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Re: Benzodiazepine Tolerance

Posted by PaulB on June 29, 2001, at 15:57:06

In reply to Re: Benzodiazepine Tolerance, posted by Anna Laura on June 29, 2001, at 0:55:34

> > PaulB wrote:
> >
> > I wanted to find out about the causes of the tolerance that can occur when exposure to a benzodiazepine is given for longer period of time. Going back to basics, benzodiazepines exert their anxiolytic, amnesic, muscle-relaxant, hypnotic and sedative effects by binding to the omega receptors and thus potentiating the brain natural supply of GABA. Can anyone tell me whether the tolerance that may occur with longer term exposure to these drugs is caused by a decrease in the sesitivity and/or no of bz omega reptors or lowered levels of the brain own supply of natural GABA that the benzodiazepines potentiate.
> >
> > I would appreciate to hear from all those people who have experience and knowledge of this type of psych-babble and look forward to seeing the responses I get
> > Take care
> > PaulB
>
>
> Hi Paul
>
>
> I developed benzos tolerance very very quickly.
> I' m not sure about the chemistry involved in this reaction, even if i actually took an anatomy of the nervous system examination years ago (it was long ago though, i don't remember much). If i remember correctly, benzos function like a kind of "covering" (i.e. : like a blanket if you're cold) the rebound effect thus leaving you "defenceless". I personally felt like my skin was peeled off, oversensitive and kind of vulnerable. I think that the reaction depends on your own personal brain chemistry though: some people get the opposite reaction : they feel undersensitive and kind of anhedonic after benzos usage instead.

PaulB writes

First of all, Anna, I hope your anhedonia isnt getting too much(I had to look that one up). There really are lots of dopaminergic drugs that you can try other than L-Dopa and Judy, good to see Clonazepam still helping you.

I myself build up tolerance to ''possibly'' addictive medicines/drugs quite quickly. I think its great that Judy has done so well on Clonazepam for so long although a psychiatrist I saw suggests that it is not all that uncommon, writing

'Continuous exposure(benzodiazepine) for an extended period results in tolerance and some degree of dependance. However, the drug will still produce a therapeutic effect. The biggest problem is the withdrawal'

I think of myself has being sesitive to addictive substances because of a time two years ago when I drank a lot. I quickly built up a tolerance to alchol(1 week or so) and I think thats quite uncommon when all my university friends spend 4 years boozing 90-100% of the time so I would be very interested in just how quickly the therapeutic effects of the benzodiazepines took to wore off for you Anna.

It was my understanding, you see, that benzodiazepines may certainly cause tolerance over extended period of time but for 2-4 weeks, at least, they are the original 'mothers little helpers and a cure to all that ails you' and tolerance during this time is v-uncommon? Any ideas about this theory?


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poster:PaulB thread:68279
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010625/msgs/68373.html