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Thatemoguy

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Hi all, I am planning to take some MDMA next weekend, anything from 120mg-200mg depending on how I'm feeling but I have a bunch of .25 Alprazolam prescribed (helps for whenever I stop drinking).

I was just wondering what the interactions are like, dosing the Alprazolam: many hours before/ close before. I've read of multiple people dosing after the MDMA for the comedown / help sleep but I'm not too worried about that I usually just ride the afterglow until I pass out.

Does taking it beforehand diminish the effects of MDMA? MDMA doesn't affect me very strongly anymore (abused it slightly many years ago) so I'd like to know if it would even diminish it more.

My only experience with benzo's and uppers was combining it with 18mg Ritalin which was amazing and then dosing ~12mg 2C-B some hours later which was an absolute blast of a night.

Just to clarify my reasoning for taking a benzo beforehand is not for any come-up anxiety (I don't get that with MDMA 'cause I know whats coming and why would I be anxious for that lol) but more-so because I won't be drinking on the day and still would like some GABA action.
 
Yes, benzos will significantly blunt the effects of MDMA. I took 1mg the night before the day I rolled once and it entirely killed the whole roll
 
GABA action has never impaired MDMA action for me. Never combined it with a benzo, but always with a few drinks to good effect. A very decent synergy.

Judging by the dates, OP should've already gone and done it. How was it?
 
Alcohol can strengthen the effect through both its psychoactive effect and its inhibition of certain enzymes. Benzos though do dull it a bit. Tried it once with small amount of lorazepam and regretted taking it.

I don’t think it’s necessarily the effect on gaba though. GABA-B agonists like phenibut seem to strengthen the roll big time, I just saw an article that showed GABA-B had some effect on the intensity of the experience.

-GC
 
It's called landing gear. Save it for the comedown, that is if you need it at all. If its real deal MDMA there shouldn't be any need for it during your roll and benzos would just take away from the experience. But it's great for that stage after you come down but still can't sleep. I'm an insomniac so any benzo is a godsend after any sort of stimulant.
 
I concur. Straight MDMA, a club full of women and good music is all I need. Don't even drink alcohol. Maybe, just maybe at the very end a Benz could be good for a quick come down and sleep, but honestly you don't need it. Really, a little MDMA and a hot chick and I am set, LOL.
 
Combining Stimulants with Benzo's is very much counterproductive. Avoiding Benzo's as often as possible in general is recommended. (By far the worst drug to break free from once dependency is formed). In terms of dealing with the MDMA come down. Taking some L-Tryptophan or 5HTP 12-18 hours after MDMA dosing can greatly take the edge off and help to restore depleted Serotonin levels. Magnesium, Taurine and L-Theanine taken together can help calm the nervous system after a banging night out.
 
Mjäll said:
GABA action has never impaired MDMA action for me. Never combined it with a benzo, but always with a few drinks to good effect. A very decent synergy.

Judging by the dates, OP should've already gone and done it. How was it?
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I ended up just having a couple of beers and then taking the pill. Was a great experience, felt quite pure because it was a good amount of euphoria without any jaw movement/ clenching, woke up the next morning and for the first time in a long time did not have ruined cheeks. Funnily enough I was the only one who took and besides my one friend that saw me take the pill nobody knew I was under the influence until I told them the next day haha.

Frazzled1990 said:
Combining Stimulants with Benzo's is very much counterproductive. Avoiding Benzo's as often as possible in general is recommended. (By far the worst drug to break free from once dependency is formed). In terms of dealing with the MDMA come down. Taking some L-Tryptophan or 5HTP 12-18 hours after MDMA dosing can greatly take the edge off and help to restore depleted Serotonin levels. Magnesium, Taurine and L-Theanine taken together can help calm the nervous system after a banging night out.
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Thanks for the advice, this might help others that didn't know about this but I'm thankfully clued up on benzo addiction and the supplements that aid with taking MDMA and when to take it (i.e. also don't take the 5HTP beforehand but do take the magnesium to help with clenching).

