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Meth - long term effects (appetite & sleep)

Crankinit

Bluelighter
Joined
Sep 17, 2007
Messages
6,177
I've been using meth fairly recreationally over the last 5 months. Anywhere from a point or two to just under a gram every second weekend or so. Obviously, being unable to sleep/eat on meth is a regular occurence, but I'm finding recently that it's starting to have long term effects on me even when I'm not high. I used to eat a lot, not a ridiculous amount, but 3 - 4 meals a day, now I'm barely doing 1 or 2 even during the week. I can go 24 - 48 hours without eating, and have done so a fair few times. That's completely unheard of for me.

I'm also having trouble with sleep, less immediately obvious than the food problems, but I'm finding that it's getting really hard to get to sleep at night. I'll still feel tired, but when I go to bed my mind is just racing around in circles and I won't be able to pass that final stage into sleep, even if 5 minutes ago I felt like I was gonna collapse on the spot.

I don't know it's kind of worrying me, that this drug is starting to impact on my day to day life. With E I'd always feel back to normal after 2 or 3 days, even after the worst crash, but with meth it feels like the drug is changing what 'normal' is. Like it's causing changes in my own brain or something.

This shit scares the fuck out of me, I mean I don't even use that much, it's not like I go on massive benders or use the drug daily.

Anyway I was wondering if any other meth users have any experience here. Is this just a small thing, or is it going to keep on going as long as I use the drug? Will it get worse? Will it start to go away if I I stop taking meth? I took a break almost a month long recently and didn't notice any improvement. It's weird because as far as the usual side effects you'd expect go, I'm not having any noticeable trouble. Stuff like paranoia hasn't kicked in, and I haven't developed any tolerance at all, I can still get myself blasted for a good 6 - 8 hours on a single point, I guess that's why I never got worried about using too much before now.

I know the obvious answer is 'just stop doing meth.' But it's not that simple I guess. I'm just curious if anyone knows how I can mitigate these kind of long term changes, or what causes them or how worried I should be about them.
 
it might take longer than a month, and it might not ever come back to normal. If i were you, id stop using. A month long break is really not that long. Try a year and see how things improve. Be safe and be healthy, -Spaz-
 
simply smoke weed or take a sleeping aid pills to get to sleep and smoke weed for appetite. But really you know meth is probably the most destructive drug on a persons body. You've willingly decided to fuck up your life. Heroin is one thing but doing meth man. i'm sorry but youre gonna get fucked up bad if you dont sort yourself out. (not to say that heroin isn't destructive)

Enough preaching. Hit the bong, eat a burger, and goto sleep.
 
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Crankinit said:
I've been using meth fairly recreationally over the last 5 months. Anywhere from a point or two to just under a gram every second weekend or so. Obviously, being unable to sleep/eat on meth is a regular occurence, but I'm finding recently that it's starting to have long term effects on me even when I'm not high. I used to eat a lot, not a ridiculous amount, but 3 - 4 meals a day, now I'm barely doing 1 or 2 even during the week. I can go 24 - 48 hours without eating, and have done so a fair few times. That's completely unheard of for me.

I'm also having trouble with sleep, less immediately obvious than the food problems, but I'm finding that it's getting really hard to get to sleep at night. I'll still feel tired, but when I go to bed my mind is just racing around in circles and I won't be able to pass that final stage into sleep, even if 5 minutes ago I felt like I was gonna collapse on the spot.

I don't know it's kind of worrying me, that this drug is starting to impact on my day to day life. With E I'd always feel back to normal after 2 or 3 days, even after the worst crash, but with meth it feels like the drug is changing what 'normal' is. Like it's causing changes in my own brain or something.

This shit scares the fuck out of me, I mean I don't even use that much, it's not like I go on massive benders or use the drug daily.

Anyway I was wondering if any other meth users have any experience here. Is this just a small thing, or is it going to keep on going as long as I use the drug? Will it get worse? Will it start to go away if I I stop taking meth? I took a break almost a month long recently and didn't notice any improvement. It's weird because as far as the usual side effects you'd expect go, I'm not having any noticeable trouble. Stuff like paranoia hasn't kicked in, and I haven't developed any tolerance at all, I can still get myself blasted for a good 6 - 8 hours on a single point, I guess that's why I never got worried about using too much before now.

I know the obvious answer is 'just stop doing meth.' But it's not that simple I guess. I'm just curious if anyone knows how I can mitigate these kind of long term changes, or what causes them or how worried I should be about them.

The long term effects of meth can affect sleeping patterns, it did for me... and the "my mind is just racing around in circles and I won't be able to pass that final stage into sleep" is pretty much exactly what I went through... it passes, it just takes time.

