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I used to drink more than I should. An acute medical problem landed me in the hospital so I had to quit. Luckily, I had baclofen.
What is baclofen? It's technically a substituted amino acid used as an anti-spasmodic or muscle relaxant. I read that a French doctor had been really messed up on booze so he treated himself with baclofen. It worked so well at relieving his cravings for alcohol he wrote a book about it.
AFAIK, baclofen is not yet approved for relief of alcohol craving symptoms but I can personally testify that it works in a spectacular way. Just a 10mg tablet once a day. You need an Rx but it's worth a trip to a psych, as they are the ones (in PA at least) prescribing alcohol cessation drugs. Most PCPs are unaware of baclofen. See:
Baclofen is a muscle relaxant used to treat muscle spasms—particularly spasms caused by multiple sclerosis or spinal cord diseases. It also generally helps to relieve pain and increase muscle mobility.
While combining muscle relaxers and alcohol is generally not advised, there is evidence that baclofen can help treat alcohol use disorder. Baclofen can reduce binge and relapse drinking by helping control cravings.
You may be wondering how a muscle relaxant, baclofen, can help with alcohol addiction treatment. Baclofen works by activating the GABA-B receptors in the brain. When GABA receptors are activated, nerve cells become less likely to fire. Decreasing the firing rate of nerve cells makes us feel sleepy and calm. Alcohol also activates GABA receptors, which is why some people feel calm after drinking. Researchers believe2 that activating GABA receptors can help a person control their alcohol consumption, although no one is sure exactly how.
IOW, it's a non-intoxicating alcohol substitute. Reminds me of the DuPont company motto at their 1939 World's Fair pavillion: better things for better living through chemistry.
The tragedy of AA meetings is that they disallow talk about drugs for relieving alcohol-related problems. So many people could be helped if they were instead in a more open group.
riahealth.com
What is baclofen? It's technically a substituted amino acid used as an anti-spasmodic or muscle relaxant. I read that a French doctor had been really messed up on booze so he treated himself with baclofen. It worked so well at relieving his cravings for alcohol he wrote a book about it.
AFAIK, baclofen is not yet approved for relief of alcohol craving symptoms but I can personally testify that it works in a spectacular way. Just a 10mg tablet once a day. You need an Rx but it's worth a trip to a psych, as they are the ones (in PA at least) prescribing alcohol cessation drugs. Most PCPs are unaware of baclofen. See:
Baclofen is a muscle relaxant used to treat muscle spasms—particularly spasms caused by multiple sclerosis or spinal cord diseases. It also generally helps to relieve pain and increase muscle mobility.
While combining muscle relaxers and alcohol is generally not advised, there is evidence that baclofen can help treat alcohol use disorder. Baclofen can reduce binge and relapse drinking by helping control cravings.
You may be wondering how a muscle relaxant, baclofen, can help with alcohol addiction treatment. Baclofen works by activating the GABA-B receptors in the brain. When GABA receptors are activated, nerve cells become less likely to fire. Decreasing the firing rate of nerve cells makes us feel sleepy and calm. Alcohol also activates GABA receptors, which is why some people feel calm after drinking. Researchers believe2 that activating GABA receptors can help a person control their alcohol consumption, although no one is sure exactly how.
IOW, it's a non-intoxicating alcohol substitute. Reminds me of the DuPont company motto at their 1939 World's Fair pavillion: better things for better living through chemistry.
The tragedy of AA meetings is that they disallow talk about drugs for relieving alcohol-related problems. So many people could be helped if they were instead in a more open group.
Baclofen
Baclofen is a muscle relaxant that has shown promise in helping people quit drinking—especially those with liver disease. Learn more.
riahealth.com
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