Baclofen as a phenibut alternative

[DementiaSavantPlus]

I have been taking phenibut daily and have walked into the pitfall of a rising tolerance that we have heard so much about. All phenibut stories end on a bad note, and I want to cease popping it because of intolerable side effects that have morphed slowly and strangely as my doses rise and fall.

Aside from these side effects, phenibut offers a cognitive increase and lowering of inhibitions that have improved my quality of life and that I find necessary.

I have heard that baclofen will circumvent phenibut withdrawals because it has a similar GABAb mechanism of action. But is it similar enough to be a substitute?

What I appreciate about phenibut is the little dopaminergic surge, one that results in motivation and a "passionate" feeling. What medications or supplements might help achieve this? (I am currenly avoiding Adderall or Ritalin).

I took baclofen once or twice years ago and I do remember having a decent experience.

Also I have been on gabapentin for about five years, and at first had a borderline psychedelic experience (so I fall into the category of GABAb-sensitive I suppose). I have tried rhodiola, GABA, theanine, DLPA, tyrosine, and gotu kola: all with good, but mixed results.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

Baclofen and Phenibut are very similar. Try tapering down with Valerian or Kava.

 

[laCster]

yah you might need to add in maybe gabapentin or lyrica, but baclofen should be a good substitute. ^valerian and kava are good too.

 

[DementiaSavantPlus]

Thanks you two for the reinforcement.

Now does anyone have any experience with the effects of baclofen as they differ from phenibut (not as a tapering supplement, but an independent comparison of their effects)? I have ceased phenibut with a too-fast taper once before, using kava to round off the jagged edge. It was rough, but I could handle it with my normal dose of gabapentin.

So my plan is to now clear out the phenibut and make way for the baclofen. It just seems like a safer route, with a more regulated chemical and a doctor's supervision. I would like to hear from anyone with experiences with both substances, to confirm or disconfirm, before I undertake such an effort.

 

[laCster]

idk man, personally i have never tried phenibut nor baclofen so i dont have anything to say.

i have tried kava, valerian, gabapentin, pregabalin, and benzos and those all work well for anxiety, sleep, ect...

 

[pasha]

Both of these are extremely similar pharmacologically as baclofen is a derivative of phenibut.

I've never tried phenibut neither, but I have found baclofen to be a great replacement for GHB.

 

[xxxyyy]

^ similarly, i found baclofen to be the only drug that stopped most of my severe withdrawal symptoms when i had a serious GBL habit. i went cold turkey after a 5-month 24/7 habit because i dropped the last liter of GBL and it was easily the worst withdrawal of my life. total derealisation, anxiety through the roof, complete insomnia and lack of appetite etc. a high dose of baclofen stopped all those symptoms dead in their track.
however i've been taking baclofen for a while to control my alcohol addiction, and two weeks on the stuff at high dosages (200-250mg) already produced a pretty horrible withdrawal i was not prepared for. i would only use it to detox from the phenibut and use it no longer than a week and taper. when i used it for GBL WD i used it for 8 days while tapering it down fast and i was fine. habitual use of baclofen i would discourage because for one it is absolutely not recreational, it produces a slight mood life and mild anxiolysis at first but those things quickly fade. definitely a shit drug to take on a daily basis.

 

[Toucan]

The baclofen will probably substitute for the phenibut perfectly, so if you can get a doctor to give you a taper plan and support this is a better option - but only because of the added medical supervision IMO.
Tapering down on the phenibut would be just as manageable and won't incur any complications from substituting one drug for another.

 

[bunge]

As others have already said, the baclofen would substitute for the phenibut with minimal side effects during crossover but its pretty crap to take longterm. Plus either way you will have a taper ahead on either one but at least the baclofen is under a doctors supervision. As for the moodlift your looking for, try pregabalin, it is much better for this purpose and is even slighty euphoric when you first start it. Although again, only under a doctors supervision as you would probably have to stop taking the gabapentin or adjust the dose. I couldnt tolerate gabapentin so cant give you any more info on that.