8 replies to this topic

[barcodes]

Okay here goes my first post, I fooled around with Ritalin for bit, and you know that hollowed-out-brain sensation the morning after? It didnt really go away. It was always there (some of you call it brainfog, I think), but the aftermath of the Ritalin binge made it more pronounced. I am TOTALLY unmotivated and there is also an undercurrent of melancholy at all times. I wait for things to happen to me and can hardly be arsed to get going besides the odd guilt intervals when I decide I have to do something ASAP, I am in one of those intervals now and have decided to hook up with noots, I am fairly certain it is my neurochemistry due to my history of abuse and general susceptibility to drugs. I seriously need help in reviewing my stack. I have done a fair share of research on the boards, and these will be what I will be going for:

For focus and cognition benefits: Pramiracetam (600mg): will be taking a attack dose 2x600mg for 3days before halving it (will cycle 3mths on 2wks off)

For potentiating the Pram: Centrophenoxine (250mg): halving it to 125mg a day.

For general brain nutrition: Ortho-Mind (halving dose to mind my choline intake), Lecithin (not sure how much choline is optimal though, read somewhere it's 1-3grams; it's going to be trial and error but should I start on the high end or low end?) multi vit from GNC, Vitamin B complex GNC

For focus and long term cognition benefits: Sulbutiamine (200mg): halving it to 2x100mg a day (will cycle 1 mth on, 1wk off).

For more aggression and motivation: Tribulus Terrestris, I am fairly certain I have andropause (passivity, timidity and lack of motivation) It's probably of neurological origin, I am 27.

For brain nutrition and mood boost: Bacopa (300mg): halving it 150mg a day.

The reason I am halving most of the stuff is my concern that my brain gets wrecked any more than it is already. Toyed with the idea of taking Phenibut over Sulbutiamine but nah, I don't trust myself not to abuse it. Quite interest in Ashwagandha as well but for the lethargy reported . What do you think?


Endorsing products is fine by me but please don't name any online stores. I am adverse to sales personal but aren't we all?

[ajnast4r]

my suggestion to you would be to introduce one substance at a time...giving each, a 2-3 month trial before adding another, so that you get a better feel for how each substance truly effects you.

although i doubt you have andropause at 27... dhea-s, test, free test levels etc etc are easily tested. its better to test and check than to assume with things like that, especially when you just need a simple blood test to figure it out.

GNC multi is garbage, find something better. ortho-core, or aor multi-basics3 would be a better choice. NOW, LEF, and pioneer all make good, moderately priced multi's as well.

[william7]

Messing around with psychiatric drugs is a bad thing for the brain. I suffer the same susceptibility to drugs as you. If you're suffering from a lack of motivation and melancholy, why don't you try periodic fasting. People are reporting increases in energy levels and self-esteem from fasting. See http://books.google....DmTOceQ#PPA1,M1. Fasting is also advocated for ending dependence to drugs and for detox.

[barcodes]

Hey guys, thanks for responding. I did the braverman test and its pretty telling. I am, how shall I put it… evenly f**ked? I don’t have a dominant nature, they are all pretty square at around 24 BUT I am deficient in everything! Dopamine-18, Acetylcholine-19, Gaba-20 and Serotonin-11. I have since revised my upcoming order and decided to swap Sulbutiamine for Ashwagandha to address the revelation.

Well ajnast4r, the GNC vits are from when I was training, couldn’t bear to let it go to waste, ortho core looks good but the price is prohibitive. Multi 3 however, is an excellent suggestion, will probably splice it with the gnc leftovers to avoid wastage. Thanks! On the physical testing however, I think the costs will be (again) too prohibitive; the major reason why I am going on this self-transformation binge is because I am TOO DAMN poor for someone in his late twenties.

elijah3, I guess we must be soul mates then HA! Because I am quite susceptible to new agey treatments as well, meditation calms me down for rest, check out ‘Secret of the Golden Flower’; half Buddist manifesto, half Carl Jung. Its an esoteric read if not a sleeping aid. But I don’t think I will do the fasting just yet, its been over half a year since I toyed with any substances, so I guess my system is already purged. But I get where you are coming from, I will do a strict and clean diet that worked for me in the past (weight loss): whey + salmon oil and oatmeal.

Just a quick one: are you guys supplementing with choline? Is lecithin really a horrible source?

[brain]

how long you were on the ritalin for, and how much you were doing? do you actually have adhd?

[barcodes]

brain, I was pushing for it ® with a psychiatrist who was more convinced I had depression. In retrospect, I probably didn't don't have adhd. It just so happens that I am a psych student, Ritalin was brought up in class and if I remember correctly what was mentioned was that if one doesn't have adhd and uses the meds, he/she could develop adhd symptoms. I got suficiently worried and stop using (btw it was mostly recreational). I got 2mths worth of meds in total and finish them in 4 weeks with a 2 week break in between (had to wait for the turn of the month to renew prescription). The withdrawals were terrible. What's your story?

[brain]

what dosage? how long has it been since you stopped? *in theory* if dopamine downregulation is the problem then taking a dopamine antagonist (antipsychotic) may upregulate the receptors. i've heard of people taking adderall in the day and lithium at night to balance out modification of the dopamine system. as far as im aware antipsychotics tend to have a short half life, so you may be able to take it at night and wake up in the morning feeling close to normal. most likely you would have to suffer to some extent while taking them for the long term benefit. i'd reccomend researching how methylphenidate damages the brain to find the specific neurobiology of the damage, it may help in choosing what to take. see if your school has access to medline and search their database, and at home you could try searching pubmed.



-lose the GNC, to be safe
-R-alpha lipoic acid
-grape seed extract
-exercise is proven to repair dopamine receptors. take a strong antioxidant like one of the above beforehand to limit oxidative stress, and read this: http://www.sciencene...60225/bob10.asp
-i would say that lecithin is a bad source. soy is linked to lower cognitive testing scores in men, and in one study lecithin retarded the brain growth of infants.

Edited by brain, 04 September 2007 - 12:13 AM.

[barcodes]

80mg a day for 4-5 weeks with a 2-week break in between. The emo crashes were quite spectacular (I consider myself placid). Its been about 6 months since I used it.

[quarter]

-i would say that lecithin is a bad source. soy is linked to lower cognitive testing scores in men, and in one study lecithin retarded the brain growth of infants.

Is Soy Lecithin definitely something I should avoid then?

I have been considering purchasing some to mix with resveratrol powder (which I also haven't purchased yet), as Miralax isn't sold where I live.

But I do not wish to lower my cognitive abilities.