GABA-A Receptors fucked?

[Supeudol]

Well, I had a pretty big relapse with Oxycodone and Hydromorphone at the end of August - Feb 02/11. Before that I was clean, and just using GHB sometimes. I know GHB acts on GABA-B. I didn't start using benzo's until I tried to detox myself off opiates again. Then I went to a local detox centre here for free and they did such a shitty benzo taper with Valium (like 1 10mg Valium in the morning, and 1 at like 8PM, then started going down to 5mg the next day). It wasn't even funny. I was mainly taking Clonazepam but high doses prior. Not like my benzo habit before, but it was still up there. I was in detox from Feb 02 - Feb 10th.

When I got out I was using some 2.5mg Lorazepam that I had here, and I also some 10mg Valiums left. I've also been on Lyrica for a long time as well. I currently also take Effexor XR and Trazodone for sleep.

Even if I take 40mg of Valium, I still feel kind of shitty. I've been clean from opiates since Feb 2nd/2011. Still feeling kind of rough. Prior to this I've been on opiates for 7 years, and Benzo's off and on about the same. But I did a 96 day treatment program in BC last February 2010 which was really good, lots of exercise, etc.

I have some GHB on the way, but probably won't be here until next week sometime.

I notice even if I drink a 6 pack of Cider, I don't end up getting that drunk really. I was just wondering if anyone has any suggestions for me? I have some 50mg Metoprolol for tachycardia back from November that I sometimes use before sleep.

Anyone got any suggestions how I could use the rest of my small amount of Valium to help taper (I also have Lyrica). I've never had a seizure, I'm not worried about that really. I still don't have my appetite back really. Sorry if my story is kind of confusing, but Ativan & Valium don't seem to affect me much at all. I think my GABA-A receptors are pretty hammered.

I guess exercise and lots of water is the best answer. Where I am in Canada, its very hard to get prescribed benzo's. I am only 24 - so I am trying to stay clean because I have my whole life ahead of me. But I've never had a problem with pure GHB powder. Infact, its helped me get through a lot of rough times.

I don't know if Effexor XR is a good choice or not, I been on it a couple months now at 150mg/day. I been on Paxil, Cipralex, Luvox, different SSRI's. I also take supplements and lots of vitamins.

Any help or words of encouragement would be very helpful. I know benzo's are tough to kick, but my use hasn't been too extreme this relapse.

Thanks guys,

Cheers. :D

 

[sekio]

1. Stop taking all those drugs! This is the most important step.
2. Find a dose of diazepam or a benzo that you feel okay with (NOT all happy and relaxed, just able to function with minor irritation)
3. Start reducing it by milligrams a day.
4. Enrich your life with food, excercise, hobbies, friends, and non-GABAergics...

 

[Supeudol]

bumping this one up.

 

[swilow]

Wow man, thats certainly a lot of drugs there....And a lot of things messing with GABA in general. I've unfortuantely been on benzo's for a long time, and tapered for even longer- when I got too about 20mg's of diazepam a day, shit hit the fan; seizures, black outs, white-outs, cataonia, delusions- at first, it was mentioned that I might have had dissociative identity disorder- but further testing revealed chronic firing of electrons throughtout my brain; in other words, epilepsy, a condition I had as a child which subsided when I was around 10 or 11. Scary to think that this problem reared its head almost 16 years later...

At least twice a week, I have abscence seizures; usually several of them in succession over the space of 2hrs; besides that is an almost permament epileptic "aura", deja vu, odd thought process, etc.

What I'm saying is- stop messing with GABA/glutamate systems before its too late. Seriosuly. You do not want the thought that, at any time, you may suddenly become a zombie or drop and have convulsions...It makes life very trying.

That said; the intensity of these experiences is diminishing for me, so I hope they will cease soon, but I will probably have this for the rest of my life.

Tread carefully. Stay as sober as you can, and PLEASE avoid induced relaxation. Meditation and other trance-practises are relatively safe and will give you better results then any GABA skullduggery.

Peace

 

[Supeudol]

Well, its not so much seizures and shit I worry about with Benzo withdrawal. Its more the non-stop anxiety, and tachycardia. And lack of sleep. ;\

 

[Kindatired]

I just wanted to make a point about benzos and canada. I lived in vancouver BC and every doctor I have known will throw them at you like candy with them exception of the shrinks. I told my family doctor I had horrible depression and anxiety attacks. First thing he did was put me on antidepressants (which acted like speed for me, turns out I was bipolar and they triggered a full blown manic episode) and 1mg kpins twice a day, which went up to 2mg twice a day. When I moved to Montreal getting my oxycodone for my back pain was a huge pain in the ass, they took me from 10mg 4 times to 5mg 2 times a day but they had no problem giving me xanax 4 mg 3 times a day. if you can't get benzos from your current family doctor find a new one, most of them are benzos happy.

 

[Regenesis2]

^benzos are so much more fucking dangerous than oxy, I can't believe these docs. Benzo WD fucked me up bad.

 

[max_]

^benzos are so much more fucking dangerous than oxy, I can't believe these docs. Benzo WD fucked me up bad.

yes, in the sence that you feel the opiates starting to get to you, you feel your body getting dependent. Benzos are silent killers--

 

[Regenesis2]

^well said max, I didn't have a clue till I stopped taking them and my body started spazzing out. I try to warn people all the time that this is not like almost any other drug. You can't beat the threat of benzo addiction by not having an "addictive personality." The shit actually causes changes in genetic expression quickly and that's a hell of a thing to readjust from. I think benzos fuck more than your GABA A receptors and your glutamate NMDA and AMPA ones too. They fuck with lots of chemical levels in the brain and body.

 

[Supeudol]

Did anyone get bad tachycardia coming off benzo's? Prescribed a beta-blocker perhaps? I used to be on Propranolol. But I find Metoprolol to be much more effective. I also get 'electric shivers'.

 

[swilow]

^I get pretty bad tachycardia, but mainly high blood pressure and a really 'audible' heartbeat when I'm in benzo w/d. I tend to get more shakey and twitchy then over-stimulated though...

 

[Charles Ferdinand]

Alright this is what you're gonna do:
Go with that doctor of yours and tell him you want to taper off with neurontin or Lyrica, Lyrica if possible, but Neurontin, being cheaper and more widely used, is more than enough if it works for you.
I currently use 300mg a day (Pregabalin), use trazodone or seroquel to get some sleep and cut the Lyrica as directed by your doctor, most people I've talked to agree there are no Lyrica wd's and if they appear they're nothing compared to benzo wd.

Lyrica tolerance is non existant if used with caution, I had it at 1200mg a day, after 3 months, but quit and it's working again at this low dose I'm taking. Just take a week-long break.

Take care, and remember it does go away, no matter how bad your addiction was, and that you will always feel better off that shit.