Why Don't Opiates Work Together?

[Dwale T. Brewer]

http://forum.opiophile.org/images/icons/icon14.gif WHY DON'T OPIATES "MIX" WELL?
I am sure that someone here can tell me why opiates don't mix well. I have always been curious, but please keep in mind that I barely made it through chemistry in high school (I got a D- cheating off the next most chemically impaired kid's test, I didn't want to "ace" it, I just never wanted to go through it again. If there is a way someone can explain it to me kind of like you are explaining it to a first grader, I'd appreciate it.

Does one opiate take up all of the opiate receptors or something so the others can't get through? Why don't other drugs work that way, like benzos for example. If you take a valium, and stack an ativan, a xanax, a halcion, whatever you add makes what you feel all the stronger, and it doesn't matter what KIND of benzo you throw in. But with opiates, it seems to be just the opposite.

I know there are a lot of brilliant chemists out there in these opioforums - can one of you kind of talk down to me enough for me to understand why this is?

THANK YOU!! :cool:

[Paregoric Kid]

I mix opiates all the time and it works well

examples: oxycodone 95mg + 25mg hydrocodone = signifcantly stronger than just the 95mg of oxy
morphine 90mg + methadone 30mg + tramadol 300mg = signifcantly stronger
1 bag of heroin + methadone 40mg + codeine 200mg = significantly stronger

if you take upwards of 50-60mg of methadone then you may experience a sort of "blocking effect," which is that the methadone has filled up all receptors and other opiates can't get in, this usually doesn't become noticable in most people unless they are on upwards of 60-80mg methadone though. also there are few opioids that have a ceiling effect or are only partial agonists, but those ones generally "suck" lol. other than that opiates usually mix well.

[blackdog]

Yo PK i had just recently sent to our bi11i some info concerning(warning) of the possible dangers of mixing certain types of pharmical items with others.such as Tramadol and Methadone are not to be used together,something about epileptic type of fits or possible respiratory shutdown. maybe bi11i has it available or i'm sure you might of heard of something to that affect/effect?:sickinbed

[Paregoric Kid]

I've mixed them before. tramadol on it's own can cause seizures, even below the maximum recommended dosage, so if you take tramadol recreationally it is at your own risk, like anything else. also, anyone who takes an opiate taken with more opiates is running the possible risk of respiratory failure, it's a risk I don't mind taking. but anyone who has researched tramadol and other opiates should know these risks already. tramadol on it's own sucks, if you have a tolerance. I just use it to potentiate stronger opiates.

[HeidiW]

Methadone and Xanax causes respiratory failure, my cousin died mixing them!

[Peripat]

Methadone and Xanax causes respiratory failure, my cousin died mixing them!

Yeah, and Xanax isn't an opiate. It's a benzodiazepene. Let's stay on-topic please :)