Hello, just created an account here at bluelight for the purpose of condensing information on amphetamines. If this is in the wrong place, or is a redundancy then please move/delete it and let me know. I have just noticed a general lack of centrality of information on amphetamines. Currently I am prescribed 10mg generic Adderall 2x daily. Works fine, have tried Vyvanse with similar results etc., I only want to be properly educated on all facets of a volatile substance which I ingest (almost) daily.
PLEASE correct me if I am wrong on any of what follows, I do not wish to spread misinformation or to be ill-informed myself. Amphetamines are dangerous substances, and should not be abused or used without proper information. Therapeutic or recreational amphetamine use can have consequences, and one should not partake unless one is well informed (the goal of this thread).
From what I gather from basic internet research (bluelight/errowid/wikipedia/etc) is this:
There are several different types of amphetamines. These range from normal amphetamine salts in ADD medications such as Vyvanse, Adderall, Desoxyn, etc. to "street meth" of varying purity. "Street meth" is roughly 3x as potent (again, depending on purity) as prescribed amphetamine. This is due to the difference in quantity of L and D amphetamine isomers (for non chemistry majors an isomer is a mirror image of a chemical compound, also known as "right" and "left" versions). The L isomer contributes to mellowness(?), whiles D isomers contribute to what is thought of as "stimulant-y", i.e. attention, wakefulness, euphoria, generally the reason people do amphetamines.
Difference between "meth" and normal amphetamine is the extra methyl group attached (methylation), which causes both the drug and its metabolite (unmethylated amphetamine) to produce an effect. TL;DR: double-strong.
Vocab Words thus Far:
-Isomer: mirror images of chemical compounds; right and left isomers have different effects on you.
-racemic: a mixture of equal parts right and left isomers.
Little blurb on Adderall/Vyvasne: Adderall is composed of four amphetamine salts:
Racemic amphetamine aspartate monohydrate
Racemic amphetamine sulfate
Dextroamphetamine saccharide
Dextroamphetamine sulfate
I am not sure what each of these does within the medication itself, and would love for someone to enlighten me.
Adderall (brand name) is prescribed to both adults and children for ADD, ADHD, and (sometimes) narcolepsy. Adderall comes in varying dosages and in two forms - IR (instant) and XR (long), IR takes effect in about 15-30 mins (from experience) and can last anywhere from 2-6 hours. XR kicks in at about the 30 minute mark and can last up to 12 hours. The difference is that XR has amphetamine within small time-release capsules within the actual pill, releasing a dose when the other one should "run out". Vyvanse is comparable to XR, but has a different mechanism of action. Vyvanse is a prodrug, meaning that the effects that are achieved from ingestion come from a metabolite of the drug itself. It consists of dextroamphetamine coupled with L-lysine. Once metabolised by the liver, the amphetamine becomes active. Because of this metabolic process the "high" is longer and mellower. In my experience there have been more "negatives" from Vyvanse, i.e. edginess and discomfort. The ability with IR to choose when you're "up" is nice too.
Vocab Words:
Metabolised: broken down chemically
Potentiation: in this case furthering the effects of amphetamines
Ingested: taken orally
Insufflate: snorted, taken through the nasal cavity
Injected: taken intravenously
Suppository: up the butt
Alkaline: basic (opposite of acidic)
Potentiation: Amphetamines can be ingested, insufflated, or injected. The most potent form is injection, but that comes with syringes, needle marks, collapsed veins, etc. I don't like to mess with it. Insufflation is second, but damages the nasal passages and can cause scarring with repeated use of this method. Ingestion is the primary method; it is least effective but generally the safest and how medication is prescribed. I suppose a suppository (hah) would be effective but I have found no information on that.
Anyway, amphetamines are more readily absorbed by the digestive system (in the small intestine) in a more alkaline environment. Elimination from the body is accelerated in alkaline environments (via urine/kidneys) as well. Acidity has the opposite effect. I have no information on how this can cause physical harm, short-term or long-term. A common method (if I need to be SUPER amped or need it to last longer) to alkalise both the gastrointestinal tract as well as the excretory system are either baking soda (stronger but yuck and all that unnecessary sodium) or tums (yum, not sure about the impact of the calcium).
General information about the "high":
When one is on amphetamines (have not tired methamphetamines) nothing is impossible. Adderall isn't too potent, I no longer feel the euphoria, but this describes it perfectly: King-of-the-world. Thoughts become organized, articulation is automatic, focus (I have mild ADD) is absolute. Cranking out a 5 page essay in an hour or two? No problem and it's an award-winner (I would categorize myself as intelligent already, don't mean to be full of myself, but amphetamine makes the difference between an A and an A++++ publish-quality). It makes me a better version of myself, and allows me to get my priorities straight. For example, earlier today I was playing WoW (bad habit, I know), Adderall kicks in, I come to the realisation that if I stop I will become better at life, and would I rather succeed at life or at a virtual world? Shit like that.
