Etizolam use and seizures

[fluffybudzz]

Ok. So not entirely sure that this is the best place to post this, so mods please feel free to move if better suited elsewhere.

So for the last 4 months or so, I've munched through roughly 230mg of etizolam. Have felt little to no withdrawal effects, as there have been fairly solid breaks in between usage. To illustrate, I haven't taken any since 24th Dec, and have had no wd effects.

However, on 27th December I experienced an epileptic seizure, something I've never had before. I immediately went to A&E, where I had an ecg and a blood test.

I told doctor of my etizolam use, as well going through a fair amount of mxe (2g), some mdma (500mg), cocaine (2g), oxycontin (60mg), small amounts of dmt, amphetamine sulphate (3g) and cannabis (roughly 1g/day high grade dutch) all in the past 4 months. I've been a daily toker for ~5 years, often smoking 2g+/day.

Doctor didn't mention any relation between seizure and substance abuse, but I wanted to check here to see what you guys thought. Obviously no way of knowing for sure, but I've got another 100mg etizolam waiting for me at home so would love the all clear before I restart my use of the stuff!

Thanks in advance!!

 

[pally pete]

Ok. So not entirely sure that this is the best place to post this, so mods please feel free to move if better suited elsewhere.

So for the last 4 months or so, I've munched through roughly 230mg of etizolam. Have felt little to no withdrawal effects, as there have been fairly solid breaks in between usage. To illustrate, I haven't taken any since 24th Dec, and have had no wd effects.

However, on 27th December I experienced an epileptic seizure, something I've never had before. I immediately went to A&E, where I had an ecg and a blood test.

I told doctor of my etizolam use, as well going through a fair amount of mxe (2g), some mdma (500mg), cocaine (2g), oxycontin (60mg), small amounts of dmt, amphetamine sulphate (3g) and cannabis (roughly 1g/day high grade dutch) all in the past 4 months. I've been a daily toker for ~5 years, often smoking 2g+/day.

Doctor didn't mention any relation between seizure and substance abuse, but I wanted to check here to see what you guys thought. Obviously no way of knowing for sure, but I've got another 100mg etizolam waiting for me at home so would love the all clear before I restart my use of the stuff!

Thanks in advance!!

Having a seizure 3 days after quiting a Benzo is no coincidence. The doctor who said that there was no link between coming off Etizolam cold turkey and having a seizure should go back to med school. Or have a serious rethink about his/her career.

I'm not one to 'doctor bash' as so many on here do, but there is a massive ignorance in some sections of the medical community who really do not understand the implications of Benzodiazepines.

I have been taking 30 mg of Diazepam per day for the past year. When I ran out I went to my G.P (A new one) who refused to prescribe
me anymore. She said as I hadn't had any for 3 days it would be 'out of my system' and there were no dangers of withdrawals. That is just one example...

Anyway, good luck & happy new year.

Btw, my advice would be don't go back to using Etizolam unless you want a life of hell.

 

[fluffybudzz]

thanks for the quick reply pally. really appreciate it, and happy new year to you too!

I'm gonna be extremely careful about using etizolam from here on out, i read somewhere that using it twice per week is the safest way to consume it. Granted, I was using the stuff 4/7 days per week but generally quite sporadically, often with week/two week breaks. Sometimes I'd use it more frequently though, esp on the tale end of amphetamine use (small amounts as study aid during reading week, and sometimes in excess when drinking) as I can get very bad anxiety during comedowns.

Another thing to note is that my mother said she experienced a seizure when she was about my age too, and that it was a one off, completely unrelated to any substance abuse, she barely even drinks! On this basis the doctors thought that it might be related to this. Though I do agree that this may very well be down to irresponsible use of etizolam, I'm quite benzo naive, but my last usage was 6mg/day which is a fairly large amount...

I did read elsewhere of other people using much more than me and not going through any kinds of withdrawals. Though drugs do affect people differently and I suppose I should realy bare that in mind! When you ran out after a year of diazepam use did you got through withdrawals or plan some kind of taper?

 

[《Plasticity》]

I agree, if you have no history of seizures and there were no blatant risk factors aside from the etiz cessation like consuming stupid amounts of drugs on the day this all happened, then the etizolam is obviously to blame here. Did you tell he doctor that etizolam was essentially a benzo as well as your use pattern?

I did read elsewhere of other people using much more than me and not going through any kinds of withdrawals

This line of thinking is what screwed me over, some are more susceptible to withdrawal than others. I used 2-3mgs 2-3x a week for several months... maybe about 5. I then used 1 week straight at these doses and when I quit I went through 3 months of hell. I was extremely agoraphobic, panic attacks, paranoia, had corner eye hallucinations, diarrhea, cramps, palpitations, bp that regularly went into to 160's, sweats, insomnia, and I even developed a near full intolerance to foods.

I lived on oatmeal, rice, and chicken for those three months. Please, don't think that because other got away with something that you will... and for those who are under the impression that etizolam withdrawal is nothing compared to benzo withdrawal, be warned that you may not be so lucky. I consume little to no cross-tolerant drugs at the time so this was all at the fault of etizolam. If I take even 1 dose I get put right back into strong rebound as well...

 

[fluffybudzz]

Yeah I did tell the doctor of the frequency of my use, and clarified with her that it was a benzo type drug which she understood. Again I should mention I did not use everyday, but towards the end I took quite a bit for moments of anxiety. Had to go help set up an NA xmas dinner for the homeless, which was a bit intense so munched a 3mg dose, and that was my last.

Is it normal to have zero wd symptoms but still nave a seizure? I would agree my use was related to the seizure, but I've been perfectly fine aside from the one seizure. Just worried about another one, while driving or at the gym or something, could be potentially fatal!

 

[keeping]

I've never experienced a seizure without withdrawing first, but it is possible. might be time to call it quits mate.