Re: Opioids, benzos and blocking cytokines

[Guest guest]

Hi Nelly, I have the same response to opiods, and better luck with

the synthetics - I get sometimes more relief from 5mg of hydracodone

than I do from 30mg of morphine sulfate. I also noticed that plain

hydrocodone is more effective than the higher dosed 'time-release'

versions.

I think you're dead on about cytokines being blocked, I get less

sensory overload and disorientation as well as reduced pain

sensation on opiod medications. Because they target brain and nerve

receptors, I think they're very appropriate medications for

neuroborreliosis. Of course, in the US if you say that they call you

a drug addict, because ignorance about pain and nerve disorders is

considered a virtue here.

Plain diazepam has some good qualities - that's one thing I agree

with the unnameable site about. It's odd what a difference it makes

which flavor of benzodiazepam you take. Clonazepam is better than

lorazepam, by a long shot, for me, but doctors prefer to prescribe

lorazepam. Again, because they fear the latter is addictive. Never

mind that if one has a chronic disease, long term treatment is

perfectly appropriate, and effective doses are generally pretty low.

I notice that none of these drugs help much with the first wave of

herxing, which I think is mostly endotoxin. When the endotoxins get

gobbled up by the immune cells, though, they raise all sorts of

cytokine hell, and then opiates, benzodiazepams are helpful.

For the same type of problem, I think the gaba reuptake inhibitor,

tiagabine (Gabitril) can be helpful. Gabitril at 4mg 3x a day helps

me with anxiety without the sedating effects of diazepam. It's mode

of action is calming because gaba is one of the few suppressor-type

neurotransmitter drugs, it intercepts excess signals rather than

passing them on.

People often forget that the most obvious pathogenic feature of

Borrelia burgdorferi is endotoxin, which acts directly on nerves as

well as triggering inflammatory cytokines. For a lot of us, relief

is going to have to target the receptors of the brain and nervous

system. Doesn't mean that treatments for joint and vascular

inflammation can't help, but if you've got neuroborreliosis

treatment needs to engage the nervous system.

Cheers,

> Opioids can block inflammatory cytokines from going for the opioid

neuroreceptors in the brain.

>

> I am one of the people who often feel much better after taking

codeine, even feel better the next day often.

>

> I have a lot of inflammation going on, I feel it mainly in the

head/neck/spine/ears/EYES.

>

> I wonder if taking codeine on a more regular basis (I only take it

when pain is agonising) would actually be protective (ie stopping

the cytokines from doing damage?

>

> I also sometimes feel " cured " (albeit a bit weird) a few hours

after taking zolpidem (ambien to you in the USA). It's a short

acting benzo. Any opinions on this?

>

> Nelly

[Guest guest]

Nelly, I have noticed the same effects.

Klonopin (Clonazepam), makes me feel almost completely normal, within

about an hour of taking it. I guess this is why it is the most

commonly prescribed medication for CFS.

I have also noticed a similar effect with opiod medications. Which

made me wonder what the effect would be of a medication like

Naltrexone, that completely inhibits Opioiod Receptors (used for

opiate overdose). If it was able to block all the opiate receptors, I

wonder what effect this would have on our symptoms? Has anyone tried

it before?

Sincerely,

.

> Opioids can block inflammatory cytokines from going for the opioid

neuroreceptors in the brain.

>

> I am one of the people who often feel much better after taking

codeine, even feel better the next day often.

>

> I have a lot of inflammation going on, I feel it mainly in the

head/neck/spine/ears/EYES.

>

> I wonder if taking codeine on a more regular basis (I only take it

when pain is agonising) would actually be protective (ie stopping the

cytokines from doing damage?

>

> I also sometimes feel " cured " (albeit a bit weird) a few hours after

taking zolpidem (ambien to you in the USA). It's a short acting benzo.

Any opinions on this?

>

> Nelly

[Guest guest]

Dear Nelly

Short acting benzos are GABA agonists increasing the levels of the inhibitory neurotransmitter, Gamma amino butyric acid. This serves to allow the body to respond to excessive neurological stimulation or activity level. I am very aware of the usefulness of GABA agonists and use a number of medications in this class ( all at low dose rates) including Aprazolam (Xanax) , Phenytoin ( Dilantin) and Baclofen. Like you I respond well to codeine and have done since childhood.

Regards

Windsor

[infections] Opioids, benzos and blocking cytokines

Opioids can block inflammatory cytokines from going for the opioid neuroreceptors in the brain.

I am one of the people who often feel much better after taking codeine, even feel better the next day often.

I have a lot of inflammation going on, I feel it mainly in the head/neck/spine/ears/EYES.

