Addiction - dosing question

[davidlxxl]

Swim was wondering if dosing three times a day will cause GHB addiction.
Swim has a breathing disorder called empty nose syndrome. This disorder causes swim to be constantly short of breath(dyspnea) 24 hours a day.
This causes swim unbelievable anxiety and chronic depression. Swim has tried
opiates and while they help somewhat swim doesn't like the side affects.
Swim is looking for a strong anti anxiety drug that will help him get some relief. Swim learned about GHB and saw that it can help anxiety. Swim knows that it can be addicting if dosed 24/7 and doesn't want that to happen.
Swim would like to get some relief from this nightmare disorder and was thinking about using a small dose three times a day.
Swim was wondering what others think about swim using GHB for this problem.
Swim is very thank full to anyone that replies to help swim out.

[MrG]

Well therein lies the problem. Whilst it is universally recognised that dosing 24/7 for an extended period can lead to severe withdrawal problems, there isn't enough research to state quite when that line is crossed.

After all, Xyrem (pharma GHB) patients are prescribed two sleep doses at night (2 x 4.5g usually 4 hours apart) and, according to research, those asked to stop taking it after a full year of twice a night dosing reported no adverse effects.

GHB is metabolised by the body incredibly easily and therefore the question is why does the withdrawal issue occur at all?

My personal opinion is that it is probably nothing to do with the sudden loss of the regular GHB intake that causes the withdrawals per se, rather it is more likely that, due to the user inducing a constant altered state with regards to the extended period of up/downregulation of the GABA and DA receptors, it takes the brain much longer than normal to return to baseline resulting in an extended "withdrawal" period. Something that doesn't occur with Xyrem patients because they take a dose, sleep for a few hours, which allows the GHB to be fully metabolized and excreted, which results in the return to baseline before the second dose is due.

I believe that the key here is the redosing before the effects of the previous dose have fully worn off. Don't forget that they then have a full day without taking any GHB until the next night, plenty of time for the brain to have fully "reset".

My opinion with regards to your question?

Tread very very carefully. By all means try and track down any research papers you can that may give a more realistic approach to your problem but please be aware that, as far as I have read, most people who went on to have a GHB addiction problem started taking is for anxiety related conditions which meant multiple daytime dosing.

The addiction actually stems from the user beginning to feel a withdrawal "issue" starting to occur if they don't redose in time and, on the basis that it probably feels like the worst anxiety attack ever is about to hit them, they find themselves redosing to stop it from happening. They don't feel a compulsion to take the GHB, rather they fear the anxiety level rising and thus redose to simply avoid it.

At this stage in my research, if I were to lean towards any particular direction with regards to the use of GHB with anxiety related issues, I would feel that a user *may* benefit more from the same dosing schedule as a Xyrem patient. For example, Xyrem (GHB) doesn't actually treat the narcoleptics brain condition, what it does is allow them to get 2 x 4 hours of very high quality sleep which alleviates their daytime cataplexy.

My theory is that many brain disorders might be alleviated too simply by giving it a way to acheive the high quality slow wave sleep that it needs. Some users may find that this, in itself, is sufficient to improve their anxiety or depression related condition.

Ideally SWIY should be able to go and discuss this with his doctor but, due to the ignorance driven hysteria surrounding GHB, there are not many doctors who have read unbiased research.

[davidlxxl]

Swim appreciates MR G's thorough response. Swim does not want to get high on GHB yet only wants to feel somewhat normal again. Therefore swim was wondering if a much lower dose such as .5 gram or 1 gram would have any positive benefits for anxiety with a less chance for addition.

Swim was also wondering about using one of GHB's derivites that supposedly
last much longer per dose. Swim would be happy to relieve his anxiety once daily for a longer period then get addicted dosing multiple times.
Swim was wondering if any of these derivitives might not have the same addition potential

Swim also ordered some stablon and finds this can help his anxiety somewhat. Swim was wondering if swim could take both these drugs at the same time?

Swim agrees that swims sleep is not very good. Swims shallow breathing when asleep causes him not to feel rested when he awakes. Swim wakes up at night scared because swim doesn't know where swim is and has many nightmares. Swim has experienced better sleep when swims breathing improves ocasionally and this improves his mood considerably. That is until swims breathing worsens
and swims anxiety starts to ramp up to unbearable levels.

Swim hopes GHB can help swim at least a little but swim doesn't want get his hopes up too high because swim gets more depressed when something with potential doesn't help swim out.



Thank you for all your help

[MrG]

Hehe, you don't have to say SWIM for every reference, you can say "him" "he" etc.

As far as I know, dosing for anxiety is usually confined to the .5g 1g mark. Any more than that is likely to start being noticeable.

TBH, if one could absolutely be fully aware of the needed dosing pattern and stick to it without deviation, it is probably perfectly achievable without falling into the withdrawal zone. One would need to be a fully educated and learned type though, these forum's have a wealth of information and if SWIY were to insist on experimenting with this to combat his anxiety it would be best to start reading, lots.

This file details self-medication of social phobia with GHB that led to dependency:
http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/loc...tid=28&id=4782

[orb353]

Try Kava. It does help with anxiety. It is not a cure all by any means, but it does work. GHB at low doses is like a beer buzz. Anxiety disappears, replaced by a great outlook on life, nice shining smile. swim has been playing with it. Longer sessions( redosing every 45 min or so) tend to create the same feeling of a long session of drinking alcohol. Attitude changes and such- aggression. This is over 4 -6 hr session. 2-3 session ( redosing only once) has not presented any problems, only good feelings.