OLIVIER AMEISEN cured his own alcohol dependency by prescribing himself high doses of baclofen, a generic drug typically used to treat muscle spasms
Image: COURTESY OF OLIVIER AMEISEN
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This is the fourth of eight stories in our Web feature on self-experimenters.
The last time Olivier Ameisen formally practiced medicine was in the early summer of 1997. After two decades in the field, the French-born physician, then running a clinic on Manhattan's Upper East Side, abruptly rang up his secretary one morning and told her to clear his schedule. She laughed in disbelief when he explained why. He was ill, he told her; he was an alcoholic, and he was afraid his drinking might interfere with his patients' care.
Anyone familiar with his resume would have responded the same way. Ameisen was a stellar medical student at the University of Paris—which he entered at the age of 16. Moving to the U.S., he began a fellowship in 1983 at New York–Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan, swiftly becoming an attending physician there in 1986. (The same year, he added teaching appointments at the hospital-affiliated Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University.)
But things began to sour in 1994, when the then 41-year-old bachelor opened a private practice. Although the venture was initially successful—he broke even in four months instead of the usual two years—he became gripped by an irrational fear that he might not be able to provide for a future family. "That's when I started binging at home," says Ameisen, now 54. As time went by, "my fear," he says, "was to be drunk and have a patient call me and say, 'I have chest pain,' and have me tell him, 'Okay, go play tennis.'"
After putting his practice on hold, Ameisen spent nine months over two years in various rehab clinics trying to quell his alcohol cravings, or "motivations," as he calls them. He gave Alcoholics Anonymous a shot—or more like a round of shots; he estimates that in a single year he went to 700 meetings per year for seven years, as often as four a day. He also tried naltrexone and acamprosate, the only two drugs approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to treat alcohol dependency, without success.
Finally, convalescing in Paris in 2001 (where he went to be close to his parents and relatives), he read about a study of a muscle relaxant that had stifled the cravings of a cocaine addict. The drug, baclofen, had also shown efficacy against anxiety and depression. Eager to try it, he prescribed a high dosage for himself. Within a few weeks of starting the regimen, his craving for drink evaporated. Eleven months into his self-experiment, he published a case study of his self-treatment in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism, and he is now writing a book called The End of My Addiction, chronicling his successful journey.
Researchers believe that baclofen may increase the brain's levels of the neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), involved in regulating the desire for addictive substances, by stimulating a subset of GABA receptors. But, contrary to Ameisen's experience, a recent double-blind study of 80 alcoholics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill found no difference in outcome between those taking baclofen or a placebo. Ameisen points out, however, that the dosage of 30 milligrams a day given to study participants was far lower than his up to 270-milligram daily dose, which studies had shown people could tolerate without displaying side effects such as somnolence and muscle weakness.
"The story on baclofen is really still out," says James C. Garbutt, a U.N.C. psychiatry professor and senior investigator on the study. He notes that the drug may reduce the anxiety and insomnia that often accompany alcohol withdrawal, which might ease the transition to sobriety, but adds that researchers cannot accurately predict who might benefit from the drug absent a larger study.
Still, Ameisen insists that for him the drug was a lifesaver. Now, instead of downing a quart and a half of Scotch a day, he takes as little as 70 milligrams of baclofen. He is contemplating a return to medicine, he says, but for now he takes satisfaction in corresponding with addiction researchers from his Paris apartment and encouraging them to conduct further clinical trials of baclofen.
"I know that case reports are there" on baclofen's efficacy, Ameisen notes. "But, even if you have 10 case reports, that's no better than one."
