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Attn Benzo Geeks, help with diuretics


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Dear Fellow Benzo Geeks,

 

I am about to go to my primary doctor in 2 hours.  Sorry for the short notice.  My benzo belly has gotten out of control such that this morning I awoke to explosive diarrhea.  It was most likely exacerbated by my ending my course of antibiotics for bronchitis, and having a small quantity of both alcohol and sugar alcohols last night.  That combined with the fact that my bronchitis had my lungs nearly flooded with fluid, has drawn me to the conclusion that my aldosterone is out of control, and might not normalize on its own, or at least not soon.

 

I have been looking into diuretic choices to present to my doc, who is also a nephrologist so should know his stuff, but there is some pretty subtle GABA receptor stuff he is not likely to know:

 

Loop diuretics, most notable Lasix and Bumex, work the Na/K- 2Cl channel in the loop of Henle in the kidney, but this working of the calcium ions also hits the GABA-A receptors.

 

If you look at wikipaedia for both Lasix and Bumex you will see:

Bumex: ". . . decreases the internal chloride concentration in neurons, making the action of GABA more hyperpolerizing. . ."

Lasix: ". . . is a noncompetitive subtype specific blocker of GABA-A receptors, has been reported to reversibly antagonize GABA evoked currents of alpha6, beta2, and Gamma2 receptors. . ."

 

I just do not understand if that will:

a) help temporarily, but harm long term due to chloride channel effects on GABA receptors.

b) help as long as I wish with no ill effects as it does not effect the specific receptors that we have damaged with benzo addiction.

c) not help at all because those receptors are what we hurt with benzo addiction.

 

If it is a) or c) I can choose another diuretic like spirolactone that has nothing to do with GABA at all.

 

I appreciate any advice.

 

Ramcon1

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Yikes, Ramcon!

When I saw my doc today, I got a prescription for HCTZ (hydrochlorothiazide, a diuretic-) for swollen ankles. I never even thought it might upset anything to do with withdrawal! You're one of our resident "brains" - do you think theres any risk in my taking it???

east

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East,

 

What I know is that there are GABA-A receptors in our kidneys, sometimes called "benzodiazepine receptors," and that we are trying to re-train our bodies to have "normal" chloride ion flow.  Many diuretics, HCTZ included, work by manipulating that chloride ion flow via various different mechanisms.

 

What I do not know, and was hoping someone smarter than me could shed some light, is whether this is helpful, harmful, or benign wrt withdrawal recovery.

 

My doctor told me not to take diuretics for benzo belly, but he was just being conservative.  It was not from any knowledge of benzo recovery.

 

Perseverance where are you?

 

Ramcon1

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Im taking it for swelling of the ankles. I hope it isnt going to rev things up or slow down healing!

east

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