DOSE: 100 mg Baclofen (25/25/25/25); 900 mg Gabapentin (300/300/300); 300 mg Bupropion SR (150/150).
SIDE EFFECTS: Decreased alcohol cravings.
I'm sorry for not updating my blog more often. After beginning gabapentin I stopped increasing my baclofen dose, and therefore felt I was no longer living up to the blog's title. I had to take a makeup final exam earlier this week, and I think I did well on it. In order to study more successfully for my exam, I cut my gabapentin dose in half. I did this also because I couldn't tell if gabapentin was making a difference in my alcohol cravings. The wellbutrin (bupropion) has been effective at giving me more energy during the day, and since I've been at the same baclofen dose for several weeks now I am experiencing literally no side effects from it, or from any of the other medications. After I reduced my gabapentin dose, I initally noticed a slight return of cravings, but that has since diminished. By no means have I reached the highly sought after "indifference" to alcohol. I still have drinking urges, but they have not yet been severe by any means. I haven't had any moment that I would consider a "close call", and I'm able to function productively. In the next few days I may stop taking gabapentin completely, and start slowly increasing my baclofen dose once again. I've been sober for over three months now, and I'm proud of that. Reaching this point is not new to me, but it's definitely worthwhile. However I need to continue to work on the social and psychological aspects of alcoholism, and start to branch out and find support networks. I'll be starting my next semester of classes in the coming weeks, and that will surely bring about quite a bit of stress and anxiety. So hopefully I can have a network of supportive people in place by the time school starts. Aside from that, not too much to report. I'm back home once again for the holidays, which is always stressful. But it is good to see my family again. Back in Arizona I've become somewhat reclusive, and I know that I need to change that habit in order to maintain enjoyable sobriety. It is good to know that if I stick to one dose of baclofen for long enough I can reach a point where I feel no side effects other than reduced alcohol cravings.
Hope everyone has a happy holidays!
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Day 49
DOSE: 100 mg Baclofen (25/10/20/20/25); 1,800 mg Gabapentin (600/600/600); 300 mg Bupropion SR (150/150).
OTHER MEDICATION(S): Multivitamin (1 tablet); Fish Oil (1 capsule).
SIDE EFFECTS: Short-term memory lapses; mild anxiety; slightly decreased alcohol cravings.
Well now I'm on quite a cocktail of medications. After meeting with my psychiatrist a few days ago, we decided to add Wellbutrin (generic Bupropion) to the mix to combat tiredness and memory problems. He was reluctant to prescribe a stimulant (for good reason), and so far bupropion has most definitely helped with tiredness. I've been researching gabapentin, and memory problems is not a listed side effect. Perhaps it's just a lack of focus and motivation that is causing me to have trouble retaining information. The reason I took an extra 10 mg today is because I was feeling really anxious and having some cravings. It's kind of frightening that my cravings are returning, and I'm not sure what's causing it. The past couple days it's been pretty bad, but I am able to recall how terrible my life was when drinking and could easily say no. For about the first month out of treatment my cravings were practically nonexistent, so I'm thinking that gabapentin may actually be making things worse. For now I'm just going to continue doing what I'm doing and hope that things get better as my body continues to adjust to these medications.
I finally stopped procrastinating on an assignment that I had to complete in order to finish one of my makeup classes, and that has helped to alleviate some pressure at least. However I still have the big exam to take, and that continues to cause a lot of stress. I'm still sober which is obviously the most important part, and I plan to stay that way. The side effects have pretty much all abated, except for the ones I've listed above. Regardless of anything, I'm extremely happy about the fact that medications for alcoholism are being researched and tested. I'll post more later!
OTHER MEDICATION(S): Multivitamin (1 tablet); Fish Oil (1 capsule).
SIDE EFFECTS: Short-term memory lapses; mild anxiety; slightly decreased alcohol cravings.
Well now I'm on quite a cocktail of medications. After meeting with my psychiatrist a few days ago, we decided to add Wellbutrin (generic Bupropion) to the mix to combat tiredness and memory problems. He was reluctant to prescribe a stimulant (for good reason), and so far bupropion has most definitely helped with tiredness. I've been researching gabapentin, and memory problems is not a listed side effect. Perhaps it's just a lack of focus and motivation that is causing me to have trouble retaining information. The reason I took an extra 10 mg today is because I was feeling really anxious and having some cravings. It's kind of frightening that my cravings are returning, and I'm not sure what's causing it. The past couple days it's been pretty bad, but I am able to recall how terrible my life was when drinking and could easily say no. For about the first month out of treatment my cravings were practically nonexistent, so I'm thinking that gabapentin may actually be making things worse. For now I'm just going to continue doing what I'm doing and hope that things get better as my body continues to adjust to these medications.
