Pregabalin blocks benzoa ?

[Mizotlangval]

I’ve been on buprenorphine maintenance since Feb last year at FWB. Started at 16 mg/day, reduced to 12 mg around May, and down to 10 mg in October. I take it every day at 8:30 am at the clinic. Bupe helped with opioid use, but it didn’t fix what’s going on inside, so I started filling that gap with other substances.
A few months after starting bupe, I began using pregabalin. At first it was occasional, but it slowly escalated. Even after 600–1200 mg/day for 1–2 weeks, I don’t notice significant withdrawal when I stop. I’m not sure if that’s me or because benzodiazepines are also involved.
Around November last year, I started taking benzos while still on bupe. Since then, using pregabalin and benzos together has become regular.
Right now my typical use looks like this:
Pregabalin: ~1200 mg/day, usually in the morning on an empty stomach
Benzos: Alprazolam ~2–5 mg/day, sometimes clonazepam up to 7–10 mg
Buprenorphine: 10 mg/day, clinic at 8:30 am
One thing I notice is that pregabalin actually blunts or changes the effects of benzos. It doesn’t make them stronger or more recreational — sometimes they feel muted or “off.” Around 1500 mg pregabalin really kicks for me, but I don’t take that high often. I rarely feel pregabalin withdrawal, probably because I take clonazepam or alprazolam every day.
Today’s doses: took 10 mg clonazepam at noon, 5 mg alprazolam about 2 hours ago, plus my morning bupe 10 mg. I don’t feel great — not much euphoria, just a little warm and chill. I kinda want that energetic nitrazepam-type feeling… lol.
I’ve been stacking instead of spacing properly. Often I wake up with a heavy, foggy “pregabalin hangover,” and I catch myself using benzos to smooth it out, which I know is risky.
I am chasing euphoria, not just trying to stay comfortable. My main concerns:
Safety of bupe + pregabalin + benzos together
Why pregabalin withdrawal seems muted for me
How tolerance and cross-dependence might interact
Practical harm-reduction steps I can take
Any input from people with experience or pharmacology knowledge would help.

 

[Keif' Richards]

Your Benzodiazepine dosages are just far too high man. You are less describing recreational fun as you are a heavy, poly-substance dependency. I am very concerned for your long-term success in life if you´re messing around with all of these substances.

There appear to be some undeniable qualities of similarity from the Gabapentinoids to the Benzodiazepines, but it´s transient at most. You can´t treat Benzodiazepine withdrawal with Pregabalin (Lyrica) or vice versa. You will certainly notice similarities in the subjective effects, however, make no mistake that these are two completely separate depndencies that you´re working on right now.

It´s an incredibly common pitfall; succeeding with Opioid maintenance, relatively speaking, that is, developing a sedative/hypnotic dependendency with your maintenance. These drugs are noted for their synergy when combined. What does ¨synergy¨ mean? It means you end up with a sum that is seemingly greater than the combination should produce. This is such a popular combination because you get a lot of bang for your buck using your whole 2+2=5 math.

In short, it´s pretty easy to get fucked up when combining these three substances. Most people would be essntially anesthetized by the dosages of sedatives that your´re desccribing.

In short, I would definitely recommend getting off this train as early as possible. Gabapentinoid withdrawal is extremely difficult. Benzodiazepine withdrawal is likewise extremely difficult. In short, doing both simultaneously is not what I would recommend.

Can I just get a little bit more information? How long have you been at this and how long have you been dependent on all of this stuff.

 

[Halif2]

I concur with everything Keif said.

Most people would be essntially anesthetized by the dosages of sedatives that your´re desccribing.

The dose of each substance is high taken individually, but combined it'd be enough to put most people into a blackout, zombified state. Holy shit... 1200mg pregab and up to 10mg clonaz?! And this is all with 10mg buprenorphine?

Are you up and about, goign outside, interacting with people? I really hope you're not driving on all this.

I am chasing euphoria, not just trying to stay comfortable.

I think you'd be better off looking into other substances if you want to feel euphoria. That amount of benzo and pregab (and bupe) is much more likely to just remove any and all emotions you have than it is to cause you to feel good. This is a really tough one to advise on. I'm sorry to hear that you're hurting enough to be taking boatloads of downers. It's always hard to give good harm reduction advice when you know the most obvious answer (take less of the drugs you're taking) is not helpful.

