- Denis Leary
THE D X M ZINE.
Issue 12. July 2002.
A Symposium of Articles Pertaining to DXM Use
(c)2002 Jeffrey Sothen/gravol
Email at [email protected]
Official Zine Web Site at http://www.dextroverse.org/~zine
Official Zine Web Site Mirror at http://www.third-plateau.org/dxmzine
RFG's Zine Web Site Mirror at http://www.dextromethorphan.ws/zines
Edited by gravol, with article contributions by fellow DXMers.
DISCLAIMER : The authors of this zine do not condone the use of dextromethorphan in any way. This text is simply used as an informative guide to issues relating to dextromethorphan use and should be used for entertainment purposes only. We are not responsible for any actions taken by anyone reading this text.
WARNING : While the authors of this zine do not condone the use of dextromethorphan in any way, a strict warning also is warranted here regarding the dangers of Coricidin Cough & Cold. Each year, the rate of death of individuals who overdose from this dangerous medication increases, and for this reason this zine will no longer publish trip reports involving this medication, nor will we publish any information that may cast Coricidin Cough & Cold in a positive light. Anyone still using this medication should stop immediately, because of the dangers of the secondary active ingredient, chlorpheniramine maleate.
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CONTENTS
1 From the Editor
2 Announcements
3 Letters to the Editor
4 DXM in the Media
5 The First DXM Street Gang
6 Old Man Dies of DXM Overdose
7 New DXM/Morphine Product a Flop
8 DXM Medical Breakthrough?
9 The Lasting Effects of DXM
10 The DXM Birth-Defect Scare
11 A DXM Nightmare
12 A Brief Synopsis of DXM as a Dissociative
13 DXM and Dream Research
14 The DXM Enigma - The Pyramids and 11:11
15 The How's and Why's of CEV's
16 An In-Depth Look at DXM Abuse
17 Tales from the Darkside
18 DXM Artwork
19 Info on Ordering Pure DXM Powder
20 Acknowledgements/Zine Information
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FROM THE EDITOR
Greetings,
You have quite an issue in front of you so I will make this as short as possible. I just want again draw attention to the new format of the Zine. From now on, it will be in this format (RTF). If you have any questions or comments, please be sure to contact me.
There is quite a bit of news in the Announcements section, so please do not pass that up either. We will be starting up polling soon and that is why it is important that you subscribe to the DXM Mailing List if you haven't already done so, otherwise you won't be in the drawing for free DXM powder.
Other than that, be safe and enjoy your summer!
gravol
St Augustine, FL
June 27, 2002
ANNOUNCEMENTS
THE DXM RESEARCH PROJECT AND OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
compiled by gravol
DXM Research Project:
The DXM Research Project is still in its beginning stages. So far, Vaesolis from the Dextroverse has been able to raise over $4000, but the project is very slow to take birth - so please be very patient, and we will update you with any new information. Also look for a future interview with Dr. J.M. Olney by Vaesolis. If you have any comments or questions regarding his project you can contact him at:
[email protected] Dr. J. M. Olney A DXM molecule
Courtesy of Erowid
NEW FORMAT FOR THE ZINE
by gravol
The Zine is upgrading to a more graphic-friendly environment. We will now distribute the Zine in RTF (Rich Text Format), which can be viewed with MS Word or WordPad (WordPad comes already installed with your computer). You should not experience any problems in viewing this new format, but if you do, you can contact me at [email protected].
This new format will allow a better viewing capacity for the reader, along with the implementation of graphics. All new issues will now appear in this new format. We are interested in getting your feedback regarding these changes, so feel free to contact me and let me know how you feel about the changes, or how we can better accomodate you!
We have also scaled back some sections of the Zine in this issue because of size limitations. I was not aware of how much file space RTF files took up, but rest assured you can find these sections (DXM Poetry and Music/Movie Reviews) in future editions.
DXM PREPS UPDATED, NOW IN SEPARATE FILE
by gravol
The list of DXM-containing preparations has now been updated to include all OTC medications containing DXM in Australia, and because of the size of this list, these preparations will now be listed in a separate file which will be available with the Zine each time it is distributed. The filename, PREPS.TXT, will remain the same until it is updated further.
NEW DXM CONTEST AND FREE DXM GIVEAWAYS!!!
by Staff
The DXM Zine will now be giving away free DXM HBr in powder form exclusively to contributors of the Zine. All articles must be submitted by the 20th of each month, and one entry per email person will be submitted for a monthly drawing. The approximate amount that will be given away will be 10 grams each month. Special thanks to the Dextroverse for help making this possible. If you would like a chance to win free DXM then please contribute and make yourself known to the DXM community!
Upon receiving an article contribution, you will receive notification that you've been entered in the contest and the winners will be announced in each upcoming Zine. Good luck!
NEW SECTION ANNOUNCED - TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE
by gravol
DXM is a drug shrouded in mystery. And as DXM use grows more bizarre, so does the drug's users. This new monthly section highlights the bizarre behavior of a selected few individuals who use DXM and act rather strangely on it - read the section, you'll know what I mean! Another warning must be given here in that we do not condone any of the behavior of such individuals, but would like to cast some light onto some of the odd and bizarre things that are going on out in DXM-land that we feel the readers should know.
RFG ANNOUNCES ZINE UPDATE FOR HIS WEBSITE
by gravol
Robert F. Golaszewski, who is well-known for promoting the dangers of Coricidin, has starting publishing back issues of the DXM Zine in HTML format at his website, http://www.dextromethorphan.ws and will only contain issues 1-10, with current issues being available at the Dextroverse at http://dex.kenton.org/dxmzine
'DXM IN THE MEDIA' SECTION REVISED
by gravol
Due to complaints from subscribers, I have revised this section to include only brief excerpts from recent news articles instead of full-length stories. However, any news regarding DXM deaths will be fully reported to the best of my ability.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
From: [email protected]
Great zine, still reading through it. Of course, the section on 11:11 freaked me out.... Here's an email I sent my friend Tim in late 1999:
crazy stuff. i'm off dxm for good, did my last trip last night (4th plateau) and had a very strong metaphysical conversation with the powers
that be. Still, the price on my body is too high.
the 11:11 stuff had been happening for quite some time after I started DXM. I would look down at my watch, and it was always 11:11. So i
wondered if it was a function of the 'real' global time or perhaps just the local time on my watch or my computer. nonetheless, it didn't matter, i always ended up seeing 11:11.
I would be at work and glance down at my watch and see it at 11:11, or perhaps be with my friends and ask what time it was, and it would be
11:11. as for the dxm stuff, I'm done it way too many times and need to stay off it, as i think I've gotten all I can from it. It started as a curious fascination with the hallucinations and extended to the metaphysical as I got deeper and deeper into it. During my higher plateau trips, I cannot help but feel that I am creating my own time-line reel and am witnessing creation itself, but in a strange way. These last few trips, I nearly passed to the other side, with my body's defense mechanisms kicking in to 'save me'. It could have been the trip, but I think it's also dxm's toll on the body. no more.
Btw, just finished reading your section on CEV.... Simply mindblowing...I've never read anyone else's description quite as accurately as this.
I've been fascinated by many of these same questions since I started DXM'ing in late 1998, and have been keeping a very detailed journal of
my experiences these last few years, particularly on the imagery. I am currently doing research at UIUC (starting this fall), the Beckman Institute (http://www.beckman.uiuc.edu), and hopefully will get to do some research of the type you proposed in your zine.
DXM IN THE MEDIA
DXM ON TELEVISION compiled by gravol, Vaesolis
It came to my attention that there has been recent references to DXM abuse on national and local television. For instance, on Everybody Loves Raymond , Raymond and his brother apparently popped a large quantity of Sucrets to get high, and this led to a comedic scene once Raymond's parents came home and discovered them acting strangely.
There has also been recent reports of DXM abuse mentioned on Montel Williams in a much darker tone, namely Coricidin, and on several local news stations exposing the dangers of Coricidin. It is very rare for any mention of DXM to come up that mentions it in the syrup form or the powder form.
DXM IN THE NEWSPAPERS
compiled by gravol, rfgdxm, void
In Carroll County, MD, Times staff writer Mia Burns quoted Mark Yount, a substance abuse coordinator, as saying "This is brand new to Carroll. We have young clients coming in
with use of Coricidin, probably 15-, 16- and 17-year-olds. That's what we're seeing around the country."
In San Antonio, TX, Cindy Tumiel of the San Antonio Express-News reports to us that "A teen brought over-the-counter cold medication to a local psychiatric outpatient program and shared it with three other students on Monday, resulting in all four being sent to hospitals, officials said." That medication turned out to be Coricidin Cough & Cold, which again highlights the dangers of this deadly medication.
In Central Ohio, Misti Crane, a Dispatch medical writer, noted that "Last year, the Central Ohio Poison Control Center had 41 calls about Coricidin," and Mohamad Moinzadeh, a counselor who works with adolescent drug and alcohol abusers at University Hospitals East's Talbot Hall, estimates that 30 percent of teens have abused the medication.
In Utica, NY, staff writer Jon Ottman reports about a Matt Davis, 17, who died of Coricidin intoxication in January and a high level of abuse at local highschools.
In Greenwich, CT, Nadia Lerner reports a surge in Coricidin abuse at local highschools.
THE FIRST DXM STREET GANG
INDIANA GANG ROAMS ABOUT, BREAKING THE LAW AND STEALING CORICIDIN
Exclusive by gravol
I recently received a letter from a DXM user who claims to be part of a street gang in Elwood, Indiana. This is the first time I have heard of an actual "gang" involved DXM abuse. The gang, Coricidin Soldiers, is described in more detail in this email I received from one of its members:
The initiation rights are first you must be presented to the group by another member. So, if you wanted to be in you would have to get a member to vote you in. Then we take a vote with all the members. If you win the vote than you do a little initiation where it go's 1) steal robo-max from CVS, 2) collect ingrediants to extract Dex. 3) Succesfuly make Extracted Dex. 4) Down robo. 5) Reach 4th Plateau and spend whole 4th plateau trip in a completely black closet. You must do the initiation with a leader present. We're thinking up more initiations right now but we've done this a few times and it's worked so far. We sometimes use Coricidin but for the most part is dex. Myself personally have used it to meditate sometimes but for the most part it's just getting all the members, going out to the club, getting dexed out and passing out some time around 5:00 am. Coricidin soldiers began when Tim and his brother Keven learned about it. They started doing it, some others started doing it, and then they just decided to start a group of people who do it. I don't know how they learned about Coricidin, I cant get a hold of them. They were put in jail but I learned about it from my cousin. Then I looked at your website and found out about robo and my cousin and I started our own club. There's about 10 members, 3 taking the initiation right now, and us 3 leaders.
We don't really have a gang history yet since we just started the group but there was this really funny story with us were we had all brought LOTS and LOTS of cans of spray paint and we were going to spray paint the club and I guess we closed the windows and doors because after about an hour and our robo-buzz had kicked in we all started seeing shit really bad (worse than just regular robo) and we were all light headed. Than we realized that we had the ventilation (doors and windows) all shut and the fumes from the paint were fucking us up. Also another one was when we broke into a hardware store to steal lots of helium and take it out to the club. Turns out we stole nitrus oxide. The pure shit. You can imagine how fucked up we got.
There a few people in our town that dex. Probably about 50-100. Most are teens but some are adults.
You can reach this individual at [email protected] if you have any questions.
OLD MAN DIES OF DXM OVERDOSE
THE STRANGE TALE OF HERBERT JOHNSON, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE A HOAX OF GRAND PROPORTIONS Exclusive by gravol
On April 20, a strange event unfolded on Usenet's alt.drugs.psychedelics. The case involved a senior citizen who reportedly had too much cough syrup to drink:
"I am 72 and distraught over losig most f my stck in enron and my dog howsr so i followd yor advicd n got 2 8oz bottls of tussin flu (usded to have morphne back in my day0 and alredy drank one an an njow im strting to see the walls thyr shiny smooth like alien membran ohhh
what am i doin stupid old man can any of you help me. grandson got me conput for bdya and ben foolin round wwit it and been deprssed so i drnk yor shit i DRANK it, you boys dont kno good nrcs if thd hit u n tha face but oh ohh man gttn hrd to seetype, im goinimgoin to lay down keeeep sseing eys wtchng me mim scrared daa.//a"
Well, you may think this is just another rambling of a dexer, but what followed was even stranger. His alleged wife posted a followup message faulting blame at the newsgroup after finding him slumped over, and then 3 months later this news story surfaced from one of my subscribers:
PRESCOTT VALLEY, AZ (AP) - A Chino Valley senior citizen has died from complications resulting from a recreational drug overdose, according to family attorney Wilford Hancock.
Herbert Johnson, 72, supposedly became distraught after losing a family pet and consumed three bottles of an over-the-counter cough medication commonly found in Robitussin products. The death was primarily ruled a suicide until the family got Hancock involved and investigated the death further.
