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Baclofen and Anxiety Disorders

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BabyGotBac

Greenlighter
Joined
Mar 16, 2010
Messages
25
Hello,

This is my first post and I hope I've chosen the correct forum for my question.

I have had panic disorder since I was 10-years-old (I'm now 46.) I discovered that booze was a magical cure for my overwhelming and unexplained anxiety at 18 and started on the road to alcoholism. I've been hospitalized numerous times for detox, blah, blah, blah. The usual story. I've now been abstinent for nearly two years and I discovered the book by Dr. Olivier Ameisen, The End of My Addiciton, of which most of you are probably aware. He touts high-dose baclofen (up to 300mg) as a cure for alcoholism. I more interested in baclofen as a potential cure for the underlying problem of most alcoholism, which is anxiety/panic disorder. His theory is that most alcoholics are deficient in endogenous GHB which is necessary for the body to relax, etc. He claims GHB deficiency may underlie substance dependence through a Gaba-B mediated dysphoric syndrome.

So finally, my questions. I've ordered 300 10mg. pills from a supposedly reputable site but I need to know 1) do you think this drug is practical as a treatment for anxiety disorder? Ameisen claims it has "cured" his lifelong problem and 2) how someone like me should use it. For example, on an as needed basis. What dosage? As a low-dose maintenance amount? What dosage would that be? And finally, 3) what exactly does baclofen do to the Gaba-b receptors? Is it reversible if I quit?

My biggest concern is the horrific withdrawal some people on this site have described. It scares the hell out of me since I will be taking this stuff without a Dr.'s supervision/knowledge. So, any help/insight is greatly appreciated. If it matters, I'm a 5'6, 125 pound woman.

Thanks!
 
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Keep in mind that baclofen is more toxic than benzos and and have dangerous withdrawals(there is a cases in a litearature about mortality of baclofen withdrawals)
 
boohigh said:
Keep in mind that baclofen is more toxic than benzos and and have dangerous withdrawals(there is a cases in a litearature about mortality of baclofen withdrawals)
Click to expand...

I know about the withdrawal, but how is it more toxic than benzo's?
 
I discovered that booze was a magical cure for my overwhelming and unexplained anxiety at 18
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Yes, me too.

Dr. A has an impressive CV (Cornell Medical and all). I wouldn't get overly enthusiastic about baclofen because tolerance seems to happen very readily (from what I've read). If you can use it as-needed to stave off panic and if the as-needed doesn't turn into ad lib by like week 2 then maybe it'll be good to you. Just consider a couple of things that seem to me to be a pattern with this substance:

  • This is like comparing nectarines to plums, but tolerance seems to happen a lot quicker than with benzos (and benzos seem to me to have a ceiling of tolerance and I've read some accounts that baclofen doesn't).
  • There are reports of people being released from detox with a baclofen/acamprosate regimen, only to run out of baclofen and fall into heavier alcoholism than before.
  • Nectarines taste better than plums.
A synergism is reported when baclofen is taken with theanine, but I imagine this is a temporary thing as well.

This search should churn out 125 or so posts dealing with baclofen; I tried to filter out as many trip reports as possible. Just do an advanced search for baclofen OR Baclofen in all of the following subfora: steroid discussion, ADD, TDS (and archives), Healthy Living (and archives)

Navarone has a notion that the corresponding lactam would hydrolyze to baclofen in the CNS but also have racetam properties (compare to rolipram).
 
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Don't use phenibut daily. It is physically addictive, and is a bastard to come off.

I didn't find baclofen helpful in stopping alcohol.
 
I suggest you take a look at www.askapatient.com.

It would be great to consult a doctor about your use. Maybe try a doctor who specialises in MS as they are likely to have a knowledge of this substance.
 
hey babygotbac- baclofen is a no go w me. my doc prescribed it to me-didnt do much except make me very sick next day. i stopped taking it imediately-plus you will have to continue to take it or you will be very sick. the sickness reminded me of of the time i had a botched spinal tap and i was leaking spinal fluid and wanted to die-the baclofen sickness was very similar, headache, naseua, and general discomfort all around. why not try some benzos, klonipin instead of xanax, if you havnt already. my doc seemed to think baclofen was going to work for me, thanks doc but no thanks-good luck
 
There are many medical professionals of varying qualifications, backgrounds and biases who pick up on a very specific pet-project and pimp it to hell. Occasionally, these turn into legitimate courses of treatment (Clonidine for opioid withdrawal syndrome) most of the time not so much (Laetrile, Megadose Ascorbate, etc).