I'm not sure about the counterproductivity of taking benzos with it tho, combining them with a stimulant like Concerta or Ritalin has very desirable effects like taking the edge off and can imagine this to be the same for low quality MDMA that's riddled with stimulants (my bar is low pun intended)
 
Thatemoguy said:
I'm not sure about the counterproductivity of taking benzos with it tho, combining them with a stimulant like Concerta or Ritalin has very desirable effects like taking the edge off and can imagine this to be the same for low quality MDMA that's riddled with stimulants (my bar is low pun intended)
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You'd be far better off taking natural GABA receptor agonists and NMDA receptor antagonists like Taurine and Magnesium as opposed to relying on Benzo's to take the edge off stimulants.

Benzo's can lead to major downregulation of the GABA receptor sites that they bind to. Leading to severe and potentially life threatening rebound anxiety. Just speak to anybody who has been through protracted Benzo withdrawal. They'll all tell you that nothing else comes close to the sheer horrors of it. Also, don't make the mistake of believing that they have to be used consistently over a long period of time either, they don't. Protracted withdrawal can occur at any time when you're not even expecting it. Imagine feeling fine one moment, then suddenly your heart rate jumps up to 150+ just from sitting still, you have prickling sensations up your arms and legs, you can't stop shaking or sweating.... you go days without being able to get any sleep whatsoever and you're lucky if you're able to get just a few hours every week. You begin to hallucinate from the lack of sleep, those hallucinations turn into a full blown psychosis and this is all before the Grand Mal Seizures.

Maybe you'll get lucky, maybe that will never happen to you. But why even take the chance on such hell?
 
Thatemoguy said:
I'm not sure about the counterproductivity of taking benzos with it tho, combining them with a stimulant like Concerta or Ritalin has very desirable effects like taking the edge off and can imagine this to be the same for low quality MDMA that's riddled with stimulants (my bar is low pun intended)
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I would never recommend the use of Benzo's. But if you're going to use them anyway to take the edge of stimulants, then use the lowest dose you can get away with and try to stick to Diazepam (as it's long half life can help to take the edge of withdrawal). Usually the V's available on the dark market are all 10mg tabs. You shouldn't need 10mgs though. Even just 2-3mgs should be enough, so break the tab up if you have to.

Remember, sometimes it's better to simply stick to a lower stimulant dosage if it's given you too many undesired side effects, or even switching to another stimulant may work better for you without even needing to resort to Benzos.

Good luck and my apologies if my previous response seemed a little passive aggressive. That wasn't my intention.
 
I take Benzos twice a week (moderate amount) with absolutely no problems whatsoever. Having said that, I believe if I moved up to every other day that yes, I would have serious problems. If you are getting real MDMA (most today is full of garbage like speed) then you should not need a lot of landing gear...maybe an antihistamine and 1 Valium max.

The problem is finding real MDMA...I can get pretty much any drug imaginable, except quality MDMA.
 
Mureceptor said:
I take Benzos twice a week (moderate amount) with absolutely no problems whatsoever. Having said that, I believe if I moved up to every other day that yes, I would have serious problems. If you are getting real MDMA (most today is full of garbage like speed) then you should not need a lot of landing gear...maybe an antihistamine and 1 Valium max.

The problem is finding real MDMA...I can get pretty much any drug imaginable, except quality MDMA.
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If you're regularly taking them twice per week at a consistent dosage, then it's not likely to cause you any problems. However, if you abruptly stop taking them twice per week, you may just be surprised at the impact it may have 1-2 weeks down the line. The nervous system get's accustomed to benzo's being taken at specific intervals, even if only twice per week. When that expectation is no longer met, it can cause problems.

If the stimulant being used is an Amphetamine based stimulant, then it's best to stay clear of Antihistamines. Just like heavily alkaline based substances, using them can greatly increase the blood concentration of Amphetamine, amplifying the effects beyond what the user can safely tolerate.
 
Frazzled1990 said:
You'd be far better off taking natural GABA receptor agonists and NMDA receptor antagonists like Taurine and Magnesium as opposed to relying on Benzo's to take the edge off stimulants.