I finally stopped procrastinating on an assignment that I had to complete in order to finish one of my makeup classes, and that has helped to alleviate some pressure at least. However I still have the big exam to take, and that continues to cause a lot of stress. I'm still sober which is obviously the most important part, and I plan to stay that way. The side effects have pretty much all abated, except for the ones I've listed above. Regardless of anything, I'm extremely happy about the fact that medications for alcoholism are being researched and tested. I'll post more later!
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Day 40
DOSE: 80 mg Baclofen (20/20/20/20); 1,500 mg Gabapentin (600/300/600).
OTHER MEDICATION(S): Multivitamin (1 tablet).
SIDE EFFECTS: Headache in the morning; short-term memory lapses; somnolence; decreased alcohol cravings.
I haven't posted in a little while, and that's because I've taken a slight detour on my baclofen journey. I met with a psychiatrist about a week ago hoping to get an increased prescription for my baclofen use so I don't have to supplement my dose through other means. However, after meeting with the psychiatrist, he insisted that I try gabapentin, another off-label alcoholism drug. So I've been titrating up on gabapentin, but because it makes me drowsy too I had to reduce my baclofen intake so I could tolerate both. In the past few days I've noticed a frightening return of cravings, and I'm unable to determine whether it's from taking gabapentin or from reducing the amount of baclofen I'm taking. I was up to 110 mg/day of baclofen when I began gabapentin, and I quickly dropped the amount of baclofen to 80 mg, which could well be the cause of my recent drinking urges. Regardless, I'm still sober! I drove home for Thanksgiving yesterday, and I became very tired near the end of my drive, to the point that I almost thought I couldn't continue! However, I bought some coffee and snapped out of it. So I'm a little nervous about changing my game plan to include gabapentin, but I want to give it a fair chance and see if it helps me reach a point of indifference towards alcohol. The few studies that I've read about the efficacy of gabapentin in reducing cravings seem promising, and if it doesn't work out I will simply return to my original baclofen titration schedule. Anyways, getting ready for a delicious Thanksgiving dinner with my family, so I should probably get going. Also, today I haven't had any cravings whatsoever, so hopefully that will continue as my body adjusts to this new medication. Happy holidays!
OTHER MEDICATION(S): Multivitamin (1 tablet).
SIDE EFFECTS: Headache in the morning; short-term memory lapses; somnolence; decreased alcohol cravings.
I haven't posted in a little while, and that's because I've taken a slight detour on my baclofen journey. I met with a psychiatrist about a week ago hoping to get an increased prescription for my baclofen use so I don't have to supplement my dose through other means. However, after meeting with the psychiatrist, he insisted that I try gabapentin, another off-label alcoholism drug. So I've been titrating up on gabapentin, but because it makes me drowsy too I had to reduce my baclofen intake so I could tolerate both. In the past few days I've noticed a frightening return of cravings, and I'm unable to determine whether it's from taking gabapentin or from reducing the amount of baclofen I'm taking. I was up to 110 mg/day of baclofen when I began gabapentin, and I quickly dropped the amount of baclofen to 80 mg, which could well be the cause of my recent drinking urges. Regardless, I'm still sober! I drove home for Thanksgiving yesterday, and I became very tired near the end of my drive, to the point that I almost thought I couldn't continue! However, I bought some coffee and snapped out of it. So I'm a little nervous about changing my game plan to include gabapentin, but I want to give it a fair chance and see if it helps me reach a point of indifference towards alcohol. The few studies that I've read about the efficacy of gabapentin in reducing cravings seem promising, and if it doesn't work out I will simply return to my original baclofen titration schedule. Anyways, getting ready for a delicious Thanksgiving dinner with my family, so I should probably get going. Also, today I haven't had any cravings whatsoever, so hopefully that will continue as my body adjusts to this new medication. Happy holidays!
Monday, November 17, 2014
Day 30
DOSE: 100 mg Baclofen (Brand name Fexobac) (25/25/25/25).
OTHER MEDICATION(S): Multivitamin (1 tablet). Omega 3 Fish Oil (1 capsule).