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40 Comments
Add CommentNo one regimen will work for everyone. AA has worked for millions through its suggested steps. Others cannot kick the craving for alcohol. Clearly, this anecdotal report deserves a controlled study for if this drug benefits only 50% of those hopelessly addicted to alcohol, it may well save the lives of a great many.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt is regretable that AA did not work for this man. From my experience, he could not get out of self long enough to let it. Ego is the main target of alcoholismn and and the only remeidy I have ever seen is true spiritualism. Unfortunately, you have to get out of self long enough to gain the proverbal high ground perspective of spiritual intervention. I guess this is the reason that AA is not for everyone. Some sorry souls are so wound up with self, they cannot alter their perspectives, even momentarily. I feel very sadened for this man and can only think of the quote, "heal thy self physician." This must be true for anyone who will not let God do it.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this" This must be true for anyone who will not let God do it." - tsstein
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisScientific American: Really? Sure you're not "National Inquirer?" What if the doctor said he was cured by eating a dozen fire ants each day for 10 years, 10 days, and 10 hours, then giving himself a bloodletting? Would you publish this as well?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSince when does anecdotal "sensationalist" info belong in Scientific American? This is not science! There is no scientifically valid evidence of baclofen curing alcoholism. The double blind study showed this.
There are a vast numbers of persons who have stopped drinking using AA, significantly more than have been "cured" with baclofen. This isn't about "science" either. Discover and use whatever methods work to end addictions, but if it isn't science-based it doesn't belong in your mag!
AA is famous for not releasing their success rate, so any claims of "Millions helped" is doubtful. As to letting "God do it" that's just ridiculous, which GOD would that be anyway?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis man's experience does deserve further study and I'm not sure the double blind study was sufficient. As the article states they may well have under dosed the subjects and missed the benefit of the drug.
Besides pioneering is often done alone, I applaud SciAm for relating these stories.
I am Dr. Ameisen. A brief comment: "lichenophile" states: "There is no scientifically valid evidence of baclofen curing alcoholism. The double blind study showed this". The randomized trials conducted by Drs. Garbutt (2007) and Addolorato (2002 and 2007) have used baclofen at 30mg/day, which for baclofen is the lowest prescribed dose. By contrast, for comfort care, neurologists in children use 40 mg/day as lowest dose and go as high as 180 mg/day (8 year follow-up):
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"Clin Neuropharmacol. 1992 (4):276-88.
Baclofen in the treatment of dystonia.
Greene P.
Neurological Institute, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center."
In adults, also for comfort care (muscular spasticity), neurologists use up to 300 mg/day (Schaefer J, Neurology Department, Weill Medical College of Cornell University). Randomized trials of high dose baclofen should be conducted to test suppression of craving and its potential consequence
Comment by Dr. Ameisen: The Scientific American article on my proposed use of high-dose baclofen to suppress alcohol craving omits a crucial piece of information: a randomized double blind controlled trial recently published in the Lancet has confirmed that baclofen even at the low-dose of 30mg/day is safe and effective for maintenance of alcohol abstinence and reduction of craving in alcoholics (Addolorato et al. Lancet. 2007 Dec 8;370(9603):1915-22.). In contrast, the finding of a lack of effect of baclofen by Garbutt et al. that Scientific American refers to is an oral communication at a meeting that has never been published in a medical journal, and can only therfore be considered as preliminary and yet to be assessed. It is most surprising for a scientific magazine of such quality as Scientific American to only refer to unpublished communications rather than to published studies, particularly when the conclusions are opposite.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"G-d helps those who help themselves". Bravo to Dr Ameisen, who not only did something about his own alcoholism but in doing so could be helping millions of others where AA has failed. There is a story about a man who prayed every night to G-d for him to win the lottery. He did this for years & years. Finally one night after he prayed again, there was a loud voice coming down from heaven that said, "Buy a ticket!"
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisEgo has nothing do do with illness and depending on the severity of the illness, all of the "giving it up to G-d" will not change the altered structure of the brain after years of alcohol abuse. Over the last decade, sophisticated brain-imaging technologies have demonstrated that constant use of alcohol significantly alters the structure of the brain in ways that can last for months and even years, creating a chronic brain disease. Once you understand that aspect, then it is understandable that it will take more than abstinence to correct the problem!
