Benzodiazepines
{Benzos, Blues, BZDs, Tranks, Z-Bars, Downers}
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Harm Reduction
There are certain precautions you should take before doing benzos. The advice below helps you to be physically and mentally prepared before doing it. Furthermore, we want you to be safe, and just in case you have a bad experience or some of the unwanted side effects associated with DRUG, we have also provided information on how to take care of yourself when you are in full swing. Finally, there are those uncomfortable or undesirable effects after the high have worn out, we will provide you with some practical tips on how to have a better calm down and help you to reduce the harm done to your body and brain.
Head over to our ME section if you would like to know more about harm reduction.
Test your drug. Illicitly produced benzos are encountered frequently. These drugs might be cut with fentanyl and this combination is life-threatening. Therefore, we highly advise you to test your drug for it.
Set a dose regimen. Tolerance develops quickly so there is a tendency to increase the dose gradually. Do not increase your dose to prevent developing dependence. If you need more to achieve the same effect, try to have longer breaks.
Mind your heart. Stimulants speed up your heart while depressants slow it down. These mixed signals might cause dysrhythmias or heart failure 13. Avoid mixing these drugs if you have a heart problem.
Take Vitamin C. Benzos affect memory creation and can cause short-term amnesia. Some evidence show that high doses of Vitamin C can reduce this 14.
Avoid injection. Injecting crushed tablets causes severe complications such as tissue damage or death due to benzos’ high lipid-solubility 15. Injecting street benzodiazepine carries more danger as it is likely to contain other substances which may increase harm. Sharing injecting equipment further risks infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. If you are going to inject benzodiazepine, use water-soluble benzos and new injecting equipment. Free needle and syringe exchange services are available around the UK. They provide sterile injecting equipment as well as advice to users.
Variation within ethnicities. Individuals of Asian heritage may have slower metabolism of benzos 16. It is advised to start with half the usual recommended starting dose.
Increased sensitivity of cocaine users. Regular cocaine users have an enhanced sensitivity to benzos resulting with more intense effects 17. It is recommended to use lower doses than the common dose.
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References
1 Dassanayake, T., Michie, P., Carter, G. and Jones, A. (2011). Effects of Benzodiazepines, Antidepressants and Opioids on Driving. Drug Safety, 34(2), pp.125-156. DOI: 10.2165/11539050-000000000-00000.
2 Canada, H. (2018). Benzodiazepines - Canada.ca.
3 Benzo.org.uk. (2012). Benzodiazepines: How They Work & How to Withdraw.
4 Cooper, S. (1989). Benzodiazepines and appetite: Recent pre-clinical advances and their clinical implications. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 4(2), pp.81-89. DOI: 10.1002/hup.470040203.
5 Hojer, J., Baehrendtz, S. and Gustafsson, L. (1989). Benzodiazepine poisoning: experience of 702 admissions to an intensive care unit during a 14-year period. Journal of Internal Medicine, 226(2), pp.117-122. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2796.1989.tb01365.x.
6 Partanen, T., Vikatmaa, P., Tukiainen, E., Lepäntalo, M. and Vuola, J. (2009). Outcome after Injections of Crushed Tablets in Intravenous Drug Abusers in the Helsinki University Central Hospital. European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, 37(6), pp.704-711. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.ejvs.2009.01.016.
7 Starcevic, B. and Sicaja, M. (2007). Dual intoxication with diazepam and amphetamine: This drug interaction probably potentiates myocardial ischemia. Medical Hypotheses, 69(2), pp.377-380. DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2006.12.033.
8 Mattila, M.J. and Nuotto E. (1983). Caffeine and theophylline counteract diazepam effects in man. Medical Biology, 61(6), pp.337-43.
9 Emmanouil, D. and Quock, R. (2007). Advances in Understanding the Actions of Nitrous Oxide. Anesthesia Progress, 54(1), pp.9-18. DOI: 10.2344/0003-3006(2007)54[9:AIUTAO]2.0.CO;2.
10 Jones, J., Mogali, S. and Comer, S. (2012). Polydrug abuse: A review of opioid and benzodiazepine combination use. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 125(1-2), pp.8-18. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.07.004.
