Posted by yxibow on September 30, 2008, at 2:33:21
In reply to Tolerance question, posted by socialphobic on September 27, 2008, at 7:39:16
> I am also wondering how come i've built up a tolerance when I only take benzo's like 1 - 2 times a week? I have been doing so for probably 6 years but not every week. Sometimes my insomnia won't be as bad so I won't need to take any for maybe a month.
Six years is enough to build some tolerance even if they are only being taken twice a week because the plasma level (not the half life) of the medication will slowly build up and down and up and down -- creating eventually a steady low level, possibly. I don't really know actually, but that's just theoretical.
> I wouldn't think that only taking them 1 - 2 times a week on average would be enough to build up a tolerance? The first time I took a benzo was great, it knocked me out and I felt nice and calm for the whole next day. I just don't get that anymore at the same dosage.
This is a typical reaction to agents like this -- the first time I took Ambien it was amazing but it was dull afterwards. You may not feel a 'zing' but if it is doing something to calm you down, it may still be working. If it isn't doing any of the above, you may have some tolerance.
> Also if you cross over between different benzo's does it not affect your tolerance? Eg, if you took diazepam on monday, oxazepam on tuesday, nitrazepam on wednesday, temazepam on thursday etc... would you not build up a tolerance? Or would you still build up a tolerance because they are from the same family? I asked this once before but no-one seemed to know.
Yes. Tolerance will build up to some extent, for an unknown period of time in individuals. And doing a merrygoround of benzodiazepines is not a sound idea.All of those are mixtures of sedative benzodiazepines and hypnotic benzodiazepines -- actually all benzodiazepines have four features, but usually one is a primary.
For most people, it is a best idea to stick with a primary long half life benzodiazepine, and for emergency purposes something like Xanax or Ativan, but not all the time.
> If taking different benzo's DO build up a tolerance due to being in the same family, would it be okay to criss-cross with other sedating meds eg, zyprexa, seroquel, avanza? Eg could you take zyprexa one night, avazna the next, and a benzo the next? Would this prevent tolerance due to being in different families?Neuroleptics cannot be taken one night and then another one the next. You just don't know what will happen, there are too many variables and side effects and things that you really don't want to happen as a result of crossing. At best, they will only serve as a temporary sedative and at worse they could cause akathisia which certainly wouldn't serve a purpose.
As for their real effects, only one should be cautiously tried at once and two weeks is a minimum window to start feeling something from them, if you are taking them for a specific purpose.
> Hopefully this makes some sense to people. I've always wondered this but no-one seems to know the true answer.
There isn't a full answer to all of this -- sometimes there are the unexplained. But I think the one thing is not jumping all over the map, because that isn't necessarily going to prevent things and could aggravate problems.
As for the original post, Serax (oxazepam) is a very low potency agent, more potent than Librium but on the low end of things. Valium is much stronger.
Best wishes, and I think you should discuss this with your doctor. I don't think that he/she would prescribe multiple agents like that, because it just makes a chemistry mess.
-- tidings
Jay
poster:yxibow
thread:854173
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080926/msgs/854898.html