SIDE EFFECTS: Slight headache in the morning; somnolence; decreased alcohol cravings.
I'm finally in triple digits on my high-dose baclofen experience, and so far I have not experienced practically any of the negative side effects that I had heard so much about. It's my third day at 100mg, and I am still feeling tired at certain points throughout the day. Normally the somnolence wears off after the second day of a dose increase, but so far I'm still wanting to take an occasional nap. But it's definitely worth it, because so far today I haven't had a single craving for alcohol! Or if I have it's been so minor that I can't even remember it. Regardless, I'm feeling good about where I'm at. When I'm working out at the gym, I notice some slight muscle weakness, but it hasn't been too much of a hindrance so far. I'm still sober, and since I'm not counting individual days but rather the 20th of each month, I'll have two months sober in just three days! This will not be the first, or second time I've been sober for two months, but it will be the longest amount of time I've been sober without attending Alcoholic's Anonymous meetings. It just feels good to be choosing my own path, and attempting to use a medical treatment for a medical problem, as opposed to a dogmatic, theological approach to the treatment of alcoholism. However I am participating in an outpatient program and attending therapy sessions. I'm still noticing that it's hard to get myself motivated to do things that I really need to get done, but I really need to just buckle down and do it. I'm also playing on an intramural soccer team, and I'm still experiencing muscle cramping when I sprint or exert a lot of energy. Now that tiredness is becoming more common, I might start titrating up more slowly, perhaps every five days as the dosage gets higher. I've also started taking the larger dose (if there is one) in the morning and before bed so as to avoid sleepiness. Anyways, not much more to report on that front. Life is slowly starting to come back together, and I'm optimistic about baclofen. I'm also extremely grateful that I'm not experiencing crazy symptoms like insomnia, or itching, or anything else like that. Goodnight.
OTHER MEDICATION(S): Multivitamin (1 tablet). Omega 3 Fish Oil (1 capsule).
SIDE EFFECTS: Slight headache in the morning; somnolence; decreased alcohol cravings.
I'm finally in triple digits on my high-dose baclofen experience, and so far I have not experienced practically any of the negative side effects that I had heard so much about. It's my third day at 100mg, and I am still feeling tired at certain points throughout the day. Normally the somnolence wears off after the second day of a dose increase, but so far I'm still wanting to take an occasional nap. But it's definitely worth it, because so far today I haven't had a single craving for alcohol! Or if I have it's been so minor that I can't even remember it. Regardless, I'm feeling good about where I'm at. When I'm working out at the gym, I notice some slight muscle weakness, but it hasn't been too much of a hindrance so far. I'm still sober, and since I'm not counting individual days but rather the 20th of each month, I'll have two months sober in just three days! This will not be the first, or second time I've been sober for two months, but it will be the longest amount of time I've been sober without attending Alcoholic's Anonymous meetings. It just feels good to be choosing my own path, and attempting to use a medical treatment for a medical problem, as opposed to a dogmatic, theological approach to the treatment of alcoholism. However I am participating in an outpatient program and attending therapy sessions. I'm still noticing that it's hard to get myself motivated to do things that I really need to get done, but I really need to just buckle down and do it. I'm also playing on an intramural soccer team, and I'm still experiencing muscle cramping when I sprint or exert a lot of energy. Now that tiredness is becoming more common, I might start titrating up more slowly, perhaps every five days as the dosage gets higher. I've also started taking the larger dose (if there is one) in the morning and before bed so as to avoid sleepiness. Anyways, not much more to report on that front. Life is slowly starting to come back together, and I'm optimistic about baclofen. I'm also extremely grateful that I'm not experiencing crazy symptoms like insomnia, or itching, or anything else like that. Goodnight.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Day 23
DOSE: 80 mg Baclofen (Brand name Fexobac) (20/20/20/20).
OTHER MEDICATION(S): Multivitamin (1 tablet). Omega 3 Fish Oil (1 capsule).
SIDE EFFECTS: Mood changes; somnolence; slightly decreased alcohol cravings.
