Im a new member but been thankful for this forum as i struggle with atypical GERD- LPR. I've tried most of the approaches we all have read all around the tubz. Some things have helped many have not. Loosing weight (lost 35 lbs in 4 months), and eating much smaller meals (halting distention) are the two big things that have seemed to help most. But one additional thing i discovered by scouring the internet. I too had heard that baclofen could put the breaks on transient lower esophageal relaxations (TLESRs) but could not get my doc to go along with it. He was very in favor of PPIs, which i took, and they helped, but it seemed to me treated the symptom more than the cause. This lead me to research how and why baclofen was known to reduce TLESR s. Turns out that the vegus nerve is responsible for at least some of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) activity and by a mechanism not well known sometimes signals lower esophageal sphincter relaxation at inappropriate times...in an almost spastic fashion. evidently there are signaling molecules called ligands that effect the function of the vegus nerve. The ligand that baclofen affects is called the gaba 2 or GABA beta ligand.
So i set out to find if there were legal, over the counter nutrients or medications that could substitute for baclofen. Turns out that beta-Phenyl-gamma-aminobutyric acid, better known as phenibut is active at the gaba2 ligand just like baclofen. I did more digging and learned this substance was invented by the russians and is used in treating substance abuse and post traumatic stress, similar to how we in the usa sometimes use baclofen. Just like baclofen with repeated use over time, one will slowly build up a tolerance, and upon discontinuation experience anxiety and other problems.
I searched around the net and read about
how body builders and party-hearty types abused this supplement taking 1 or more grams or every day and experienced very aweful sleeplessness and anxiety after abruptly stopping phenibut. It seems that Phenibut could not be used before every meal every day. and at a minimum one would have to cycle off phenibut every several days...maybe even more often! I dont recommend any one take phenibut.
I dont know if this is safe...there is no research out there about
any of this. Everything I read on the internet indicates this over the counter supplement has the potential to lead to abuse much in the way baclofen might. .I dont know if phenibut interacts with other medications. Anyone contemplating taking phenibut should consult a doctor before hand. There is excellent information on baclofen and phenibut to be found in the online encyclopedias and at some of the well known medical hospital web sites. I want to be clear, i am not recommending that anyone try phenibut. Even though this is a non prescript
ion supplement there is little or no research on this nutrient and drug interactions or other effects. So my advice is dont take Phenibut. BTW, I quit drinking all alcohol and coffee and it took awhile but thesee lifestyle changes definitely helped decrease the severity in incidence of my reflux.
Post Edited (mock turtle) : 3/9/2011 1:57:34 AM (GMT-7)