Combating Retrograde Amnesia

[GRNBTTSTY]

So I just had my first M-Hole/MXE IMd experience. And it was wonderful! But as soon as I started coming down and was again able to walk the mortal realm I found myself unable to fully recall everything that had occurred and very rapidly a significant portion of the trip slipped away from me as though it were a dream and I had just woken up.

I didn't forget everything of course but some of the most important parts are lost to me forever. I've had this happen to me many times on a widely ranging variety of substances and I'm sure many of you have similar stories or rather lacks thereof. It's so agitating! We often loose the most interesting parts of these experiences we put so much effort into creating. I looked around and it did not appear that there were any threads about this sort of thing.

So what can we do (or can we do anything) about amnesia pertaining to our precious drug experiences and revelations? Is there any research on the subject?

 

[pasha]

It's from NMDA receptor antagonism. There's not a thing you can do about it.

 

[GRNBTTSTY]

It's from NMDA receptor antagonism. There's not a thing you can do about it.

Is that what causes amnesia with every drug or just this one in particular? Does the same thing cause memory compaction? My first and most powerful experience with DPT even right after it felt like a memory that had happened a long time ago and every bit of it seems "compacted" like the data has been compressed. Memories that are old sometimes feel the same way. Are all the effects related?

 

[Vaya]

I am going to try this one out in advanced drug discussion. ADD moderators, if you feel that I've moved this in error, please let me know or move it to the correct destination as you see fit. Thank you!

Homeless >>> ADD

~ Vaya

 

[St3ve]

It's for MXE in particular, which a strong NMDA antagonist. NMDA receptors are required for the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus. If they are blocked off completely (which is likely the case if you have reached the hole stage of things) you are essentially unable to create new memories... For other drugs like MDMA the peak can often be quite difficult to remember as well, although this has nothing to do with NMDA blockade. Instead I think it has to do with the flooding of monoamines in the brain. Dopamine and noradrenaline normally act as novelty/reward-predictor signals that mediate LTP. So if you were a caveman that stumbled across a field of strawberries (novel and rewarding as it'd promote survival), you'd likely remember where this field was. However, if you're on MDMA and your brain is flooded with monoamines all of a sudden your brain is getting signalled that EVERYTHING is important/novel/rewarding, etc. This in turn I guess would impair memory as your brain is struggling to figure out which information from the environment is important and what can be forgotten.

 

[Solipsis]

Piracetam has been shown to dose-dependently combat or reverse morphine, diazepam, scopolamine and electroshock induced amnesia. No one should expect it to completely prevent NMDA antagonistic effects on memory, but it seems like a good idea to enhance recovery or partially prevent related complications.

But I would suggest a more effective and potent racetam instead. Of 4 racetams I have tried I find aniracetam to be the most worthwhile even if it is not the most potent by dose. Of course I cannot say if this translates into better anti-amnestic properties as well but I'd bet money on it.

I heard that racetams might reduce effects of such drugs in general (and increasing the dose to combat that would create a logical loop of increasing doses on both sides of the battle), although you should be careful because racetams can also potentiate drug effects of several classes of drugs so take it easy if you investigate interactions.

 

[Incunabula]

I have the same problem with smoked DMT. I really don't remember much, except that it was an insane ride. Sometimes I'll suddenly remember parts of it weeks later, like a dream. I might try DMT with a MAOI sometime because it's said to "slow" the trip down. (don't do this with MXE btw)

I think one suggestion could be to lower the dose (and maybe try another ROA?) still keeping it high enough to hole. It might be a case of you "over-shooting" the sweet spot.

in response to Solipsis. You already said it, but I just want to make it clearer: it seems that nootropics like piracetam and family, actually negate the effects of dissociatives like MXE. An idea could maybe be to ingest the nootropic after the hole? Hoping that it would improve recall. Ingesting a nootropic before smoking DMT would actually be a really interesting experiment though, since it should also potentiate the break through.

Another possibility is trying to take as many notes as possible about what you experienced, when coming out of the hole? Or maybe have a dictaphone ready so you could record it. This is also the best way of remembering dreams.

 

[GRNBTTSTY]

Very interesting everyone. Thank you for responding. Sucks that there isn't much that can be done about any of it except diligent recording of experiences.

 

[Foreigner]

I just finished a low dose ketamine regimen and I can remember everything that happened to me, including all the revelations, etc.

I'm not sure what the properties of MXE are by comparison, but I think dissociatives act like entirely different drugs depending on the dose.