Haven't posted in a little while. I've noticed a slight decrease in my motivation to get things done. Also, this morning and afternoon I was in a terrible mood, and found myself extremely stressed out over seemingly minor situations. A few days ago I bought a new car, which was a hellish process but I absolutely love my new vehicle! However I think the baclofen has made me hyper-sensitive to stressful situations, and over the weekend I noticed a strong desire to drink. The feeling came back again this morning, so I'm a bit frightened because that's usually how I feel before I relapse. I'm still sober though, and I'll have two months sober on the 20th! Also, I play on an intramural soccer team, and my leg muscles started cramping continuously to the point that I couldn't even play the game. I have to assume this is also a side effect of baclofen. My sleep is still good other than the fact that I wake up early in the morning (not early to most people, around 6 a.m.), and I'm unable to fall back asleep once I wake up. My kitty is doing well. She runs around constantly now and bugs the hell out of me. All in all I'm still optimistic about reaching a state of indifference toward alcohol through high-dose baclofen. Tomorrow I'll be increasing my dose to 90 mg. I've slowed my titration to an increase of 10 mg every four days, and if I continue to feel tired during the day I will slow it even more. The side effects are not nearly as bad as several other users have reported, so I'm happy about that. Anyways, just wanted to post an update. Alcohol cravings are most definitely not gone, but I only experience them in situations of high stress. During usual day-to-day activities, I have noticed that I'm hardly ever thinking about alcohol. I'll post more in the days to come!
OTHER MEDICATION(S): Multivitamin (1 tablet). Omega 3 Fish Oil (1 capsule).
SIDE EFFECTS: Mood changes; somnolence; slightly decreased alcohol cravings.
Haven't posted in a little while. I've noticed a slight decrease in my motivation to get things done. Also, this morning and afternoon I was in a terrible mood, and found myself extremely stressed out over seemingly minor situations. A few days ago I bought a new car, which was a hellish process but I absolutely love my new vehicle! However I think the baclofen has made me hyper-sensitive to stressful situations, and over the weekend I noticed a strong desire to drink. The feeling came back again this morning, so I'm a bit frightened because that's usually how I feel before I relapse. I'm still sober though, and I'll have two months sober on the 20th! Also, I play on an intramural soccer team, and my leg muscles started cramping continuously to the point that I couldn't even play the game. I have to assume this is also a side effect of baclofen. My sleep is still good other than the fact that I wake up early in the morning (not early to most people, around 6 a.m.), and I'm unable to fall back asleep once I wake up. My kitty is doing well. She runs around constantly now and bugs the hell out of me. All in all I'm still optimistic about reaching a state of indifference toward alcohol through high-dose baclofen. Tomorrow I'll be increasing my dose to 90 mg. I've slowed my titration to an increase of 10 mg every four days, and if I continue to feel tired during the day I will slow it even more. The side effects are not nearly as bad as several other users have reported, so I'm happy about that. Anyways, just wanted to post an update. Alcohol cravings are most definitely not gone, but I only experience them in situations of high stress. During usual day-to-day activities, I have noticed that I'm hardly ever thinking about alcohol. I'll post more in the days to come!
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Day 17
DOSE: 70 mg Baclofen (Brand name Fexobac) (20/15/20/15).
OTHER MEDICATION(S): Multivitamin (1 tablet). Omega 3 Fish Oil (1 capsule).
SIDE EFFECTS: Slight mood changes; headache; somnolence; slightly decreased alcohol cravings.
Today I increased my dose another 10 mg, reaching the 70 mg mark and going strong! Many people claim that around this dosage and higher are when problems and debilitating side effects can occur, so I'm a little nervous about that. This morning when I took the 20 mg dose I felt pretty tired, but I think that's also because my new kitten has been keeping me awake with her crying at night. Anyways, I know that very few people read this blog, but it's helpful for me to be able to look back on my progress and experiences. I noticed increased tiredness and markedly reduced alcohol cravings. However just about an hour ago I had what seemed like a wave of anxiety brush over me, and the effects of that have persisted for a while. Overall the side effects have not been too negative at all, and I'm still sleeping great aside from strange dreams. I've also noticed that I'm waking up slightly earlier than usual. Not a big deal though. I'm getting a little nervous thinking about how high I should go with baclofen, and whether or not "indifference" is attainable. Still hopeful and happy and healthy. I'm sure I could write a lot more about a bunch of random stuff, but now I'm just going to kick back, watch The Walking Dead and cuddle with my new kitty! Goodnight.
OTHER MEDICATION(S): Multivitamin (1 tablet). Omega 3 Fish Oil (1 capsule).
SIDE EFFECTS: Slight mood changes; headache; somnolence; slightly decreased alcohol cravings.
