Harm Reduction ⫸DANGEROUS Drug Combos⫷

[BlossomsBlooming]

Nice idea my man! This can be a place where GL's and BL's can make inquiries as to the safety of certain combinations as well. While we have a potentiation megathread already, maybe we can add a section on that too, in case someone accidentally and unknowingly drinks a cup of WGF juice before their usual deadly cocktail of CNS depressants and dies. In all seriousness though, that might be beneficial.

What I'm interested in (just out of curiosity) is whether a drug like Gabapentin or Lyrica would really be classified as CNS depressants, and if they could really cause an overdose if someone say, took a high dose of gabapentin with their usual dosage of Oxycodone.

I found this:


Which basically says that it exhibits similarities to both stimulants and depressants. The fact that it raises blood pressure, makes me wonder further whether a gabapentin/opiate combo could result in an overdose. I know Lyrica is stronger and I'm pretty sure that it doesn't suffer from the self limiting qualities that Gabapentin does (the reduced bioavailibility at higher dosages), however I'm still curious about that one too.

One dangerous combination that I just thought of also is using methamphetamine/amphetamine in concurrence with asthma inhalers, I'm thinking specifically albuterol sulfate. I know that an overdose of albuterol is possibly by itself and can result in a heart attack, and I can only imagine what adding speed or cocaine could do.

I have to correct you here because our lungs only have certain number of receptors that albuterol can attach to, so there is no chance of overdose. But status asthmaticus-when an attack isn’t responding to the albuterol, it is time to call 911. This is paramount: do not chance to drive yourself as an ambulance is a mini ER and if a person can’t move air they will die from respiratory failure. ABC’s: Airway Breathing Circulation in that order. So asthmatics need a good amount of albuterol on hand especially if smoking anything.

Hopefully their asthma is well controlled with a steroid inhaler as well, and they see a good doctor on a routine basis. When albuterol was first developed in the 1980’s it was a whole new world for asthmatics! All of a sudden they could breathe, and they can go do whatever and if/when they became tight and short of breath they could hit their inhaler and keep breathing! Woo hoo! Tragically this actually caused a spike and fatal attacks. What was happening is the albuterol works as a bronchodilator and will relieve the bronchospasm in that regard, however it is imperative that an asthmatic also be on a daily steroid inhaler to manage the inflammation of the tissue inside the lungs, if not the lungs will swell shut and then there is nothing that can be done. It’s like glue. Sady you can’t just open the lungs up by blowing air with a breathing or chest tube when then are swelled shut (if only!).

I am a lifelong asthmatic in a family of asthmatics. We don’t get excited if someone has extra pain pills, it’s all about the breathing meds for us! Haha! I have been hospitalized and the last time had a completely inept MD on call treating me: I couldn’t even get one word out to tell him to call pulmonology, but tears started flowing flowing with 4 dingbats staring at me and my heart monitor now up to 150. I thought they were going to watch me die. Finally Dr. Douchlord told the nurse to get a pulmonologist stat. This precious little bald doctor from India could spell my panic down the hall I’m sure. He patted me softly and told me he would not let me die and that he would intubate if necessary and in time to save my life. He got a massive dose of IV steroids on board, but what made me feel like I could breathe was a magnesium drip that relaxed all the smooth muscles around the respiratory system. Holy hell, I was still wheezing like a freight train both in and out insanely loudly, which I could care less about because finally I felt like I could breathe. That was the closest I ever came to checking out.

I had two separate families go through the horror of a fatal attack of their 21 year old daughter running around partying as we all due at that age. She died in her friend’s front yard. Unbearable.

The other case was another young man in his 20’s that felt tight, was nebbing himself without any relief. His girlfriend tried to drive him to the hospital and he stopped breathing as they pulled in. ED staff were able to regain his vitals unfortunately in truth because he has been in a vegetative state for the last 20+ years.

Don’t hesitate to call 911 if someone can’t breathe. You wouldn’t regret it but you would if they died in front of you. Crazy shit right? Major.