**Deeps old post and other things- E-verything you never wanted to know**

pinger

Bluelighter
Joined
Oct 23, 1999
Messages
1,408
Hi All,
I’ve just finished posting this up on the New to XTC forum, as on occasions I have been concerned about the quality of information, and opinions expressed in that forum. Some of you may remember this post by deep from the old bluelight, which was one of the initial reasons i kept coming back here. ANyway, here it is- enjoy.
Whilst we are on the subject, where is deep. Come back deep, I miss your informative or funny or crazy posts, regardless usually of what you posted......
one final point, if any of the experienced bluelighters have time on their hands occasionally, can you please float into the new to XTC forum and check on some of the posts and try to point them in the right direction. There have been some crazy posts in there recently that have kind of worried me. good god, where did this paternal urge come from... arrrrggggghhhhhh.....
cheers
pinger.
E-verything you never wanted to know.
Posted by deep on Wednesday, 28 July 1999, at 1:51 p.m.
I have been surprised at the amount of misinformation some have been propogating and at the expense of sounding like an all knowing jerk I will post some general information here. I am going to be as explicit as possible because even elementary information may be alien to some and it is my hope that the stuff I'm about to write will at least help someone out.
Ecstasy is a generic name for pills and does not reflect their content. The content of a pill varies not only from brand to brand [i.e. Mitsubishi and Rolexes are different] but also within brands [between batches, i.e from Mitsubishi to Mitsubishi]. So buying one E is no guarantee that it will be the same as another E you had. The contents could be completely different.
The prolonged duration of the pill, as well as the visuals you experienced, would point to the content of the pill being MDA, as these are characteristic to the substance. MDMA comparatively has a cleaner comedown, shorter duration of action, no visuals, and feelings of empathy [love] and euphoria [body buzzes].
MDEA is another variant molecule often found in "E". It has a significant amphetamine effect but does not carry with it the same emotional stimulation that the aforementioned types provide. It is often the cause of the "e-tarded" feeling people have - irritable yet speedy. "Heroin" is often blamed for pills high in MDEA content, yet no tests have ever found heroin - synthetic or otherwise - in ecstasy. Furthermore, pills are cut with other substances mainly to drive down costs - heroin is more expensive per gram than MDMA and hence it would not make sense to cut a pill with it. Furthermore the dose of heroin needed to provide an effect is greater than what you could put into a tiny E pill that already contains other substances. The same holds true for cocaine. Their presence in ecstasy are simply myths.
Other myths regarding ecstasy include it draining spinal fluid [back pain is more likely due to overuse of muscles in that area because of the energy that ecstasy provides].
Obviously, MDMA is what most people are looking for. But because it is relatively difficult to synthesize [and hence more expensive] chemists often put in other less expensive substances. Since pill prices are relatively static/unchanging, the lower the cost of production, the greater the profit.
MDMA produces its effects by increasing levels of dopamine and serotonin your nervous system. Serotonin has many functions in the body, including the regulation of sleep and dreaming, the regulation of eating patterns, as well as sensations of contentedness and satisfaction. Chronically low levels of serotonin are related to depressive disorders. Dopamine is a neurochemical that amongst other functions provides the body buzz, speedy and euphoric feelings that MDMA generates.
Pills can contain other substances [i.e. methamphetamine, caffeine, ephedrine, etc.].
1] Timing is critical. Chemists often wait for a pill to earn a reputation, then pump out copycat batches using garbage ingredients? Why? Because garbage ingredients cost less. And knowing full well that once a pill has earned a name for itself, they can ride the reputation generated by the higher quality batch. Case in point: Nothing after the first generation of Mitsubishis came out last August even came close to the first generation. Many of the ones circulating now are total bullshit. But still they were bought up readily because people actually thought they were getting their hands on the real deal. Colors, stamps, etc. mean little after enough time has passed. Furthermore some pill types have been around since the beginnings of the rave scene in England. Hearts, Diamonds, E-stamps, Doves, Butterflies, etc. are not exactly unique or hard to find pill stamps. So simply because you had a heart two years ago does not mean the one you bought tonight will be any good.
Anyone with a 2nd year knowledge of organic chemistry can perform the reactions necessary to synthesize MDMA. Getting your hands on the equipment and chemical precursors is not easy but not impossible. And it does involve the use of toxic chemicals [mercury, etc.]. So don't think that all pills come from one big factory somewhere and that they're all the same. It could be overseas, in an abandoned building, a suburban home or down your street. Anyone with a pill press and a stamp can punch out copycats. If you get your hands on pills within 3 weeks of it hitting the streets then you are in good shape. Anything after that point and that it is right when the copycats usually start coming in for good pills.