Today I increased my dose another 10 mg, reaching the 70 mg mark and going strong! Many people claim that around this dosage and higher are when problems and debilitating side effects can occur, so I'm a little nervous about that. This morning when I took the 20 mg dose I felt pretty tired, but I think that's also because my new kitten has been keeping me awake with her crying at night. Anyways, I know that very few people read this blog, but it's helpful for me to be able to look back on my progress and experiences. I noticed increased tiredness and markedly reduced alcohol cravings. However just about an hour ago I had what seemed like a wave of anxiety brush over me, and the effects of that have persisted for a while. Overall the side effects have not been too negative at all, and I'm still sleeping great aside from strange dreams. I've also noticed that I'm waking up slightly earlier than usual. Not a big deal though. I'm getting a little nervous thinking about how high I should go with baclofen, and whether or not "indifference" is attainable. Still hopeful and happy and healthy. I'm sure I could write a lot more about a bunch of random stuff, but now I'm just going to kick back, watch The Walking Dead and cuddle with my new kitty! Goodnight.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Day 14
DOSE: 60 mg Baclofen (15/15/15/15).
OTHER MEDICATION(S): Multivitamin (1 tablet). Omega 3 Fish Oil (1 capsule).
SIDE EFFECTS: Slight mood changes; headache; slightly decreased alcohol cravings.
These past few days have been quite an emotional roller-coaster. On Wednesday night my car broke down as I was driving home to watch Game 7 of the World Series (I'm a huge San Francisco Giants fan), and I would later come to find out that my transmission is busted and it's a $1700 repair. So needless to say I've been pretty stressed out about that. I was forced to miss my IOP appointment on Thursday due to my lack of transportation, and began to experience some increased cravings and anxiety. Many people have experienced a "honeymoon" effect with baclofen, where their cravings completely disappear at the beginning but begin to return after a little while. That has been my experience to some extent. I'm still sober, which is all that matters, but I have noticed some increased anxiety and an increased desire to drink. However these feelings have been in no way overwhelming. I felt pretty jealous last night as I watched everyone celebrate Halloween while I sat at home, sober, feeling incapable of participating. I just chalked this holiday up as a loss and figure that I'll have a bunch more Halloweens once I've maintained sobriety for a considerable period of time. Anyways, I'm up to 60 mg and not experiencing hardly any negative side effects from baclofen. The only things I've noticed are that my bruxism (jaw clenching) may actually be getting worse due to baclofen, and I find myself unable to go back to sleep when I wake up, and I'm typically waking up around 7 a.m. All that's important to me is my sobriety, and for now I have successfully maintained that. Oh, on a completely random note, I adopted a kitten today in an impulsive act of foolishness, but I think she will have quite a bit of therapeutic value once I get used to having a little critter running around. I'm still optimistic about the future, and looking forward to my continued journey with baclofen.
OTHER MEDICATION(S): Multivitamin (1 tablet). Omega 3 Fish Oil (1 capsule).
SIDE EFFECTS: Slight mood changes; headache; slightly decreased alcohol cravings.
These past few days have been quite an emotional roller-coaster. On Wednesday night my car broke down as I was driving home to watch Game 7 of the World Series (I'm a huge San Francisco Giants fan), and I would later come to find out that my transmission is busted and it's a $1700 repair. So needless to say I've been pretty stressed out about that. I was forced to miss my IOP appointment on Thursday due to my lack of transportation, and began to experience some increased cravings and anxiety. Many people have experienced a "honeymoon" effect with baclofen, where their cravings completely disappear at the beginning but begin to return after a little while. That has been my experience to some extent. I'm still sober, which is all that matters, but I have noticed some increased anxiety and an increased desire to drink. However these feelings have been in no way overwhelming. I felt pretty jealous last night as I watched everyone celebrate Halloween while I sat at home, sober, feeling incapable of participating. I just chalked this holiday up as a loss and figure that I'll have a bunch more Halloweens once I've maintained sobriety for a considerable period of time. Anyways, I'm up to 60 mg and not experiencing hardly any negative side effects from baclofen. The only things I've noticed are that my bruxism (jaw clenching) may actually be getting worse due to baclofen, and I find myself unable to go back to sleep when I wake up, and I'm typically waking up around 7 a.m. All that's important to me is my sobriety, and for now I have successfully maintained that. Oh, on a completely random note, I adopted a kitten today in an impulsive act of foolishness, but I think she will have quite a bit of therapeutic value once I get used to having a little critter running around. I'm still optimistic about the future, and looking forward to my continued journey with baclofen.
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