Misc Phenibut - How often can it be used while avoiding dependence?

[TheAzo]

I just recently discovered phenibut, and I'm really impressed with it. It's amazing how it leaves me clearheaded and productive while still relaxed (or euphoric, depending on the dose). It also works wonders for my pinball game.

I've been taking 600-1000mg, often divided into two doses, the second taken 2-4 hours after the first.

I've been very cautious with how often I take it, out of concern for the potential for tolerance and dependence. However, it's useful and enjoyable enough that i'd like to use it as often as I could without risking dependence or building a significant tolerance.

Does anyone have any relevant experience, and/or advice on what sorts of limits I should set with this substance?

Over what sort of time scale does tolerance increase (and decrease if the user abstains)?

Thanks

 

[TheAzo]

Hm? I mean, I play pinball much better while on phenibut.

 

[FlawedByDesign]

3 times a week for me, leaving a week in between my last dose.

 

[Thorns Have Roses]

and after 10 months on diazepam I doubt it'd have much effect on me now...

Phenibut primarily works through GABA_B receptor agonism, though wiki says it affects GABA_A at higher doses, so maybe there's some degree of cross tolerance, but I think in theory it should still be effective. Somebody tell me if I'm wrong. Of course, it's not going to be as efficacious as a benzodiazepine to begin with, so one may still not be interested.

Been considering trying this one out myself, actually.

 

[TheAzo]

Phenibut primarily works through GABA_B receptor agonism, though wiki says it affects GABA_A at higher doses, so maybe there's some degree of cross tolerance, but I think in theory it should still be effective. Somebody tell me if I'm wrong. Of course, it's not going to be as efficacious as a benzodiazepine to begin with, so one may still not be interested.

Been considering trying this one out myself, actually.

Expect partial cross tolerance (like benzos and any GABAergic - cross tolerance between benzos is strong, but between benzos + other drugs, much weaker), and be aware that benzos can amplify the effects of phenibut to a probably-dangerous level if you're not very careful, just like they do with alcohol.

3 times a week for me, leaving a week in between my last dose.

Huh? How could you take it 3 times a week leaving a week between doses?

 

[FlawedByDesign]

I ment to say I dose 1600mgs 3 days in a row and then wait 7 days. Although honestly I dont think its enough as I seem to feel less every time I take this stuff. I see sites selling this with 5 HTP claiming "stacking" the two will increase the effects of phenibut. Might have to give it a try.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

Phenibut carries a lot of addiction potential. Only you would be able to tell how much is too much.

 

[TheAzo]

I ment to say I dose 1600mgs 3 days in a row and then wait 7 days. Although honestly I dont think its enough as I seem to feel less every time I take this stuff. I see sites selling this with 5 HTP claiming "stacking" the two will increase the effects of phenibut. Might have to give it a try.

Aaah, I see. So it sounds like 3 days on 7 days off is probably too much to prevent tolerance. That works out to an average of 480mg/day, (of course it's not clear whether that analogy is accurate - 480mg/day is probably different in terms of it's effects on tolerance than 3 days at 1600 / 7 at 0 - but since most people use a similar dosing regime, ie, one consisting of a relatively small number of days taking it, and a larger number of days not taking it, I think this is probably a meaningful number.)

Why the 10-day cycle? Isn't that inconvenient? I'd think you'd want to make it line up with a weekly schedule, not a 10-day one...

I suspect the sites selling it with 5-HTP are just trying to boost sales of 5-HTP. I can't think of any mechanism for HTP making any difference. If anything, the old trick of taking low doses of NMDA antagonists would probably help prevent tolerance (just like it does for many gabaergics).

Phenibut carries a lot of addiction potential. Only you would be able to tell how much is too much.

One can say that about a lot of drugs, and it ignores the differences in how tolerance and dependence develops with different drugs (ex, tolerance to benzos goes away only over the course of many months, while alcohol tolerance goes away much faster - both are GABAergics, but act via different mechanisms and have different behavior w/regards to tolerance and addiction)