Memory problems after opioid/alcohol use

im n00bish when it comes to this but reading enough about NMDA antagonists seems to come up with conflicting results, either neurotoxic or protective (some are aizheimer drugs). but from what i have gathered based on my experience with heavy drinking and use of opiates and other substances that are considered NMDA antagonists, i have developed problems with memory and other cognitive disturbances. so my question is, since i stopped using using alcohol and opiates recently (i have been doing both for years regularly, daily and at really high doses) is it possible that i have screwed up my NMDA receptors ? what should i use to modify, maybe correct this IF POSSIBLE ?? please, i must know because this is really affecting my life

Nootropics, specifically racetams show some pharmacological potential imho. I personally feel noopept and aniracetam with choline/alcar supplementation worked really well for me after using kratom/cats claw/downers and lots of magnesium daily for a long time, and noticing some of the same effects you describe. All those things are ndma antagonists to a degree. Anyway after taking that noot stack described above, most if not of these problems cleared up and i felt mentally sharper than ever before, imho even better then before i started taking all those ndma antagonists for too long.

Worth a shot imho, Noopept is one of my favorites, and its ~1000x more potent than piracetam so you don't have to eat grams and grams of the stuff.

asecin said:

im n00bish when it comes to this but reading enough about NMDA antagonists seems to come up with conflicting results, either neurotoxic or protective (some are aizheimer drugs). but from what i have gathered based on my experience with heavy drinking and use of opiates and other substances that are considered NMDA antagonists, i have developed problems with memory and other cognitive disturbances. so my question is, since i stopped using using alcohol and opiates recently (i have been doing both for years regularly, daily and at really high doses) is it possible that i have screwed up my NMDA receptors ? what should i use to modify, maybe correct this IF POSSIBLE ?? please, i must know because this is really affecting my life

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Well, I do know that NMDA receptor antagonists in low doses every day reduce stimulant tolerance (personal experience confirms it) and (I'm not sure about this one) opiate tolerance too. As for neurotoxicity, they can cause POSSIBLY olney's lesions in the brain, but they've never been observed in humans and they've only occured in rats with HIGH IV doses. Opiates and alcohol aren't NMDA antagonists though. DXM, Ketamine, MXE, PCP (basically just dissociatives) and the alzheimers drug Memantine (which can also be dissociative in high doses) are.

This is not ADD material

Most pharm opiates don't have significant affinity for NMDA receptors at normal dosage levels (unless you're abusing pentazocine), and alcohol has only a small affinity there (mostly GABAergic & ion channel mediated)

NMDA receptor antagonists are generally not considred to be neurotoxic in humans at typical dosage levels (DXM, ketamine, nitrous oxide, PCP analogs, MXE)

seko, so all those problems i have after a long period of heavy alcohol consumption has to do with GABA disruption to such degree it interferes with my daily tasks now ? i wonder because i stopped alcohol 1 month time now and it still feels the same as with and few days after stopping alcohol. maybe it wont be fixed by itself, what do you propose i do ??

I think you should talk to a doctor. (and take your vitamins)

Alcohol causes much more damage than just disruption of GABA. Acetaldehyde is a reactive molecule that is generated from ethanol metabolism and is a definite toxin. Metabolic acidosis & spikes in blood glucose caused by alcohol consumption can impair brain functions too. Long term use of alcohol also causes thiamine deficiency among other things.

sekio, i did discuss any problem i had with a doctor when i had one and i had insurance. i dont think i need doctor to give me advice straight from a book on alcohol. you are educated well in biochemistry, why dont you help me out with what to do, is it long term to fix whatever problem i have created ? its just 1-2 sentences of an idea surely.
for example, can you explain the severe fatigue im experiencing since stopping. i was theorizing its lack of glucose, sugars that i was fueling myself with tons of alcohol each day/night and when no such easy energy source available, i feel completely run down, like by a truck.
do you recommend maybe i take glucose bar supplements ? they sell those online i saw. or what else can be done about any other problems related GABA ?

I'm not your doctor and I'm not going to be responsible for your medical care, sorry.

Here's some good tips though
- Eat a healthy balanced diet (fat, protein, starches)
- Lots of leafy greens and brightly coloured fruits and veg.
- Thiamine and vitamin B12 supplements.
- Antioxidant supplements (vitamin c, e, etc)
- Milk thistle
- Piracetam and other racetams
- Get enough rest every night. Don't use sleep aids excessively
- Get plenty of aerobic excercise

Basically, treat your body well and you should recover in time. Avoid alcohol and benzodiazepines as much as possible.

There is no magic pill you can take that will 100% reverse the effects of long term alcohol abuse, sorry. Your problem is much more complex than a simple GABA defeciency. Alcohol abuse is associated with poor eating patterns, decreased sleep quality etc which can all effect mental performance negatively.

You really need to have your blood & liver checked out by a good doctor if you want more specific advice.

i dont think i need doctor to give me advice straight from a book on alcohol.

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Where do you think I learned this? I'm not a Magic 8 Ball of drug knowledge.

Asecin, I was a very, very heavy drinker as well as a heavy opiate abuser for years and years. I stopped drinking at the end of Aprin 2011 and I know exactly what you are talking about with your memory. It wasn't until the last few months now that I have begun to feel sharper. I was convinced I had some serious brain damage, and in fact the way I quit was I overdosed, alcohol poisoning at .54 BAC, seizures, then repeated respiratory arrest with bagging, then ventilator, coded twice. Doctors insisted I did NOT have any visible brain damage on MRI and other imaging, but my cognitive function seemed pretty off. I think it's a combo of PAWS, lifestyle change, mental status and plain old having been a fucking fucked up motherfucker for so long. It gets better, dude. Good job on getting sober. Keep it up.

this seems sad;
http://www.jsad.com/jsad/article/Al...el_Effects_of_Ethanol_on_Calcium_Hom/742.html

Well, I'm not really surprised. After all, it's a solvent and infuses the brain still as ETOH. They don't call it pickling for nothing. Your brain would adapt and become accustomed to having any chemical around all the time at the cellular level. I'm not a chemist or biologist, so I don't really understand the ramifications of that abstract for changes in the brain. I know in my own case after 20 some years of heavy abuse I feel now that I've come back. I still think about it sometimes, wondering, but I'm so glad I'm alive I can't really dwell. I'm in a job that requires high executive function at all times with lots of variables. I'm doing great. I hope you can get to a place where you feel the same of yourself.

Your question had been answered. Over time you should return to a more normal state. Take Sekio's advice. If you have any further medical questions that pertain to you specifically ask your dr. He knows you and your history best.