Xanax & smoking cigs

MRSKANIFFFROMCT's picture
Posts: 60
Joined: 2008-09-05

I have read that smoking cigarettes decreases the absorption of xanax into your system.  I swear that every time I smoke a cigarette after taking a xanax, either it takes forever to kick in, I seem to "come down" a bit, or it doesnt work at all.    Does this happen to anyone else, or is this just my imagination?  




Posts: 865
Joined: 2006-04-12
In my experience this is all

In my experience this is all in your head. Smoking a ciggarette doesnt affect any benzo that i have ever taken. 



MRSKANIFFFROMCT's picture
Posts: 60
Joined: 2008-09-05
 Look, this is just a small

 Look, this is just a small paragraph from a description of xanax XR. 

Race--Maximal concentrations and half-life of alprazolam are approximately 15% and 25% higher in Asians compared to Caucasians.

Pediatrics--The pharmacokinetics of alprazolam after administration of the XANAX XR Tablet in pediatric patients have not been studied.

Gender--Gender has no effect on the pharmacokinetics of alprazolam.

Cigarette Smoking--Alprazolam concentrations may be reduced by up to 50% in smokers compared to non-smokers.




Posts: 50
Joined: 2007-01-18
MRS KAn..THis is what I was

MRS KAn..

THis is what I was confusing with G.F juice.. Its SMOKING tha DECREASES the effect, while GF JUIICE can increase it.. Thanks..




chicago_cubs25's picture
Posts: 76
Joined: 2007-09-24
yes i have found out that

yes i have found out that for some people, including me, smoking cigarettes does reduce the effect of xanax. i was told that due to the fact that smoking dialates your veins and makes them bigger, and since xanax is a fast acting, short lasting drug that the xanax can actually go through you faster and speed up the effects or even cause you to feel little or no effects at all. this is just what i have been told. i have experienced that same thing. i took a couple xanax due to a panic attack, smoked a cigarette to relax, and felt no effect from the xanx. i researched and asked about it and that is what i found out and what i was told. there are a lot of mixed emotions about this. everyone reacts differently.



gtrplayer's picture
Posts: 2681
Joined: 2006-08-22
I know this is completely

I know this is completely unscientific, but wouldn't common sense tell us that:

A. Alprazolam is a depressant.

B. Nicotine is a stimulant

Therefore, we can conclude that when taken together, the interaction between the two may cause a lack of the "calming" factor alprazolam has? 

gtrplayer




MRSKANIFFFROMCT's picture
Posts: 60
Joined: 2008-09-05
I really dont think that

I really dont think that would be right.  Cause if I take a couple of vicodins (depressant) and smoke a ciggy, It doesnt decrease the effect of the vic's.  Im sure that it just decreases the absorbtion of xanax into the body.  I have to look this up but I think It works like Narcan would work.  Not exactly but you get the picture.  It attaches to receptors that normally the xanax would attach to. Thats why no effect.  



gtrplayer's picture
Posts: 2681
Joined: 2006-08-22
So, are you telling me that

So, are you telling me that Nicotine attaches to the Gabba receptors? If so, wouldn't that enhance the effect of the alprazolam? So much of this can be solved with common sense.

gtrplayer




Posts: 865
Joined: 2006-04-12
comparing smoking a

comparing smoking a cigarette with xanax compared to vicodin makes no sense. Yes they are both depressants but when you take a xanax it is the sedating/calming effect you are looking for not pain relief. So if there was an effect caused by the mixing of the upper and downer then it would be a lot more pronounced when taking the benzo although as I said above I have extensive history with taking xanax and never noticed a cigarette diminishing the calming effect and if anything the xanax makes me crave and chain smoke cigarettes and i never noticed this effect. 



MRSKANIFFFROMCT's picture
Posts: 60
Joined: 2008-09-05
So much of this can also be

So much of this can also be solved by looking it up on the internet or possibly having a brain. You stated nicotine was a stimulant and xanax was a depressant. Therefore the two should cancel each other out. Well Narc's are depressants. Get it now? Plus, if something is attached to the gaba receptors then nothing else can attach to them. Like the xanax. Doesnt mean that nicotine does anything to the gaba receptors, just blocks them, stops anything else from attaching. So the xanax cant get to them. Dont insult me. I do have an RN degree and also like you, have a lot of experience with benzo's, since ive been 18, now Im 44! Surprised  So where is your common sense coming from? 



Posts: 22
Joined: 2008-05-16
xanax

seen a lot of people on high doses of xanax drop cigs and burn themself



MRSKANIFFFROMCT's picture
Posts: 60
Joined: 2008-09-05
That reply is just plain old

That reply is just plain old stupid. Man, I never said it makes high doses of xanax not work, I said it decreases the absorbtion of it into the body, jeez!

Are we not all sitting at computers right now. why dont you just google smoking cigarettes and xanax, then resolve the issue by yourself.  I already cut and pasted part of the explanation to this forum if you read the whole thing. 




MRSKANIFFFROMCT's picture
Posts: 60
Joined: 2008-09-05
What??  Why do you care

What??  Why do you care what I mean if you dont believe it?   Im sorry I cant cite it.  I learned it in Nursing school.  Its common knowledge now for me I guess.  Dont have those books anymore, sorry.  And I guess I get agitated cause my meds dont work, and you peeps keep arguing with me.  Im not an idiot, please!!  I will find info for you and post it and cite it, okay? God!  And what it means is it decreases the absorbtion , rather it MAY decrease absorbtion by up to 50%, which means it would be like you only took half of what you actually took.  Like if you took 1mg, it would only work like a 0.5mg.  Not half the time to kick in. Why so you insist on arguing with me about these things.  Do you argue with Dr. lois or some of the pharmacist guys?  



MRSKANIFFFROMCT's picture
Posts: 60
Joined: 2008-09-05
See cigarette smoking at the

See cigarette smoking at the top of page 3.

www.pfizer.com/files/products/uspi_xanax.pdf

 Hope you are all happy now!




Posts: 8
Joined: 2007-10-17
thanks

When someone joins up and spurts out info we must question it. It's  a rule as well. After you have been here for awhile you will see much disinformation posted. Which gets questioned as well. Get known for being right most of the time and people will of course cut you some slack.

 




MRSKANIFFFROMCT's picture
Posts: 60
Joined: 2008-09-05
I see your point now, no

I see your point now, no problemo!  Laughing