Benzos Benzo tolerance does NOT reset. Here's why:

[rc_benzo]

Benzodiazepine dependence is caused by your GABA-A receptors becoming dependant on your OWN gamma-Aminobutyruc acid, aka GABA. Tolerance also grows on these receptors, but it resets because your brain recycles the excess receptors when you are through withdrawal and your GABA levels are back to normal.

HOWEVER...

The benzodiazepines themselves attach to different "sub-receptors" called a1, a2, a3 etc... And it goes up to a15. When a benzo attaches to one of these sub-receptors it causes GABA to be released and to bind to the GABA-A receptor. Tolerance ALSO builds on these "sub-receptors", but it NEVER resets back to normal, because your brain does not recycle these specific "excess sub-receptors."

If you were on 4mg Klonopin, which affects only a2 and a3 sub-receptors, and then you stop, go through withdrawals, and If you take a small dose of Phenobarbital after this (barb affects a7 or a6 receptors) you will feel strong effects, but if you take a small dose of Klonopin many years after this, you will still not feel it.

I learned this the hard way while recklessly using flubromazolam, and within 5 days I built permanent tolerance equivalent to 4mg clonazepam.

 

[itsonlyme123]

Benzodiazepine dependence is caused by your GABA-A receptors becoming dependant on your OWN gamma-Aminobutyruc acid, aka GABA. Tolerance also grows on these receptors, but it resets because your brain recycles the excess receptors when you are through withdrawal and your GABA levels are back to normal.

HOWEVER...

The benzodiazepines themselves attach to different "sub-receptors" called a1, a2, a3 etc... And it goes up to a15. When a benzo attaches to one of these sub-receptors it causes GABA to be released and to bind to the GABA-A receptor. Tolerance ALSO builds on these "sub-receptors", but it NEVER resets back to normal, because your brain does not recycle these specific "excess sub-receptors."

If you were on 4mg Klonopin, which affects only a2 and a3 sub-receptors, and then you stop, go through withdrawals, and If you take a small dose of Phenobarbital after this (barb affects a7 or a6 receptors) you will feel strong effects, but if you take a small dose of Klonopin many years after this, you will still not feel it.

I learned this the hard way while recklessly using flubromazolam, and within 5 days I built permanent tolerance equivalent to 4mg clonazepam.

How about other gaba drugs?

 

[rc_benzo]

This happens with all GABA "PAMs" (PAMs = indirect agonists), all benzos, barbiturates (phenobarbital etc.) and quinazolinones (methaqualone and etaqualone). BUT, tolerance from direct GABA agonists such as Muscimol, does reset over time, just like opiate tolerance

 

[pinpoint]

Benzodiazepines (+ allosteric modulators) bind to the appropriate GABA-A (sub)receptor and modulate the channels so that the GABA ligand is going through the channel more often whereas barbiturates (also PAMs, but agonists too) increase the length of time the channels are opening. Do you have a source that states these (sub)receptors never reset back to pre-abuse activity/density?

 

[rc_benzo]

Nope, I don't have any source for this, I just guessed that it doesn't reset because I read some reports from people on benzobuddies .com and from anxietyforums .com that even after not touching benzos for many years (some for over 5 years) their tolerance still stayed just as high.

 

[pinpoint]

Oh, it just seemed as though you were stating it as a fact but it's apparently a hypothesis based on anecdotes.

 

[Machete]

So then what about all the people who find that their tolerance does reset? Are we to take a bunch of outliers as proof of this hypothesis? It's far more likely that, if this happens, it is idiosyncratic.

 

[chase_in_56ace]

I was dependent on both IV ampules and high oral doses of lorazepam for around a year. I weened down, jumped off, and still had a seizure along with other serious withdrawal symptoms that persisted for a while. I've never gone back to a doctor for more ativan or other benzos... But i will occasionally still take and fully enjoy 2mg of ativan, xanax, etc. So I'm certainly unsure of what you're talking about, OP.

 

[deos68]

i have been taking .125mg of xanax yeah i know lol but it works fine i have been taking the same dose no more than 1 dose a day never exceeding 2 to 3 days in a week i only take as needed for the past 3 months
every time i take .125mg i still feel the same effects like if it was my first time well ok no not the big punch i felt the first time but still very calming ...never an urge to up the dose to redose on any given day even though the dose i take is quite small it does give me that extra little push to control my mind to abort a panic attack

guess i just have zero tolerance even the doc didnt believe me when i said all i needed was the .125mg lol

 

[MikeOekiM]

This happens with all GABA "PAMs" (PAMs = indirect agonists), all benzos, barbiturates (phenobarbital etc.) and quinazolinones (methaqualone and etaqualone). BUT, tolerance from direct GABA agonists such as Muscimol, does reset over time, just like opiate tolerance

it's the opposite for me. benzo tolerance will reset while opiate won't lower much at all. i wish it was the other way.

