resorcinol
05-22-2009, 12:17 AM
.. anxiolytic benzos. I just quit opioids and the amount of anxiolytic benzos I need to fall asleep is ridiculous. I know the hypnotic benzos are probably much better for sleep than z-drugs, but I really feel that z-drugs are better for insomnia than anxiolytic benzos.
I know that all benzos are agonists at all of the GABA(A) subunits (a1, a2,3, a5) with a histidine residue in the right spot (a4 has a different amino acid in that critical spot and thus benzos are not agonists at a4 subtypes), but the likes of klonopin and serax really don't tickle the a1 subtype enough to be effective sleep aids. Zolpidem is less recreational no doubt, but I can say from experience I can understand why a doc would prescribe zolpidem over, say, xanax for insomnia - zolpidem is superior at hitting the a1 subtype and it shows as zolpidem puts me to sleep despite a ridiculous tolerance to benzodiazepines.
Klonopin and serax make me loopy, don't-give-a-damn about anything buzzed up, and cause pretty obvious motor impairment ... but they just don't make me very tired at all.
I have to conclude that docs aren't trying to steer us away from recreational use when they Rx ambien or lunesta over xanax or klonopin (or valium, serax, ativan, etc). Maybe some docs have that on their mind, but IME zolpidem is a better sleep aid than anxiolytic benzos.
The point of this post? At my last docs appointment I forgot that I had no ambien refills left and didn't ask for a new Rx. This is kinda inconvenient because now is when I really need it the most. It takes doses of klonopin or serax far, far too large to put me out while zolpidem still does the trick at just 10 mg.
If anyone out there is angling for a benzo script ... forget about scoring hypnotic benzos by complaining of insomnia - you'll only get them after the z-drugs have been exhausted to death and even then a doc will be hesitant to Rx something like Restoril or Halcion because they're frankly pretty dangerous if recreational use is attempted. If you want a benzo you need to show signs of panic disorder ... panic disorder will almost always unless you have a really anti-controlled substance doc will generally get you a script for a benzo (just not the hypnotics). Now before anybody jumps on me about how scamming docs makes it more difficult for those in actual need to get relief ... remember I HAVE panic disorder so my Rx for anxiolytics is legitimate. Thing is, people will ALWAYS be scamming docs for drugs until the war on drugs ends and it's a waste of their time and yours if you go about fishing for drugs the wrong way.
PAWS is sucky and I'm pretty jaded about the fact that society demonizes the drugs that work best for me (opioids) - I was NEVER as happy in my ENTIRE LIFE as I was on a combination of a stimulant, antidepressant, and maintenance fentanyl at 50 ug/hr. I'll survive without, but it pisses me off to no end that I can't have the ultimate treatment for my problems. I'm not talkign euphoria .... the stimulant and opioid used AS PRESCRIBED at those doses still kills depression and anxiety dead long long after the euphoria is gone. The clear conclusion for me is that life sucks even moreso for us than for "normals" due to a societal, arbitrary, prejudice. I'm not gonna cry myself a river but I'm definitely bitchy about the whole damn thing. I don't GET why it's so wrong to alter brain chemistry if you're not getting the pleasure out of life that other folks seem to get. Oh wait ... it's OK to alter it with drugs that cannot be used recreationally like SSRIs, but if there's a chance you might get high, it's off limits ... I still fail to see the difference. Who seriously gives a damn if responsible adults (a minority, even if opioids were legal, I'd bet money on it) decide to get high on their opioids instead of using as prescribed? Why is it anyone's goddamn business? Ah, well, none of us really have a choice --- we're living in the wrong time to want / need these types of substances.
I know that all benzos are agonists at all of the GABA(A) subunits (a1, a2,3, a5) with a histidine residue in the right spot (a4 has a different amino acid in that critical spot and thus benzos are not agonists at a4 subtypes), but the likes of klonopin and serax really don't tickle the a1 subtype enough to be effective sleep aids. Zolpidem is less recreational no doubt, but I can say from experience I can understand why a doc would prescribe zolpidem over, say, xanax for insomnia - zolpidem is superior at hitting the a1 subtype and it shows as zolpidem puts me to sleep despite a ridiculous tolerance to benzodiazepines.
Klonopin and serax make me loopy, don't-give-a-damn about anything buzzed up, and cause pretty obvious motor impairment ... but they just don't make me very tired at all.
I have to conclude that docs aren't trying to steer us away from recreational use when they Rx ambien or lunesta over xanax or klonopin (or valium, serax, ativan, etc). Maybe some docs have that on their mind, but IME zolpidem is a better sleep aid than anxiolytic benzos.
The point of this post? At my last docs appointment I forgot that I had no ambien refills left and didn't ask for a new Rx. This is kinda inconvenient because now is when I really need it the most. It takes doses of klonopin or serax far, far too large to put me out while zolpidem still does the trick at just 10 mg.
If anyone out there is angling for a benzo script ... forget about scoring hypnotic benzos by complaining of insomnia - you'll only get them after the z-drugs have been exhausted to death and even then a doc will be hesitant to Rx something like Restoril or Halcion because they're frankly pretty dangerous if recreational use is attempted. If you want a benzo you need to show signs of panic disorder ... panic disorder will almost always unless you have a really anti-controlled substance doc will generally get you a script for a benzo (just not the hypnotics). Now before anybody jumps on me about how scamming docs makes it more difficult for those in actual need to get relief ... remember I HAVE panic disorder so my Rx for anxiolytics is legitimate. Thing is, people will ALWAYS be scamming docs for drugs until the war on drugs ends and it's a waste of their time and yours if you go about fishing for drugs the wrong way.
PAWS is sucky and I'm pretty jaded about the fact that society demonizes the drugs that work best for me (opioids) - I was NEVER as happy in my ENTIRE LIFE as I was on a combination of a stimulant, antidepressant, and maintenance fentanyl at 50 ug/hr. I'll survive without, but it pisses me off to no end that I can't have the ultimate treatment for my problems. I'm not talkign euphoria .... the stimulant and opioid used AS PRESCRIBED at those doses still kills depression and anxiety dead long long after the euphoria is gone. The clear conclusion for me is that life sucks even moreso for us than for "normals" due to a societal, arbitrary, prejudice. I'm not gonna cry myself a river but I'm definitely bitchy about the whole damn thing. I don't GET why it's so wrong to alter brain chemistry if you're not getting the pleasure out of life that other folks seem to get. Oh wait ... it's OK to alter it with drugs that cannot be used recreationally like SSRIs, but if there's a chance you might get high, it's off limits ... I still fail to see the difference. Who seriously gives a damn if responsible adults (a minority, even if opioids were legal, I'd bet money on it) decide to get high on their opioids instead of using as prescribed? Why is it anyone's goddamn business? Ah, well, none of us really have a choice --- we're living in the wrong time to want / need these types of substances.