Questions about alcohol, benzos, and Pregablin (Lyrica)

[SirSalty]

First off I'll start with my motive for writing this thread but it's also out of scientific interest. What I essentially and realistically want to know (Couldn't find all the answers I need in any other threads) is will alcohol act as a temporary substitute for when I run out of my benzo/pregablin script early. Say I don't have two or three days worth left until I next pick up will alcohol help stop seizures and other withdrawal symptoms?

From what I've read online benzos and pregablin can do the same for alcohol withdrawals so in my mind that should mean that alcohol can do the same in reverse? I've tried finding out the answer myself using Wikipedia but I'm really not that way intellectually inclined..

I just assume that because they all act on GABA levels in the brain in some way shape or form that they would have a cross tolerance and therefore be able to stop a seizure from happening if you swap one for the other for a few days?

I've been on 10mg Diazepam and 600mg pregablin daily for years now probably around 3-4 years maybe a bit more. I usually take my diazepam over the first two days of the week then my pregablin for the next 4 days then take a day off to let my body and brain get some sort of break (I know it's probably doing absolutely nothing but give me rebound anxiety but I'd be interested in what your guy's thoughts are on that too) but sometimes I end up getting impulsive with my bipolar disorder (not making excuses) and I end blowing through it all in 3-4 days. I usually end up smoking weed and having a few beers to take the edge off but I am for some reason panicking about it right now (ironically as I took 1,200 mg pregablin half hour ago so shouldn't be anxious xD) and thinking that there's a real possibility of seizures with this unhealthy behavior. I'm not so worried about the valium/diazepam as I only take that 1-2 days of the week but the pregablin I'm definitely fully dependent on. I actually take my drugs like this to try to help mitigate the inevitable addiction by only taking the diazepam 1-2 days then that means I'm only on pregablin for 4-5 days with one days break. I figured that going without pregablin would be better than going without diazepam?

So yeah I've spouted a bunch of garbage and random questions in here so I don't expect answers to all or anything but if you could please answer one question it would be "Will alcohol help stop the risk of seizures from pregablin (and hopefully benzos too) and also help with the rebound anxiety and other withdrawal symptoms?"

Thanks for joining my TED talk on how to fail at your prescription lol honestly I went into it with good intentions though I thought right diazepam has a long half life right? So I'll only take that one-two days and bonus is I love valium lol then pregablin has a short half life so if I go a day or two without it then it's out of my system for the most part and will help curb dependency?.. I am just an addict trying to rationalize but is there any rational in that twisted thinking?

Thanks in advance guys and sorry if this is the wrong forum the powers that be I just felt like this is so generalized it needed a thread of it's own and it also poses some very interesting questions that there doesn't seem to be much info about online.

 

[Quasimoto]

will alcohol act as a temporary substitute for when I run out of my benzo/pregablin script early.

Technically, yes, but it's also a very risky and dangerous idea.

The problem is that alcohol only has a half life of about 45 minutes, compared to several or dozens of hours for the other GABAergics. You will need to drink pretty much constantly all day to control the symptoms. The hangovers will be worse, too. On top of that, alcohol actually lowers your seizure threshold when it wears off. Unless you plan on drinking all day long, you could theoretically be increasing your chance of seizure-- although, in all likelihood, you aren't going to seize from 10mg/diaz per day.

I have attempted to use alcohol to control benzo withdrawal, and it's just a terrible experience in general. I cannot advise it.

I'd maybe use it to get a few hours of sleep, but I would generally prefer to power through the withdrawal if I could. Maybe find a different GABAergic.

Benzos cure alcohol withdrawal, but it doesn't really work well in reverse.

 

[SirSalty]

Technically, yes, but it's also a very risky and dangerous idea.

The problem is that alcohol only has a half life of about 45 minutes, compared to several or dozens of hours for the other GABAergics. You will need to drink pretty much constantly all day to control the symptoms. The hangovers will be worse, too. On top of that, alcohol actually lowers your seizure threshold when it wears off. Unless you plan on drinking all day long, you could theoretically be increasing your chance of seizure-- although, in all likelihood, you aren't going to seize from 10mg/diaz per day.

I have attempted to use alcohol to control benzo withdrawal, and it's just a terrible experience in general. I cannot advise it.

I'd maybe use it to get a few hours of sleep, but I would generally prefer to power through the withdrawal if I could. Maybe find a different GABAergic.

Benzos cure alcohol withdrawal, but it doesn't really work well in reverse.

Thanks so much for your response I really appreciate it. Don't feel bad if you don't like my response I was going to basically try the following anyway; I'm gonna drink slow and steady throughout the day then at night have a stiff couple of drinks to last me while I sleep then drink as soon as I wake up.. damn the more I type the more I realize how even though I've been clean from heroin for 4-5 years I'm still a junkie and always will be. I knew that anyway but sometimes moments of clarity like this hit.

I shouldn't be asking questions like this especially as a 32 year old adult. I think I'm gonna go with what I just said above so hopefully I avoid the seizure threshold getting lowered because there will be enough alcohol in my system to last while I sleep (My GOD I am realizing how bad this is the more I type)

The information you've offered me has been invaluable mate and don't worry I was always going to drink anyway but now I have better insight into what it will do. Will the weed help in any way with the benzo/pregablin withdrawals and seizure threshold? I'm sure cannabis can lower the seizure threshold but just curious about it generally in this context. I'm gonna try to search myself but would love your's and anyone else's input on this.

Many thanks!

 

[SirSalty]

Thanks so much for your response I really appreciate it. Don't feel bad if you don't like my response I was going basically try the following anyway; I'm gonna drink slow and steady throughout the day then at night have a stiff couple of drinks to last me while I sleep then drink as soon as I wake up.. damn the more I type the more I realize how even though I've been clean from heroin for 4-5 years I'm still a junkie and always will be. I knew that anyway but sometimes moments of clarity like this hit.

I shouldn't be asking questions like this especially as a 32 year old adult. I think I'm gonna go with what I just said above so hopefully I avoid the seizure threshold getting lowered because there will be enough alcohol in my system to last while I sleep (My GOD I am realizing how bad this is the more I type)

The information you've offered me has been invaluable mate and don't worry I was always going to drink anyway but now I have better insight into what it will do. Will the weed help in any way with the benzo/pregablin withdrawals and seizure threshold? I'm sure cannabis can lower the seizure threshold but just curious about it generally in this context. I'm gonna try to search myself but would love your's and anyone else's input on this.

Many thanks!

Do you know a rough timeline of when a seizure could occur when coming off of a high daily dosage of pregablin?

 

[Quasimoto]

Do you know a rough timeline of when a seizure could occur when coming off of a high daily dosage of pregablin?

Generally after about 3-4 half lives, so about 18-24 hours after last dose, but the diaz will be in your system for much longer, so after a day or two probably. Everyone has different metabolism rates, though.

 

[SirSalty]

Generally after about 3-4 half lives, so about 18-24 hours after last dose, but the diaz will be in your system for much longer, so after a day or two probably. Everyone has different metabolism rates, though.

Damn.. so I could POTENTIALLY have a seizure within that timeline and then the threshold gets lower as the time goes on? When you say you power through withdrawals what are the symptoms like for you, and a rough timeline, and what's the longest you've gone cold turkey? Have you had a related seizure before? Sorry for all the questions. Do you think the fact that I usually take 2 days without pregab or diazepam a week in a row helps at all?

I've noticed that my 1-2/3-4/0 routine I outlined above keeps the drugs working effectively and I know that just from my own experience but always wondered if that would help me at all with going cold turkey.