Comments for Does Baclofen work to reduce alcohol cravings?
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Baclofen can help significantly
The longest one is at 8 months and has tapered to a low daily dose. 5 out of the 6 have been abstinent and the 6th is drinking significantly less than when she came. With slow titration upwards side effects were manageable. I would think a trial of this appropriate to consider for anyone who was failing with other approaches the following link leads to a recently completed study in France of high dose Baclofen. It reports an 88% response (either abstinence or significantly reduced alcohol consumption). -Dr N http://www.alcool-et-baclofene.fr/ |
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Use it wisely
I am a recovering alcoholic, who is utterly worn out by the constant effort of suppressing my cravings, thinking about not-drinking all the time (or so it seems) and sometimes feeling obliged to take Antabuse as a ‘just in case’ safety net. Now THAT is a really terrible drug! Stuff the spiritual side endorsed by AA. Whatever is said by AA about it not being a God thing,just look at the Higher Power they keep going on about. Having tried AA, and I did many times, they are a bunch of sanctimonious people who seem to think you have to ‘suffer’ to get better. Try the Baclofen but with as FEW other drugs as possible, and research it as much as you can. When you have done that, and weighed up the pro’s and con’s THEN make the decision. I’m giving Baclofen a trial run CAREFULLY, under supervision of my GP and making detailed diary entries as to my physical and mental state. Good luck, Alcohol is a vile vile destructive drug for people like me, and frequently makes non-alcoholics or “social drinkers” into complete asses. Witness most big towns on Saturday nights, especially in the UK. Makes me ashamed to be a Brit. |
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Stay Away!!
I found that it causes muscle weakness, confusion, sleep problems (it makes you pass out, and then wakes you up suddenly.) Also, I found it to cause respiratory depression, most dangerous, because when I started to fall asleep, I found myself struggling to take a breath! I have also relapsed while using this drug. THERE IS NO MAGIC BULLET!! And Baclofen can kill you if abused. Dr. Ameison’s advice is dangerous!!! |
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Not A Simple Answer
Your son’s psychiatrist may not recommend the Baclofen treatment option, because the FDA has not approved the drug for the purpose of limiting alcoholic cravings. Its primary use is to stop muscle spasms, such as the ones experienced by Parkinson?s patients. However, the drug has been found to be effective in some patients in limiting withdrawal symptoms and reducing cravings. Most people have found that a combination of drugs is needed to achieve the desired results, and with your son’s depression there is more at stake than just the cravings. Have you had a discussion with his psychiatrist to discuss the treatment options and do you understand his rationale in not recommending any one drug over another? Alcoholism and drug addiction treatment and recovery are not easy, made even harder by your son’s co-occurring disorder. That complicates matters. I would not be too quick to make a move, because of that. We are body, mind and spirit. What is being done for your son in terms of his spiritual side? When we suffer, we naturally look for a solution, something immediate to ease the pain, or take the edge off. The Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book, on page 44, talks about an illness that “only a spiritual experience will conquer.” Is he in a 12 Step program? The 12 Steps are a spiritual journey, not religion, that bring people together with their “higher power” and that power restores them to sanity, not their own effort, or a single treatment. I recommend having a long, serious talk with your son’s psychiatrist and see if there are treatment options that will be more effective. In either case, moving from addiction into recovery is a difficult job and your son has a long road ahead. But there is hope. He is fortunate to have your love and support. |