2] Read, read, read. Don't go by your dealer's assurances or what your friend heard or anything else removed from facts. Read the facts and studies yourself, know the bottom line, don't let someone else tell you what is right and wrong [including myself. I openly urge everyone to read the research themselves to verify what I'm writing]. "Don't worry, it's good." is not a guarantee. Drug dealing does not obey the same code of ethics real businesses have to face. There are no penalties for lying, no penalties for putting out a shitty product, no penalties for screwing people over to make a buck.
Good places to get information are the reports page include : http://www.bluelight.net/mdma http://www.bluelight.ru http://www.ecstasy.org http://www.lycaeum.org/ http://www.erowid.org/
http://www.dropout.freeserve.co.uk/articles/preload.html
Read all of them.
...and for anyone interested in reading the actual studies http://www.infotrieve.com/freemedline
You may need an introductory understanding of physiological psychology, in which you should be able to turn up a good used textbook at your local university. I suggest the Physiology of Behaviour by Carlson.
Be forewarned that some spineless dealers post glowing reports from time to time to sell their shitty products. So if it's too good to be true, it probably is. Stick around, read everything that you can. Wait a week or two before you try digging up a certain pill to see if everyone's reactions are the same. Wait until others have tried things out. Don't trust everyone's reports, find people who judge hard and are intelligent about their usage and ask them.
3] Know what you want ahead of time, how much you want to pay for it, and don't settle for anything less. Your dealer needs you more than you need them. Period. If you don't get what you want from someone take your business elsewhere. As long as people tolerate bullshit from dealers they'll keep trying to pull it.
The whole reason why Mitsubishi's were pressed out was because over the past few years the quality of pills had decreased significantly. These days the average pill runs about 75mg of MDMA. In 1994 the average pill contained 150 mg of MDMA. In other words you could buy a single pill and split it between yourself and a friend and get the same effect as a single pill today. People grew tired of this trend and the business suffered accordingly. Mitsu's were pumped out in the summer of last year from Amsterdam to restore faith in E-trade in London. The first generation of Mitsu's were tested at 140mg+ of MDMA. For more info check out the article that Mixmag did this year on the Mitsubishi phenomenon.
The point is, don't tolerate bullshit and people won't feed it to you.
4] Buy ahead of time and never at a party. You will pay 5-10 dollars less and not have to deal with last minute mind fucks and dealer tricks. If you buy more than $200 at a time you should be entitled to a free tester from your dealer. Good prices - 180-200 for 10, 20-25 dollars for any quantity less.
5] The taste of a pill is a good indication as to its content. MDMA has a characteristic bitter taste - very bitter. Scratch off a piece of the pill and put it on the tip of your tongue. If it doesn't make your face wince it probably doesn't have much good to it. It also has a characteristic "sassafras" smell, because of the use of sassafrole in the synthesis of MDMA. Pay close attention to the appearance of the pill - its color, how hard it is, the stamp, how thick it is, whether there is a score [line] down the back, whether there are speckles etc. It will help you distinguish between copycats.
6] Never depend on only one dealer. Dig for as many connections as you can find. Don't tolerate mind fucks. If someone plays mind games with you, walk away. Same as in normal business. Accept only the best and that's what you'll get.
7] Know your dealer, don't ever buy from someone you don't trust or don't like.
8] Never dose more frequently than 1 - 1.5 hours apart. The amount necessary to provide the desired effect varies from individual to individual but in Alexander Shulgin's original studies it was determined that 120 mg of MDMA is enough to fuck up the majority of the population. Generally, unless someone has acquired a tolerance from months of excessive usage, 2 pills should be enough to fuck up the majority of people [assuming that they're of relatively good quality]. There is probably not a direct relationship with bodyweight and number of pills needed for a potent dose and more likely a greater relationship with brain mass and # of pills needed, but it's generally true that the smaller you are, the less you need, and that females can get away with less than males.
9] One can acquire a tolerance for MDMA from excessive usage, necessitating more and more to produce the desired effect while accumulating more and more side effects. The only thing that can remedy the acquisition of a tolerance is abstinance.
10] Do not combine E with monoamine oxidase inhibitor drugs. Monoamine oxidase is the enzyme that helps to eventually slow down the effects of MDMA, without it, your body is like a car speeding without any breaks - it has no way of controlling itself.
11] Handle your business yourself. Don't leave it to others.
12] Stay adequately hydrated. MDMA enhances serotonin secretion, high levels of serotonin cause hyperthermia [increase in body heat]. Not to mention the fact that dancing alone works up a good sweat.