Downside? Not possible to stop. SWIM that I know can take 30mg and then take a nap. I however have to be doing something, going somewhere, etc. If I stop, I feel like I'll explode. It's almost like NZT from that movie Limitless. Also it makes sleep impossible until it wears off. While regularly taking amphetamines, good sleep habits are a MUST. Otherwise you risk getting lost in pill-popping-unlimited-productivity-until-you-start-hallucinating-from-sleep-deprivation-land. Lack of appetite (I'm already thin, losing any more weight would be unhealthy) is also a problem, but you force yourself.
What I've seen are good ideas:
High-protein diet. Apparently the increased neural activity puts strain on the levels of amino acids in your body.
Melatonin. Helps with sleep deprivation and fights the neurotoxic eventuality of amphetamines.
Magnesium. Helps with neurotoxicity.
Cumin(?). Can't remember fully right now, but a yellow dye that is common in curry (not sure if cumin is correct) is insanely good for tolerance and neurotoxicity of amphetamines.
STAY HYDRATED. Obvious reasons. When on amphetamines everything is on the back burner except what you're doing that instant. Don't let yourself pass out - or even die - due to dehydration.
Keep your mouth wet. Fights "meth mouth" caused by amphetamines.
Don't grind your teeth. "Meth mouth" again.
Keep up hygiene. Hard to do if you have to pull an all-nighter or two (with naps, of course) to meet a deadline. It's easy to forget, but brushing teeth is a cardiovascular must, and showering, deoderant, and a change of clothes is just common courtesy if going out into public is going to happen.
SLEEP. Keep normal sleep cycles. VERY important.
Protein-filled breakfast. Study done on children (can't remember to cite) found that a high-protein breakfast boosted concentration/mental health by a noticeable amount.
Milk acidifies GI tract. Take half a tums to negate if taken after breakfast (cereal, glass of milk). As stated before, P.h. should be 7 or above, otherwise you're wasting your meds.
Take as little as possible. If taking therapeutically, don't take it unless you need it. Ups tolerance and is bad for you.
Observe yourself. You know you. If you're not yourself, fix that. Don't become the drug, otherwise you're proving that you can't handle it. This shit is an addictive substance that has a VERY high potential for abuse. If using, use wisely. Don't become an example for DEA to use to fight a "war" on drugs.
If out, don't "resort." Wait. Go through withdrawal. Meth from sketchy dealers, robbing pharmacies, etc. are all horrible ideas. If you're at the stage of addiction, and you find yourself "resorting to.." then take a step back, sit in the corner with ibuprofen, water, and granola bars and wait it out.
No experience in this area, but STAY AWAY from bath salts. That shit cray. Bad cray. SWIM has some acquaintances that take PCP/bath salts and do horrible things. Some stories I've heard include but are not limited to killing people, rape and disemboweling underage girls, etc. Stay away from shit that you don't know exactly what is.
A lot of that is redundant and common sense, but who knows it may save a life some day so I had to write it.
If getting amphetamines legally, talk to your doctor, honestly. Not all docs are experts. Some people on here have more real-world as well as theoretical and technical know how on amphetamines. A GP cannot specialise in everything. Mine flat-out told me that they did not know a few things. I was more appreciative about the honesty than anything.
Quickly what I know of how amphetamines work:
They readily cross the blood/brain barrier, allowing for quick action.
They act via dopamine and norepinephrine (greek for noradrenalin). Dopamine = euphoria, focus. NE = focus, production of dopamine. Dopamine activates reward pathways in the brain, thus addiction. I believe that the dextroamphetamine salts have a greater impact on NE than on dopamine.
The way that they work is that they prevent reuptake (SNERI and SDRIs) (the cell absorbing the dopamine/NE that it releases), allowing for a greater amount of them in the ECM (extracellular matrix). That is the extent of my knowledge.
Some things that I would love to know more about:
Ritalin/Concerta
Real Meth (What is bought from dealers, made from labs in Mexico, etc)
Mechanisms of action of amphetamines
Potentiation
Prevention of neurotoxicity
Long-term negative effects
Finding optimum therapeutic dosages
Tolerance control
Combination with other drugs (cannabis, nicotine, caffeine, SSRIs, i.e. antidepressants)
Experiences with different brands/drugs in the amphetamine/amphetamine-like families
Long-term user testimony
Professional medical/pharmacological/chemistry perspective
Again, motive for this thread is education on what myself and others are ingesting, as well as condensing knowledge that would otherwise be scattered across the reaches of the internet. Shit I typed a lot.
