baclofen-relief for anxiety and addiction
 

http://www.baclofenuk.com/howdoesbaclofenwork.htm

I found this article interesting and worth reading for all of us taking baclofen for spasticity. For those of us with anxiety/fear/phobia etc., it also explains where these stressors come from in the brain. This article brought up a lot of answers for me regarding why I may have developed anxiety/phobia in relation to the mechanism of M.S.
I used to take baclofen "as needed" but I'm thinking consistant use may be more beneficial for me.....I was told one time that baclofen works better if you take it every day.
Also interesting is the drugs benefits in alcoholism.

thanks, Karilann ... I just started taking it July 5th - one in the AM and one before going to bed ... and, it's amazing how the tremors have pretty much departed!!

she (my neuro's asst) also started me on Lexapro at the same time - and that's been keeping me from going up and down emotionally ...

and tomorrow - I start with Ampyra (approved by the FDA Jan 2010) and the MS trials have been successful .. this is suppose to help with my walking - BUT, I needed a pre-approval from the health insurance program to get this started ... and I had to do a blood and 24 hour urine ordeal to make sure my system is flushing out and pumping properly..

I never liked Baclofin/Liorisol (sp)...made be listless, weak, disoriented and just plain dopey.:eek:

There are great meds (buspar, paxil) out there for anxiety/panic. I would never never take Baclofin for anxiety, even if it's recommended by big pharma..:rolleyes::mad:

Hey Kari. I take 7 per day every day. Took 4 per day since my C7 99% complete spinal cord injury 1989. Upped it to 5x/day in 2006 cause spasms got worse(r). Turned out to be MS "not" the fact I took it for all those years why I needed increase. Increased it to 6x/day couple yrs ago. This month increased it to 7x/day. I take 2 soon as I get out of bed with 1000mcg's B12, blood pressure med, 1 ibuprofen ect. 20mg's each baclofen.

I've swam 1160 laps this yr so far & pushed 140 miles in chair so tiredness isn't a problem for me. I take 2 at bedtime helps me sleep a bit. Yes even after all the exercise I do I still can't sleep all night without it.

back to changing distributor in my 91 caddy...

edit- maybe thats why I have no fear which is a beautiful thing.

I hear ya, there ...

I mentioned to my neuro yesterday that with all the new meds I'm on - by the time I'm dead, I'll be a NEW person! she laughed .. and I said it in a funny way ...

so, the journey continues ... I'm only at 10mg/2x's a day (morning/night) ...

started the ampyra today ... so, we'll see how it all goes together! :p

Hi everyone
 

Hi Karilann and hello everyone

I wrote the article you quote here, and intend to update it with a discussion of the limbic system and Baclofen.

I run a dedicated Baclofen practice in the UK, concentrating on anxiety-related alcoholism; from which I suffered greatly for 2 decades. Within weeks of starting high-dose Baclofen my anxiety, cravings and limb spasticity simply seemed to melt away. And they have now been gone for two and a half years - effortlessly and peacefully. *admin edit*
Speak soon.

Phill

No thanks on the Baclofen, I don't like the SX, but LDN does the same thing for me.:)

Thanks so much for your Input here.:)

I love my baclofen. when I am tight and spastic it really helps calm things down, and there fore calms me down!

Great article. thanks! :hug:

Hi Karilann

Baclofen takes time to build up therapeutic levels. In my patients (all anxiety-related alcoholism, but often with marked limb hypertonia) we gradually build up their Baclofen dose to controlling levels, and then slowly reduce it to maintenance levels. At times of greater stress they can take additional Baclofen PRN, but I never recommend that they only take it 'as and when' with no maintenance dose inbetween. In my experience with this group of patients, such 'ad hoc' Baclofen has never worked.

Hope this helps.

I used to take Baclofen but gradually weaned off the drug. As I had increased the dosage, I did not really notice if it was effective, I took it because the MS doctor prescribed it for muscle spasms.

Then I did a gradual reduction. Down to zero.

Feels the same, both physically and mentally...with or without the drug.