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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by willyee on March 7, 2006, at 16:32:01
Most people know i have been posting my struggles with parnate,as usual i find a combo that works and like parnate did alone the combo fails on me.
Well a xanax/klonopin combo was what i thought was gold,till this past week where as ive been in a major major hole.Anyway i also had luck with low doses of xyrem also,but opposed to pooping out what was happening with that was i was getting high at even low doses,and im done with messing around,so i stopped,i dont want to get high,i dont want anything like that.
Anyway since my doc kinda screwed me over,i have been brain storming,trying to find out why the combo once worked,so i stopped or cut back DRASTICALY on xanax/klonopin and got BACk out of the pharmacy my depakote which i labled not effective.
The first two nights on it i again felt very flat,however it provided anxiety relief whiich is fine for now.
SO HERES THE KICKER,i recently added the xyrem in low doses again,and even at mildly high doses what i notice is this.......
It appears for whatver reason depakote is preventing xtrem from getting me high,now could this be just a placebo affect,possable but i gradualy raised the dose at night to see and still at most i get a little light headed where as normaly xyrem would have me feeling yucky.So now i am on a lowered parnate dose since i have to wait for my new script,a small close to non exsisent benzo dose,and depakote/xyrem.
Any theorys on why depakote could be having that affect,im not complaining its exactly what i want is to take xyrem minus the stupour effect.I know it sounds bad,but i really am being careful with my meds,i have my parents involved so im not holding the meds,and i dont have access to it like candy so thats one good thing,im tired of the games i want my life and i want to be treated seriously no more indulging in euphorias.
Anway this is working right now,day 2 anyway and im at most glad the depakote seems to have taken away any urge for a benzo,i take only partial xanax now no klonopin i was worried for a sec when i was dosing them.
So any ideas on why are welcome,i have no clue id imagine depakote being a gaba med would make xyrewm more sedating but it does not.
Posted by sukarno on March 8, 2006, at 7:22:18
In reply to Weird werid......, posted by willyee on March 7, 2006, at 16:32:01
"Anyway i also had luck with low doses of xyrem also,but opposed to pooping out what was happening with that was i was getting high at even low doses,and im done with messing around,so i stopped,i dont want to get high,i dont want anything like that."Are you taking Xyrem (sodium oxybate, a form of GHB) with the Xanax/Klonopin combo? I assume your doctor prescribed all of this. Taken together, Xyrem and benzodiazepines (e.g. Xanax, Klonopin, Valium, etc) can potentiate the CNS depressant effects of Xyrem. Respiratory depression would be my concern.
"so i stopped or cut back DRASTICALY on xanax/klonopin"
How long have you been taking Xanax and Klonopin? I definitely wouldn't quit taking them suddenly, but rather taper it gradually.
"It appears for whatver reason depakote is preventing xtrem from getting me high..."
Depakote is an anticonvulsant and is used as a mood stabiliser. It is possible that it is blocking the dopaminergic effect of Xyrem, but I am not sure about this. Xyrem "shuts down" dopamine for a while and then suddenly releases the dopamine all at once, causing a pleasurable feeling. It can be good for depression.
Take care! :-)
Paul
Posted by willyee on March 8, 2006, at 14:40:04
In reply to Re: Weird werid......, posted by sukarno on March 8, 2006, at 7:22:18
Ah yeah lol im pretty familiar with xyrem im archived with it probuably linked to thousands of posts.
I never took xyrem WITH a benzo in the form of potentiating each other,i know exactly what u mean absolutly they would,im also on parnate an energizing drug,when i use xyrem its alone and its in minimal doses and built up to a therputic level.
For a lot of people the dopamine release is not actualy what causes the dopamine rebound,i read in a few reliable places that on its way out as xyrem dwindles it goes from hitting the gaba b recptors which are calming and increase gaba to lower levels hitting the gaba A receptor,what this does is stimulates glumtamate on its way out,and glutmate like n-aspapartme for lots of people can be a brain stimulant and drive them mad.
The increase in dopamine is rather pleaseant for me,dopamine can be inhibiatory too.
Im just at an awe because nuerotion a gaba drug increases xyrems effects which makes sense as do benzos which is what u said,depakote must have some other method of action,OR its a placebo effect .
It is possable the food in my stomach etc,as u know xyrem relys on many things to determine how a specific dose affects u,so i am just treating it with the same ultra sensative respect it needs to be treated with.
As for the benzo combo,i wouldent go cold turkey,however i do wanna stop one,i thought the combo was more effective but turns out its not too much,and being on two very strong benzos is not a comforting idea,luckly the depakote is already helping me lower down dramatacly,not saying depakote is a euprhoric drug in any way itself.
Posted by tessellated on March 11, 2006, at 8:26:59
In reply to Re: Weird werid......, posted by sukarno on March 8, 2006, at 7:22:18
suk was probably about right.
i have a friend who's bipolar on depakote and it stabalized her.
i would bet that mania is a hyperdopaminergic state (particularly hers), and that the depakotes gaba reuptake inhibition isn't taking the same pathway as other gaba meds (benzo/opiate/barbs/alcho/xyrem/neurontin etc) which can enhance dopamine by blocking inhibition.i've found neurontin to also be rather libido enhancing i.e. dopaminergic like xyrem.
so it is probably a different pathway and/or brain circuit/anatomical structure that depakote enhances or inhibits.
but man: any heavy benzo use in my experience over time CONTRIBUTED massively to anxiety/agitation/depression. good meds-but only infrequently. and i think they were on a comparable level of withdrawl horror to amphetaimes.
Posted by willyee on March 11, 2006, at 14:00:52
In reply to Re: Weird werid......, posted by tessellated on March 11, 2006, at 8:26:59
Yess im not too thrilled im on a benzo,but aside from the depakote which im still kinda evaluting daily,my anxiety needs to be treated to a degree its just not an option to let it run rampid.
I have my nights where i sit and think of the road im on,i cant imagine where im gonna be in a few years being on the meds i am,the addiction,i try not to think to much cause im still not stable enough,when i am i will beggin to see how to take a fork turn in the road,start looking into detox options.
Im not a self loather,and self pity is such a horrid feeling,but i have my nights where i feel sorry for myself.
Even in a best case scenerio and im doing well by my 30 th bday,im cursed with forever looking upon my entire decade of twenties as a period of fighting for my life.
Im sure everyone has there little niche.
Posted by tessellated on March 11, 2006, at 21:54:03
In reply to Re: Weird werid......, posted by willyee on March 11, 2006, at 14:00:52
willy
Remember everything is impermanent particularly pain and suffering.Take this how you will, but I like the contrast of this rat club med study. And I've seen personally how withdrawl in the right context is no biggie a cold etc, or in the wrong context its like being ripped apart.
kinda curious no?
Posted by willyee on March 14, 2006, at 4:06:43
In reply to Rat Park/Club Med, posted by tessellated on March 11, 2006, at 21:54:03
Lol that is a nice thouht,maybe when it ever comes time to start tapering ill move to the bahamas!
LOL right now id settle for stable,no thats not the right term,two words are what i yern for now.....
STABLE
CONSISTENCY
Posted by tessellated on March 15, 2006, at 15:29:02
In reply to Re: Rat Park/Club Med, posted by willyee on March 14, 2006, at 4:06:43
you know its funny the merrygo round.
i stopped for exactly the same reason.
and then stable consitent got boring.but its good to know boring is a possibility.
l8
This is the end of the thread.
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