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Benzos paradoxical reaction to benzodiazepines

Q

Quixote

Bluelighter
Joined
Apr 5, 2005
Messages
76
Hey guys, this has been on my mind for a while but I haven't got around to posting it - hoping of some of those more experienced would be able to help me out or at least throw out a few ideas. Before I begin I think it's important to mention that I've been on Stilnox (Ambien/Zolpidem) for a number of years for insomnia, I take it most nights. But other than that I don't take any other prescription drug on the regular.

Basically, I've only experimented with benzo's a handful of times (under 10) but every experience has been very uncomfortable. Valium makes me grumpy and doesn't provide any sort of anxiolytic effect for me, regardless of dose and enviroment. Temazapam is another animal all together though, the first couple or so times I had decided to try it, sent my heart racing for a couple hours and again didn't provide any sort of anxiolytic effect. I attributed this to just bad luck and thought I would give it one more try. The last time I tried it however, it sent me into what I can only describe as my first and only ever panic attack. I had taken a minimal dose and decided to see how things would pan out before I tried anymore, however within 20 minutes, my heart began to race and from there my symptoms worsenes. So, my heart was racing and I was experiencing palpatations, I was also trembling, stomach was in knots and my body temp was jumping up and down, I was extremely anxious and panicy and thought I would eventually end up in the hospital. However I was too stubborn to go and decided to ride it out - I found showers were helping, I kept moving and decided to try distract myself with small tasks to keep my mind occupied. This helped me somewhat but the symptoms would come and go in big waves for hours until they eventually resolved themselves. The whole thing probably lasted around 5 hours. So I definitely attribute the symptoms to the temazapam because from what I've read, a typical panic attack shouldn't last that long at all, they are actual quite short in duration IRC.

It was a pretty horrible experience and since then I've given up on trying any other benzo. But I've been thinking about it and I wonder that if my regular use of Stilnox over the years has had an effect on the receptors that most benzos work on. I have next to no knowledge on brain chemistry though but I find it very odd that my experience with benzos has been so negative - they seem to have the opposite effect on me! It's confusing but I'm hoping someone with more of clue will be able to chime in. I would be interested to see how these drugs would effect me if I were to stop taking Stilnox all together for a few months. Also apologies if this isn't the correct forum to put this, feel free to move it if need be!

Thanks guys.
 
Klonopin makes me manic, and Xanax does actually induce panic in me (it makes me extremely depressed, and thus I feel like shit and panic really bad)

Different benzos work on different combinations of Gaba subtypes. They aren't all the same....

To be completely honest, I would just quit while you were ahead, unless you plan on being on them for a very long time at a therapeutic dose. Benzo withdrawal is absolutely horrible, and I personally know two people who were physically hooked in a little over two weeks daily use. Stilnox is going to be equally hard to get off of.....taper for a very very long time.
 
^ Agreed with all of the above. I respond pretty normally to most benzos, except for Xanax (alprazolam) which feels like how you described Temazepam & what bdom experiences. It makes me feel awful and on the verge of a panic attack, very stimulating but in a dirty, dysphoric way. A few other benzos initially sedate me, but I wake up earlier and feel more alert the next day. Others just calm me, or make me feel tired for days.

There's a huge amount of variation when it comes to benzos. And not that I recommend this, but it's quite likely you'd respond better to others. I don't think your history with Ambien is responsible for your reactions to some benzos. But one thing is for sure, Ambien withdrawal definitely happens. For me it felt like a cross between what I've read about benzo/alcohol withdrawal and the opiate withdrawal I know all too well. I was taking Ambien nightly for only 3 weeks until I stopped suddenly. If you ever discontinue Ambien, I strongly suggest you taper.
 
Benzodiazepines like oxazepam isn't metabolized in active metabolites, that combined with the relative short duration, gives me paradoxical effects and way more side effects compared to other benzodiazepines like lorazepam (also with no active metabolites, but longer biological half life) or bromazepam (longer half life, and active metabolites).
 
Thanks for the replies so far guys, interesting stuff. Great to know that this isn't as uncommon as I thought it was.
 
