Posted by utopizen on September 14, 2003, at 13:06:51
In reply to Addiction Fiction » matthhhh, posted by femlite on September 13, 2003, at 20:39:03
> Ironically Orphan Medical is coming out with Xyrem, their version of GHB, and the price is 10x higher, than b4 the date rape rap occured, hmmmm
>Actually, GHB (a.k.a. Sodium Oxybate) *is* addictive. It caused Tardive Dyskinsia. Its tolerance leads to escalation of doses, which can quickly lead to respiratory depression (heart failure, or coma if you're lucky). And withdrawl lasts many weeks.
Xyrem, when used therapeutically, does not cause TD or withdrawl. In a 14-month study, (I have the abstract printed out in front of me from Orphan) no signs of withdrawl were found.
Why? It's used between 4.5-9mg/night, in two divided doses. And never during the daytime. This is much different from taking doses much higher for recreational value during the day continiously every 90 minutes and during the night several times for many months.
GHB is addicitive if it is abused.
It's IMPOSSIBLE to maintain an addiction at the doses required for recreational use on Xyrem, because no patient would ever get that much prescribed.
The approval of an addictive substance by the FDA is routinely misinterpreted. Desoxyn (methamphetamine HCL) is a very abusable drug, but it's not possible to maintain any dose needed to get high with at the doses prescribed.
I get 20mg/day for my ADD and Idiopathic Hypersomnolence (sleepiness), divided by two doses a day. It's necessary to take about 50mg in a single dose to get high, and you'd have to maintain that high several times within a single day.
Moreover, Ultram *is* proven to cause withdrawl symptoms. You want to try to avoid any drug out there that causes withdrawl symptoms, if you can, even if it seems to take years to find one that will.
I can't imagine anyone being able to exaust so many possibilities that they're even considering Oxycotin for depression. I'd doubt many doctors would consider it before ECT if the case is actually that extreme to begin with.
Ands please, for the love of God, Xyrem is given in tiny doses, only at night. Do not compare that with someone who takes it recreationally, or mixes it with alcohol. Yes, many drugs are "date rape" drugs when mixed with alcohol. Xyrem's approval didn't change that fact.
poster:utopizen
thread:259342
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030912/msgs/259920.html