cannabis smoke and liver enzymes (a question regarding valium)

[Lopez]

as of recently i've had many questions regarding valium on bluelight as it is the only medication that has worked for me, sorry for making a new one.

i quit smoking cigarettes right before starting it because i know that the polyaromatic hydrocarbons in cigarette smoke elevate the liver enzymes which speed up elimination of diazepam and other benzo's. from what i can find online, marijuana has 4x the polyaromatic hydrocarbons or something like that.

does anyone here smoke and take diazepam or any benzo? do you feel like it lessens its effects or duration? for me a cigarette would sober me up from clonazepam but after a joint, i'd be stoned and couldn't tell.

i want to go back to being a daily cannabis user as it had a massive, positive impact on my epilepsy/mood swings (as does diazepam but it obviously lacks the recreational qualities when used medicinally as i do). would daily cannabis smoking speed up excretion of diazepam? thanks in advance to you all.

 

[Jibult]

does anyone here smoke and take diazepam or any benzo? do you feel like it lessens its effects or duration?

Smoking has never, ever, ever done anything that could even be misconstrued as killing my high. Weed and benzo's go together like butter and bread, always have for me.

 

[bennyZA]

I've taken benzos and smoked at the same time, large doses of both, and I've had never had a reaction other than a positive one.

 

[Lopez]

i'm not talking about dropping a valium while your stoned. i mean, i was started on valium for my anxiety (as a long term, chronic treatment more than likely) about a month ago.

would it interfere with treatment?

 

[MrSpeedyG]

AFAIK, nope it won't. But they are a good combo, takes all the edge of the weed.

 

[bennyZA]

Why not ask your Doctor?

 

[Jibult]

i'm not talking about dropping a valium while your stoned. i mean, i was started on valium for my anxiety (as a long term, chronic treatment more than likely) about a month ago.

would it interfere with treatment?

Well, cannabis is known to be able to cause increases (sometimes massively so) of anxiety in susceptible individuals, so I'd say there could be some kind of interaction between whatever anxiety disorder you're treating and cannabis. I don't think there will be a negative or negating effect one way or the other between your Valium and weed, though.


Like Benny said, I've never had anything other than positive results from cannabis combined with benzo's, whether it's at the same time to get high or simply smoking weed when I had taken my medication much earlier in the day. My problem was a benzo dependency itself, it had nothing to do with the cannabis I'd always throw in the mix.

 

[Lopez]

Well, cannabis is known to be able to cause increases (sometimes massively so) of anxiety in susceptible individuals, so I'd say there could be some kind of interaction between whatever anxiety disorder you're treating and cannabis. I don't think there will be a negative or negating effect one way or the other between your Valium and weed, though.


Like Benny said, I've never had anything other than positive results from cannabis combined with benzo's, whether it's at the same time to get high or simply smoking weed when I had taken my medication much earlier in the day. My problem was a benzo dependency itself, it had nothing to do with the cannabis I'd always throw in the mix.

cannabis is quite anxiolytic for me, sometimes even more so than 20 mg of valium in one go. once i feel my head/consciousness expand, all the ruminating/racing thoughts fly past me instead of at me. it's like it directly targets my anxiety unlike valium which just helps me cope with it (however living in texas makes it impossible to use marijuana medically).

dependency isn't a problem for me, my doc says it's more than likely going to be a long term treatment unless i feel like i need to switch benzos (only type of meds that work for me), so i'm probably going to be on diazepam for the rest of my life.

Why not ask your Doctor?

this would result in an immediate lecture and they'd probably stop prescribing benzos and switch me back to anti-epileptics like valproate (YUCK).

 

[Jibult]

cannabis is quite anxiolytic for me, sometimes even more so than 20 mg of valium in one go. once i feel my head/consciousness expand, all the ruminating/racing thoughts fly past me instead of at me. it's like it directly targets my anxiety unlike valium which just helps me cope with it (however living in texas makes it impossible to use marijuana medically).

dependency isn't a problem for me, my doc says it's more than likely going to be a long term treatment unless i feel like i need to switch benzos (only type of meds that work for me), so i'm probably going to be on diazepam for the rest of my life.

I know what you mean about the thoughts flying past you instead of smack into you during an anxious moment. It's kind of the opposite for me, weed helps me ignore those thoughts whereas benzo's completely eliminate them (or reroute the thought process to "mehhhhhhh who gives a fuck?")

The way you worded that very last sentence worried me at first, but I think it's because I misunderstood. You don't take the Valium daily, right? It's more on an "as-needed"-basis, right? Well, that's not so bad having anti-anxiety meds on hand whenever you may need them... but if you end up popping one or two or several daily over a long-term period like the rest of your life, I think there's a good chance for complications to develop as a direct result of your consistent dosing.

 

[Lopez]

I know what you mean about the thoughts flying past you instead of smack into you during an anxious moment. It's kind of the opposite for me, weed helps me ignore those thoughts whereas benzo's completely eliminate them (or reroute the thought process to "mehhhhhhh who gives a fuck?")

The way you worded that very last sentence worried me at first, but I think it's because I misunderstood. You don't take the Valium daily, right? It's more on an "as-needed"-basis, right? Well, that's not so bad having anti-anxiety meds on hand whenever you may need them... but if you end up popping one or two or several daily over a long-term period like the rest of your life, I think there's a good chance for complications to develop as a direct result of your consistent dosing.

unfortunately, no. the prescription is 10 mg twice a day (7 am, 7 pm) for a total of 20 mg daily. i know there's a big controversy over this but mexico is very pro-benzo, and i think this doc knows what he's doing. i haven't had any significant tolerance build to the anxiolytic effects yet whatsoever.

my only side effect i've had so far from this method of use really is the irritability i get. i'm more social now, but i'm somewhat more confrontational and intolerant of ignorance or laziness.

 

[Jibult]

my only side effect i've had so far from this method of use really is the irritability i get. i'm more social now, but i'm somewhat more confrontational and intolerant of ignorance or laziness.

Watch out for that getting worse. You might find yourself wanting to up the dose of your own accord after a while, as well.

Just be careful not to become addicted to the stuff. If you dig the hole too deep with Valium and other benzodiazepines, you'll likely find yourself dealing with killer rebound anxiety when you're forced to taper back.




I'm not saying don't medicate. Your doctor's probably on the money. I'm just saying be careful and stay aware of your consumption of this stuff. It's easy to over-do it and think absolutely nothing of it with benzo's like this.

 

[Lopez]

Watch out for that getting worse. You might find yourself wanting to up the dose of your own accord after a while, as well.

Just be careful not to become addicted to the stuff. If you dig the hole too deep with Valium and other benzodiazepines, you'll likely find yourself dealing with killer rebound anxiety when you're forced to taper back.




I'm not saying don't medicate. Your doctor's probably on the money. I'm just saying be careful and stay aware of your consumption of this stuff. It's easy to over-do it and think absolutely nothing of it with benzo's like this.

thanks man, and yeah the doc is on the money, valium is the only med that's worked for me it's just the dietary restrictions that are killing me man. i mean, i have to be on an empty stomach to take it, i can't drink (even though i broke that rule last night with 4 beers), and worst of all i had to give up the cancer sticks... those were my babies man, every time i was stoned, my favorite thing to do was alternate between hits of reefer and a cigarette.