I am surprised that Dr. Deborah Mash's work with Ibogaine and addiction was not mentioned.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt is closed minded people like You who make great publishers think twice about reporting on the "possable" efect of a new drug. Thank GOD you are in the minority!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPaulYoungberg
I agree 100% with 'slsmith'. There has been a great deal of progress reported with "Ibogaine" and I see it as one of our best hopes for a drug based cure.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisNot to say that other forms of belief systems would not work as well . . .
as was stated so well by others above.
I also agree 100% with 'slsmith' about the substance "Ibogaine", which is proving to be VERY helpful in most cases of adiction and abuse. All have been documened and many cases went back over 30 years of adiction!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHave none of you very smart and well educated people ever heard of Dr. Debera Mash's work with Ibogaine? It has been stuied for a long time, (NO INFO ON CLINICAL TRIALS), but it has some very promising uses for long term addicts (bingers) no matter their drug of choice, including alcohol. Just incase you haven't heard, please look it up. I think those of a mind towards Science may find it 'interesting' at least.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI think Dr. Ameisen's work and his reporting on its success is invaluable. Alcohol addiction is a horrible disease that destroys lives. I am glad he published his book, I am glad there is research into many different drugs to help with this disease.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI am grateful because this disease kills. I am always amazed at the AAers who take such affront to research into helping people who suffer from this disease.
AA is a wonderful support group and has helped many but it does not work for others. I don't care what the reason it doesn't work is, that is beside the point, so for the AAer who said it was because Dr. Ameisen couldn't get outside of self, so what?
Thank you, Dr. Ameisen. You have given me hope, too.
I think Dr. Ameisen's work and his reporting on its success is invaluable. Alcohol addiction is a horrible disease that destroys lives. I am glad he published his book, I am glad there is research into many different drugs to help with this disease.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI am grateful because this disease kills. I am always amazed at the AAers who take such affront to research into helping people who suffer from this disease.
AA is a wonderful support group and has helped many but it does not work for others. I don't care what the reason it doesn't work is, that is beside the point, so for the AAer who said it was because Dr. Ameisen couldn't get outside of self, so what?
Thank you, Dr. Ameisen. You have given me hope, too.
This is a question for Dr. Ameisen: I suffer from Trichotillomania (recognized as an impulse control disorder by at least some in the medical community). I am actually already taking 10mg 2x per day of Baclofen for headaches, and just happened to come across some information about your experiences with this drug. I am planning on speaking to my psychiatrist to see about experimentally upping my daily dosage of Baclofen to see if it can help with the hair-pulling craving. Any thoughts on this?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSeera1
This is a question for Dr. Ameisen: I suffer from Trichotillomania (recognized as an impulse control disorder by at least some in the medical community). I am actually already taking 10mg 2x per day of Baclofen for headaches, and just happened to come across some information about your experiences with this drug. I am planning on speaking to my psychiatrist to see about experimentally upping my daily dosage of Baclofen to see if it can help with the hair-pulling craving. Any thoughts on this?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSeera1
It's laughable to read what people write about ego having nothing to do with alcoholism or the concept of a higher power helping people being ridiculous. Anyone who thinks addiction doesn't have sociological and psychological components doesn't have a clue. New medications to fight addiction should of course be tested and used, but there is a very small minority of addicts for whom such a 'cure' would work, at least by itself.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisLet God do it. I see replace one addiction with another.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI like to see a study posted that used the higher doses of the drug. That would be the study worth printing in your publication.
I have a Father who drank a 40oz a day for many many years and towards the end of his drinking career was actually downing one 40oz and a half. He didn't use God or AA to get the monkey off his back. He got scared to death and after a conversation with a medical professional remained sober and is today still sober.
If this Doctor has come a pond a drug which will nip the addiction in the butt than I say more power to Dr Olivier Ameisen .
