Baclofen - hope for alcoholism 'cure'?

Confuseling said:
Interesting article...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7768141.stm

Anyone know anything more?
Click to expand...

The treatment would appear to act as a form of replacement therapy and set you up for the same sort of withdrawal symptoms as the original complaint. The following is taken from Wikipedia;
Discontinuation of baclofen can be associated with a withdrawal syndrome which resembles benzodiazepine withdrawal and alcohol withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms are more likely if baclofen is used for long periods of time (more than a couple of months) and can occur from low or high doses. The severity of baclofen withdrawal depends on the rate at which baclofen is discontinued. Thus to minimise baclofen withdrawal symptoms the dose should be tapered down slowly when discontinuing baclofen therapy. Abrupt withdrawal is most likely to result in severe withdrawal symptoms. Acute withdrawal symptoms can be stopped by recommencing baclofen.[9]


Withdrawal symptoms may include auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations, tactile hallucinations, delusions, confusion, agitation, delirium, disorientation, fluctuation of consciousness, insomnia, inattention, memory impairments, perceptual disturbances, anxiety, depersonalization, hypertonia, hyperthermia, formal thought disorder, psychosis, mania, mood disturbances, restlessness, and behavioral disturbances, tachycardia, seizures, tremors, autonomic dysfunction, hyperpyrexia, extreme muscle rigidity resembling neuroleptic malignant syndrome and rebound spasticity.[9][10]

Overdose

Symptoms of a baclofen overdose include vomiting, weakness, drowsiness, slow breathing, seizures, unusual pupil size, and coma.


That said, if you were to try this as a last resort for alcoholism, thenyou would need to be careful with the dose and very careful in withdrawing the drug to avoid symptoms.
 
Graham Jackman said:
...
Withdrawal symptoms may include auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations, tactile hallucinations, delusions, confusion, agitation, delirium, disorientation, fluctuation of consciousness, insomnia, inattention, memory impairments, perceptual disturbances, anxiety, depersonalization, hypertonia, hyperthermia, formal thought disorder, psychosis, mania, mood disturbances, restlessness, and behavioral disturbances, tachycardia, seizures, tremors, autonomic dysfunction, hyperpyrexia, extreme muscle rigidity resembling neuroleptic malignant syndrome and rebound spasticity.[9][10]
...
Click to expand...

On second thoughts make mine a whiskey ;)

Sounds nasty doesn't it. But I suppose substituting one addiction for another can be good, if the replacement is easier to get off. That's the idea behind methadone, after all, even though from what I understand it doesn't work terribly well.

It's interesting though, and it does sound like promising early results. The wonderdrug for addiction I kept hearing about before was ibogaine, but it doesn't sound like that was going anywhere - too risky. This - or some derivative of it - could be a whole new avenue. I wonder when formal trials will begin?
 
Every few years you hear of another 'cure all' for a recreational drug. However all of them have serious issues. I do not know any that will work for someone who does not want to be cured.
 
Well, if you can immunise people against cocaine, presumably there are ways of getting people off things relatively painlessly. Raises a whole host of ethical problems though...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom