source:
https://drugs-forum.com/threads/the-meth-medicine-cabinet.242938/This is a Reference Guide and is quite long, but the information provided will help you remain healthier and your body will thank you for it.
Some people want meds to take the unpleasantness away after using methamphetamines. Others want to take “something” to keep from getting the same reactions before using meth. The wiser will be the second group. For those of you who know little or nothing about the upkeep of your body and what meth is doing to it: There is NO magic pill.
Obviously, we can’t cover every condition or medical problem associated with using meth, but we can give you an essential guide to using the basics of vitamins, minerals and even herbal supplements that can be used preventatively, during and after use.
We won’t discuss any chemicals that may be found in other sections of Drugs-Forum dealing with bringing down the high, forcing sleep or in any way induces the body to react in a manner you might like it to. We are not polyusers and don’t subscribe to it. Combining uppers with uppers, or uppers with downers can become quite dangerous—and that is not Harm Reduction.
The use of meth causes a rapid chemical change in the mind and body, and the body reacts to it as a toxin, which it is. Our idea is to reduce the damage caused.
Preparation for a meth session is extremely important. If the body is not ready for this onslaught, the damage comes on faster and with more force. Two things we might not find in the medicine cabinet, but more likely the refrigerator, are the essentials you need, in liquid and solid form.
Keeping the body hydrated is the #1 rule. What does this mean? Simply making sure we have consumed enough water and metabolites, and continue to do so, while meth does its thing. Water is the base liquid, but the addition of metabolites such as potassium and sodium, are critical to maintain your body’s fluid, regulate blood pressure and heart function. Sports drinks are recommended by many.
Once meth enters the body, it’s a fight for survival and blood is routed to the organs that cleanse the body. The blood has to be moving fast—free-flowing—and that means it’s not sticky and dehydrated. Those organs need to remain healthy to do the job at hand and survive while doing it.
Eating. A nutritious diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as high protein foods such as red meats will give your body the majority of vitamins and minerals you need to keep you healthy. Fatty foods such as French fries and deep-fried cheese sticks do not contain them.
Hydrating and Eating are your 2 top priorities, bar none.Now, let’s go see what’s in the medicine cabinet. On the top shelf—the most important one--the first item is
Multivitamins (and minerals). Do you really need them? Do you eat 3 nutritiously balanced meals a day along with drinking 3, 8-oz. glasses of homogenized milk, including a good workout regimen in the sun? Most people don’t, and that’s why you need a multivitamin.
Many meth users have asked what kind of a multivitamin they should take. If you research them on the internet, it seems the ratings on each chart are somewhat dependent on who is sponsoring the charts of the best. I’ve looked around, read reviews, and come up with two that actually rate somewhere better than the middle of the charts and aren’t that expensive. Just remember: take one per day, and only one.
For Men: Centrum Silver Men 50+. The experts say you should ignore the “men 50+,” because the combination is correct for any male. These multis don’t contain any iron and you already get enough from your food. Go to the Centrum Silver website and get a $3.00 off coupon for them!
For Women: One-A-Day Women’s contains the amount of iron needed for premenopausal women, in addition to the other essentials you should find in a multi. Go to the One-A-Day Women’s website and get a $1.00 off coupon!
While included in the multis, there is one other vitamin that needs to be increased in the meth users’ diet, as well as those who also smoke cigarettes. It is
Vitamin D3. You need vitamin D3 to properly absorb calcium. Meth leaches the body of calcium and it’s vital you maintain blood calcium levels. You also need D3 to help your body continue to build strong and healthy bones all throughout your life. It also can reduce inflammation and hold your immune system in check. The most natural way the body gets Vitamin D3 is from the sun. Milk is also fortified with Vitamin D3. But since you didn’t drink your milk and didn’t go outside to exercise in the sun, you really need these. I take one 5,000I.U. soft gel every day.
The next bottle on the top shelf is
Calcium, Magnesium & Zinc. Even though they are already included in your multi (but only at 25%-30% of daily recommended value for Calcium and Magnesium), the way meth uses these minerals up, you really need more.