Let God do it. I see replace one addiction with another.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI like to see a study posted that used the higher doses of the drug. That would be the study worth printing in your publication.
I have a Father who drank a 40oz a day for many many years and towards the end of his drinking career was actually downing one 40oz and a half. He didn't use God or AA to get the monkey off his back. He got scared to death and after a conversation with a medical professional remained sober and is today still sober.
If this Doctor has come a pond a drug which will nip the addiction in the butt than I say more power to Dr Olivier Ameisen .
I just finished reading Dr Ameisen fabulous book, and hope came back again to our family. My wife, 62, is a longtime alcoholic and here is a solid report on how to restore normal living and end the suffering for all of us, specially my wife!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI've talked to our psychiatrist and we will start the baclofen treatment right away. My wife is very excited and hopeful, so am I.
I am now looking to establish a contact to Dr. Ameisen so that he can help us, in case something will not devellop as stated in his book.
We all, in need, bless you and thank you, dear Dr. Ameisen.
This is really good to see articles in this topic...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisStudents must work as part time.. It will improve their knowledge as well as their confident...
Thanks,
_______________
alex45
<a href="http://www.alcoholisminformation.org">Alcoholism Information</a>
Nice
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHiii ! have a fun.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this============
jonathan
============
<a href="http://www.alcoholisminformation.org">Alcoholism Information</a>-Alcoholism Information
Hi !
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHave a fun but never use alcohol.
===============
jonathan
===============
<a href="http://www.alcoholisminformation.org">Alcoholism Information</a> - Alcoholism Information
Hello, all,
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe problem with Ibogane is not a medical one, but a legal one. It is an active hallucinogen, and the therapeutic dosage is about the same as the experiential dosage. As a result, getting it past thee FDA for alcohol abuse is a very high barrier...
Brian
my 26yr old daughter is an alcoholic. firstly there was anxiety, then there was alcohol, a very effective anxiety surpressant. from where i am standing no human being would ever choose to be where she has been. severe illness, hospitalisations, rehabs, withdrawal, damage to her body, the family shattered beyond description. AA is a spiritual path that works for many. but what if you don't have that epiphany? why is there such moral indignation attached to the disease of addiction? why is it seen as some kind of weakness? anything, any drug at all that can help alcohol cravings is an absolute blessing that can lead them towards sobriety and reversal of addiction is to be welcomed, as with any other disease, any chink of light must be trialled and investigated. All i can see down the line is death for my daughter without some kind of parachute, baclofen or any other drug that could stop her death is worth a try.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt never ceases to amaze me that people can be so resistant to change that they are content to wallow in the status quo even if it kills them. This article is just a very short excerpt from a greater work, a work which I found to be the most astounding and hopeful book I have read in a long time. The article here only touches on a very small part of Dr. Ameisen's book. For those who don't believe that further and more extensive studies should be done concerning baclofen and other potential medical treatments for addiction, let me ask you a question. Where would we be if the disease of polio or cancer were treated the same way? What do you think people thought when the vaccination for polio was discovered or when penicillin was discovered? Do you think people just discounted them because they seemed too good to be true? When people stop thinking of addiction as purely a behavioral disease and realize the underlying MEDICAL causes, then those who suffer from it will be able to get the help they need. Behavioral treatments are helpful, but cannot cure a medical problem. This drug may not be effective on everyone, but for those who are suffering inside the prison of addiction, it may be the answer. If further testing is not done, we'll never know.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI have been on baclofen for 2 months now. It is nothing short of a miracle for me. Suffered under alcohol for 20+ years. Rehab twice. Had 1 yr sober then relapsed. FINALLY - I found baclofen looking for answers & my doctor let me try it. I HAVE BECOME COMPLETELY INDIFFERENT toward alcohol/drugs. IT HAS SAVED MY LIFE. If you are suffering, talk to your doctor. I take 120mg/day. The anxiety is manageable & I have hope for long term successful recovery. But - I am hearing conflicting reports if this drug is addicting or not. I would like to have input on this.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHowever, I do not agree w/ 1 thing Dr. Ameisen says. He says he can go out and have an occasional drink. Maybe he can - but I will not even attempt that. After what I have seen alcohol do to me and my family, I would NEVER even take 1 sip. And w/ baclofen on board, I have not even been tempted. Not 1 single time.