Be wary of such claims. There are physicians who swear that Diphenhydramine is the holy grail for the treatment of anxiety disorders (including panic attacks)- and this has even seeped into mainstream GP practice (at least Bluelighter has written about their GP prescribing Rx Diphenhydramine for GAD).

Benzodiazepines, if used according to proper panic disorder dosing protocol, can help you lead a more productive, happier, healthier life. When balancing the pro's and con's, I don't see how a prescribed Benzodiazepine treatment is any worse (or 'more addictive') than self-medicating with alcohol or illicit drugs, or shot in the dark quackery/pseudo-science.

If it sounds too good to be true etc.
 
I got addicted to baclofen (and when i ran out i'd substitute phenibut, massive doses) and basically it poops out after a few weeks, I would need 180mg or so just to stay normal (but never really normal, bad shape actually), and when I tried to taper down I basically went psychotic.. worse than benzo withdrawal for sure.

Bad idea probably.

edit: Oh forgot to add it made me unable to take a shit at those doses..
 
Tchort said:
There are many medical professionals of varying qualifications, backgrounds and biases who pick up on a very specific pet-project and pimp it to hell . . . Megadose Ascorbate . . .
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By a winner of 2 Nobels!
 
rickolasnice said:
Sorry.. i have no idea about baclofen..

But you should try phenibut.. look it up..
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Try Baclofen if u wanna feel good , its a GABA-B selective agonist - that'll relax muscle spasms due to injury, but gaba-b agonism DISINHIBITS AND SLOWLY SPEEDS UP DOPAMINERGIC transmission in pleasure centres of the brain. also seroternergic neurotransmission speeds up via indirect action on 5HT1A receptors and a happy relaxed state arises the higher u dose. and that's all this doctor can remember from the fat books I read long ago. A VERY DOPAMINERGIC COMBO IS MODAFNIL(200-300mg) + BACLOFEN(25-75mg) another is BACLOFEN(25-50mg)+MEMANTINE(10-20mg)+PRAMIPEXOLE(1-3mg) or a cocktail of RITALIN/BUPROPION(300-450mg) + EFFEXOR (150-225mg)+BACLOFEN(50mg)
IF U WANNA BLUES TRY PREGABALIN (900-1200mg)+VALIUM(20mg)+BACLOFEN(25-50mg)+XANAX1mg - take a shower, watch TV, chill out.
 
One year on baclofen

I went on baclofen when I was drinking about 1.5L a day of wine. Figured that would not be good for me. The drinking was compulsive, when I had one glass I could not stop. And I wasn't very good at not taking that first glass either.

Read Ameisen, decided to try it, doc said OK, but he wanted to restrict to 80mg per day, I said OK to start but it didn't do the trick and I got him to up it to 120mg, which worked. I have since backed down to 100mg, and may back down further. Remember Ameisen says that baclofen is "forever".

My goal: Ability to control and regulate MODEST amounts of wine use.

The outcome: After almost one year, I have nearly eliminated binge drinking (defined by me as 400ml in one day). And my weekly consumption is 1-2 bottles of 750ml. It takes a LITTLE willpower, but not much.

I have never felt any signs of dependency on baclofen.
 
Baclofen is a muscle relaxant, unlike Carisoprodol which is metabolised into Meprobamate( an anxiolytic), it doesn't cross Blood Brain Barrier.
So Baclofen effect is peripheral.
Carisoprodol is better.
 
Baclofen and blood/brain barrier

Baclofen most certainly does cross the blood/brain barrier, but it is pretty slow to do so in some of its affects. Drowsiness occurs pretty quickly, an hour or two, but suppression of cravings takes a few days to develop. I attribute this to different metabolites having different permeabilities, and different effects, but I have no proof of that.
 
Treacle said:
I didn't find baclofen helpful in stopping alcohol.
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If you read Ameisen carefully, he says much larger doses that usual are necessarily initially. He didn't get his EtOH suppressed until he got to 300mg per day. That's quite a does, my doc would not even fleetingly consider that much. He pretty much limited me to 100mg/day. At that dose, I was able with willpower to control my drinking, but it was not effortless like Dr A describes.

One year later, I am trying to taper down from 100mg and am currently trying to re-establish control at 90. It is an effort. My problem is binge drinking. My daily intake is pretty moderate (10 glasses per week or so), but I binge a couple of times a week. I had the binging under control at 100 (no binges in 4 weeks), but when I dropped to 90 binging returned. Stay tuned.
 
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