11 Kroboth P.D., Smith R.B., Stoehr G.P. and Juhl R.P. (1985). Pharmacodynamic evaluation of the benzodiazepine-oral contraceptive interaction. Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, 38(5), pp.525-32.
12 D'Arcy P.F. (1986). Drug interactions with oral contraceptives. Drug Intelligence & Clinical Pharmacology, 20(5), pp.353-62.
13 Starcevic, B. and Sicaja, M. (2007). Dual intoxication with diazepam and amphetamine: This drug interaction probably potentiates myocardial ischemia. Medical Hypotheses, 69(2), pp.377-380. DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2006.12.033.
14 Parle, M. and Dhingra, D. (2003). Ascorbic Acid: a Promising Memory-Enhancer in Mice. Journal of Pharmacological Sciences, 93(2), pp.129-135. DOI: 10.1254/jphs.93.129.
15 Partanen, T., Vikatmaa, P., Tukiainen, E., Lepäntalo, M. and Vuola, J. (2009). Outcome after Injections of Crushed Tablets in Intravenous Drug Abusers in the Helsinki University Central Hospital. European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, 37(6), pp.704-711. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejvs.2009.01.016.
16 Chen, J.P., Barron, C., Lin, K.M., and Chung, H. (2002). Prescribing medication for Asians with mental disorders. Western Journal of Medicine, 176(4), pp.271--275.
17 Volkow, N.D., Wang, G.J., Fowler, J.S., Hitzemann, R., Gatley, S.J., Dewey, S.S., Pappas, N. (1998). Enhanced sensitivity to benzodiazepines in active cocaine-abusing subjects: a PET study. American Journal of Psychiatry, 155(2), pp.200-6.
18 Verster, J. and Volkerts, E. (2006). Clinical Pharmacology, Clinical Efficacy, and Behavioral Toxicity of Alprazolam: A Review of the Literature. CNS Drug Reviews, 10(1), pp.45-76. DOI: 10.1111/j.1527-3458.2004.tb00003.x.
19 Haque, W., Watson, D.J., Bryant, S.G. (1990). Death following suspected alprazolam withdrawal seizures: a case report. Texas Medicine, 86(1), pp.44-7.
20 Barker, M., Greenwood, K., Jackson, M. and Crowe, S. (2004). Cognitive Effects of Long-Term Benzodiazepine Use. CNS Drugs, 18(1), pp.37-48. DOI: 10.2165/00023210-200418010-00004.
21 Takada, M., Fujimoto, M. and Hosomi, K. (2016). Association between Benzodiazepine Use and Dementia: Data Mining of Different Medical Databases. International Journal of Medical Sciences, 13(11), pp.825-834. DOI: 10.7150/ijms.16185.
22 Harnod, T., Wang, Y. and Kao, C. (2015). Association Between Benzodiazepine Use and Epilepsy Occurrence. Medicine, 94(37), p.e1571. DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000001571.
23 Riss, J., Cloyd, J., Gates, J. and Collins, S. (2008). Benzodiazepines in epilepsy: pharmacology and pharmacokinetics. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 118(2), pp.69-86. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2008.01004.x.
24 Kadoi, C., Hayasaka, S., Tsukamoto, E., Matsumoto, M., Hayasaka, Y. and Nagaki, Y. (2000). Bilateral Angle Closure Glaucoma and Visual Loss Precipitated by Antidepressant and Antianxiety Agents in a Patient with Depression. Ophthalmologica, 214(5), pp.360-361. DOI: 10.1159/000027521.
25 Begleiter, H. and Kissin, B. (1996). The Pharmacology of Alcohol and Alcohol Dependence. New York: Oxford University Press, p.128.
26 Ramsey-Williams, V., Wu, Y. and Rosenberg, H. (1994). Comparison of anticonvulsant tolerance, crosstolerance, and benzodiazepine receptor binding following chronic treatment with diazepam or midazolam. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 48(3), pp.765-772. DOI: 10.1016/0091-3057(94)90344-1.
27 Høiseth, G., Andås, H., Bachs, L. and Mørland, J. (2014). Impairment due to amphetamines and benzodiazepines, alone and in combination. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 145, pp.174-179. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.10.013.
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