I have been on baclofen for 2 months now. It is nothing short of a miracle for me. Suffered under alcohol for 20+ years. Rehab twice. Had 1 yr sober then relapsed. Tried ALL of the drugs that have been used to treat this. None worked - not even slightly. FINALLY - I found baclofen while desperatetly looking for answers & reading over Dr. Ameisens finding. I had never heard about this so my doctor let me try it. I HAVE BECOME COMPLETELY INDIFFERENT toward alcohol/drugs. This is the word Dr. Ameisen used and it is perfect. IT HAS SAVED MY LIFE. The anxiety is very manageable & for the first time in 20+ yrs I have hope for long term successful recovery. But - I am hearing conflicting reports if this drug is addicting or not. I would like to have input on this.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHowever, I do not agree w/ 1 thing Dr. Ameisen says. He says he can go out and have an occasional drink. I will never even attempt this. After what I have seen alcohol do to me and my family, I would NEVER even take 1 sip. And w/ baclofen on board, I have not even been tempted. Not 1 single time.
I have been on baclofen for 2 months now. It is nothing short of a miracle for me. Suffered under alcohol for 20+ years. Rehab twice. Had 1 yr sober then relapsed. FINALLY - I found baclofen looking for answers & my doctor let me try it. I HAVE BECOME COMPLETELY INDIFFERENT toward alcohol/drugs. IT HAS SAVED MY LIFE. If you are suffering, talk to your doctor. I take 120mg/day. The anxiety is manageable & I have hope for long term successful recovery. But - I am hearing conflicting reports if this drug is addicting or not. I would like to have input on this.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHowever, I do not agree w/ 1 thing Dr. Ameisen says. He says he can go out and have an occasional drink. I will never even attempt this. After what I have seen alcohol do to me and my family, I would NEVER even take 1 sip. And w/ baclofen on board, I have not even been tempted. Not 1 single time.
I have been on baclofen for 2 months now. It is nothing short of a miracle for me. Suffered under alcohol for 20+ years. Rehab twice. Had 1 yr sober then relapsed. FINALLY - I found baclofen looking for answers & my doctor let me try it. I HAVE BECOME COMPLETELY INDIFFERENT toward alcohol/drugs. IT HAS SAVED MY LIFE. If you are suffering, talk to your doctor. I take 120mg/day. The anxiety is manageable & I have hope for long term successful recovery. But - I am hearing conflicting reports if this drug is addicting or not. I would like to have input on this.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHowever, I do not agree w/ 1 thing Dr. Ameisen says. He says he can go out and have an occasional drink. After what I have seen alcohol do to me and my family, I would NEVER even take 1 sip. And w/ baclofen on board, I have not even been tempted. Not 1 single time.
I pray you belong to aa and have sincerely studied the Big Book. As a clinician, much like Ameisen, I have attended thousands of meetings, been an integral part of my aa community and have had sustained sobriety through the twelve steps of aa. However, at a breaking point in my life...I chose to drink again. Since that point I have not been able to maintain more than two years of sobriety. With the comorbidity or perhaps pre-existing, issues of depression/anxiety/ptsd I have been diagnosed with
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI have reached a point of ETOH indifference. I see Dr. Ameiens contibution as the Drs. opinion of 2009. If you consider alcoholism a disease of biological origins you could not possibly have written a comment like this. Most do well in the twelve steps but some of us, many who I have loved and watched die, still need something more. I am so impressed by your statements that you can e-mail me at williamsutcliff@yahoo.com for a continuing dialogue.