Calcium, of course, builds strong bones, but it also makes muscles move and contract, allows nerves to carry messages, keeps blood vessels throughout the body healthy, and helps neurotransmitter release! If you know and love dopamine, then you know how really important this is. Unless you are on a heavy fig and rutabaga diet, then you need this supplement.
Magnesium is important for the functioning of your heart, muscles, kidneys, and balancing other nutrients such as calcium and potassium. It also improves blood pressure. Once you know what the deficiencies of magnesium cause, you will ask no more questions. They are: anxiety, weak bones, low energy, weakness, inability to sleep, PMS and hormonal imbalances, irritability, nervousness, headaches, abnormal heart rhythm, muscle tension, spasms, cramps, and fatigue. Now get this—one of the biggest complaints we have—TEETH CLENCHING, or Bruxism, is also a Magnesium deficiency. And it seems the magnesium does a better job resolving it when it has a fresh supply of calcium helping it.
Zinc helps you maintain a healthy immune system and fights infections. (Take note, IV users.) Zinc is necessary for the functioning of more than 300 different enzymes and plays a vital role in an enormous number of biological processes.
What a one-two-three knockout punch these guys have. And only two tablets a day will take care of all these things for just pennies.
Potassium Gluconate. I think I was taking these tablets before meth was invented. Potassium is an electrolyte (along with sodium), which is why I encourage people to use sports drinks, as they are included. The potassium helps regulate (lower) blood pressure and heart function. As you know, when using meth, your blood pressure skyrockets, so why not help curb the possibility of a stroke? As a matter of fact, there was a Harvard study that showed taking potassium supplements along with a diuretic (yeah, give me a couple of those potassiums with a cup of coffee), reduced the incidence of a stroke by 60%. Potassium is what makes our cardiovascular and nervous systems function. I’ve found it also works with magnesium to prevent cramping, and it aids during the recuperation part of your meth escapades.
Another form of potassium supplementation is
Potassium Citrate, which in capsule form, is a lot easier to swallow than the gluconate tablets. In either case, they contain 595mg of potassium, which is slightly more than the potassium found in a medium-sized banana. Take your pick. Have one of each. But be sure to double that number over the period of a day. Potassium doesn’t stay in the system for a long time. And by regulation, each tablet or capsule provides only 3% of the recommended daily requirement, but better than nothing at all and still effective. Oh, and one more very important thing: potassium is one of the prime movers, along with zinc, in elimination of wastes. That’s where all of those toxins the body is trying to get rid of are hanging out. And if they hang out inside of you too long, you become a recipient of toxic buildup—not a good thing.
Those, believe it or not, are your “prepping for meth use” essentials. Food, drink, and 4 bottles of vitamins and minerals. And when you look at it, and how complete it really is, it reminds me of prepping for the flu. You know the invader is coming, and you are prepared.
Before we have a look at the 2nd shelf, let me tell you that the supplements industry brings in over $60 billion a year. Once some people start taking them, it becomes almost an…addiction. “Horny Goat Weed sounds good. I think I’ll try that along with the Horsetail Shavegrass.” About $1,000 later and a cabinet full of supplements, these people realize all they are doing is taking supplements. They can’t even remember the last time they cooked a meal. So, let’s not get too carried away and fill the shelf too full.
Another point of view involves human nature. If we make a list of things to take every day that is too long, because of the hassle and time involved, a lot of people will fall out of the program. However, if we have simply the essentials that will do the job, the tablets or capsules can be assembled and swallowed in less than a minute.
My first two personal picks not only are helpful when using meth, but also fulfill a couple of other needs I have. The first is
L-arginine. It’s a dietary supplement that produces Nitric Oxide (NO). Nitric Oxide should not be confused with Nitrous Oxide, the laughing gas. But it’s still a gas and what is does is enter the bloodstream and drop off these little bubbles on the insides of the vein walls, stretching them out, making them wider. My primary use is because I have a slight high blood pressure condition, and it allows the blood to flow smoother. But, if you’re a meth user, too, you might have figured out it works against vasoconstriction, or tightening of the veins. Many men cope with vasoconstriction when high. The more meth they use, the tighter the blood vessels, until no more blood can get through to make an erection. Relief is possible with just a couple of capsules a day, two times a day. Also, for IV users who have a difficult time finding veins, I have discovered that as the veins plump a little, they also become more visible in some areas.
The next supplement is
HGH Dopa 400, also known as mucuna pruriens. I don’t bother with the HGH (human growth hormone) efficacy as it is small, even if true, but the plant material ground up and put in these capsules is full of L-dopa, a precursor to making dopamine. Now why would anyone want their brains to produce more dopamine? Besides the fact I’m getting a bit old and maybe the dopamine production isn’t as good as it used to be (normal), maybe I just don’t want to run out of dopamine when I’m high and want to stay that way.
The next couple of bottles contain supplements that are popular, and effective.
Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are not produced by the body and naturally are derived from eating fish. Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and may help lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be important for cognitive (brain memory and performance) and behavioral function. It may also assist in controlling high blood pressure and, in people with Bipolar disorder, reduce mood swings. Symptoms of omega-3 fatty acid deficiency include fatigue, poor memory, dry skin, heart problems, mood swings or depression, and poor circulation. Daily dosing should be based on the amount of EPA (180mg) and DHA (120mg) acids, not total amount of fish oil.
Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10 vitamin supplement, is naturally made in the body, but sometimes (especially with aging) the necessary levels of this enzyme-protein that speeds up the rate at which chemical reactions take place in the body, drop to below what is considered normal. CoQ10 can enhance blood flow and protect the blood vessels. This mechanism is related to nitric oxide preservation, as seen with Grape Seed Extract, Pycnogenol, and Resveratrol. COQ10 can reduce the damage oxidized Low-density Lipoprotein (LDL) can do to blood vessels, as well as reduce plaque buildup in the arteries. Its main function, however, is as an antioxidant. The antioxidant function of CoQ10 appears strongest in reducing neurological damage or decline, including that of dopamine neurotransmitters. My next door neighbor, who is 83, says this is the closest thing to a miracle drug. Do you want to live that long? My answer is that I take this stuff. Since it is fat-soluble, I take it at the same time as my Omega-3. Daily dosage is 200mg-600mg.
At this point in time, I am satisfied with the above list. The dietary regimen that we started off with, along with these vitamins, minerals and supplements, are really the glue that binds in keeping our bodies whole, especially for the meth user. They are also the most protective and restorative additions we can make without breaking the bank.
There are other supplements that seem to be common with meth users. Perhaps the most often mentioned is
melatonin. This is a hormone that is found in all biological organisms, and as such, we know we produce it ourselves, in the pineal gland from the raw material Tryptophan. Melatonin regulates our internal clock and maintains the Circadian Rhythm of our body. But we know what happens when we start using meth. All of a sudden our internal clock is shattered and we are officially on “Meth Time.” Depending on usage patterns and amounts, we find one Meth Day can extend itself past 24, 36, 48 hours and even beyond. At some point, the user may decide to end this prolonged day and get some sleep. But the meth is still active and sleep is hard to arrive.
Melatonin turns off the meth clock and helps reset the body to the biological clock function. It also promotes sleep and affords the body a long restful period, where deep sleep begins and allows the body to start healing itself. Taking the recommended tablets returns the body to normal levels of Melatonin where sleep becomes automatic.
Melatonin is also used by some people along with benzodiazepines; however there is a possibility of creating a benzo dependency with long term use. (As mentioned earlier, I can’t talk about or recommend using uppers with uppers or uppers with downers as there sometimes are consequences that cannot be predicted.) There are also several other chemical interactions with a supplemental dose of melatonin which can reduce the efficacy of other medications you may be taking. It was for that reason, I decided not to use melatonin.
