Posted by Larry Hoover on August 16, 2004, at 6:19:47
In reply to Re: half-lifes, posted by alesta on August 16, 2004, at 4:48:14
> thank you both for that information (while I definitely can’t say i understand all of it, lol). i was just recently wondering about half-lifes.
>
> Someone posted this on the net about Klonopin:
>
> "Here are some things that you may not know about Clonazepam: It has a 50 hr half life which means it takes 50 hours for it to dissipate to half of the dose that you took. Sounds good to most and a lot of doctors say that is a good thing but here is what they don’t tell you, If your doc tells you to take 1mg twice a day that means by the end of only one month your steady plasma level of Clonazepam will be around 30 to 40 mg and that is no lie!Well, they exaggerated the half-life, and the peak plasma concentration will not reach 30 mg at that dosing schedule. Off the top of my head (the math is complex), I'd estimate 6 to 8 mg. Moreover, clonazepam is extensively metabolized, by a series of liver enzymes, and enzymes in the digestive tract with the same function (which is called first-pass metabolism), so a lot of it is lost before it can even get to the blood that circulates through the body.
> You have now created havoc on your GABA system and you are officially an addict even if you don’t want to be."
You have not created havoc on the GABA system. Quite the contrary, you are treating a disturbed GABA system. Moreover, although you can become addicted, the dose is not an issue all by itself. Your body can become physiologically dependent on the drug, but that is not addiction. Somebody is playing a mean game with words.
> I *knew* that wasn’t right, lol. so, (please bear with me, here), are you saying that even if there was this immense buildup (she used the 50-hour half-life), it wouldn't cause someone to be addicted because the "duration of action" is the only period where it affects the brain, right?
>
> AmyDon't worry about the duration of action thing in relation to addiction. Addiction is more than becoming physiologically dependent on a drug. Addiction is that whole "gotta increase the dose to get a buzz" tolerance, using more despite intense adverse effects, using drugs despite disruptions in essential functioning caused by the drugs (e.g. using drugs instead of eating, sleeping, paying the rent, etc.), thingie.
Somebody out there is just not being nice.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:377551
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040811/msgs/378147.html