Phenibut's affect on Opioids?

[dwid]

Probably posted this is in the wrong section, so apologies.

Background info, I was addicted to heroin and benzos for quite some time but got clean for several years. I have been taking 2 to 3 grams of phenibut daily for the past 2 years but I have found every time since then I have tried opioids I feel absolutely 0 euphoria. I thought it was a tolerance issue but if I take more then I get very nauseous and throw up. When I searched I could only find something about consummatory anhedonia, but I still enjoy many things, just not opioids. Any clue what is going on with my brain? I am paranoid I will gradually stop enjoying other thing as well.

 

[Weltmeister]

Phenibut and similar substances like baclofen have been known to induce anhedonia and it sucks. Taking phenibut daily is a very bad idea IMO

 

[Fornax55]

Does phenibut give you a euphoric rush when you take it? Maybe you've just gotten used to that. It's not easy to compare euphoria, since euphoria's euphoria, but phenibut gives me a pretty solid euphoric rush. If you took opiates aftewards I probably wouldn't notice a burst in euphoria but the physical effects would still be there.

Also opiates themselves can induce some serious apathy and emotional dullness. i've been doing them long enough that dosing them just puts me back into the same headstrong, apathetic, blissfully ignorant mindstate that detracts from the phenibut high. I get confident, but I sure as hell don't get euphoric unless I haven't used in a long time.

 

[third_eye_lasik]

I take phenibut twice at week and I find that it enhances the opioid(hydrocodone) high and seems to smooth out the medicinal edge that the tylenol causes. Only issue with phenibut is that when it wears off I get a monster headache which makes me take more hydrocodone to get rid of it.

 

[dwid]

I still get euphoria time to time on phenibut. I just have to adjust my dosage every few months to get positive effects, but it isn't always an increase. I have to reduce dosage to avoid negative side effects and it still produces some euphoria.

SO maybe I am just used to the euphoria of phenibut? Because also drinking alcohol provides no euphoria like it used to. It just kind of brings me down, even the next few days. I guess I should take it as a blessing because I used to have a serious opioid and drinking problem, but it would still be nice to enjoy these things occasionally.

I just freaked when I looked this up and read about anhedonia because I go through depressive phases, wouldn't exactly call it anhedonia because I enjoy a few things such as sex. I usually snap out of it when I change up my dosage, or add to it with caffeine, adrafinil or mucuna, or all 3. Also getting into new music, a new book or a new show will help perk me up, I find the phenibut intensifies whatever mood I am in, and since I work with many people, I find myself fake being happy and it will actually make me happy for a while. It is my days off that I find myself not enjoying much of anything.

So if phenibut is known to cause anhedonia, does quitting fix that? or are you kind of screwed for a while?

 

[Weltmeister]

For me it lasted at least 3 month after quitting phenibut but i seem to be very sensitive to this kind of stuff so might not be the best example.

 

[dwid]

how much did you take a day though? and did you quit cold turkey or ween down a bit?

 

[Weltmeister]

I took it once a weekend for a few weeks but only 500mg. Quit cold turkey.

 

[AloeOne]

It seems like gabapentinoids (like phenibut) potenate opioid respiratory depression and the combination causes cognitive impairment. Maybe lower mood is related to the cognitive impairment aspect? Either way, seems like the combo might not be the best idea...

Remifentanil alone caused dose-dependent ventilatory depression (increased end-tidal carbon dioxide and decreased respiratory rate and minute volume), and pregabalin alone had no significant effect, but the combination caused greater ventilator depression than remifentanil alone; thus, pregabalin potentiated remifentanil ventilatory depression. Cognitive performance was significantly reduced by the combination of pregabalin and remifentanil but not consistently affected by either drug alone. These data in volunteers are consistent with a recent retrospective review that demonstrated an approximately 50% increased risk of respiratory events in the postanesthesia care unit in patients receiving more than 300 mg gabapentin preoperatively, a risk which was similar whether patients received general or neuraxial anesthesia.13

- Wherefore Gabapentinoids?: Was There Rush Too Soon to Judgment? (2016)

Relevant harm reduction commentary on the above study:

They found that gabapentinoids potentiate respiratory depression caused by opiates. This is relevant to recreational drug users. Gabapentin, pregabalin, and phenibut should all be considered extremely dangerous to combine with opiates (in the same manner as benzos or alcohol). The combination causes significant respiratory depression, which has been fatal in hospital settings.I don't think an opiate user would think twice about using while taking their prescribed dose of gabapentin, but just 300mg was enough to cause this effect, and medical doses tend to be higher than this. Users should err on the the side of caution until more research is done.*

*It's possible that this effect only shows up in gabapentinoid or opiate-naive patients, which the majority of patients undergoing surgery would be. But for now the combo should be considered risky business.

- /r/DrugNerds

 

[hangyourhead]

Phenibut just potentiates opioids in a poor, undesirable fashion. Adds to respiratory depression and dulls the euphoria of said opioid.

Maybe just 500-750mg phenibut could have a synergy with the euphoria of an opioid.

I think I've experienced positive synergy between plugged 750mg phenibut + plugged 2mg buprenorphine