I wonder if taking codeine on a more regular basis (I only take it when pain is agonising) would actually be protective (ie stopping the cytokines from doing damage?

I also sometimes feel "cured" (albeit a bit weird) a few hours after taking zolpidem (ambien to you in the USA). It's a short acting benzo. Any opinions on this?

Nelly

[Guest guest]

Dear Jonathon

I tried naltrexone with no benefit

Regards

Windsor

[infections] Re: Opioids, benzos and blocking cytokines

Nelly, I have noticed the same effects.Klonopin (Clonazepam), makes me feel almost completely normal, within about an hour of taking it. I guess this is why it is the most commonly prescribed medication for CFS.I have also noticed a similar effect with opiod medications. Which made me wonder what the effect would be of a medication like Naltrexone, that completely inhibits Opioiod Receptors (used for opiate overdose). If it was able to block all the opiate receptors, I wonder what effect this would have on our symptoms? Has anyone tried it before?Sincerely,.> Opioids can block inflammatory cytokines from going for the opioid neuroreceptors in the brain. > > I am one of the people who often feel much better after taking codeine, even feel better the next day often. > > I have a lot of inflammation going on, I feel it mainly in the head/neck/spine/ears/EYES. > > I wonder if taking codeine on a more regular basis (I only take it when pain is agonising) would actually be protective (ie stopping the cytokines from doing damage?> > I also sometimes feel "cured" (albeit a bit weird) a few hours after taking zolpidem (ambien to you in the USA). It's a short acting benzo. Any opinions on this? > > Nelly

[Guest guest]

, ,

Yes I have tried Low Dose Naltrexone with mixed effects: improved sleep but dreadful headaches within a few days of starting it, even at the minuscule doses I was taking (3mg-4mg) per day.

But again, everything that has any effect on me gives me deadful headaches, but unbearable is unbearable!

Nelly

[infections] Re: Opioids, benzos and blocking cytokines

Nelly, I have noticed the same effects.Klonopin (Clonazepam), makes me feel almost completely normal, within about an hour of taking it. I guess this is why it is the most commonly prescribed medication for CFS.I have also noticed a similar effect with opiod medications. Which made me wonder what the effect would be of a medication like Naltrexone, that completely inhibits Opioiod Receptors (used for opiate overdose). If it was able to block all the opiate receptors, I wonder what effect this would have on our symptoms? Has anyone tried it before?Sincerely,.> Opioids can block inflammatory cytokines from going for the opioid neuroreceptors in the brain. > > I am one of the people who often feel much better after taking codeine, even feel better the next day often. > > I have a lot of inflammation going on, I feel it mainly in the head/neck/spine/ears/EYES. > > I wonder if taking codeine on a more regular basis (I only take it when pain is agonising) would actually be protective (ie stopping the cytokines from doing damage?> > I also sometimes feel "cured" (albeit a bit weird) a few hours after taking zolpidem (ambien to you in the USA). It's a short acting benzo. Any opinions on this? > > Nelly

[Guest guest]

Funny about the codeine. I occasionally resort to it, when nothing

else is helping with a migraine and I can't sleep, etc. I can only

take it before bed, as it makes me feel really weird and then

terribly hung over the next day. When I was a child, I had

continuous respiratory illnesses, colds, pneumonia, bronchitis, and

codeine was in OTC cough syrups. I lived my young years on meds with

codeine. I've often wondered if that somehow had a negative impact

on me, in more ways than one.

penny

> Dear Nelly

> Short acting benzos are GABA agonists increasing the levels of the

inhibitory neurotransmitter, Gamma amino butyric acid. This serves

to allow the body to respond to excessive neurological stimulation

or activity level. I am very aware of the usefulness of GABA

agonists and use a number of medications in this class ( all at low

dose rates) including Aprazolam (Xanax) , Phenytoin ( Dilantin) and

Baclofen. Like you I respond well to codeine and have done since

childhood.

> Regards

> Windsor

> [infections] Opioids, benzos and

blocking cytokines

>

>

> Opioids can block inflammatory cytokines from going for the

opioid neuroreceptors in the brain.

>

> I am one of the people who often feel much better after taking

codeine, even feel better the next day often.

>

> I have a lot of inflammation going on, I feel it mainly in the

head/neck/spine/ears/EYES.

>

> I wonder if taking codeine on a more regular basis (I only take

it when pain is agonising) would actually be protective (ie stopping

the cytokines from doing damage?

>

> I also sometimes feel " cured " (albeit a bit weird) a few hours

after taking zolpidem (ambien to you in the USA). It's a short

acting benzo. Any opinions on this?

>

> Nelly

>

>