Neuroscience Memantine nuked my Nicotine tolerance!

[Asante]

Memantine has growing fame in addiction circles, helping people on serious drugs like stimulants (even meth) and opioids cut back or quit by partially reducing the tolerance.

Recently I leaned into a habit of using 6 4mg nicotine lozenges per day. Responses were diminishing.

3 days ago, in the evening, I took an 80mg memantine capsule, a mild entheogenic dose for me.

The nicotine hit HARDER!

Yesterday I switched from taking 4mg doses to taking 2mg doses.

Today I did the same.

The 2mg doses hit harder than the 4mg doses a few days ago.

Tomorrow i'm going to break the 4mg tabs in quarters and switch to 1mg doses, the lowest dosage step of lozenges.

I got a reset in my tolerance for nicotine!

I asked AI and to summarize:

Memantine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, is known to reduce tolerance to various drugs by disrupting glutamate-driven neuroadaptation, a key mechanism in the development of dependence. This effect has been observed with opioids, stimulants like cocaine and amphetamines, alcohol, and benzodiazepines, where memantine helps reverse or prevent the brain’s compensatory changes that lead to diminished drug sensitivity. Nicotine falls under the same mechanism, as chronic nicotine use also enhances glutamatergic signaling and NMDA receptor activity, contributing to tolerance and addiction. By blocking these pathways, memantine can restore nicotine sensitivity, making previously tolerated doses feel significantly stronger, and thus enabling lower intake with the same perceived effect.

thera flocking peutic!

I didnt expect Nicotine tolerance to plummet, I was looking for a Memantine experience - and found my faded 4mg lozenges hitting uncomfortably hard.

Down to 2mg, on the second day of 2mg natural nicotine shortterm tolerance reversal got in swing on top of half the memantine still being in my system (T 1/2 = 60-100h) today's 2mg felt stronger than yesterday's so tomorrow its half that again!

Sick

I wanted to share this because, well flock, harm reduction!

I can't source memantine for you, don't ask, but its a worldwide pharmaceutical that is unrestricted.


I propose we discuss the ins and outs of the reduction of tolerance to Serious Drugs by Memantine (and also other dissociatives)

It does Ibogaine-like things to tolerance to major drugs (has a similar 3D cage structure) - but its available worldwide in unlimited quantities and is Very Safe in comparison.

 

[Skorpio]

I would have guessed that it is memantine’s effect at a7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (it is an antagonist).

I recall that ibogaine blocks the a3b4 nicotinic receptors, which seem to be an important target for addiction (as that is what some of the non-psychadelic analogs target). a7 receptors tend to be involved in nicotine addiction itself, though.

 

[dopamimetic]

Interesting, a7 antagonists do block the effects from nicotine for me, with all memantine-DXM-bupropion. But yeah NMDA antagonists help a ton with tolerance.

 

[Pissed_and_messed]

I would have guessed that it is memantine’s effect at a7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (it is an antagonist).

I recall that ibogaine blocks the a3b4 nicotinic receptors, which seem to be an important target for addiction (as that is what some of the non-psychadelic analogs target). a7 receptors tend to be involved in nicotine addiction itself, though.

Ketamine has also been shown to have some effect on some nicotinic receptors I do not remember exactly what kind of, but effect lasting longer than the initial high, and that was associated to relief in depression and anxiety. Like NMDAR-antagonists who resembled ketamine but didn't have this specific effect, did not offer nowhere as much psychologic relief.

 

[pnillyg]

For somebody that takes kratom, ketamine, benzos, lunesta, gabapentin, cannabis etc (currently tapering everything) would this possibly be a helpful medication and if so what dosage? Any risks to be mindful of?

 

[Darlink]

Memantine has growing fame in addiction circles, helping people on serious drugs like stimulants (even meth) and opioids cut back or quit by partially reducing the tolerance.

Recently I leaned into a habit of using 6 4mg nicotine lozenges per day. Responses were diminishing.

3 days ago, in the evening, I took an 80mg memantine capsule, a mild entheogenic dose for me.

The nicotine hit HARDER!

Yesterday I switched from taking 4mg doses to taking 2mg doses.

Today I did the same.

The 2mg doses hit harder than the 4mg doses a few days ago.

Tomorrow i'm going to break the 4mg tabs in quarters and switch to 1mg doses, the lowest dosage step of lozenges.

I got a reset in my tolerance for nicotine!

I asked AI and to summarize:

Memantine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, is known to reduce tolerance to various drugs by disrupting glutamate-driven neuroadaptation, a key mechanism in the development of dependence. This effect has been observed with opioids, stimulants like cocaine and amphetamines, alcohol, and benzodiazepines, where memantine helps reverse or prevent the brain’s compensatory changes that lead to diminished drug sensitivity. Nicotine falls under the same mechanism, as chronic nicotine use also enhances glutamatergic signaling and NMDA receptor activity, contributing to tolerance and addiction. By blocking these pathways, memantine can restore nicotine sensitivity, making previously tolerated doses feel significantly stronger, and thus enabling lower intake with the same perceived effect.

thera flocking peutic!

I didnt expect Nicotine tolerance to plummet, I was looking for a Memantine experience - and found my faded 4mg lozenges hitting uncomfortably hard.

Down to 2mg, on the second day of 2mg natural nicotine shortterm tolerance reversal got in swing on top of half the memantine still being in my system (T 1/2 = 60-100h) today's 2mg felt stronger than yesterday's so tomorrow its half that again!

Sick

I wanted to share this because, well flock, harm reduction!

I can't source memantine for you, don't ask, but its a worldwide pharmaceutical that is unrestricted.


I propose we discuss the ins and outs of the reduction of tolerance to Serious Drugs by Memantine (and also other dissociatives)

It does Ibogaine-like things to tolerance to major drugs (has a similar 3D cage structure) - but its available worldwide in unlimited quantities and is Very Safe in comparison.

I hardly ever come here anymore and I miss it! I happened to open a thread and here is this gem of a message. I have been using the damned lozenges for an embarrassingly long time and I cannot seem to quit them. It's to the point that I've needed extensive dental work-this, on a woman who didn't have a cavity until I was 48 or later. Typically use 1 tube of 2mg per day. Yes it's expensive as hell and I hate them.
I have not smoked in years...but this is worse in my opinion. I can smell them
In my perspiration and... other, as well. Hate them!
I am so thankful to have read your post-I will try this and report back!
Thank you so much.