>Marquis<
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2006
- Messages
- 138
Hi all. A friend of mine recently went through GBL addiction (~7 weeks going through a 250ml bottle, though 4 of those were spent trying to taper off) twice (the second time, 3 1/2 weeks for a 250ml bottle. This second addiction began little over a week after the first finished).
The first time, she spent 4 weeks trying to taper from the drug, but also spent a good deal of that time getting high to deal with emotional problems that were present before the addiction (though less severe beforehand). The thing is, she was using selegiline 5mg/day for a month or two before the initial use of GBL. On the first day with G, she used 1ml/2 hours for around 18 hours. Upon cessation, she experienced severe anxiety, terrible paranoia (spent a good hour rushing about looking out the window thinking the cops were coming) and other unpleasant hangover symptoms. She attributed this to lack of sleep and some sort of electrolyte imbalance caused by the GBL. The following evening, she used heavily again, 1ml/2 hours, for around 15 hours, and the next day experienced the same symptoms. Very unpleasant symptoms. At this point she discontinued selegiline use. The following two weeks involved increasing usage to the point of 24 hour use for around 4 days.
She then tried to stop cold turkey. Bought some alcohol and took her last dose at midnight. Spent the next 12 hours drinking alcohol to deal with the horrible withdrawal symptoms (two bottles of wine and two cans of strong cider) and finally slept at noon the next day. Woke up at 6pm with a hangover and instantly took to the G to get rid of the hangover, assuming that the addiction had been cleared. Spent the next two days on 24 dosing, and then tried to quit again. Drank alchohol again. 12 hours following the most recent dose, psychotic symptoms developed. In a 14 hour period, over 30 units of alcohol were consumed. The psychosis was severe and resulted in her locking herself in her room, curled up in a ball without moving for hours, convinced family members were watching her through cameras in her room and wanted to kill her.
She finally passed out around the 24 hour point, after taking a small dose of G (around 1/8 of a usual dose, as stupid as this was!) and woke up the next day, infinitely horrible hangover, and started on the G again. The next few weeks were spent tapering/relapsing/tapering, until she ran out and dealt with minor WD's without the G.
A week and a half later, having dealt with relatively minor WD's, she obtained another bottle. Started using 12 hours a day, staying clean for 12 hours at night and sleeping in the evenings. There seemed to be tolerance, nearly twice the original dose being needed, but there were no WD's in those 12 hours interims. After a week, she used for a full 24 hours. Minor WD's. She continued using. Escalated to 24/7 pretty soon. Remained this way for two weeks.
At the end of the third week, she decided to taper (the morning of NYE). Spent most of that day in WD's, moderating with a tiny amount of alcohol. The evening of NYE, she went out and got high for 12 hours. The next day, stopped using again. Practically no WD's. Virtually nothing. The next few days, used a little, but still only minor anxiety when not using. Compared with weeks of WD's the last time.
Now, we've all heard that G "causes a buildup of dopamine which is released" when use is discontinued, causing the "withdrawal symptoms". I personally thought this was riduculous. G is a GABA agonist, constant use causing GABA-B downregulation and glutamate receptor upregulation. I even thought the notion of the 'dopamine rebound' after a single use was silly; receptor up and down regulation would be happening after a single use, plus the GHB receptor stimulation occuring as concentrations decline to nanomolar levels results in increased glutamate firing.
But my friend's recent experiences have shocked me; the fact that after 18 hours of use while on a selegiline prograim, she experienced very unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, while 3 WEEKS of heavy use including several days on 24 hour dosing did not produce equivalent symptoms.
The only thing I can think of which may have altered the outcome of this is that a little more than a day before she decided to stop using, she had had an MDMA experience (only 2 1/2 pills, less than her usual but seemed very potent and she seemed to be high for at least 12 hours). Immediately after this, she was not experiencing WD's like she had before. Before this, 2 hours after a good dose, she'd be in WD's. At one point after this, she went around 6 hours without ant WD's. I've read one person's claim on a web forum that a single night on MDMA completely prevented the development of WD's when they quit G. Another thing is that prior to ceasing use, she'd had only 12 hours sleep in 90+ hours.
