does tolerance develop to spaciness?

[brokenchordcansing]

I've been having a hard time trying to tolerate Parnate. In fact, I couldn't even handle 5mg at a time. To counter this, in the hopes of reaching a therapeutic dose, my p-doc prescribed me Valium 3x day.

I took it this afternoon and it worked a charm - I could handle 10mg of Parnate (which would have previously induced intense overstimulation), no sweat.

But where as Parnate usually improves my alertness and concentration, I ended up feeling incredibly spaced out. I have iADD, which makes reading hard enough as it is, but I could barely comprehend news articles under the influence of Valium.

Is this a side-effect that some tolerance develops to, especially once a steady-state is achieved? Or should I try cutting back to 2.5mg of Valium?

[crtclms]

Most people find the sedating effect of benzos to be temporary. It you are still struggling with it after a couple of weeks, call your pdoc.

[brokenchordcansing]

Hmm, so you believe the sedation would be responsible for the cognitive impairment? I don't really feeling particularly tired .. just, well, stupid.

Are you aware whether Valium is typically taken two or three times a day? I'm aware it has an incredibly long half-life, but I wasn't sure if that correlated to the duration of its therapeutic effect.

[crtclms]

I think that the first few days, my thought processes were working, but it was like they were pushing their way through molasses.

You pdoc wants to maintain a certain blood level, so there really is no typical pattern. He probably has his own preferences as to how to administer it, most doctors have little quirks as to procedures, or dislike certain meds that are widely used, etc.

I take xanax 1mg twice a day, with another mg PRN. Some people consider that a shit load of xanax. But there are many people on CBs with higher dosages.

[brokenchordcansing]

I think that the first few days, my thought processes were working, but it was like they were pushing their way through molasses.

Yes, I suppose that's a reasonable enough description. I try to think, but I simply can't actualize my thoughts. That said, I'm sure ADD plays into it (at least partly), because anything mildly sedating (mood-stabilizers, SSRIs, etc.) screws my cognition.

You pdoc wants to maintain a certain blood level, so there really is no typical pattern. He probably has his own preferences as to how to administer it, most doctors have little quirks as to procedures, or dislike certain meds that are widely used, etc.

Sure. My pdoc has expressed a dislike of Klonopin and Lorazepam (with a preference for Xanax and Valium). I'll just grin and bear it for the next few days and hope the side-effects pass. I just get so frustrated when I'm sedated because there's not much I can do. I can barely even follow TV shows. So I just end up lying in bed and staring at the ceiling.