Meth changes how your brain works, and these changes are long lasting. As for the food thing, that I can't relate to. I was always VERY hungry after a weekend of partying and using Meth... altho if you use a fair bit I could see your stomach shrinking and reducing your appetite, other then that I don't have any insight to offer...
 
ice cream scoops out of your brain! just kidding.. i really don't know but think about it man, meth isn't really the purest safest psychoactive around.. its dirty and will fuck with ya head
 
If you want to sleep on meth, its mostly a matter of getting enough carbs in your system for your brain to be able to calm down. I usually just drink a huge glass of water or 2 with a pinch of salt to get rid of cottonmouth so eating is enjoyable, then make some pasta like that brocoli rice noodles and cheeze stuff you make on the stove in 7 minutes.

if you notice yourself using a lot of force to keep your eyelids closed then you gotta do a quick eye excersize and that'll make sleeping way easier.. just stare at a wall across the room and move your finger in front of your face towards your eyes slowly and stare at your finger.. when your finger just about touches your nose focus & stare at the wall and repeat it 10 times...
 
I know exactly how your feeling. It will get better but it took me about a month or so. really. Hang in there.
 
I have been addicted to a bunch of drugs and meth was the hardest for me to get off. I would seriously try to quit. It destroyed my brain and took me 5 years to feel 'normal' and get a nice paying job and stable life. Just my 2 cents though.....
 
Get a fresh mango, skin it, cut it into chunks and have one every 10 minutes. Just make yourself do it. You may not want to eat but your body needs food to function somewhat normally. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts are really good for this. A mango is $1 and citrous salad or even canned peaches (not as good because they are so sugary) are less than $2.

Obviously you should stop using or just use less, but either way doing this will help your body recover.
 
Iulizbug said:
I have been addicted to a bunch of drugs and meth was the hardest for me to get off. I would seriously try to quit. It destroyed my brain and took me 5 years to feel 'normal' and get a nice paying job and stable life. Just my 2 cents though.....

Listen to what he/she said. Man please stop before you get too deep. I smoked meth from about age 17-19. Im 21 now. I still dont feel "normal". I have a severe anxiety disorder,and I can tell that I'm not as witty as I used to be. My teeth are fucked. I have 3 crowns. I could use 3-4 more and veneers because my teeth are chipped. These are only some of the things I can notice, who knows what kinda damage I did to my heart/liver/etc. This is all after 2 years of use, I know a lot of people that have been using 5+, imagine how fucked they are!

You seem to be worried about the short term effects but you need to worry about the long term if you keep on using.

"mitigate these long term effects." lmao.
Thats the kind of thinking that going to leave you fucked in the long run.
You need to stop doing the shit if your really worried and you should be trust me.

How old are you man?
 
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i used daily for 3.5 months. i've been off now for 9 weeks and am nowhere near normal. i feel like i'm dying whenever i dont have something increasing my dopamine.
 
Meth changes how your brain works, and these changes are long lasting. As for the food thing, that I can't relate to. I was always VERY hungry after a weekend of partying and using Meth... altho if you use a fair bit I could see your stomach shrinking and reducing your appetite, other then that I don't have any insight to offer...

Yeah that used to be the case. I'd go a day/two/three without eating, crash, then wake up and pig out on whatever I'm currently craving. Recently though, I'm finding that I crash, can't eat, sleep, wake up, can't eat, wait 7 or 8 hours or so, might be able to fit down a small sandwich or whatever.

How old are you man?

18.

Yeah I dunno, I mean it's all very well to say 'just quit.' and it seems to make perfect sense when I'm feeling like shit on a Sunday afternoon (, hey, like now), but then Friday night rolls around, and suddenly a couple points doesn't seem like such a bad idea after all. And as far as drugs go, I just don't have much to replace it with when I'm out partying. Alcohol I can only get drunk for an hour or two before I either sober up or drink more and start getting nauseous/vomitting, MDMA I restrict to once a month because otherwise I get terrible comedowns that pretty much knock me out for a week, and psychadelics are too intense for regular use as a party drug, for me.

Meth is the perfect 'hey it's friday night lets go party' drug. Charges you up with energy, makes you feel happy optimistic and confident and outgoing, the perfect recipe for a good time, without completely flooring you the way MDMA/psychs do.
 
Triforce said:
don't be a dick. he knows what he chose and he doesn't need some ass on BL to tell him anything like that. and also... he didn't even fuck up his life. he can quit meth (or use far less frequently) and get his life back on track in all likelihood. some people have different choices than yours, cface, believe it not. you know... there are many people of the opinion that once you decide to do weed that you decided to fuck up your life.
Chill man at the time i wrote that i wasn't trying to be a dick, i was high and was feeling sympathetic (wow i'm so high i cant tell if i spelled that right) for him. Normally i don't give a good god damn what a person does, but he seems like he's a bit in over his head.

Let me just say to you, Crankinit, that i did the very same thing people do to me... I only thought of the bad of the drug. As Marc Renton (of trainspotting) mentioned, i only thought about the bad in your drug use, not the good. You're not stupid, atleast not that stupid, to do a drug for negative purposes.

Would you believe i cant even tell i'm high yet i had to edit this post about 5 times to get it to make sense.

See ya.
Sorry if i'm babbling, pretty high.
 