Perhaps taking other drugs (dissociatives, empathogens, stims) can help you to feel something positive. Obviously, with all the drugs you're taking now, you'd have to be extremely cautious about adding more into the mix, but right now I'd say it's imperative that you reduce the pregab and benzos as soon as you safely can.

stay safe and keep us updated on your journey.

 

[momotaro]

I’ve been on buprenorphine maintenance since Feb last year at FWB. Started at 16 mg/day, reduced to 12 mg around May, and down to 10 mg in October. I take it every day at 8:30 am at the clinic. Bupe helped with opioid use, but it didn’t fix what’s going on inside, so I started filling that gap with other substances.
A few months after starting bupe, I began using pregabalin. At first it was occasional, but it slowly escalated. Even after 600–1200 mg/day for 1–2 weeks, I don’t notice significant withdrawal when I stop. I’m not sure if that’s me or because benzodiazepines are also involved.
Around November last year, I started taking benzos while still on bupe. Since then, using pregabalin and benzos together has become regular.
Right now my typical use looks like this:
Pregabalin: ~1200 mg/day, usually in the morning on an empty stomach
Benzos: Alprazolam ~2–5 mg/day, sometimes clonazepam up to 7–10 mg
Buprenorphine: 10 mg/day, clinic at 8:30 am
One thing I notice is that pregabalin actually blunts or changes the effects of benzos. It doesn’t make them stronger or more recreational — sometimes they feel muted or “off.” Around 1500 mg pregabalin really kicks for me, but I don’t take that high often. I rarely feel pregabalin withdrawal, probably because I take clonazepam or alprazolam every day.
Today’s doses: took 10 mg clonazepam at noon, 5 mg alprazolam about 2 hours ago, plus my morning bupe 10 mg. I don’t feel great — not much euphoria, just a little warm and chill. I kinda want that energetic nitrazepam-type feeling… lol.
I’ve been stacking instead of spacing properly. Often I wake up with a heavy, foggy “pregabalin hangover,” and I catch myself using benzos to smooth it out, which I know is risky.
I am chasing euphoria, not just trying to stay comfortable. My main concerns:
Safety of bupe + pregabalin + benzos together
Why pregabalin withdrawal seems muted for me
How tolerance and cross-dependence might interact
Practical harm-reduction steps I can take
Any input from people with experience or pharmacology knowledge would help.

a)So you are more or less a year on bupe, 6 months on pregabalin and 3 months on benzos? First of all your doses of benzos are crazy together. it's not safe for a multitude of reasons that other mentions. Don't want to get into to details but after many years of opioid adiction, i ended in your shoes: in my case with an opioid addiction, pregabalin addiction (which i have fortunately tapered) and benzo (in my case i was using as needed with breaks up to 14 days but from there it spiraled as an everyday thing). When i finally had to quit for various reasons, i had to quit all three things at once (altough i had something for opioid wd, i tapered pgb but was vastly unprepared for the hell that is attempting benzo wd). I Understand that you probably don't want a lecture but the way you are going, i see it ending badly, with a lot of misery, that should been avoided. Long term use of pgbs and benzos should be really carefully managed.
b) pregabalin withdrawal probably seems muted for you, because your high dose bupe and high dose benzo protect you. It can work like that sometimes. For me it worked that way, Sometimes. Also the worst pregabalin are over after 3/4 days.
c) i'm reapeting sorry but tolerance and cross-dependence don't work with pregabalin and benzos. Pregabalin is if i correctly recall a delta calciuchannel inhibitor. It inhibits a lot more excitatory substances than benzos does (it more broad in a sense). So you take both, you end up with two dependecies. That not only will compund in terms of your suffering but for eg. both carry seizure risks.
d) Practical harm-reduction steps you can take? Ay ya yay, hmm i would tackle the benzo first try to get it to 0 (As 3 months isn't that long and maybe you won't have a big problem stopping it). The safe and smart way of doing it is a taper but note that these things take time and tend to drag itself. Research it, ask here. Im just worried that you might not stick to tapering or you might. No judging nonetheless. Research everything regardless.Ask here . Make a new thread. Reach out to me or Keif or Halif2. I Think you should get as many perspectives as possible.

Oh and couple more things: foggy, pregabalin hangover is real. It has been known to cause things like heart palpitations due to its pharmacology, so i sorta get why would you use benzo to smooth things out. I am curious did your benzo use grow overtime? Is there days where you take like not a lot? Am i mistaken to assume that you binge on pregabalin, you stop and then wonder while you are not in pregabalin withdrawal? For now that's the end from me.

If i misrepresented something abt your experience, i am sorry. Please clarify.