PLEASE correct me if I am wrong on any of what follows, I do not wish to spread misinformation or to be ill-informed myself. Amphetamines are dangerous substances, and should not be abused or used without proper information. Therapeutic or recreational amphetamine use can have consequences, and one should not partake unless one is well informed (the goal of this thread).
From what I gather from basic internet research (bluelight/errowid/wikipedia/etc) is this:
There are several different types of amphetamines. These range from normal amphetamine salts in ADD medications such as Vyvanse, Adderall, Desoxyn, etc. to "street meth" of varying purity. "Street meth" is roughly 3x as potent (again, depending on purity) as prescribed amphetamine. This is due to the difference in quantity of L and D amphetamine isomers (for non chemistry majors an isomer is a mirror image of a chemical compound, also known as "right" and "left" versions). The L isomer contributes to mellowness(?), whiles D isomers contribute to what is thought of as "stimulant-y", i.e. attention, wakefulness, euphoria, generally the reason people do amphetamines.
Difference between "meth" and normal amphetamine is the extra methyl group attached (methylation), which causes both the drug and its metabolite (unmethylated amphetamine) to produce an effect. TL;DR: double-strong.
Vocab Words thus Far:
-Isomer: mirror images of chemical compounds; right and left isomers have different effects on you.
-racemic: a mixture of equal parts right and left isomers.
Little blurb on Adderall/Vyvasne: Adderall is composed of four amphetamine salts:
Racemic amphetamine aspartate monohydrate
Racemic amphetamine sulfate
Dextroamphetamine saccharide
Dextroamphetamine sulfate
I am not sure what each of these does within the medication itself, and would love for someone to enlighten me.
Adderall (brand name) is prescribed to both adults and children for ADD, ADHD, and (sometimes) narcolepsy. Adderall comes in varying dosages and in two forms - IR (instant) and XR (long), IR takes effect in about 15-30 mins (from experience) and can last anywhere from 2-6 hours. XR kicks in at about the 30 minute mark and can last up to 12 hours. The difference is that XR has amphetamine within small time-release capsules within the actual pill, releasing a dose when the other one should "run out". Vyvanse is comparable to XR, but has a different mechanism of action. Vyvanse is a prodrug, meaning that the effects that are achieved from ingestion come from a metabolite of the drug itself. It consists of dextroamphetamine coupled with L-lysine. Once metabolised by the liver, the amphetamine becomes active. Because of this metabolic process the "high" is longer and mellower. In my experience there have been more "negatives" from Vyvanse, i.e. edginess and discomfort. The ability with IR to choose when you're "up" is nice too.
Vocab Words:
Metabolised: broken down chemically
Potentiation: in this case furthering the effects of amphetamines
Ingested: taken orally
Insufflate: snorted, taken through the nasal cavity
Injected: taken intravenously
Suppository: up the butt
Alkaline: basic (opposite of acidic)
Potentiation: Amphetamines can be ingested, insufflated, or injected. The most potent form is injection, but that comes with syringes, needle marks, collapsed veins, etc. I don't like to mess with it. Insufflation is second, but damages the nasal passages and can cause scarring with repeated use of this method. Ingestion is the primary method; it is least effective but generally the safest and how medication is prescribed. I suppose a suppository (hah) would be effective but I have found no information on that.
Anyway, amphetamines are more readily absorbed by the digestive system (in the small intestine) in a more alkaline environment. Elimination from the body is accelerated in alkaline environments (via urine/kidneys) as well. Acidity has the opposite effect. I have no information on how this can cause physical harm, short-term or long-term. A common method (if I need to be SUPER amped or need it to last longer) to alkalise both the gastrointestinal tract as well as the excretory system are either baking soda (stronger but yuck and all that unnecessary sodium) or tums (yum, not sure about the impact of the calcium).
General information about the "high":
When one is on amphetamines (have not tired methamphetamines) nothing is impossible. Adderall isn't too potent, I no longer feel the euphoria, but this describes it perfectly: King-of-the-world. Thoughts become organized, articulation is automatic, focus (I have mild ADD) is absolute. Cranking out a 5 page essay in an hour or two? No problem and it's an award-winner (I would categorize myself as intelligent already, don't mean to be full of myself, but amphetamine makes the difference between an A and an A++++ publish-quality). It makes me a better version of myself, and allows me to get my priorities straight. For example, earlier today I was playing WoW (bad habit, I know), Adderall kicks in, I come to the realisation that if I stop I will become better at life, and would I rather succeed at life or at a virtual world? Shit like that.