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It's cool, I didn't take your comments as unduly harsh. Yeah I know, meth is terrible for your body/mind, I could sit here typing for an hour trying to figure out why I chose to start using this drug, but in the end it was my choice, I more or less accept that.

But I mean fuck, it's so fun. When you just hit that sweet spot with your doseage and you feel full of life and energy, like you're floating above everything else, you can feel it rushing, tingling through your limbs.
 
i feel like i'm dying whenever i dont have something increasing my dopamine.

God this comment made me feel like shit. Like the most depressing comment I've ever read.

Must be because I'm sober, but damn. When I read that it just kinda drained all the hope from me, like we're all bound to be addicts forever, if not physically than at least mentally.
 
Ok, when i'm on a binge i need to eat something at least every 12h. If i don't i start to feel drained. I know it's due low blood sugar.

I don't have to have a full meal and find eating something like BigMac (or similar) quite easy. With enough soda it's not eaven unpleasant.

When it comes to sleeping i usually stay up 3 nights and 3 days. Usually then i just pass out for good 8-9 hours.

After that my eating and sleeping pattern go back to normal no matter how much meth i do.

I have been using meth and amphetamine for 12 years and started injecting them 6 years ago.

I usually shoot 0.5g of meth at the time. If amphetamine is going around (it's more common here. I don't live in U.S) i usually shoot 1.0g (racemic).
 
meth is evil and addictive and your tolerance will increase and your head will get more fukt if you keep using. That said get some good benzos and learn to eat without an appetite. The benzos will fix your head and your sleep - maybe only temporary solution... up to you
 
It’s amazing how many people blindly state negative remarks about methamphetamine who consequentially are either very young, or very inexperienced, or both. “Meth is evil“, or “it fucks up your head“, and other such comments are due to a limited understanding of it’s effects and side effects, along with poor discipline. I don’t necessarily blame them… I blame the endless seas of useless propaganda that misinforms the general populace, or doesn’t inform them at all, about what is really at the heart of the problematic claims.

Having nearly a lifetime of experience with meth, and how to control and combat side effects, I first came to this forum in attempt to provide real harm reduction information to new and inexperienced users.

With that said, the first thing I’ll address is this comment, “I'll still feel tired, but when I go to bed my mind is just racing around in circles …<>… even if 5 minutes ago I felt like I was gonna collapse on the spot.”

Having been using meth recreationally for only about 5 months, you are bound to undergo some lifestyle changes, and the periodic lack of sleep and food are definite lifestyle changing habits which can condition the body. This doesn’t mean it’s “fucking your head up” or anything. Still, what you're experiencing isn't necessarily directly from meth, since for example, my wife (who doesn't use meth) experiences the same thing from time to time. It could be other events in your life as well.

The two things which you are having trouble with (sleeping / eating) are the same things you (and most users) neglect while using. This is not a coincidence.

To put things in perspective, do a self test without the drug, and stay up for a time equal to what you would when using, and deprive yourself of sustenance in the same way you would when using. At the end, see how much like shit you feel, and how long it takes you to recuperate. Understanding or experiencing this can identify the difference between the effects of the drug, and the effects of no sleep, food, and water which so many get confused with.

Eating during use is as important as eating after use. Not just eating food, but eating the right foods will also make a difference. Meth is without a doubt, a very powerful drug, and therefore the level of discipline and responsibility while taking it should be equally powerful. Try eating foods that contain the amino acid “tryptophan“ which helps your body produce and/or replenish serotonin. Foods high in carbohydrates that contain this amino acid such as crackers, cereal, whole-grain bread, fruit, rice, and pasta. Red meats are also very good for replenishment after meth use, but give a more energetic result. And try a vitamin shop or health store for L-tryptophan supplements. The feeling of sleepiness that some people experience after a large meal is due to increased levels of serotonin that result from eating, much like cigarettes which act on serotonin will give people that “relaxed” feeling. Your situation, even the sleep problems, could be remedied simply by eating the right foods at the right time. Being “unable” to eat is unacceptable… you have to make yourself eat right.

I'd write more, but I gotta go for now. Hope that helps.
 
quit, it will be the best day of your life, yourbreakfast will taste better than any breakfast,
 
LivingOnValium said:
Ok, when i'm on a binge i need to eat something at least every 12h. If i don't i start to feel drained. I know it's due low blood sugar.

I don't have to have a full meal and find eating something like BigMac (or similar) quite easy. With enough soda it's not eaven unpleasant.

When it comes to sleeping i usually stay up 3 nights and 3 days. Usually then i just pass out for good 8-9 hours.

After that my eating and sleeping pattern go back to normal no matter how much meth i do.

I have been using meth and amphetamine for 12 years and started injecting them 6 years ago.

I usually shoot 0.5g of meth at the time. If amphetamine is going around (it's more common here. I don't live in U.S) i usually shoot 1.0g (racemic).

Wow. I have been banging for the last few months and this is a really interesting insight into a long-term meth user. Good stuff.

I am going to work now after 1 day up will crash tonight with help of a benzo......

last three days have been work days, been eating good but not drinking enough water.
i find your sentiments spot on.
 
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