Posted by yxibow on May 15, 2005, at 1:20:17
In reply to Re: Yea, you can, posted by Phillipa on May 13, 2005, at 17:26:56
> I was always told that benzos and alchohol could >depress your respirations and you could die.
This is potentially possible but not particularly highly likely. It was much more of a problem in the days of barbiturates which is why those are nearly off the shelves. It depends on a lot of factors, probably body weight, the amount of benzodiazepine(s) that are currently being taken, and how soon the alcohol is ingested after taking a particular dose (the serum spike would occur shortly after the dose).
This is not to say that one should take 30mg of klonopin and tie one on an hour later. DONT. But a modest amount of benzodiazepine dosage and occasionally drinking, especially not around the time of ingestion or ingestion on an empty stomach, is unlikely to cause any significant respiratory depression. Just play it sensible.
>Meanwhile the pdoc switched me to chloral hydrate >for sleep. Well you can't drink with this as it >becomes a Mickey Finn. Now I'm off of it after 8 >yearsThis is quite a possible scenario -- DONT. You're quite correct. Chloral hydrate greatly accentuates alcohol because its manufacture and compound is closely related to ethanol itself.
>but am scared to death to drink with the valium >I'm on. The pdoc's brainwashed me.I'm not going to play doctor here or advocate the ingestion of alcohol. But, again, if the dosage is reasonably small and the prior precaution is taken not to take them too close together, its doubtful too much would happen. There is more to worry about with consistent drinking and benzodiazepines that extensively use the liver to metabolize. There's more worry in overtaxing the organ.
my 2c, tidings
poster:yxibow
thread:496948
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050510/msgs/497918.html