Beating addiction with a common OTC medicine: A trial [Archive] - ADD Forums - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Support and Information Resources Community

Captain Obvious

01-04-09, 07:39 PM

<DL class=AbstractPlusReport><DT class=head>1: Psychopharmacology (Berl). (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:AL_get%28this,%20%27jour%27,%20%27Psychopharm acology%20%28Berl%29.%27%29;) 2008 Feb;196(3):497-509. Epub 2007 Nov 10.<SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.2></SCRIPT>

<DD class=abstract>NMDA receptor antagonists inhibit opiate antinociceptive tolerance and locomotor sensitization in rats.

Mendez IA (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Mendez%20IA%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Trujillo KA (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Trujillo%20KA%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus).
Department of Psychology, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.RATIONALE: N-Methyl-D: -aspartate (NMDA) receptors have an important role in different forms of behavioral and neural plasticity. Evidence suggests that these receptors may also be involved in plasticity arising from long-term treatment with different drugs of abuse, including tolerance, sensitization, and physical dependence. There is abundant evidence demonstrating that NMDA receptors are involved in tolerance to opiate-induced antinociception; however, the role of these receptors in sensitization to the locomotor effects of opiates is more controversial. OBJECTIVE: The ability of NMDA receptor antagonists to modify the development of sensitization to the locomotor stimulant effect of three different opiates was examined. In selected studies, the ability of the antagonists to modify tolerance to the antinociceptive effects of the opiates was also examined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were used to assess the effects of NMDA receptor antagonists (MK-801, memantine or LY235959) on tolerance and sensitization to three opiates: morphine, methadone, or buprenorphine. It was predicted that low, selective doses of the antagonists would inhibit the development of opiate tolerance and sensitization. RESULTS: Consistent with our predictions, the noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonists MK-801 and memantine and the competitive NMDA receptor antagonist LY235959 inhibited the development of sensitization to the locomotor stimulant effect of morphine. Additionally, MK-801 inhibited the development of tolerance and sensitization to methadone and buprenorphine in a similar manner. CONCLUSIONS: The results, together with previous research, suggest that NMDA receptors are broadly involved in opiate-induced plasticity, including the development of opiate tolerance and sensitization.
PMID: 17994223 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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<DL class=AbstractPlusReport><DT class=head>1: Pharmacol Biochem Behav. (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:AL_get%28this,%20%27jour%27,%20%27Pharmacol%2 0Biochem%20Behav.%27%29;) 1994 Jul;48(3):755-63.<SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.2></SCRIPT>

<DD class=abstract>Effect of NMDA antagonists on rapid and chronic tolerance to ethanol: importance of intoxicated practice.

Khanna JM (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Khanna%20JM%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Morato GS (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Morato%20GS%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Chau A (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Chau%20A%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Shah G (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Shah%20G%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Kalant H (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Kalant%20H%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus).
Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Canada.
Recent studies from our laboratory have shown that NMDA antagonists ((+)MK-801 and ketamine) inhibit the development of both rapid and chronic tolerance to the motor-impairing (moving belt test) and hypothermic effects of ethanol. The present experiments were designed to determine a) the generality of this inhibition, by using a different test of motor function, the tilt-plane test, and b) the possible importance of the experimental paradigm (i.e., with and without intoxicated practice), for the effect of the NMDA antagonist on ethanol tolerance. Daily administration of ethanol 3.3 g/kg for 5 days produced the same degree of tolerance on this test, whether it was given as a single dose of 3.3 g/kg before the daily training session or as divided doses of 2.3 g/kg before and 1 g/kg immediately after the session. The inhibitory effect of a single dose of (+)MK-801 (0.25 mg/kg IP) on rapid tolerance did not last longer than 1 day. Therefore, daily administration of the NMDA antagonists was necessary to block development of chronic tolerance. Daily injection of (+)MK-801 (0.25 mg/kg IP) failed to block chronic tolerance, but inclusion of a second dose of (+)MK-801 daily, and progressive increase of this second dose during the chronic treatment period did block chronic tolerance. Unlike (+)MK-801, ketamine does not have motor-impairing effects of its own, and does not potentiate those of ethanol; it was, therefore, used in the remaining experiments. Groups of rats received ethanol (3.3 g/kg) or saline, either before a daily practice session on the tilt-plane or after it.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
PMID: 7938132 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE

<DT></DT></DL><LINK href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CStudent.000%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp% 5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel=File-List><STYLE>  </STYLE>What do opiates, alchohol, and amphetamines have in common? They’re FUN! They stimulate the VTA and thus send dopamine all over the place in all its different pathways. These pathways, in turn activate others, and so on. It appears that one of the things that happens is a lot of glutamate is released.
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From what I’ve read NMDA is responsible for long-term potentiation/depression. And this is the mechanism for memory and learning.
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Apparently what these drugs do is cause a cascade which ends up damaging the NMDA neurons due to over excitation. To prevent this, the brain weakens these pathways to slow the bombardment. It “learns” to be less responsive to the cascade of neurotransmitters that damage it, thus protecting its integrity.
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Sounds like tolerance development to me. And what happens when you develop tolerance to a drug? You have to take more and more. Thus.... addiction
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If you take a drug that blocks NMDA, it blocks exitotoxicity. There’s no damage being done, so the dopamine cascade doesn’t have to be down-regulated. Thus, you get the same effect from the drug every time. Yay! In theory, at least.

Now, what is this wonderful OTC med that blocks NMDA? Dextromethorphan

AKA.... Cough Syrup

Best Medicine for Opiate Withdrawals
DXM
by Jani

<HR>
I had physical opiate addiction for six years. Now I have been without opiates and other addictive substances for four months (not counting caffeine and nicotine), thanks for dextromethorphan. There are few medicines that helps in opiate withdrawal. Bentsodiazepines and barbiturates are good for muscle pain, cold sweat and other physical symptoms but they don't help much for craving for opiates and they are too addictive to be taken for two weeks on large doses. Fortunately I find dxm. There is no drug that helps so greatly on withdrawal. On doses 300 mg twice a day for first week and 300 mg daily for second week I managed to stop abusing PO opium without severe symptoms and with same dosing IV use of buprenorphine 4 mg/day is almost too easy to stop. For years of suffering, trying to withdraw, relapsing, cold sweat, pain and desperation. And there has been whole time a relatively easy solution. Dxm causes some withdrawal symptoms but they are nothing compared to opiate withdrawal and those are easy to combat with good hashish and valium twice a day for less than week.

Typical withdrawal day begans with awakening to nightmare. Pain in muscles and joints, cold, shaking, sweat and extreme yawning not to mention craving for anything that helps. Then I gulp down 100 ml 3 mg/ml cough syrup. It tastes absolutely awful but is worth suffering. I lay back trying not to throw up and start moving my legs to find less painfull position for them. After half an hour it is possible to keep them still and on one hour mark it is possible to lit cigarette, smoke some hashish and eat. No much pain left, only some yawning. And most amazingly I can feel almost warm. Effect lasts from few hours to over 12 hours depending on opiate and dxm tolerance.

It is interesting that when I am physically dependent of opiates there is not much 'psychedelic' properties in dxm but after couple of weeks same dose that before only cured withdrawal symptoms making it possible to go buy some food (not to mention more cough syrup) makes it impossible to leave house.

When planning to withdraw from opiates with dxm one must be extremely careful. It's not for everyone. I can handle it, I have survived it and now I am clean but it is only my subjective point of view. There may be risk of convulsion, insanity and even death. I don't know enough. Maybe no one knows. Before starting to even consider possibility of home made detox with dxm, study some neuropharmacology, read about Olney's lesions and reconsider. I remember to stop using dxm after two to three weeks, it easy to get hooked to that stuff (psychologically, maybe physically).

Now I know it. There is life after opiates. At first life is hard and empty but it gets easier each day. Now I can visit my friends, watch them inject opiates not wanting a little bit that **** feeling only sad for them not realising that it is possible to break free from chemical slavery and get your life back.

Thats it. Be careful, consider, get information, reconsider and seek better ways to exist. And don't forget to feel empathy.

So here I propose an experiment. For those of you who are addicted to a substance and have nowhere to turn. Try what this person above did. Before I started Namenda (another NMDA antagonist) I used DXM to prevent tolerance to my Adderall.

Right now I take Adderall and Vyvanse (for ADHD) Valium (for anxiety), and hydrocodone (for pain relief) all regularly and legally... I have no tolerance development to any of these drugs whatsoever. The same dose works the same level every time.

Perhaps this will work in combating the evil withdrawals and addiction that so many of you face as well?

Wanna try? Post your records on this or another thread and see if we can't change the world for the better.

I am no doctor (however, I'm working on that). So do not take any of my advice without first trying another alternative that has been proven. This is for those who have exhausted all other options.