13] Take periodic sober breaks...you'll find out whether you're into the scene because of the vibe/music or the drugs rather quickly. Furthermore it will enhance the quality of your rolls when you do.
13] Double stacks are sometimes a trick used by chemists to convince people there is more MDMA in a pill than there really is. Although some double stacked pills do contain significantly more MDMA they are generally the exception rather than the rule.
14] Information is regionally specific. Meaning that a pill that was great in England may not be the same as ones circulating around here, even if the stamps are the same.
15] Metaphorically, think of your brain as the engine of a car. Certain substances floor the gas pedal and make the car go faster than normal. This is fun. But in driving faster, you use up gas [serotonin, in this specific situation] faster as well.
When these substances wear off, you are obviously left with less gas than you would have if you didn't do the speed-racer thing.
With less gas, you can't drive as fast as you normally do. Therefore you operate less efficiently. Low levels of serotonin can be characterized by changes in eating patterns, sleeping patterns, short term memory and the appearance of depressive symptoms. MDMA produces its loved up, empathic effect by increasing levels of serotonin. If the body's "gas" [serotonin] is used up faster than it is replaced, then one is left with less serotonin when it is all said and done... ...unless you go to a gas station and refill the tank [supplement with 5-HTP, eat foods rich in the amino acid trytophan like bananas or turkey meat]...
...or put the car in economy mode to use the gas more efficiently [use of an SSRI type anti-depressant]...
...or don't drive as fast, as often [use moderation in usage / frequency].
Because this is purely mathematical it applies to everyone regardless of their prior condition.
It should however be noted that the lower levels of serotonin are not permanent [i.e. the size of your gas tank has not been reduced], but rather there is temporarily less gas in the tank than normally.
Damage may even occur to the engine if driven hard with no gas in the tank. Depletion of serotonin stores is one step in a proposed mechanism for the neurotoxicity of MDMA. It can be theoretically counteracted by using engine oil [antioxidants such as Vitamin C]. I must however warn that studies correlating MDMA with neurotoxicity have only been performed in animals and only using ridiculously high dosages / frequency of usage.
There are ways in which one can decrease the negative side effects of MDMA and increase the positive ones. Although no studies have been done on these techniques and MDMA specifically, extrapolating biochemical facts and observing the experiences of those who have done it support their practice. These practices are called preloading and postloading. The entire concept behind preloading and postloading is, extending the above metaphor, adding gas to the tank that MDMA is going to use up.
Serotonin as aforementioned is responsible for the empathic, loved-up feelings from MDMA. Adding more serotonin to your system enhances these effects. More importantly, it hypothetically counteracts the mechanism MDMA is thought to induce neurotoxicity with. 5-hydroxytrytophan is the direct precursor of serotonin in the body. It is sold in health food stores to help people with sleeping disorders [one of serotonin's roles is in the regulation of sleep, as aforementioned]. It is not a drug, it is an amino acid with a hydroxyl molecule appended to it. Supplementation with 5-hydroxytrytophan enhances the loved-up, empathic feelings and cleans up the comedown.
Hard come downs are usually generated by depletion of intraneuronal serotonin stores. The result of lessed serotonin stores, as mentioned above, are characterized by disruptions in normal sleeping and eating patterns, difficulty in verbal processing and committing facts to short term memory, as well as irritatiblity. Most notably the impact of low serotonin levels is characterized by depression. Supplementation with 5-hydroxtrytophan [5-HTP for short] counteracts these negative side effects by putting more gas in the tank and ensuring that you don't run out.
In animal studies, it is hypothesized that neurotoxicity from MDMA is due to the following process. I'll put it in layman's terms.
1] MDMA amps up serotonin and dopamine use.
2] Serotonin runs out
3] Dopamine goes where serotonin normally would
4] Altered dopamine molecules cause damage to nerves
Therefore by preventing the depletion of serotonin you minimize the amount of oxidized dopamine radicals that feed into pre-axonic serotonin terminals and cause axonic trimming.
One of magnesium's major roles in the body is in muscle relaxation. It is the antagonist [opposite] of calcium, which helps to induce muscle contraction. The jaw clenching observed on MDMA can be minimized through magnesium supplementation. Added magnesium can also minimizing cramping due to dehydration. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant. As aforementioned it is thought that MDMA is neurotoxic due to oxidized free radicals. As such Vitamin C counteracts these free radicals and helps to minimize damage incurred.
The aforementioned three elements are the most PROTECTIVE elements to a preloading regimen. The following elements are optional because they enhance the experience rather than protect you from anything specific. L-Tyrosine is to dopamine what 5-HTP is to serotonin. It is its precursor. Dopamine provides the rushy, body buzz, speedy effects...increasing L-tyrosine levels enhances these sensations.
