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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Quick Tussionex/Benzo Question

SCfratter

Bluelighter
Joined
Feb 9, 2008
Messages
105
Hi all, sorry this is kind of a basic question but I couldn't find anything directly on point when I searched. Long story short I've been on benzos for about a year/year and a half taking between 0.5 mg - 1.25 mg a day of xanax or ativan. I never really take more than 0.5 mg at a time but sometimes take it two or three times daily.

I've come down with a cold and just got back from the doctor. He prescribed me Tussionex and an antibiotic. I've got an opiate tolerance and am pretty experienced with opiates (when I can get them). I was taking 20-30 mg a day of Hydro until 2 or 3 days ago when I ran out.

Anyways, I'm concerned because I know the Tussionex has an antihistamine in it and I want to take it because it does make me feel better (helps my cough and the opiate helps too of course!) but I wasn't sure how I should handle my benzo situation while I'm on it. I'm prescribed 1 tsp. twice a day of Tussionex and I took a teaspoon earlier and feel okay but it seems to be making me feel jittery/speedy - this may also be because I would be taking my first benzo dose of the day about this time normally. I don't want to go through benzo W/D or feel shitty and not sleep by not taking any ativan today but I also don't want to take my normal dose of ativan and have it interact with the Tussionex and be too much of a CNS depressant.

I also took like 5 mg of adderall at 9 am today but I'm pretty sure that's long gone.

So, BL, should I take a 0.5 mg ativan now and then take another TSP of Tussionex later tonight? Or is it a really bad idea to mix the two? Sorry for the long post, I just want to get over this cold (and the Tussionex helps a lot) but also not go through shitty benzo W/D for no reason (since I have benzos). I'll probably be on the Tussionex for a few days so I wanted to get some input. I am tapering off the benzos so I know I should be getting off them but it's a slow taper. Thanks for any input!

EDIT: If this was just hydrocodone I would take 20-30 mg per day with my normal benzo dose and not think twice about it - it's the antihistamine in the Tussionex that makes me worry. I've just never dealt with that particular combo and I'm always a little hesitant with new combos.
 
0.5mg lorazepam on top of the Tussionex is safe...however, you probably won't need to take the lorazepam (Ativan).

The antihistamine in Tussionex is a pretty sedating one and if you take it with lorazepam you'll probably just fall asleep. 0.5mg lorazepam is a low dosage considering your past history with benzos and your tolerance.
 
Thanks NeighborhoodThreat. I think sometimes I confuse the fact that I take 1 - 1.5 mg a day of benzo with taking 1 - 1.5 mg of benzo at a time. I guess I just want to know that I can take a benzo if I need to while on the Tussionex.

I just don't want to feel crappy from taking no benzos today (since I've been taking about 1 mg a day of xanax/ativan for a while).

Is this one of those situations where I should stop overthinking it, take the damn Tussionex and go about my day ;-) ?

I'm also on Lexapro - do I have anything to worry about with Serotonin Syndrome and the Tussionex? (Esp since I took a little addy this morning). I've heard of people taking too many Triple C's and getting sick.

Maybe I should use this as an opportunity to get off benzos - at least for a few days!

Thanks again for answering my earlier question and these questions Neighborhood - appreciate all you do!
 
yea as NT said those dosages are low enough i personally wouldn't be worried. and good descion on getting off the benzo's, nothing but bad news. very addictive but with dosages like that again you shouldn't experience much w/d. keep us posted!
 
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