This is the second attempt to write this as I was in classic and tried to post a link to a source and well WordPress did its new magic when working with classic and wiped out an hours worth of work. So I will try again. My mind is still a bit foggy so the new post won’t be as well or have as much in it as the first. ***After I wrote the entire post I see the above was not so correct, the post is long***
I am on the maximum dosage of Baclofen and my back / leg spasms are still increasing and getting worse. This causes an increase of pain. My pain doctor who gives me my spine shots felt I needed more relief and I was not getting as much as I should be, so he told me to try a different drug that may or may not help me. He did not discuss how to stop the Baclofen but simply said try this one it might give you more relief or not. I now think I misunderstood him and he meant to use it as a back-up to the Baclofen. He is incredibly smart and well respected in his profession so the idea he would want me to do what I did doesn’t make sense.
Baclofen is a horribly unforgiving medication. It is hard to get used to using, and it can be deadly if not managed correctly. Needless to say I did not manage stopping the medication correctly at all. Here are some things that can happen and sadly I can not post the link but will have to do it below. (I hate to do it and it will mean less posting but I may have to start posting by writing the post in Word then pasting it in to WordPress somehow. What drew me to WordPress and then back to WordPress was the ease in just opening Classic and writing a post. All my extensions work and it was fun. Not so much now.)
Baclofen Withdrawal Symptoms
Baclofen withdrawal symptoms can be similar to those of benzodiazepine and alcohol withdrawal. Withdrawal from all of these substances can be severe and, in some cases, deadly. People are most likely to go through baclofen withdrawal if they have been using the drug for more than a few months. Baclofen withdrawal can occur whether someone uses a low or high dose. If someone suddenly stops using the drug, withdrawal symptoms are more likely to be severe. Baclofen withdrawal symptoms can include:
- Visual and auditory hallucinations
- Tactile hallucinations
- Confusion
- Delusions
- Disorientation
- Delirium
- Insomnia
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Memory problems
- Anxiety
- Changes in perception
- Hyperthermia
- Depersonalization
- Psychosis
- Mania
- Mood disturbances
- Changes in behavior
- Tachycardia
- Seizures
- Tremors
- Fever
- Extreme rebound muscle rigidity and spasticity
Some of the most severe symptoms of baclofen withdrawal, such as seizures, hallucinations and organ failure, can be avoided if someone participates in a professional baclofen detox.
I stopped taking it one morning. Boy my body quickly let me know it was not happy about it. My pain levels went off the scale, and I was in agony. I struggled with the last one on the list also some of the others. Plus I did not sleep. I would lay there and toss / turn but if I slept it was in small time periods of 15 minutes or so and at most I got a total of 1 or 2 hours a day. To put it mildly, I was having nausea, struggling with the personality changes all this was causing, confusion, insomnia, tremors, and fever as the worst of the effects. By the end of the fourth day Ron was seriously concerned, he had looked up the symptoms and seen my rapid deterioration. He was begging me to go back to the baclofen or at least call the doctor to tell them. I thought it over. What I wanted and needed was not worth what I was doing through. So I took my first baclofen the end of the fourth day and went to bed.
The next day which was yesterday I woke up late but felt so much better. I was still having some symptoms but my main problem was the lack of ability to focus and confusion. I just felt tired out. At the appropriate time I took my second set of medication and … The world stopped. Well the world did not but I did. I mentioned to Ron I felt really tired and was going to go lay down. Well I lay down, and 6 hours later Ron woke me to ask if I would like to eat and maybe I should take off my headphones which I was still wearing. Which is weird as I don’t like wearing headphones which is why I need my own room for my computers, so I can listen to my stuff without the need for headphones or earbuds.
I am back. Sorry got so tired I went to lay down for an hour plus.
So after I got up yesterday, removed my headphones, we had supper. I was not really hungry but Ron had the desire to have crispy chicken strips and french fries cooked in the big deep frier. I enjoy them, but we both marveled I do not eat like I used to. I had maybe four strips and a small serving of french fries. The good news on that front is I had been stuck on a weight plateau to 184, and recently I have dropped below that into the 170s running right now between 175 and 177 pounds. After eating I offered to pick it up, Ron said he would do it, but I wanted to help so we split the work. Then I went back to bed.