It was then found that Johnson, a retired electrical engineer, had gotten the information off an Internet site that promoted the recreational use of the drug, dextromethorphan, as a cure for depression.
Yavapai County assistant medical examiner Emily Padre has listed the death now as an accident and listed the cause of death as complications resulting from the consumption of dextromethorphan. It is not clear if any other active ingredients or complications thereof may have caused the death, or if Johnson was currently taking prescription medication.
His wife told police that when he was initially discovered, he was face-down at his computer desk with the computer screen on. On the screen was apparently instructions from several Internet users on how to abuse dextromethorphan-containing products. A check by local police found that the Internet site was a message board accessible to anyone with a modem and Internet connection. The DEA and FBI were then contacted pending an investigation.
Hancock believes that appropriate action will be taken against those who passed the information along to Johnson. The entire Internet site is also currently under close scrutiny by the federal government, since state and local government agencies have no jurisdiction over that site, Hancock said.
After being rushed to a county hospital, Johnson was listed in critical condition, where he later died.
His son, Henry, is still very distraught over his father's death and vows justice will be served against those who coerced Johnson into taking the medication.
According to Prescott Valley Memorial Hospital, dextromethorphan abuse has seen a sharp rise over the past two years. More commonly available in a popular cough-and-cold medication, it can cause severe hallucinations and suicidal behavior.
Two years ago one man apparently became so distraught after taking dextromethorphan that he jumped into the Agua Fria River. Two other teens have apparently hung themselves after ingesting large amounts of the drug and one toddler had to be airlifted to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Phoenix after an accidental ingestion of a dextromethorphan tablet purchased from a rave party.
The Samaritan Regional Poison Center has listed 369 emergency room visits last year from overdoses resulting from over-the-counter drug abuse and approximately seventy percent are attributed to dextromethorphan.
According to Jack Reed of the Poison Center the drug is a chemical that is in the same family as MDMA, which is sold at raves in Phoenix as "ecstasy." In high doses it can cause homicidal or suicidal tendencies, self-mutilation, and other erratic behavior. The effects are similar to mescaline and amphetamine, with symptoms of overdose ranging from assaultiveness, bowel problems, blackened or discolored tongue, drooling, dizziness, hallucinations, pallor, panic state, stupor, tremors, and brain hemorrhage.
A statewide alert has since been issued warning pharmacies to place the products behind the shelf and permitting only adults to purchase it.
But even this isn't enough, according to Henry.
"They need to boycott this product and prosecute those involved with trying to spread it around on the [Internet]. I lost my father because of it and I'm going on a personal crusade to go after them. They're in the same boat as terrorists and drug traffickers, and they're gonna pay for it."
The story was investigated by Trip Magazine, who talked to every Herbert Johnson in Arizona to try to verify the story. Trip Mag also tried to contact the misinformed "Jack Reed" to no avail, and discovered that no other people in the report existed. All in all, it was pretty humurous in the least - and a valuable lesson to those who either don't take the time to check the syrup they're drinking or the news story they're reading.
NEW DXM/MORPHINE PRODUCT A FLOP
ENDO PHARM STOCK TAKES A PLUNGE AFTER NEW DXM/MORPHINE PILL DOESN'T GO OVER WELL
from Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
CHADDS FORD, Pa. -- Shares of Endo Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc. (ENDP) slumped Monday after the company said late-stage test results from its morphine drug combination MorphiDex were "disappointing."
The company said Phase III clinical trials for MorphiDex showed no statistically significant difference between the trial and control drugs. Endo said the primary goal of the study was to demonstrate that the average daily dose of morphine needed for pain control when given in combination with receptor antagonist dextromethorphan is less than the dose needed with morphine alone.
Endo said it will continue to analyze the results as it awaits the outcome of two other Phase III trials.
Endo said it recently completed enrollment for the second of its Phase III trials of MorphiDex, and the company expects the third of the trials to be completed in the "next couple of weeks." Endo said it plans to release the results of those studies in the fourth quarter.
Until the company reviews the data from these studies, it will not be able to resubmit an amendment to the MorphiDex new drug application with the Food and Drug Administration.
The first Phase III trial of MorphiDex involved 193 chronic pain patients from 20 centers in the U.S.
Shares of Endo Pharmaceuticals were down $4.87, or 46%, to $5.69 at 4 p.m. EDT Monday on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Earlier in trading, the stock fell to a 52-week low of $4.98.
DXM MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGH?