If we were to look at the lower level of the Meth Medicine Cabinet, we also might find other things that might be used. For instance, that bottle of
isopropyl alcohol, which is mostly used to sterilize any areas of the skin that might be met by an IV needle, a broken piece of a glass pipe or other minor cuts and scratches. A tube of
Hydrocortisone 1% Cream used to treat itching and small burns, and a tube of
Triple Antibiotic Ointment (Neosporin) to be applied on a damaged area to prevent infection are a couple of great first aid musts. Not to mention only accidents that happen when doing your drug, think of all of those times you’ve experienced spun out people pulling things apart, moving things around, falling on their butts and creating minor mayhem.
What’s this bottle?
Viagra! For those men who have really serious consequences trying to get their manhood going while under siege from vasoconstriction, a half-tab of this stuff may do the trick. The caution is that it’s trying to relax those veins while the norepinephrine release is doing just the opposite. There’s a tug-o-war going on here that can stress the body, especially the heart.
Yohimbe 2000 is over there in the corner. It’s a natural
stimulant, what I call “Poor Man’s Meth.” One of the better features of this herbal product is that it actually acts as a vasodilator, while still stimulating the body. Yohimbe has been known as an aphrodisiac for centuries, which most likely has been based on how it stimulates. Let’s say you are all out of your man-made stimulant but still feel ready to go that extra mile. Using one or two of these capsules may just let you make it to the finish line. But be careful, as there is a very thin line between being good and being bad. Too much of this stuff, and the nausea and other bad vibe reactions kick in, simply spoiling the moment.
Sitting up behind the Yohimbe bottle are a couple of sanitary wrapped
prophylactics. They are there as a reminder that meth users, as a group, become a pretty high percentage of people who spread STDs, HIV/AIDS, and other infectious diseases along with assorted cooties, which are not the same as meth bugs.
Below the Meth Medicine Cabinet, there’s a basket full of goodies. Let’s investigate. I see a couple of toothbrushes, some toothpaste and dental floss. I think we’re onto something! Taking care of your teeth and mouth are extremely important, whether a meth user or not. But when meth gets ahold of your mouth, the damage can increase at the speed of light. Next to those items is a big bottle of
ACT Restoring Mouthwash, great for restoring enamel and it helps mineral recrystallization on the teeth. Next to the ACT is a bottle of
Biotene, a
mouthwash specifically made for dry mouth. Meth dries out the mouth and gives you the common “Meth Mouth.” A dry mouth means bacteria can form, causing ulcerations—mouth sores. Biotene also comes in gel form, which is designed to keep your mouth from going dry for 6-8 hours. There’s also a salt shaker and an empty glass. Falling short of the commercial methods, you can always gargle with warm salt water to kill off the bacteria. Just do it more often.
Recommendations—Good and BadHere are a couple of items I have seen people recommend, but they come with some advisories. There are many of our multivitamins that are also sold individually as Super Paks or under other marketing names. Let’s take the
Vitamin B Complex group as one such item. And I am sure they have some benefits that your multis don’t have. But the fact remains that they are already in your multis at 100% Recommended Values. Before proceeding to take the both, and therefore at least doubling recommended amounts, I would want to research them to see at what level they become toxic.
Here’s another that I see recommended from time-to-time, and for the life of me I can’t understand why, except whoever started this trend did not do their homework.
L-tyrosine is abundant in our foods and we get more than enough of it without supplementation. But, it’s also known to convert to L-dopa. And that’s where the research must have ended. They didn’t read how it also produces a lot of norepinephrine, that Dark Knight of Vasoconstriction--that bugaboo of irony created when using meth. But there’s more. It just might be that adding the supplement puts you over the top and actually shuts down your production of dopamine. That’s what L-tyrosine can do in larger amounts.
Some people simply cannot eat when high, due to other conditions they may suffer, or their own body chemistry. There is an alternative in liquid form that you can use to replace the solid food. Many meth users prefer to use
protein shakes, such as Ensure.
Before we end this, let’s talk about dosages. More people than I want to imagine must believe that if one tablet is good, two must be better. That is not the case. Even vitamins and minerals have toxic levels. Always read recommended dosages and warning labels on any vitamins, minerals, supplements, and medicines you may also be taking. As I had to remind a friend one time: taking too many vitamins is not going to get you high, but it might get you sick.