I slept, then I slept some more. When Ron came to bed at 10 pm, I took my next set of medications and my nighttime insulin. Then after mumbling to Ron that I wouldn’t be able to sleep, I went right to sleep. I slept until 3 am when Tupac’s small stomach alarm went off. Every morning at that time he cries and cries until one of us gets up and feeds him half a can of wet food. He has a bowl of dry food but we got him hooked on wet food and he loves it. But if we give him as much as he wants, he will get sick and vomit it, so we give him half a can or so at a time now. Normally I do it because Ron is sleeping. This morning I did not respond and Ron asked If I wanted him to do it, his tone hopeful I would offer to get up. I did not. I did not even hear him and Tupac come back to bed. I slept until 6:15 or so when Tupac’s stomach alarm went off again. He knows now since his long time feral playtime outside friend … well the night before she was seen no more we again had a young coyote scouting around the house. We had tried so hard for two years to get her to at least come into the Florida room for the night, but she just won’t. She has disappeared. So Tupac has new rules. He is allowed outside during the day but once night fall and darkness has come he is inside now. He sometimes argues about it but, until he learns to open the doors he lives by it. In truth he doesn’t make much fuss, and even at 3 am he doesn’t ask to go out anymore, but goes right back to bed.
One last note. Over the 24 hours or so I slept Ron kept checking me. He said this morning that the only thing that bothered him was that during the times he checked on me and during the night I was very vocal. I cried, wept, moaned, groaned, and made other sounds. He said I did not seem to struggle or move around, and I was not begging like when it is really bad so he let me sleep. I asked him if I talked anything clearly that could be understood more than just sounds. He said no he was watching, I did not beg or plead for it to stop, or beg not to be hurt so he did not know if to wake me. I said he did the correct thing as I want him to know I love he cares and understands now what I lived through and still experience in dreams. He asked if I wanted to talk about the dreams, and I said no, I had them, I experienced the abuse in more mild than normal and I did not want to relive it or have him live it so no I did not want to tell him the dreams. He is so wonderful he accepted that, gave me long wonderful hugs and kisses.
So that has been the last five days. That what I went through. It is going to take days to get back on track if ever. I will not be posting the meme post today or this week, I did not work on it all week so there is not really anything to post. Love everyone who comes to my little spot on the interwebs who want to hear my opinion. Hugs to those who wish them, my heart felt best wishes to all others. Scottie
The link for the Baclofen information is https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/baclofen-addiction/withdrawal-detox/ but a simple search will show how unforgiving the medication is and how deadly it can be to try to come off it the wrong way.
Scottie's Playtime 
Sounds pretty rough, Scottie. I take an anti depressant that is notably difficult to discontinue. I found a place called https://www.outro.com/ that helps people wean off. Hoping to do so at some point.
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Hi Susan. I wish you the best. Please go slow and follow doctors orders. Something went wrong in the communications between me and my doctor. I should have known better. Hugs. Scottie
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Thank you, Scottie. I had my own version of going off the med and then experiencing bad symptoms. Twice. Even though I thought I did it slowly enough. That is why if I ever decide to try again I will have help.
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Susan, thank you for sharing this. Many people forget just how strong some medications are and what they do to the body. We always think of withdrawal as being to an illegal drug like cocaine or heroin. The truth is, prescription medications are just as dangerous if not more so. A lot of people are scared to admit they need powerful drugs or that they look weak if they need help with them. It is similar to the feeling abuse victims feel, some have the idea that if people knew we were raped or sexually assaulted they would think less of us. But the truth is people need to understand that it is no shame, no weakness of person for either or any of this on the person going through it. Again thank you for believing in us here enough to share with us your experiences. Hugs. Scottie
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Thank you for your reply, Scottie. We’re all in this together.
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oh sweetheart I am so sorry to hear the withdrawals you dealt with…and are probably still dealing with. When you are in pain it is far more difficult to understand directions, especially about meds. Can your partner go to the doc with you so you have a backup for instructions? If not, ask the doc to write down all instructions to make it easier for you. Honestly6 the brain fog with the pain is why I always have Angie go to the doc with me.
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Hi Suze. For years when I had no left hip and struggled so much plus couldn’t drive, so Ron took me to my doctor’s appointments and often went in with me, talking to the doctors and explaining stuff to me. I was much more confused then than I am now. He was working 12 hour shifts, so often if it was a routine appointment he would nap in the car. But if a decision needed to be made or it was about a new medication, he went with me. But for years now I have been able to drive myself and so have been going alone. Most of the time I am careful to get full and complete instructions, especially on new medications. The problem this time is the doctor who prescribed the new medication is on a run most days. Between giving shots he also sees patients. He is the only one that can give the shots into the spine so he is in large demand there. He really races from room to room. He quickly looked through my chart, he had treated me for decades, and he just seemed to throw this out there. I just had spine shots that are very painful. I must have misunderstood him. Maybe he though his medical assistant would explain everything, but to tell the truth the man that helps him is capable in assisting for the shots but rather … limited in the thinking department. I am glad you have someone to go with you, that is very helpful. Hugs. Scottie
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🤗🤗😥🤗🖖
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My dear Scottie.
Firstly you have our deepest sympathies for the suffering you have experienced these past days, we have had our own individual experiences with the problems involved in changing or withdrawing from medication, but can only image the torment you have been through.