Downside? Not possible to stop. SWIM that I know can take 30mg and then take a nap. I however have to be doing something, going somewhere, etc. If I stop, I feel like I'll explode. It's almost like NZT from that movie Limitless. Also it makes sleep impossible until it wears off. While regularly taking amphetamines, good sleep habits are a MUST. Otherwise you risk getting lost in pill-popping-unlimited-productivity-until-you-start-hallucinating-from-sleep-deprivation-land. Lack of appetite (I'm already thin, losing any more weight would be unhealthy) is also a problem, but you force yourself.
What I've seen are good ideas:
High-protein diet. Apparently the increased neural activity puts strain on the levels of amino acids in your body.
Melatonin. Helps with sleep deprivation and fights the neurotoxic eventuality of amphetamines.
Magnesium. Helps with neurotoxicity.
Cumin(?). Can't remember fully right now, but a yellow dye that is common in curry (not sure if cumin is correct) is insanely good for tolerance and neurotoxicity of amphetamines.
STAY HYDRATED. Obvious reasons. When on amphetamines everything is on the back burner except what you're doing that instant. Don't let yourself pass out - or even die - due to dehydration.
Keep your mouth wet. Fights "meth mouth" caused by amphetamines.
Don't grind your teeth. "Meth mouth" again.
Keep up hygiene. Hard to do if you have to pull an all-nighter or two (with naps, of course) to meet a deadline. It's easy to forget, but brushing teeth is a cardiovascular must, and showering, deoderant, and a change of clothes is just common courtesy if going out into public is going to happen.
SLEEP. Keep normal sleep cycles. VERY important.
Protein-filled breakfast. Study done on children (can't remember to cite) found that a high-protein breakfast boosted concentration/mental health by a noticeable amount.
Milk acidifies GI tract. Take half a tums to negate if taken after breakfast (cereal, glass of milk). As stated before, P.h. should be 7 or above, otherwise you're wasting your meds.
Take as little as possible. If taking therapeutically, don't take it unless you need it. Ups tolerance and is bad for you.
Observe yourself. You know you. If you're not yourself, fix that. Don't become the drug, otherwise you're proving that you can't handle it. This shit is an addictive substance that has a VERY high potential for abuse. If using, use wisely. Don't become an example for DEA to use to fight a "war" on drugs.
If out, don't "resort." Wait. Go through withdrawal. Meth from sketchy dealers, robbing pharmacies, etc. are all horrible ideas. If you're at the stage of addiction, and you find yourself "resorting to.." then take a step back, sit in the corner with ibuprofen, water, and granola bars and wait it out.
No experience in this area, but STAY AWAY from bath salts. That shit cray. Bad cray. SWIM has some acquaintances that take PCP/bath salts and do horrible things. Some stories I've heard include but are not limited to killing people, rape and disemboweling underage girls, etc. Stay away from shit that you don't know exactly what is.
A lot of that is redundant and common sense, but who knows it may save a life some day so I had to write it.
If getting amphetamines legally, talk to your doctor, honestly. Not all docs are experts. Some people on here have more real-world as well as theoretical and technical know how on amphetamines. A GP cannot specialise in everything. Mine flat-out told me that they did not know a few things. I was more appreciative about the honesty than anything.
Quickly what I know of how amphetamines work:
They readily cross the blood/brain barrier, allowing for quick action.
They act via dopamine and norepinephrine (greek for noradrenalin). Dopamine = euphoria, focus. NE = focus, production of dopamine. Dopamine activates reward pathways in the brain, thus addiction. I believe that the dextroamphetamine salts have a greater impact on NE than on dopamine.
The way that they work is that they prevent reuptake (SNERI and SDRIs) (the cell absorbing the dopamine/NE that it releases), allowing for a greater amount of them in the ECM (extracellular matrix). That is the extent of my knowledge.
Some things that I would love to know more about:
Ritalin/Concerta
Real Meth (What is bought from dealers, made from labs in Mexico, etc)
Mechanisms of action of amphetamines
Potentiation
Prevention of neurotoxicity
Long-term negative effects
Finding optimum therapeutic dosages
Tolerance control
Combination with other drugs (cannabis, nicotine, caffeine, SSRIs, i.e. antidepressants)
Experiences with different brands/drugs in the amphetamine/amphetamine-like families
Long-term user testimony
Professional medical/pharmacological/chemistry perspective
Again, motive for this thread is education on what myself and others are ingesting, as well as condensing knowledge that would otherwise be scattered across the reaches of the internet. Shit I typed a lot.
