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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by notfeelingthebest on January 20, 2006, at 15:18:47
You know how the label says "avoid alcoholic drink?" They don't actually say don't drink at all. There's also some bit about the combination will relax your lungs to the point where you'll die. I've heard other reports suggesting that drinking and taking benzos can lead to seizures and even death. Any truth to this?
I have noticed that sometimes I'm sitting back having a whiskey and then I'll wake up with my drink all over my shirt. Have I had one of those non-convulsant seizures? Did I just pass out? I use to pass out when I used to drink heavily, but this seems different.
Does anyone know exactly how dangerous this is (links to facts and figures)? Any brain damage involved?
Posted by Paulbwell on January 20, 2006, at 20:02:16
In reply to Benzos and the Sauce, posted by notfeelingthebest on January 20, 2006, at 15:18:47
> You know how the label says "avoid alcoholic drink?" They don't actually say don't drink at all. There's also some bit about the combination will relax your lungs to the point where you'll die. I've heard other reports suggesting that drinking and taking benzos can lead to seizures and even death. Any truth to this?
>
> I have noticed that sometimes I'm sitting back having a whiskey and then I'll wake up with my drink all over my shirt. Have I had one of those non-convulsant seizures? Did I just pass out? I use to pass out when I used to drink heavily, but this seems different.
>
> Does anyone know exactly how dangerous this is (links to facts and figures)? Any brain damage involved?What benzo are you taking and at what dose, that would help?
Cheers
Posted by yxibow on January 21, 2006, at 5:09:38
In reply to Benzos and the Sauce, posted by notfeelingthebest on January 20, 2006, at 15:18:47
> You know how the label says "avoid alcoholic drink?" They don't actually say don't drink at all. There's also some bit about the combination will relax your lungs to the point where you'll die. I've heard other reports suggesting that drinking and taking benzos can lead to seizures and even death. Any truth to this?
I'm not sure about seizures, but it isn't the best idea to down a few pints just after you've taken your prescribed benzodiazepine (especially the stronger ones for sleep like temazepam, that would be a total nono), because respiratory depression is real in benzodiazepines. Because they relax muscles, they relax most muscles, including those that are controlling one's lungs. Alcohol only increases this action.
If one must drink, and realistically even if people are prescribed medications that say "avoid alcoholic drinks", most people can get away with the occasional drink or two, but its not best right after the peak of a benzodiazepine. Even if one has a long acting one like Valium, there is still a peak plasma level, and its best to wait a few hours.
Its the same thing that they say about "operating heavy machinery". If you're on a high dose benzodiazepine regimen, it takes time to adjust your reflexes on the highway, because just because one isn't drinking alcohol, depending on your jurisdiction, you can still have a DUI for wandering all over the freeway after just starting a regimen and not taking reflex and reaction time into account.
>
> I have noticed that sometimes I'm sitting back having a whiskey and then I'll wake up with my drink all over my shirt. Have I had one of those non-convulsant seizures? Did I just pass out? I use to pass out when I used to drink heavily, but this seems different.
No, you've combined two CNS depressants and lived to tell the tale. You've passed out and your conscious reflexes have no longer held your drink. One time I also accidentally still had hard cider in my system before I took Trazodone. I wound up on the bathroom floor some hours later because the alcohol accentuated the orthostatic hypotension.
Benzodiazepine induced seizures are fairly rare from what I can tell. Alcohol withdrawal seizures though can mimic benzodiazepine withdrawal seizures, though that is more associated with defined alcoholism. Librium is prescribed for the treatment of alcoholism so I would imagine that the combination of the two have definately occurred together.
In general, benzodiazepines have a far greater margin between ED50 (effective dose) and LD50 (lethal dose) than their prior barbiturates. But add one, two, or even more CNS depressants together, and lung depression can develop.
So, its basically -- can your body handle it, if you're experiencing blackouts, its probably a sign that there are too many CNS depressants being intaked at once, and its time to modulate one's behaviour. Reduce one or the other.
If you're still experiencing blackouts without combination of alcohol and you're concerned about petit mal seizures., it might be good to talk to your doctor about an EEG monitoring of absence seizures. Or possibly add Depakote which is a broad spectrum seizure medication. But this really is only if you've had a history of seizure disorders in the first place. Its fairly genetic, and rare, and the duration of these seizures are short. I'll bet if you remember the last time you looked at your watch before you passed out, several hours have gone by.
Posted by mattw84 on January 23, 2006, at 12:46:19
In reply to Re: Benzos and the Sauce » notfeelingthebest, posted by yxibow on January 21, 2006, at 5:09:38
Frankly the combination is not a good idea, though I too have gotten away with it. The idea is that it is two CNS depressants, basically the most lethal combination. Benzos and alcohol work quite similarly, in actuality the doses of benzos you take would be really strong if it weren't for the fact that your liver processes most of it before you ever notice it is there. So maybe 10% of your dose is actually "active," when combined with alcohol your liver gets side-tracked and a whole lot more of that dose becomes active; in addition to the alcohol. That's what is really the risk, is that the BZD becomes much more potent, a type of synergy caused by the alcohol.
With all due respect to that, it is not wise to combine the two. However, I was taking 6mg of Xanax XR a day and often drank a pint of whiskey with it with no ill side-effect. Your mileage may vary though, I didn't know any better until my doctor told me either. Just be cautious, if you are passing out that is likely a sign that you are over doing it, and the risks far outweigh the benefits.
Best,
Matt
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