We applaud the wonderful relationship and deep love you and Ron share which has been shown time and time to be a strong and powerful thing which shines through in this post.
Words written can often not cover the sentiments or feeling we wish to communicate; we shall simply write. We are with you. We will be thinking of you.
And we will prayer for you both, because it’s a good vibe right? And good vibes travel everywhere.
Bless you both.
Roger and Sheila.
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Hello Roger. Thank you both. Yes the deep love and care we feel for each other is what helps us make it through every day. Roger I don’t mind your praying for us. It causes no harm and as you say the feeling behind it is one of caring, concern, and love. Hugs. Scottie
Oh Roger quick question. You know and understand the bible better than most people. I recently was reminded that Jesus reduced the ten comandments to two. I looked it up to be sure I remembered it correctly. It was inrespnce to the entire stupidity of posting the prostistant version of the ten commandments. Here is what I remembered. It would solve so many of our current problems.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[b] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[c] There is no commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:28-34
New International Version
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2012:28-34&version=NIV
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Hi Scottie.
Firstly we do hope your health is on the mend. We are thinking of you and Ron.
Thanks for the compliment, though in view of the subject matter, I have to say my knowledge of the literal details of the writings is not all that extensive. I just try and hold to the message and the faith.
Yes that is a wonderful passage. Jesus does in other passages affirm adherence to the other commandments, mostly through parables and teaching on the true messages He does highlight the primary importance of those two commandments; basically if you adhere to and uphold those, then the rest will follow easily.
They are demanding tasks too, with our day to day distractions and challenges and our own tendencies to get angry over one thing or another.
As Christians we should keep on trying though. As one priest told Sheila once ‘The Lord loves a trier,’
Take care you guys.
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Thank you Roger. Yes I am getting better but as you can imagine my body took a hard hit, and then is now trying to rebound. I am slowly getting back to a normal schedule. Right now I am struggling with staying warm, I just feel so cold.
Roger I was just asking Ali a question I thought I would ask you. I was brought into the SDA church at about 16 going on to 17 years old to help get me away from my abusive situation. I do not remember any teaching that Jesus said to be mean or cruel to others. I read a lot of teachers claim it is against their religious beliefs to call a student by their preferred pronouns or by a name associated with a different gender, so they insist on the right to be mean and hurtful to the teenager in the name of Jesus. That is simply not the god I was taught about. The Jesus I learned about was open and understanding, he was forgiving and willing to be humble. So how is calling a trans girl born a boy she / her or use the name sally instead of Billy anger Jesus? Does Jesus really care that much about born names or assigned genders? Is there not something much more important god wants to share with these young people than anger and refusal to accept them? Hugs. Scottie
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Jesus reserves his condemnation for those who are hypocrites and use their religion for personal gain, although he does keep his disciples on their toes because of the task they must carry.
It is as simple as that.
To try and second guess Jesus’ thoughts and messages to suit one’s on prejudices is folly and in my opinion very close to blasphemy.
If anyone wishes to follow God, they do not get turned away…simple as that.
Take care you guys.
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Hi Roger. I get the feeling you want to be done with this conversation. I really kind of hate to push, but Roger I often argue with people who use that “my religion…” to deny using preferred pronouns or calling kids the name they want. If I remember my teaching correctly did not several of the disciples go by different names? It is not important. But my point or question is what do you say to a teacher who standing in front of a teenager who just asked them to please use the pronoun *** and the name *** to refer to them and the teacher crushes them by saying … “My god, my religion demands I refer to you as you were assigned at birth and by the gender name you were given at birth”! Had the people that rescued me done that I wouldn’t have gone with them, I wouldn’t have joined their church. Roger how do I answer people who say their god Jesus demands they refuse to use pronouns or preferred name a teenager or adult asks them to please use? I remember growing up many kids did not go by their birth name. It was not a gender thing but some kids grew up being called by a nick name and preferred it. Anyway if you do not want this conversation I apologize and wont ask again. Best wishes, hugs, Scottie
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Oh no Scottie, I do not want to be done with the conversation, it’s at time my turn of phrase can be very abrupt with folk who take A Message and then go and second guess the meaning simply to suit there purposes.
This idea of ‘assigned at birth’ is so much hoo-hah (my go to ‘polite’ phrase these days). Were this so then there would be no converts from other religions or from folk born into atheism. There are no direct instructions on this, they have simply taken their own prejudices and used the Bible to suit them.
They simply have no true foundation to their assertions; far better they go back, read Christ’s words, then in some quiet place open their hearts to Him and HIs Father. Because Scottie, and here is the bottom line ‘They’ know us and every part of our being, if someone believes truly and honestly, then that person knows they cannot hide their thoughts and flaws from God or Jesus.
Simple as that……
And I feel there might be a post brewing on the subject…..
Thanks for the ‘kickstart’ my good friend.
Roger
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