Welcome to LifeBac! There are some things we need you to know as you start your program. This guide provides an easy overview of the medication and your customized medication plan as well as side effects, progress reports and the long-term plan.
If you would like a more in-depth explanation, please click on this link: Six Things You Need to Know to Get Started With LifeBac.
The following links are to videos that provide an overview of the phone app and computer web portal.
Please read this guide before you start taking the medication!
To Access Your CUSTOMIZED MEDICATION PLAN:
Important! Your customized medication plan has been created by the LifeBac provider you saw in your initial consultation. This is the plan that you should follow when titrating, or increasing, with the medication. It was created to maximize the benefits of the baclofen (the prescribed medication) and to target your drinking window. Your medication plan is available in your LifeBac phone-app and your computer web-portal.
To access the web portal, go to app.lifebac.com
To view your plan on your iPhone or Android device, download the LifeBac app through the App Store or Google Play
Register or sign in by using your LifeBac credentials.
To learn about the functionality of these features, please click on the links below to watch a short video about each platform.
MEDICATION:
LifeBac uses the medication baclofen. It is FDA approved for muscle spasticity but we use it in an off label manner. For our use, baclofen blocks the release of dopamine from receptors that are triggered by alcohol. Your customized plan was created to maximize the 4 hour half-life of the medication and to utilize the efficacy around your drinking schedule.
The medication comes in 20 mg tablets. Included in your first prescription is a pill cutter that you will use to cut the pills into quarters or 5 mg sections. Everyone starts at 5 mg but then the titration process becomes unique to each individual.
In your app/web portal you will see your daily schedule plus you will see your 7 day rolling schedule. It is important that you follow this schedule correctly.
SIDE EFFECTS:
Around 70% of our clients do not experience side effects, however, 5% - 30% experience mild to moderate side effects. The most common side effects with baclofen are fatigue, lethargy, trouble concentrating, and insomnia. These side effects are typically mild and will usually subside over 1-3 days but can reappear again at further dose increases.
If these side effects are problematic, the easiest way to address these issues is to slow down the titration process. Some people have had several changes made to their plan before they found the balance where they can experience the benefits of the medication and not the annoyance of the side effects. If you experience persistent or severe side effects, please call 888-959-8858 so we can modify your titration plan. Do not stop taking baclofen abruptly as side effects may occur. For additional information about side effects, please visit FAQs - Side Effects.
THE EFFECTIVE DOSE:
The Effective Dose is why you’re here! It is when you feel indifferent to alcohol - you can take it or leave it. The Effective Dose is unique to each person because everyone responds differently to the medication. It can range from 5 mg - 200 mg. It has nothing to do with your gender or size but how established the connections with alcohol are in your brain.
The Effective Dose is where you are in control. Whatever your goal is (abstinence or moderation), you decide when to drink and when not to drink. Thoughts of alcohol might enter your mind but leave just like thoughts of any other beverage.
For some people it is a light switch moment - it just happens. Others report a shift in their cravings. The Four Signs are present and you organically start to see the reduction in the desire to drink.
If you feel you have reached your Effective Dose, please contact LifeBac Support so that we can create a medication plan to stop the titration process and maintain you at your current dosage.
LIFEBAC PROGRESS REPORTS:
LifeBac progress reports will be available in your app and web portal every 4 days. These reports are just one of your channels of communication with the LifeBac team as we review your responses for the following information:
To ensure that you are following your titration process correctly
To monitor any side effects you might be experiencing
To automatically calculate your refills (we cannot submit a refill request to our pharmacy if we are not aware of your current dose)
To identify if you have reached or are approaching your Effective Dose
Not only do the reports provide LifeBac with important information, but they allow for you to reflect on your progress with the program. You are able to postpone each report for up to 2 days and then submit. However, we recommend completing them immediately.
You can access the reports in the Daily View of the phone app. Once you reach your Effective Dose, you will receive a slightly different progress report every 10 days instead of every 4 days.
THE LONG TERM PLAN:
One of the most common questions we hear is “How long do I need to stay on the medication?” The simple answer is AS LONG AS IT TAKES. We will always respect your wishes with regards to the medication and reducing off the program, however, we do have a suggested timeline.
The Titration Phase is when you are titrating up to your Effective Dose. It can be anywhere from 1-3 months.
Once the Effective Dose Phase is realized, we suggest holding here anywhere from 6 -10 months. This gives the medication the time to break the connections in the brain and for you to create new and healthy neural pathways for your habits and behaviors.
And finally, the Taper Phase. In this phase you will slowly start to reduce off the medication whilst keeping an eye on the return of cravings. Some people reduce off the medication completely while others hold at a new, lower Effective Dose.
The medication reduces the cravings giving you the ability to change your habits and behaviors. This schedule sets you up for long-term change as opposed to a quick fix.
THE COMMUNITY FORUM:
The Community Forum is where the LifeBac Community comes together to support and encourage one another. In the Forum, members share resources, experiences, and advice that have been helpful with their journey.
You enter the Forum through your phone app or computer web portal. You use your LifeBac username or you can create a new username just for the Forum (this protects your confidentiality).
The Community Forum also has a Resources Center where you can find useful information as you progress through the program.