Benzo's can lead to major downregulation of the GABA receptor sites that they bind to. Leading to severe and potentially life threatening rebound anxiety. Just speak to anybody who has been through protracted Benzo withdrawal. They'll all tell you that nothing else comes close to the sheer horrors of it. Also, don't make the mistake of believing that they have to be used consistently over a long period of time either, they don't. Protracted withdrawal can occur at any time when you're not even expecting it. Imagine feeling fine one moment, then suddenly your heart rate jumps up to 150+ just from sitting still, you have prickling sensations up your arms and legs, you can't stop shaking or sweating.... you go days without being able to get any sleep whatsoever and you're lucky if you're able to get just a few hours every week. You begin to hallucinate from the lack of sleep, those hallucinations turn into a full blown psychosis and this is all before the Grand Mal Seizures.

Maybe you'll get lucky, maybe that will never happen to you. But why even take the chance on such hell?
Click to expand...
I can imagine that this is the case for taking large amounts (>=1mg alprazolam), I am taking 0.25 - 0.5mg irregularly and have never experienced any of the above to be honest. I'm a moderate alcoholic so some of the symptoms you've described I've already experienced when going sober, but at a mild level and benzos help offset them which I feel like is very beneficial.
 
Frazzled1990 said:
If you're regularly taking them twice per week at a consistent dosage, then it's not likely to cause you any problems. However, if you abruptly stop taking them twice per week, you may just be surprised at the impact it may have 1-2 weeks down the line. The nervous system get's accustomed to benzo's being taken at specific intervals, even if only twice per week. When that expectation is no longer met, it can cause problems.

If the stimulant being used is an Amphetamine based stimulant, then it's best to stay clear of Antihistamines. Just like heavily alkaline based substances, using them can greatly increase the blood concentration of Amphetamine, amplifying the effects beyond what the user can safely tolerate.
Click to expand...
There is no consistency to my Benz use. Last week I went to a rave type event and had an absolutely incredible time...I took mushrooms (which I grow myself). The only problem is getting to sleep. I took Valium and an antihistamine to sleep. That was Friday night. Interestingly the other time I too bensons was the night before, only 1. So last week I too Valium 2 night in a row, Thursday and Friday. Today is Thursday and I have not touched a Benzo in nearly 6 days. I may take one tomorrow night because I have to get up relatively early Saturday. That means a week went by w/ out any Benzos. I have not experienced any withdrawals. I don't think withdrawals are going to be delayed for more than a week. I did have some insomnia last night, but I get that twice a week or so regardless.

I once took half a valium for 6 days straight and did get withdrawals. I got them immediately, and they lasted about 6 days. I know it can be extraordinarily addictive, but I have not experienced any problems taking them twice a week at random (IE not consistent) intervals.

Also, I have not touched an amphetamine in more than 25 years. No, no, No! If I take MDMA (it has been nearly 35 years) it will be tested to ensure there is no speed.
 
Thatemoguy said:
I can imagine that this is the case for taking large amounts (>=1mg alprazolam), I am taking 0.25 - 0.5mg irregularly and have never experienced any of the above to be honest. I'm a moderate alcoholic so some of the symptoms you've described I've already experienced when going sober, but at a mild level and benzos help offset them which I feel like is very beneficial.
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Well yes, Benzo's would offset the alcohol withdrawal symptoms, because Benzo's act as agonists on the same receptor sites as Alcohol. But because of this, the Benzo's can kick start a fresh new cycle of withdrawal, very similar to alcohol withdrawal, but with increasing severity.

There's a reason why people trying to kick their alcohol addiction are only prescribed Benzodiazepine's for a very short period of time. Using them beyond a certain time frame can lead to more severe withdrawal symptoms, either leading to Benzodiazepine dependency or Alcohol relapse to combat the worsening withdrawal symptoms.

0.5mgs of Alprazolam may not seem like much. But it's still equivalent to approximately 7.5-10mgs of Diazepam. Not only that, but it's very short acting compared to Diazepam, it's absorbed into the blood stream more quickly and reaches the nervous system more quickly, making it more potent.