Anyway, this has been quite a rambling post. Anybody have any thoughts on this?
The first time, she spent 4 weeks trying to taper from the drug, but also spent a good deal of that time getting high to deal with emotional problems that were present before the addiction (though less severe beforehand). The thing is, she was using selegiline 5mg/day for a month or two before the initial use of GBL. On the first day with G, she used 1ml/2 hours for around 18 hours. Upon cessation, she experienced severe anxiety, terrible paranoia (spent a good hour rushing about looking out the window thinking the cops were coming) and other unpleasant hangover symptoms. She attributed this to lack of sleep and some sort of electrolyte imbalance caused by the GBL. The following evening, she used heavily again, 1ml/2 hours, for around 15 hours, and the next day experienced the same symptoms. Very unpleasant symptoms. At this point she discontinued selegiline use. The following two weeks involved increasing usage to the point of 24 hour use for around 4 days.
She then tried to stop cold turkey. Bought some alcohol and took her last dose at midnight. Spent the next 12 hours drinking alcohol to deal with the horrible withdrawal symptoms (two bottles of wine and two cans of strong cider) and finally slept at noon the next day. Woke up at 6pm with a hangover and instantly took to the G to get rid of the hangover, assuming that the addiction had been cleared. Spent the next two days on 24 dosing, and then tried to quit again. Drank alchohol again. 12 hours following the most recent dose, psychotic symptoms developed. In a 14 hour period, over 30 units of alcohol were consumed. The psychosis was severe and resulted in her locking herself in her room, curled up in a ball without moving for hours, convinced family members were watching her through cameras in her room and wanted to kill her.
She finally passed out around the 24 hour point, after taking a small dose of G (around 1/8 of a usual dose, as stupid as this was!) and woke up the next day, infinitely horrible hangover, and started on the G again. The next few weeks were spent tapering/relapsing/tapering, until she ran out and dealt with minor WD's without the G.
A week and a half later, having dealt with relatively minor WD's, she obtained another bottle. Started using 12 hours a day, staying clean for 12 hours at night and sleeping in the evenings. There seemed to be tolerance, nearly twice the original dose being needed, but there were no WD's in those 12 hours interims. After a week, she used for a full 24 hours. Minor WD's. She continued using. Escalated to 24/7 pretty soon. Remained this way for two weeks.
At the end of the third week, she decided to taper (the morning of NYE). Spent most of that day in WD's, moderating with a tiny amount of alcohol. The evening of NYE, she went out and got high for 12 hours. The next day, stopped using again. Practically no WD's. Virtually nothing. The next few days, used a little, but still only minor anxiety when not using. Compared with weeks of WD's the last time.
Now, we've all heard that G "causes a buildup of dopamine which is released" when use is discontinued, causing the "withdrawal symptoms". I personally thought this was riduculous. G is a GABA agonist, constant use causing GABA-B downregulation and glutamate receptor upregulation. I even thought the notion of the 'dopamine rebound' after a single use was silly; receptor up and down regulation would be happening after a single use, plus the GHB receptor stimulation occuring as concentrations decline to nanomolar levels results in increased glutamate firing.
But my friend's recent experiences have shocked me; the fact that after 18 hours of use while on a selegiline prograim, she experienced very unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, while 3 WEEKS of heavy use including several days on 24 hour dosing did not produce equivalent symptoms.
The only thing I can think of which may have altered the outcome of this is that a little more than a day before she decided to stop using, she had had an MDMA experience (only 2 1/2 pills, less than her usual but seemed very potent and she seemed to be high for at least 12 hours). Immediately after this, she was not experiencing WD's like she had before. Before this, 2 hours after a good dose, she'd be in WD's. At one point after this, she went around 6 hours without ant WD's. I've read one person's claim on a web forum that a single night on MDMA completely prevented the development of WD's when they quit G. Another thing is that prior to ceasing use, she'd had only 12 hours sleep in 90+ hours.
Anyway, this has been quite a rambling post. Anybody have any thoughts on this?