A clonzepam binge had me end up in a locked psych ward , was kept there under duress for half a year until I escaped. I have no recollection of what happened during those 2 weeks during which I ingested probably over 100 mg with no tolerance. Needless to say I have never touched the stuff again and been cautious with benzos ever since. Alprazolam on the other hand affects me normally but these paradoxical effects (which are more common in young and old people) have led me to prefer the typical/old benzos : Valium/librium/tranxene (diazepam , chlorodiazepoxide and clorazepate)
 
i've had paradoxical reactions to benzodiazepines, but those were rare. i've had two reactions that were highly irregular to bromazepam, both times becoming incredibly sad and depressed and bawling like a baby. but usually they do exactly what they should, i.e. sedate and relax me.
 
xxxyyy said:
i've had paradoxical reactions to benzodiazepines, but those were rare. i've had two reactions that were highly irregular to bromazepam, both times becoming incredibly sad and depressed and bawling like a baby. but usually they do exactly what they should, i.e. sedate and relax me.
Click to expand...

Have you ever had a good reaction to bromazepam?

I'm rather interested if these types of reactions are limited to a single benzo or not.
 
Anxiety isn't just predicated on inhibition. There are a number of alternate hypotheses out there, probably the most prevalent one being that stimulation may actually help anxiety. I know that I feel less anxious on stimulants than I do on alcohol. It doesn't surprise me then that a shower, which raises temperature, raises blood pressure, and generally cause release of stimulating neurotransmitters helped you.

Your problem doesn't seem to be caused with the specific sub-type of benzodiazepine receptor which attributes hypnotic effects.
 
^ Wouldn't a hot shower release endorphins and probably endogenous cannabinoids as well? Coining it as stimulating is a a bit misleading imo , maybe refreshing would be more accurate , and yes I do realize the temperature raises bp among others .
 
But a hot bath is relaxing, , you agree? See the parallel with opiates? (Small dose motivational , big dose sedative)
Just because you need something to function does not make it stimulating. Imho only a cold shower has a stimulant effect profile.

Anyway let's leave it at that , agree to disagree as they say.
 
I would argue the relaxing effect you get from a bath is due to the therapeutic effects of being suspended in water. Intense heat or intense cold are both stimulating. We can leave it at that.
 
I've been thinking about this more and now I'm wondering what would happen to someone who was already experiencing a panic attack, either sober or on something like a stimulant or psychedelic and then decided to take a benzo, unkowningly triggering paradoxical effects like I've described in my original post: increased heart rate, dysphoria, etc. Would that person be in real trouble?

I bring this up because I was thinking about what would've happened to me if I decided to take the temazapam (obv. before I knew about it's negative effects on me) while on an MDMA and speed comedown, or after a big acid trip. I think in that sort of situation I definitely would've ended up in hospital - anyone have any thoughts on this?

Appreciate the input so far guys, thank you.
 
^
I think in such a situation the benzo still would diminish the stimulant effects. A benzo PD for me is like a bad alcohol experience ie. depression , aggressive behavior , suicidal thoughts. On the physical side you still get the benzo inebriation / downer effects.

Or do you mean that you might have harmed yourself?
 
Captain.Heroin said:
Have you ever had a good reaction to bromazepam?

I'm rather interested if these types of reactions are limited to a single benzo or not.
Click to expand...

both times i had those adverse reactions it was from low dose bromazepam, yeah. i've taken bromazepam countless times where it worked exactly as advertised, but those two exceptions showed me how fucked up benzos can be. my natural reaction was to take more benzos, until i was barely capable of coherent speech.
but yeah, apart from those two experiences, i've never had a benzo really backfire aside from the shit you know is gonna happen anyway like rebound anxiety/insomnia, anterograde amnesia etc.
 
xxxyyy said:
both times i had those adverse reactions it was from low dose bromazepam, yeah. i've taken bromazepam countless times where it worked exactly as advertised, but those two exceptions showed me how fucked up benzos can be. my natural reaction was to take more benzos, until i was barely capable of coherent speech.
but yeah, apart from those two experiences, i've never had a benzo really backfire aside from the shit you know is gonna happen anyway like rebound anxiety/insomnia, anterograde amnesia etc.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing! :)

Always interesting to take note of these sorts of things.
 
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