When I was using Alprazolam and Diazepam, I was only occasionally using similar doses to yourself and for a long while I felt fine. Then one day I was laying on the couch and my heart rate suddenly shot through the roof and I felt like I was about to die. I had no choice but to reach for the Benzo to calm my nervous system back down. This started the worst several months of my life where I felt like I was in an endless panic attack. I had to taper extremely carefully, all the way down to just 0.5mgs of Diazepam. Even once I finally broke free of them, I still had severe insomnia (only sleeping about 3 hours per week), my arms and legs wouldn't stop twitching. I developed black spots in my line of vision (presumably due to damage to neurons connected to my visual cortex, likely due to the influx of Glutamate) and had severe tinnitus in both ears.

I'm doing much better now a year on, but my eye sight still hasn't completely turned to normal and perhaps never will and I still have moderate tinnitus in my right ear.

This all occurred after months of feeling absolutely fine with occasional low dose Benzo usage, then suddenly not feeling fine one day.

When I say that Benzodiazepine's aren't quite like any other drug, I literally mean it. The withdrawal can either creep up on you over time, or it can just instantly hit you at any point in time without any warning at all.
 
Mureceptor said:
There is no consistency to my Benz use. Last week I went to a rave type event and had an absolutely incredible time...I took mushrooms (which I grow myself). The only problem is getting to sleep. I took Valium and an antihistamine to sleep. That was Friday night. Interestingly the other time I too bensons was the night before, only 1. So last week I too Valium 2 night in a row, Thursday and Friday. Today is Thursday and I have not touched a Benzo in nearly 6 days. I may take one tomorrow night because I have to get up relatively early Saturday. That means a week went by w/ out any Benzos. I have not experienced any withdrawals. I don't think withdrawals are going to be delayed for more than a week. I did have some insomnia last night, but I get that twice a week or so regardless.

I once took half a valium for 6 days straight and did get withdrawals. I got them immediately, and they lasted about 6 days. I know it can be extraordinarily addictive, but I have not experienced any problems taking them twice a week at random (IE not consistent) intervals.

Also, I have not touched an amphetamine in more than 25 years. No, no, No! If I take MDMA (it has been nearly 35 years) it will be tested to ensure there is no speed.
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The insomnia you're experiencing could be a direct result of Benzo withdrawal, even if you don't recognise it to be. You may find it gets increasingly harder to get to sleep the longer you keep this going, gradually enticing you to use Benzo's more often to combat the insomnia that the withdrawal is slowly worsening over time.

Benzodiazepine's can be very sneaky this way. They're not like any other drug where the withdrawal is immediately obvious. Things can gradually creep up on you over time.

Now I'm not saying the Benzodiazepine's are absolutely certain to be the direct cause of your on going insomnia issues. But it's certainly not uncommon for this issue to gradually develop over time and get increasingly more severe with repeated Benzo use.
 
Thanks....I have had insomnia problems for my entire life. Probably related to early trauma. I typically get it about 2 days a week and sleep well 5. But agreed, Benzos can be very sneaky.
 
Mureceptor said:
Thanks....I have had insomnia problems for my entire life. Probably related to early trauma. But agreed, Benzos can be very sneaky.
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Sorry if I seemed somewhat preachy. Your experiences may be entirely different to my own and you may never have any issues with them. As long as you're aware of the risks involved, it's not for anybody else (especially some random geezer on a forum website) to tell you what to do.
 
Frazzled1990 said:
Sorry if I seemed somewhat preachy. Your experiences may be entirely different to my own and you may never have any issues with them. As long as you're aware of the risks involved, it's not for anybody else (especially some random geezer on a forum website) to tell you what to do.
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No, I appreciate your warnings. My friend wants to go to a rave tonight. I turned him down because I like to take mushrooms and need V's to go to sleep. Instead I will avoid all drugs (and alcohol) spend the night with my family, take my wife out for an early Mothers day.

Maybe in a couple of weeks I will go out again. I have not taken it in more than 30 years but I would like to take some (real) MDMA and then do the rave.
 
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