DLPA amongst other functions, helps to prolong the duration of action of pleasure inducing neurochemicals. L-Glutamine is a precursor to neurotransmitters in the brain. It also imparts a protective effect on the brain but not as heavily as 5-HTP or Vitamin C.
Any substances that you are preloading with need to cross the blood brain barrier to be effective. Amino acids compete with each other to cross the blood brain barrier, hence eating foods rich with protein lessen the effects of the amino acids because so many are in competition. It's like having a race with 2 people or 1000 people. Those one of those two people are more likely to win when they're only racing against themselves.
As such preloads are taken on a relatively empty stomach, 1-1.5 hours prior to rolling. Preferably they are taken with a sugary juice to help the amino acids cross the blood brain barrier. Grapefruit juice inhibits one of the p450 cytochrome C digestive enzymes in the digestive tract that metabolizes MDMA and hence can make the effects of the drug somewhat more effective.
It should be noted that preloading can upset some people's stomachs or cause diarrhea due to the acidity of the stomach. In which case these symptoms are easily counteracted by the following steps:
1] Mix the capped substances into juice, shake thoroughly, and sip the solution slowly over the course of an hour prior to a roll.
2] Immodium can counteract the diarrhea and does not interfere with a roll.
3] Tums or any calcium carbonate based antacid reduces the acidity of the stomach and counteracts the feelings of sickness one might encounter when coming up from a roll or after preloading. A newbie I came across on the weekend was doubled over from their pill hitting them too hard - two tums and ten minutes later they were up on their feet feeling fine. If necessary you can also eat a non-acidic carbohydrate based food to buffer acidity, such as bread, muffins, etc.
The practice of postloading is metaphorically to fill up the tank after a long, fast ride. You restore the elements depleted by MDMA, and in doing so, bypass negative side effects and clean up your comedown while restoring normal function.
The only elements required in a postloading regimen are the protective ones. It is suggested that one employ 5-HTP, Vitamin C, Magnesium for the aforementioned reasons. A multivitamin is beneficial to help replace spent micronutrients. Water is of course beneficial. L-Tyrosine, DLPA are not desired nor necessary.
You will know if you are bypassing the negative side effects of serotonin depletion if you can sleep soundly after rolling, and do not experience significant post-MDMA depression or disturbances in verbal processing, short term memory and eating patterns.
Natural sources of trytophan [the precursor to 5-hydroxtrytophan, two steps away from serotonin] include bananas and turkey meat. Turkey's high level of trytophan is the reason why most people feel sleepy after thanksgiving / christmas dinners - the high concentration of trytophan converts to serotonin in the bloodstream. Because of serotonin's relationship to the regulation of sleep, fatigue is induced.
In so far as exact dosages of these elements, it should be noted that it varies from person to person and
experimentation is key. The following are guidelines that have been found to work for many. It should also be noted that changing the ratio's of elements can provide different effects. I.E. Decreasing 5-HTP and increasing L-Tyrosine/DLPA can enhance the speediness of a pill, but would not protect the brain from neurotoxic effects as much as more 5-HTP would. Excessive 5-HTP can mellow out a roll. Not make it mashy, but reduce the speediness of the pill.
Preloading:
1. 5-HTP - 200-400mg
2. L-Tyrosine - 500-1500mg
3. DLPA - 500-1500mg
4. Vitamin C - 1000+, since it is water soluble and so protective you really can't go wrong going high. Remember that orange juice and fruits are comparatively lower sources of vitamin C compared to supplements.
5. L-Glutamine - 2-5 grams
6. Magnesium - 500-1000mg
Post load:
1. 5-HTP - 200-400mg
2. Vitamin C - 1000mg+
3. Magnesium - 500-1000mg
Remember to experiment and take these things slowly as the sheer volume of pills ingested can upset the stomach. All elements are legal and can be found readily in health food stores and at online health food retailers.
It may seem expensive to buy all these things but to protect your brain against neurotoxic effects and reduce other negative side effects it is well worth it. SSRI type antidepressants have been shown to impart a neuroprotective effect after a roll as well. Specifically fluoxetine [Prozac] has been shown to prevent neurotoxic effects in animals. I have never met a person who has wanted to go back to rolling without preloading / postloading once they tried it. I don't benefit from any of this information directly nor do I have reason to lie. I just hope that this helps makes things safer for people out there.
You have to believe that you have control over what happens to you and that you don't have to get screwed into anything.
I hope that this information helps someone out there. I'm not normally a quote person because people never practice what they preach, but here are some maxims to roll by:
Knowledge is power
It is best to err on the side of caution
Moderation is key
I can't think of anything else. I'm out
 