Dr. Ameisen, I am a clinical pharmacist of your age. I had a 12 year period of abstinence from 1989 until 2001. At some point in the process of tricyclics, benzos, naltrexone, acamprosate, ssris and thousands of meetings, re-working the steps many times, seeking spiritual alternatives to my religion and of course, failure and the attending guilt and shame, I had given up. Two weeks ago my psychiatrist mentioned your book. I have read it twice now and consider it to be the "Dr.s Opinion" of 2009. Silkworth and Jung were on to something in the 1930's, however I have watched dozens of people die who, in my opinion could have benefited from your discovery. I am in my second week of taking baclofen and have increased my dosage to 90 mg per day with some marked drowsiness but also very noticeable decrease in anxiety, (i.e. lessened "irritable, restless and discontent").
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMy psychiatrist consulted my internist and both agreed to not let me use more than 80 mg per day! I am clawing to hang onto my life just as you were, yet I have not reached the threshold induction level you talk about in your book. I will continue to press my dosage to whatever it takes as I am 65 kg and I surmise from your dosage we are the same body weight. I have renewed hope and believe that this is the answer for me as I have sought mu receptor blocade via naltrexone but have always believed that it was a GABA issue.
Please respond to my inquiry...my e-mail address is williamsutcliff@yahoo.com. PLEASE RESPOND.
Rspectfully, Bill Sutcliff
I need to amend the line I have NOT achieved complete indifference indifference to ETOH
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHave any cases been reported of the use of baclofen to treat addiction to cannabis? My daughter is addicted to cannabis and had smoked it every day for at least 4 years. If she stops, she can't sleep or eat and becomes extremely restless, anxious and irritable.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIn response to melykin, please read "The End Of my Addiction", Ameisen, Olivier, Sarah Crichton Books, Copyright 2009, first ed.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIn chapter 9 entitled How Baclofen Works: What We Know, and Need to Know, he states that "this imbalanced neurotransmission , is no more subject to conscious influence or control than any other organic disease process. REASEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT CLOSELY SIMILAR PATTERNS OF NEUROTRANSMISSION APPLY NOT ONLY TO ALL DRUG ADDICTIONS, BUT ALSO TO SO-CALLED NONDRUG ADDICTIONS SUCH AS BINGE EATING, COMPULSIVE GAMBLING, COMPUSLSIVE SHOPPING, AND SEX ADDICTION. There is also a very close overlap with the neurotransmission seen in anxiety, depression, and impulse disorders". Pg. 210.
In the same chapter he writes: "Among addiction medicines, Baclofen is unique to date in showing the ability to suppress, as opposed to reduce, motivation to consume alcohol, cocaine, heroin, nicotine, and amphetamine in animal studies. It is also unique among addiction medicines in its beneficial effect on dysphoria in human patients". Pg. 214.
Please find a physician who has read this book and is willing to manage your daughters case. I believe it is worth a try if she is motivated to stop, willing to participate in 12 step programs and therapy. i have not, yet, found any references to baclofens use in the abuse of Cannabis. Cannabis, unlike alcohol or heroin, demonstrates no life threatening withdrawal syndrome and hence medicine is reluctant to label it as addictive. Hence less research in treatment of Cannabis dependant patients.
Response by Dr Ameisen:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDear Mr Sutcliff,
Things are moving very swiftly.
Since my book has been published, 163 consecutive patients have been treated (publications in process). Suppression of dependence has been complete, rapid and effortless in more than 90% of them.
My discovery is what led State University of New York Downstate Medical Center to appoint me as visiting Professor of Medicine last December.
Colleagues at University of Pennsylvania have started treating alcoholics and cocaine addicts with high-dose (HD) baclofen. They have used my papers and my book as references to obtain NIH grants because of baclofen's spectacular effects. Physicians from other leading academic centers such as Columbia University Medical Center, Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, University of Minnesota (to name only a few) have started (after corresponding and talking to me directly for guidance) to use HD baclofen in alcohol but also opiate, cocaine, nicotine and cannabis dependence. They corroborate my findings: 1) initial feelings of well-being, self confidence, self assurance and self worth, followed by 2) suppression of the disease altogether. The dose range varies from individual to individual, from as little as 30 mg/d to 300 mg/day. These doses have been safely and routinely used for comfort care by experienced neurologists for over forty years.