 

[Methacodone]

All I can say is. I've heard HORRIBLE shit from BARBS.

My doctor once RX'd me Phenobarbital and I honestly ripped up the RX. I'll leave them to someone who actually needs them.

They made BENZO'S for this very reason, because BARBS suck and cause TOO MANY OD's.

I honestly wouldn't take any BARB.

 

[MGLA]

I don't think this is true it must lower a tiny bit or why would people bother taking tolerance breaks lol

 

[MGLA]

And what about the stories of people OD'ing from Dope when they haven't used in years and then they use the same amount as they used to be able to and OD easily?

 

[Soulgasm]

this is oversimplified by far

 

[shoo-bop]

OK, you've already acknowledged that the original post was basically your personal theory derived from reading some anecdotes on some internet forums, but I'd also like to point out that:

Benzodiazepine dependence is caused by your GABA-A receptors becoming dependant on your OWN gamma-Aminobutyruc acid, aka GABA.

... is nonsense. Also, this:

When a benzo attaches to one of these sub-receptors it causes GABA to be released and to bind to the GABA-A receptor.

Is incorrect. An agonist binding at the benzodiazepine receptor increases the sensitivity of the GABA-A receptor to GABA, but it doesn't cause GABA release itself. I studied GABA-A receptors and benzodiazepine binding as part of my PhD research, and I think it's fine to speculate about this stuff, but presenting speculative, error-ridden, unsubstantiated "theories" as "facts" is a bit dangerous when it comes to things like benzos.

 

[ElvisPillsley]

Well I've had bars for about 10 years now, been using them for fun since at least 2008 or so, and STILL take one bar with however many beers in a session. Still does the trick. Can't imagine how people claim to take like 10 at once.

 

[rc_benzo]

... is nonsense.

Yes, I made a mistake when saying about benzos releasing GABA, I acknowledge that,
but my first statement, that GABA-A receptors become dependant from your own GABA is real, because benzos and barbs affect different receptors but if you are in withdrawal from benzos and you take a barb, w/d stops, because your own GABA binds to the GABA-A receptor.

 

[shoo-bop]

Are you confusing the terms "dependent" and "tolerant"? It doesn't make much sense to say that receptors become "dependent" on anything - it's not the receptor that "needs" GABA, it's the organism as a whole that needs efficient GABAergic transmission to function properly - though the receptor can become insensitive to its ligand (or just generally less widely expressed). Both benzodiazepine and barbiturate sites are located on the GABA-A receptor, and both increase the inhibitory effect GABA has on the post-synaptic neuron when it attaches to that receptor (though in different ways). A person is always "dependent" on their GABAergic system to function, even before they become dependent on benzos, just like they're dependent on their heart, liver, etc. to live. After developing benzo tolerance, that system doesn't function efficiently anymore without adding something (whether that's benzos or barbs) to increase the sensitivtiy of the available receptors to GABA, so now the person has also become dependent on that "something", (which can be either benzos or barbiturates or methaquaalone, or alcohol, because their effect on the post-synaptic neuron - i.e. the effect that really counts here - is similar enough).

 

[shroomydan]

Benzodiazepine dependence is caused by your GABA-A receptors becoming dependant on your OWN gamma-Aminobutyruc acid, aka GABA. Tolerance also grows on these receptors, but it resets because your brain recycles the excess receptors when you are through withdrawal and your GABA levels are back to normal.

HOWEVER...

The benzodiazepines themselves attach to different "sub-receptors" called a1, a2, a3 etc... And it goes up to a15. When a benzo attaches to one of these sub-receptors it causes GABA to be released and to bind to the GABA-A receptor. Tolerance ALSO builds on these "sub-receptors", but it NEVER resets back to normal, because your brain does not recycle these specific "excess sub-receptors."

If you were on 4mg Klonopin, which affects only a2 and a3 sub-receptors, and then you stop, go through withdrawals, and If you take a small dose of Phenobarbital after this (barb affects a7 or a6 receptors) you will feel strong effects, but if you take a small dose of Klonopin many years after this, you will still not feel it.

I learned this the hard way while recklessly using flubromazolam, and within 5 days I built permanent tolerance equivalent to 4mg clonazepam.

I feel like benzos give greater anxiety relief the longer they are used becausewhen they aren't they cause greater anxiety and weird side effects that weren't there before I had ever taken one.
I used to have a prescription to kpins and tested large amounts of etiz in a short time. I also have experience with several other benzos

I still feel every benzo I take excluding flubromazepam I never felt that for some reason up to 25mg. I don't think there is permanent tolerance in most people.