THANK YOU!
Being a new Bluelighter, I was starting to feel discouranged. I hope to see more posts like yours in this forum. I thought serious dicussion was what Bluelight was all about. So again...Thank you for keeping me coming back.
[This message has been edited by dazzle (edited 16 December 1999).]
 
wow.. crazy telepathic shit happening here.. I came to bluelight last night for the first time in months looking for this exact same post.. it used to be archived as a faq or something... anyways couldn't find it.. but lo and behold... it's here tonight
thanks for re-posting this.. this time i'm keeping a hardcopy
much love
DC
 
Nice find pinger
smile.gif

Have read it before.Now thats information!Maybe they should put that up as an opening page to the NEW to XTC forum.Or actually open it to new registration.READ before REGISTER!
Good stuff
smile.gif

pEacE LovE aNd HappinEss
Chaos
 
doin' the bump cuz it seemed like a good thing to do...
pointlessly yours,
vertigo
 
This one's definately worth a print out
smile.gif

More posts like this please
smile.gif

------------------
HAPPY HARDCORE WILL LIVE FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
<~p-E-achy~> -=+PLUR+=-
 
Deep mentions seratonin being increased by ecstacy. However, that is wrong. It is decreased. When all your seratonin is decreased, you stop rolling.
 
lexus, deep mentions serotonin bein released by mdma. the exact quote is:
"MDMA produces its effects by increasing levels of dopamine and serotonin your nervous system."
this is true. the serotonin is released into the synapse increasing the amount of receptor binding causing the flood of happy emotions. after a few hours most of the serotonin has been released and subsequently broken down by monoamine oxidase.
i imagine this is the decrease to which you are referring
smile.gif
 
Thank You Pinger!!! I've been trying to find that to post in the XTC forum
smile.gif
It definately deserves a trip to the top!
 
very informative, very important that EVERYBODY reads this
Peace!
------------------
"whatever it is i think i
see, becomes a tootsie
roll to me"
 
This one went straight to the printer and framed and hanged from there !!!
Learn from experiance !!
Thanks for the post - even though i am not sure i will be doing again soon - very important that people see this !!!
Plur
------------------
SpecialK - If you thought thats a hole wait till you see my flat :)
 
hehehe - i just copeid an paste this to a word document and printed it on our office plotter (50' paper size) and it's going to go in my bedroom
smile.gif

who had the rights for it ? maybe i can get hem to sign it or something
smile.gif

thanks anyway - just wanted to share
smile.gif

Plur
------------------
SpecialK - If you thought thats a hole wait till you see my flat :)
 
Bumping its way back on the charts....
One note...rolling on successive nights is not a good idea for 2 reasons. First the initial night of rolling is likely to deplete your levels of seritonin considerably, and by rolling again the second night you dont give your body a chance to recover and refill the seritonin tank. Secondly, the second night's roll will be less euphoric and of shorter duration, and requiring more pills to get the E effects then it did the first night. You may have the speediness of the pills but not the euphoria, and isnt that what most of us want. it will also likely leave you wired due to the speedy effects of the pill and feeling miserable the next day. So One day a weekend, once or twice a month is a good suggestion to ensure quality rolls on small amounts of pills. I took 2 weeks off after rolling one night and rolled my ass off on one pill.
Thanks deep for your post and educating a lot of people
Peace
soulwatcher
 
Top