OK cryptix my refusing to join your anti-MXE crusade has evidently made me a target for some antagonism. Let me qualify what I meant.
90% of opiate withdrawals (well, the early stages) are acute physical discomfort. MXE is a very effective painkiller even at sub-recreational doses, hence its usefulness when you're going cold-turkey on heroin.
Using its mood-boosting properties to continue abusing a drug (MDMA) which has the potential, for some, to cause emotional instability is dangerous IMO because, as I stated before, and quite clearly, if you're getting bad comedowns it's a sign you should stop taking MDMA, and it'd be dangerous to simply mask the psychological toll it is taking on you by resorting to another drug.
So, heroin withdrawal being physical and something that one tangibly recovers from quite quickly, I think using MXE as a painkiller in that stage of withdrawal is acceptable. Using it to mask potentially lingering, worsening psychological damage is more dangerous, because you don't realise how badly you're getting burned.
Does that still seem oxymoronic?
And regarding my stating that I use GHB and heroin (both very sparingly by the way, last time I had some smack was 5 months ago, and in my four, going on five years of using opiates I've never fallen into the trap of chronic use except once, for a month, using 4 days a week), it had nothing to do with MXE. I was saying that as strong an euphoriant as MDMA is, I've had to give it up because of its horrendous comedowns. Heroin and GHB, when treated with respect, don't give any sort of comedown and are far less harmful for the brain than MDMA.
If you disagree with my stance on MXE, please do it directly with a rational discussion, rather than taking pot-shots at posts that have nothing to do with your stance, in an attempt to discredit my intelligence.
[EDIT] Solipsis you know your neurochem far better than me so not trying to contradict you or anything, but I know that myself, effie and Shambles also never had any issues combining tramadol with MXE. I have to add the caveat that I was taking very small doses chronically (15-20mg plugged every 3 or 4 hours), and low doses of tramadol (50-100mg) but I know Shambles did absolutely ridiculous doses and never had serotonin syndrome (although he's a drug monster and shouldn't be seen as an example to follow lol). I don't know what effie's use was like but she didn't have any problems either. MXE seems to bring out the opioid aspect of tramadol far more IME
I wouldn't want others to see this as a green light, it might just be us being lucky w.r.t. brain wiring or what have you...