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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Prefect on December 10, 2019, at 12:35:10
My doctor prescribed me Baclofen for anxiety and alchohol withdrawal. I 've just come out of withdrawal and taking benzos for it. How long do I have to wait ti take the baclofen? I'm on on valium. Is there Valium washout period beofre I CAN TAKE BACLOFEN? I'M DESPERATE. I WISH I COULD FIND SOME FENTALIN AND JUST KILLL ME SELFSELF. I'M TIRED OF THIS. I WANT TO DIE.
Posted by beckett2 on December 10, 2019, at 13:17:29
In reply to I have baclofen, posted by Prefect on December 10, 2019, at 12:35:10
As someone who withdrew rapidly from benzodiazepines with phenobarbital, I can say of course you feel like sh*t and feel like dying. Your doctor needs to give you better guidance because as sh*tty as detox is, he or she needs to know your distress level is too high and needs to be brought down.
This claims that baclofen treatment can overlap with valium, but you need ofc to check with your doctor.
____________"Baclofen Assisted Alcohol Withdrawal is another way baclofen can help alcohol addicted patients. Alcohol withdrawal is very unpleasant and many patients are scared by the prospect of having to go through it to get to sobriety.
There are two ways to help this with baclofen:
The first is to use the Ameisen regime, described in another section (link), where the patient starts on baclofen treatment while still drinking and reduces the alcohol intake as the cravings for alcohol diminish. This avoids withdrawal altogether.The other way is to stop drinking rapidly but use baclofen to make the withdrawal much more tolerable. A small dose of baclofen, just 10mg three times a day, given during the withdrawal period markedly reduces the severity and duration of withdrawal symptoms. Its an easy addition to a standard alcohol withdrawal treatment with benzodiazepines like diazepam (Valium).
A Baclofen Assisted Alcohol Withdrawal can be a starting point for longer term baclofen treatment. The patient will finish the withdrawal period at a dose of 10mg three times a day and can then start the Ameisen regime second part, the more rapid titration of the baclofen dose up until alcohol cravings are suppressed (link).
My interest in Baclofen Assisted Withdrawal comes from working in an emergency department where we often have patients who present to us in acute alcohol withdrawal or who develop it when admitted to the hospital for treatment of other conditions."
____________
I'm wishing you fortitude and courage. You can do it.
Posted by sigismund on December 10, 2019, at 15:22:38
In reply to I have baclofen, posted by Prefect on December 10, 2019, at 12:35:10
From the posts I have read here it would be wise to go up slowly with the Baclofen dosage. You can search this site for experiences.
You cannot quickly stop taking Valium. You are going to need some. Just take less. I would combine it with Baclofen FWIW. And I would watch for insomnia from Baclofen (higher dopamine?), and lowering Valium may make this worse.
Posted by Hugh on December 11, 2019, at 12:09:02
In reply to I have baclofen, posted by Prefect on December 10, 2019, at 12:35:10
I found this post on BenzoBuddies.org
Baclofen is a selective GABA(B) agonist, whereas benzos are selective GABA(A) agonists so there is little or cross tolerance between these 2 drugs. I know that benzos work very well for counteracting baclofen withdrawals, not sure if it works the other way around. Baclofen withdrawals can be rough but nowhere near as bad as benzos. I'd say worry about baclofen later, or maybe the other way around, not sure which would be best, I believe baclofen withdrawals are much shorter in duration. Definitely don't try quitting both at the same time.
Posted by Hugh on December 11, 2019, at 12:26:42
In reply to I have baclofen, posted by Prefect on December 10, 2019, at 12:35:10
Before you try baclofen, you might ask your doctor for a prescription for the beta-blocker pindolol. Pindolol might help you withdraw from both alcohol and Valium. In human studies for depression and anxiety, the dosage of pindolol that's been most effective is 7.5 mg once per day. The following article was just published today:
December 11, 2019
Blood pressure drug could help problem drinkers
by Queensland University of Technology
A drug used to treat high blood pressure may alleviate anxiety induced by long-term heavy alcohol use, and also halt the damage such drinking can cause to the brain's ability to grow new cells, QUT research shows.
The findings, from a study conducted in adult mice, have been published in the journal Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.
Principal investigator and QUT neuroscientist, Professor Selena Bartlett, said the results add further evidence that the drug, pindolol, could be beneficial in treating alcohol use disorders.
"This is a drug that is inexpensive and already available in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia," she said. "It's a beta-blocker that is prescribed for high blood pressure, angina and heart arrhythmias.
"We have been studying it for a number of years and have already shown in animal models that it reduces alcohol intake when there is long-term consumption.
"In this latest study, we investigated the drug's effect on other alcohol associated issues--anxiety and neurogenesis.
"Long-term and heavy drinking can cause anxiety disorders, and people's anxiety can worsen when alcohol is withdrawn, and alcohol abuse can also reduce neurogenesis, which is the process by which new neurons (cells) are formed in the brain.
"We showed that pindolol reduced alcohol-associated anxiety-like behavior in mice and also alleviated the damaging effects of alcohol consumption on newly formed and immature brain cells."
Professor Bartlett said repurposing drugs like pindolol was a way to fast-track new treatments to manage alcohol dependence, binge-drinking and addiction, which are significant and complex problems both in Australia and globally.
The costs to society of alcohol-related problems in Australia in 2010 was estimated at more than $14 billion, including costs to the health system and lost productivity.
"The next step is to conduct clinical trials with pindolol and we have started discussions with a medical specialist to progress that," Professor Bartlett said.
More information: Omkar L. Patkar et al. Pindolol Rescues Anxiety-Like Behavior and Neurogenic Maladaptations of Long-Term Binge Alcohol Intake in Mice, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience (2019). DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00264
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-12-blood-pressure-drug-problem-drinkers.html
Posted by phidippus on December 11, 2019, at 18:50:00
In reply to I have baclofen, posted by Prefect on December 10, 2019, at 12:35:10
You can take baclofen with the valium.
This is the end of the thread.
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