Yeah, would agree to that real MXE definitely has strong effects on its own, in users without dissociative tolerance the active dose usually starts way below 20mg, with 20-30mg already being moderate-strong dissociative (the border stage where an experienced user is still able to act normally).
But - while this has been discussed many times before, afaik there is no answer yet and no studies of in-vivo action and metabolism have been done (?) - and usually the conclusion was that there is only one "MXE" and the subjectively felt differences were placebo or due to acquired tolerance, other factors etc..
Now, while I have believed in this myself for long time (or tried to do so- as the experts out there usually aren't wrong) - I am sure there are different forms of MXE. Be it enantiomers like with ketamine, or something resulting of differing synth routes, no clue.
I think that somewhere they said that the usual synth routes would give racemic MXE and it would be unlikely to have S-/R-MXE on the market. But the differences in effects I experienced (and these were reliable to reproduce over and over) fit quite well to that scheme:
- One heavily dissociating isomer with few or lacking serotonergic / opioid / ? action, but with a pronounced weird psychedelic effect rising above a certain dose. There are some similarities to Methoxphenidine. It is difficult to dose, stronger than the other form(s) and with a narrow "therapeutic range". Heavily stimulating, increased heartbeat, unable to sleep up to 10h or more after dosing.
While I was / am a huge fan of MXE, I don't like this form at all. The same with Methox-/Diphenidine. And S-Ketamine.
- One empathogenic, uplifting, anxiolytic isomer with serotonergic, opioid, possibly dopaminergic action. Becomes active also at around 10mg but is easier to dose and has a wider "therapeutic range". This is what makes all the magic of Methoxetamine, and is very usable in everyday life.. I am not the only one who called it the "ultimate antidepressant". Also seems to have a wicked aphrodisiac effect to some woman (maybe just coming from that exceptionally socially opening effect). It literally erased all my social anxiety / phobia, after a time of daily dosing I even thought of having finally cut it....... Quite stimulating too, but much more on the mental side and no way the insomnia the other isomer gives me. Made a good combination with a low dose of a dopaminergic stimulant.
- And probably racemic MXE, which exerts combined effects.
I have used that good stuff daily for several months, it twisted me around, pushing into life and literally let me be like I wanted to be (and this is not just mania or delusion, as the reactions from other people who did not know about my drug use, reflected that too.. well, I was at least hypo-manic for sure, but.. it was the time of my life.. I wanna this back soo hard... 2-3x 10mg MXE, 5mg d-Amphetamine, 30mg Memantine made the ideal regimen and after initial settling tolerance did not increase)
And really, it was like night and day when taking another batch which I suspect to be the other isomer.
Of course other possibility is metabolic stuff ... say, some batches contain synth impurities / unreacted precursors / cutting agents which are either active on themselves or change the metabolism by competing for enzymes. Thinking of DXM, this is very well possible (DXM is only dissociative when metabolized to DXO. If 2D6 is inhibited and 3A4 not [could be wrong] it becomes more of a serotonergic psychedelic)..
Also 1) some effects of MXE build up when taking chronically, others change, some remain the same - sure, adaption / tolerance / downstream effects are responsible for a big part of that. But I'd bet that there is at least one active metabolite. And 2) there are some interactions with other drugs, which could also originate from changed metabolism -but this is really just guessing now.
So I am really, really interested in any data about MXE.