Safe dose of diazepam to take when doubling up on methadone

[Artificial Emotion]

I take 60mg methadone per day and once a month I like to double up. I make sure to take my methadone late in the evening the previous days and then double dose early the day after skipping a dose to minimise the time in withdrawal during the evening. This seems to work for me and is relatively sustainable (as long as I'm on methadone and get take homes) so I'm not really interested in people judging me for what I do because I've been doing this for a long time and I'm okay with what I do. Anyway I wanted to take diazepam at the same time to increase the effects of the methadone and wanted to know what dose to take, seeing as I don't use benzos in general and only really use zopiclone only very occasionally. I am only asking because don't want to overdose by trying to guess how much to take and then get it wrong.

I only have fourteen 2mg pills and once they're gone they're gone so I want to take the least dose possible whilst avoiding wasting them by not taking enough. Of course as I said above, I want to be avoid overdosing too, so if you could help that would be great, thanks.

I am also going to be smoking weed but that doesn't really make much of a difference in terms of it slowing my breathing down, I know.

 

[bronson]

I will preface this by saying that I don't take methadone or have any experience with it specifically, so to wait for people who do to offer an opinion would be wise.

That said, my understanding is that no matter your tolerance to opioids, it's still not considered to be a safe mix if you have a null tolerance to benzos. When combining two CNS depressants in these categories, general consensus seems to be about halving your normal dose for each substance, so I'm not sure it's something I would even consider trying on the day you choose to double up your regular dose.

 

[Artificial Emotion]

Why can't I just reduce the dose of the benzo to compensate for my lower tolerance? The lower dose would be having the same effect as a larger dose in someone with a larger tolerance would it not? You're still activating the same receptors of the brain so unless there's some other mechanism at play in benzo naive individuals then what's so different? I understand the need to play it safe but that's exactly why I'm asking what dose to take.

'Safe' is a relative rather than absolute term. I just want to reduce the risks to an acceptable level.

 

[bronson]

^ Likely you can do just that and achieve what you're looking for, I'm just not comfortable tossing out numbers when I know very little of one of the two substances. I'd think there are plenty of posters on here that can offer a better informed answer than mine. Hopefully one will come along soon.

The point of my post more so was illuminating the inherent risk, and that hearing it first hand from someone with that experience is very important before proceeding.

As to reducing risk to an acceptable level, I think that plays to most drug use in general, but when combining two CNS depressants, one being very strong and at double your average dose, the other one you have no tolerance to, the line on your safety being between relative and absolute can be razor thin.

Not trying to sound condescending, just was trying to keep you from doing something regrettable in haste. Hope I didn't come across wrong.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

Why can't I just reduce the dose of the benzo to compensate for my lower tolerance? The lower dose would be having the same effect as a larger dose in someone with a larger tolerance would it not? You're still activating the same receptors of the brain so unless there's some other mechanism at play in benzo naive individuals then what's so different? I understand the need to play it safe but that's exactly why I'm asking what dose to take.

'Safe' is a relative rather than absolute term. I just want to reduce the risks to an acceptable level.

It's not as simple as the methadone just making the diazepam, say for example, twice as strong as it would be to an average person who wasn't on methadone. It's much more complex than that and can be unpredictable. I can explain more if you would like, it's not just some special mechanism in benzo naive individuals (although it does make a difference if you have no tolerance & you also have no idea how the benzo will affect you personally since you've never done it before); it's primarily the major interaction between methadone + benzos. And you are talking about taking a benzo for the very first time while taking double your normal methadone dose? Just don't do it please, there's no way we can calculate a dose that we could confidently state would reasonably reduce your risks yet still have the desired effect. Methadone + benzos together is responsible for a lot of deaths. I'd take it when you take your normal methadone dose - presuming your normal dose doesn't get you high at all - and take half a normal starting dose of the diazepam initially.

(And FWIW I do have personal experience with methadone + benzos and am not one of those people who thinks it is impossible to combine the 2 without high risk of death; there are doctors who prescribe them together- however I think it's a combo you really do need to respect and consider all the factors of your situation)

 

[onetwonine]

Hard to say, this is a harm reduction site..

So..

Not sure exactly what say..

You've never nodded and added benzos before? On anything?

Do you drink on your opioids?

Nah fuck it..

Not touching this

 

[Artificial Emotion]

I took 16mg with my normal methadone dose and that's the dose that gives me a mild, but nice relaxing feeling. I was totally functional and there was nothing in the way of slurred speech or stumbling.

How do I get to a point where I can work out how much pyrazolam to take when taking an increased methadone dose when I'm looking for an opiate high? I was thinking of taking a quarter of 0.5mg pyrazolam pill with my double dose. Or should I just take 32mg methadone on top of my usual 64mg dose with the quarter pyrazolam pill? What to do? I am going to do it, I just need some steering in the right direction. Thanks.

By the way thank you for replying you three.

 

[juststoppingby]

I would smoke weed when you double your dose, to keep safe. Then get used to benzos on your normal dose, that can get you high as hell too. I am on 90mg methadone and take benzos regularly, in larger dosages. I have never doubled my done dosage, I actually assumed that much could kill me....

T

 

[weekend addiction]

Get used to the benzos on your normal dose. Throwing in a benzo on a double dose is how a significant portion of MMT patients leave the program. Be careful out there.