Misc Immunity/Non Response to Nitrous Oxide? Evaluating my brain chemistry and NMDA

[pink_rabbit]

Hi everyone, this is my first post. I've often consulted this forum before and found it to be very helpful involving questions of pharmacology.

So, a little background. I have severe treatment resistant depression and within the last year have looked into alternative treatment options. I looked into a ketamine study in my area but it was just ending, so that was out. I am interested in trying memantine, though. I respond very badly generally to SSRIs/SNRIs and believe them to be the cause of my severe anhedonic state that I've been in for over a year.

I just had my wisdom teeth out and although initially did not want to use the nitrous oxide since I needed to get home on my own and didn't want to be loopy, the local shots made me feel very uncomfortable and anxious so I asked them to use it. I have never used NO at a dentists office or recreationally, for that matter, nor really any kind of NMDA affecting type drug. She kept saying to expect a "floaty" feeling, or tingling, or something. My lips were so numb by this time so I had difficulty communicating but after a while I began to think that they were just using oxygen and had told me they added the NO to placate me.

Once all my teeth were extracted I asked them about it. I told her I hadn't felt anything on the NO and the dentist was surprised - she said that 40% had been used. Maybe I just have seen too many sitcoms where people are totally high at the dentist's office, so I was expecting something way more, but I honestly don't think I could have told the difference between that and oxygen. No physical effects, no mental effects, nothing.

So I was wondering - for all you armchair neurochemists out there - what does this possibly say about my neurochemistry, and my possible response in the future to meds like ketamine and other NDMA receptor antagonists? I feel like there must be some connection here with my non-response and the chemical imbalance which is causing the depression. I would love to hear people's thoughts! Thanks!

 

[brutus]

Did you have pure nitrogen oxide or was it mixed with oxygen? If it was mixed with oxygen, then I can see why you felt nothing from it because I have never felt anything from it either. I feel nitrogen oxide just fine.

 

[pink_rabbit]

Like I said, it was at 40% with the oxygen. I don't even know how that holds up as far as dosing goes. This may actually be a silly question, it's just that from what the dentist said (and her surprise at my non response) and how it's portrayed in media, I was expecting at least *something*, maybe not feeling high, but just something. Even just a light physical sensation, or some mild relaxation. It's called "laughing gas" afterall!

Maybe it's more common than I thought, but I'd love to gain some insight into whether it can tell me something about my brain chemistry and what my chemical imbalances are for treating my depression.

 

[brutus]

I misunderstood the part about 40%, I thought you meant 40% of the supply had been used. I don't really believe it says anything about your brain chemistry. The entire point of nitrogen oxide plus oxygen is to feel a mild relaxation. I would be interested though if you did not respond to pure nitrogen oxide which is portrayed when people typically think of laughing gas.

 

[alovesupreme]

in medical practice they're feeding you with a mix of N2O and O2 so (1) you aren't going to get crazy high and (2) you won't asphyxiate. usually when folks are using N2O recreationally they're huffing 100% N2O from a balloon while rebreathing their own CO and CO2 for some period of time and that is why you end up tripping. i guarantee if you did it the "recreational way" you'd feel it just like everyone else does.