At a different level, I have repeated calls for randomized trials of HD baclofen since 2004. Most regrettably, none has been conducted. Since the medication is non-addictive and has been safely used, leading figures in the fields of medicine, neurology and addiction have voiced that patients should not be penalized in such a deadly disease by the lack of efforts on the part of those who should have long completed the trials. Dr Jerome B. Posner, the George Cotzias chair of Neuro-oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center who is one of the leading world's figures in Neurology recently wrote:
One wonders if high-dose baclofen will apparently become the treatment of choice without ever undergoing a controlled trial, simply because more and more alcoholics will be treated and the effectiveness will spread by word of mouth. If it works as well& & it shouldn't need controlled trials. Even if a controlled trial were to show no overall benefit, it is clear that at least some (maybe all?) patient's do .
In its recent review of my book, "Alcohol and Alcoholism", one of the leading medical journal in the field stresses that " This book is to be recommended. It provides ample literature to strongly consider baclofen for patients who fail to respond to treatments in our conventional current repertoire. And its chief-editor, Dr Jonathan Chick, has started a powerful media campaign in support of my discovery.
Much thanks for your update Dr. Ameisen! I am extremely happy to hear that significant progress is being made, and that the medical community is starting to take this seriously.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI began baclofen in January after reading your book. I reached my optimal dose of 15omg in late March, and am now down to 80-100mg daily.
I have gone from 6-12 drinks DAILY to 2-3 drinks WEEKLY, and these drinks I do have are not the result of any inherent desire for alcohol, but rather because of social situations where the refusal of a drink would bring unwanted attention and possible awkwardness. I can fully enjoy a single glass of wine with no craving whatsoever for an additional drink.
I am absolutely thrilled at how this medicine has given me control over my life again.
I do want to point out one thing, however, which is that in much of the enthusiasm surrounding baclofen, the side effects tend to get downplayed. I have experienced some significant but tolerable side effects, including sleepiness, mild dizziness, and slight cognitive impairment. These subside over time, but they can be a bit problematic while increasing dosages.
In particular, I would strongly caution against driving on the same day of an increase in dose.
The mild cognitive impairment was the most worrying side effect for me, since I work in a very demanding academic field. On balance, however, the lack of hangovers and increased hours of productivity more than compensated for a bit of mental fuzziness. And this fuzziness did eventually disappear completely once I began reducing my dose.
After reducing my dose from 150mg, all of the side effects greatly subsided. Also, by adjusting my regimen (reducing my morning and lunchtime doses, increasing my evening dose), the remaining side effects were much more manageable.
At this point, all cognitive fuzziness, daytime sleepiness, and mild dizziness are completely gone. The only remaining side effect is mild evening sleepiness (not a bad thing at all) and morning grogginess, which is easily solved with a single cup of coffee.
In sum, after a few months things are excellent, with no cravings and extremely minimal side effects. But if you do plan to take baclofen, please be aware that you may encounter some uncomfortable side effects while you are increasing your dosage during the first phase of treatment.
Thanks again Dr. Ameisen for your courage in telling your story, and for your tireless efforts to publicize this cure!
I read Dr. Ameisen's book, The End of My Addiction, and was deeply moved. I believe him. He documents everything... his descent into the hell of alcoholism, his futile efforts at saving himself, and his final miraculous recovery with baclofen. He makes important points regarding anxiety and gabba receptors and baclofen's unique role in reducing both craving and anxiety. Case studies and related scientific abstracts provide further evidence in the appendix of the book. Baclofen needs to be investigated thoroughly based on his, and other case studies of its success.
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