely interested. But, as she is a resident, she really has no authority of her own and went to "consult" with the attending physician. The attending came into my exam room, pissed as hell, and the exchange went something like this:

Do you have a prescription for baclofen?

No.

It's very dangerous to be taking prescription drugs without the supervision of a physician and it's my medical opinion that you stop.

(I'm still calm), 1. Is it any more dangerous than drinking myself to death? Or the falls and accidents that were getting worse and worse? I did end up in the ER this past summer not once, but twice, after all. And 2. I'm not taking random doses of the drug, I have a dosing schedule that was given to me by a Chicago psychiatrist who was treating alcoholics with baclofen. So no, now that the hell of chronic drinking is behind me, I am not going to stop.

(Attending is getting huffy) No one here will ever write you a prescription for baclofen for this purpose.

(I'm starting to get a little bugged) Well thank God I don't need anyone here to write me prescription for baclofen for this purpose. And let me add my psychiatrist wanted to treat my alcoholism with a benzodiazepine. You and I both know that's a bad idea, even it has been an "accepted" treatment and it's too bad that your medical dogma prevents you from exploring baclofen as a treatment option when it's clearly working in my case and would be the less harmful option, given a choice between baclofen and a benzo.

Attending physician leaves, slamming the door behind him.

Life imitates art... . Well done, Alky.

[Xadrian]

Where are the doctors?

Cass, just wanted to report this, so it can be added to the increasing list of doctors.
Thanks, dundrinkn.

dundrinkn;1622759 wrote: Into day 16. No beer in sight. Met with the psychiatrist today and took prescribing guidelines and research study (thanks Colin!). She gave me a script for 180mg and on her own suggested Gabapenten for the nerve pain I'm having. I will try the Gaba, but want to keep the dose low -- just losing weight and don't want to get fat! Would rather have nerve pain. But that's just me.

I saw her a year ago and got a lower dose script that I only had to fill once, thanks to LoOp. So she is very excited about how well I've done on the BAC and is going to have some other patients try it. She won't do phone consults, but if anyone is in Colorado and wants a good doc, PM me and if I know who you are (on the boards) and you're not a dick (on the boards) I would share the name.

[Cassander]

Where are the doctors?

Thanks, X and dun.

[DonQuixote]

Where are the doctors?

Hello @all

Where are the doctors?

In Germany we have a functionally switch board, see the map below. The French forums have about the same, but they do not represent it in a map as we do in Germany.

I think the best for you in US and UK would be to collect in an anonymous way all the docs you know. Just publish postcode, type of physician (for example: general practitioner, psychiatrist, neurologist, internist, psychiatric walk-in clinic, etc.) and anonymised user voices in a spreadsheet. Then give to a seeker just one, and only one name and address. If this recommendation after a first vistit, whyever, doesn?t work or please, the seeker will get, of course, other addresses. That?s the way we handle our ?collection? in Germany.

My very best regards, DonQuixote

• Blue: General Practitioner
• Green: Psychiatrist
• Red: InternistPurple: NeurologistYellow: Psychiatric walk-in clinic

[_EndOfTheLine_]

Where are the doctors?

Is there good quality evidence that high-dose baclofen is safe and effective for treating alcoholism and improves outcomes (QoL, mortality, morbidity ) over a meaningful time frame? If so then, fine a doctor should prescribe it, if not they are negligent to do so. If I were a doctor I wouldn't prescribe it without having evidence that it is defensible decision.

[Cassander]

Where are the doctors?

Hello End

Here are two pieces of information a doctor should be aware of and which might well persuade him that baclofen treatment is safe and effective.

Colin;1619098 wrote: These two will help support the HDB treatment when talking to doctors:-

Suppression of Alcohol Dependence Using Baclofen: A 2-Year Observational Study of 100 Patients
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/59463672/Prescribing-Guide-for-Baclofen-in-the-Treatment-of-Alcoholism-Don.pdf

Cassander

[DonQuixote]

Where are the doctors?

Hello End

See also this: Abstinence and ?Low-Risk? Consumption 1 Year after the Initiation of High-Dose Baclofen: A Retrospective Study among ?High-Risk? Drinkers

[Jazi's Mum]

Where are the doctors?

Thank you very much for putting these up. Valuable for the 'fear-factor' some of us experience when taking bac. This affirms it is a good decision for me. It does work!

[spiritwolf333]

Where are the doctors?

Hi Cass -In my opinion, something that could be really useful would be a specific list of documents-information-videos that a person could take and present to their doctor. I know that there are many documents already posted, but maybe a more specific 1.2.3 suggested list to submit. Perhaps this has already been done?

A newcomer happening on this site could truly benefit. . In fact, I started thinking about this when I was contemplating changing doctors and how could I best educate an uninformed baclofen doctor.

[Samandkatharine]

Where are the doctors?

Just got off the phone with the Dr. in SF. He charges a minimum of 675$ for an initial visit. To top that off, he wants you to see a therapist in his office at the rate of 200$ an hour. This just stinks. I think it's a diservice to us working folks who just want a doctor who knows what he's doing.

sam

[Xadrian]

Where are the doctors?

Samandkatharine;1638850 wrote: Just got off the phone with the Dr. in SF. He charges a minimum of 675$ for an initial visit. To top that off, he wants you to see a therapist in his office at the rate of 200$ an hour. This just stinks. I think it's a diservice to us working folks who just want a doctor who knows what he's doing.

sam

I think he must have meant 675 pesos?
Otherwise, he definitely should see a therapist, but not at your expenses.