NEW DRUG, AVP-923, IS A NEW FORMULATION OF DXM FOR CNS DISORDER PATIENTS
from PR Newswire
SAN DIEGO, -- AVANIR Pharmaceuticals (AMEX:AVN), today announced completion of a license agreement for exclusive worldwide rights to a proprietary drug product for the treatment of multiple central nervous system disorders including emotional lability, neuropathic pain and chronic cough. The product was licensed from Irisys Research and Development, a private San Diego contract research organization. An Investigational New Drug (IND) application for the licensed product, a new formulation of dextromethorphan internally designated AVP-923, has been accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Upcoming Phase II/III studies will assess the drug's efficacy in reducing the loss of emotional control, clinically known as emotional lability, in patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS), Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and stroke. Assuming successful initiation of Phase II/III clinical trials for emotional lability, the company plans to initiate product development for the additional indications, neuropathic pain and chronic cough. If all three indications are successfully developed and marketed by the company, the addressable market would be in excess of $1.5 billion. "The license agreement is attractive to us because of the unmet therapeutic needs, market potential and the fact that there are no upfront payments by AVANIR," stated J. David Hansen, Vice President of Commercial Development. "Milestone payments would be made only upon FDA's acceptance of the filing of an NDA and for FDA marketing approvals for each indication. If we are successful in obtaining FDA approval and market the drug, we would pay a royalty based on product sales." AVANIR is obligated to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize two potential indications for AVP-923, including funding of all development costs. The company expects that no cash milestone payment would be paid before 2002, which should provide for more AVANIR resources to be focused on funding AVP-923 product development. "AVP-923 provides AVANIR with the opportunity to develop the same or similar formulations for multiple indications allowing us to spread our development costs and risk across the multiple indications," said Mr. Hansen. "If we are successful in our strategy, we intend to build our own marketing and sales organization to sell these products to the specialty physician markets that diagnose and treat patients with emotional lability, neuropathic pain, or chronic cough."
AVP-923 is comprised of dextromethorphan and an enzyme inhibitor that significantly slows the metabolism of dextromethorphan. Currently, the therapeutic utility of dextromethorphan is limited due to its rapid metabolism.
Phase I/II clinical trials have demonstrated that AVP-923 provides sustained therapeutic levels of dextromethorphan utilizing a dose already familiar to physicians. In neurodegenerative disorders, one of the symptoms frequently experienced by the patient can be loss of emotional control. Although not physically harmful, the condition has a significant affect on the psychological health of both patients and their caregivers. Medical reports on the incidence of emotional lability estimate that up to 50% of ALS patients and 25% of MS and AD patients are affected by the loss of emotional control. In stroke patients the incidence is initially 20% within the first year of stroke with one-half of those patients recovering emotional control within the first year. Currently, there is no FDA-approved product for treating emotional lability. The FDA has indicated that if the company successfully performs clinical studies for emotional lability in at least two of the neurodegenerative diseases, a broad general indication for emotional lability could be obtained. Combined affected patient populations from all four diseases result in a patient pool up to 1,000,000 patients per year. Dextromethorphan is a well known NMDA receptor antagonist and has been shown to reduce neuropathic pain such as that associated with diabetic neuropathy. The medical literature indicates that there are approximately seven million diabetics who suffer from diabetic neuropathy, 40% of whom suffer from moderate to severe disease. The company estimates the treatable patient pool is 1,000,000 people. Currently, the company knows of only one other non-narcotic product widely in use for treating the chronic pain associated with diabetic neuropathy, Warner-Lambert's anticonvulsant, Neurontin(R), which has sales over $800 million annually. Dextromethorphan is well established as an effective and widely used non-narcotic cough suppressant that is effective for short periods after each dose. The company believes AVP-923 could find wide utility for the treatment of chronic cough typically caused by smoking, post-nasal drip, asthma, gastro esophageal reflux and chronic bronchitis, as well as intractable cough which is typically associated with lung cancer. While it is estimated that 11% of the approximate 30 million physician office visits each year involve the treatment of cough, the company estimates the treatable patient pool for chronic and intractable cough indication is much narrower, but still could be as high as 500,000 patients. AVANIR Pharmaceuticals, a specialty pharmaceutical company, develops novel therapeutic products for the treatment of chronic diseases including docosanol 10% cream recently approved for marketing by the FDA. The company's product development pipeline includes a patented fully human monoclonal antibody technology under commercial development. Other programs include a drug discovery program in the advanced pre-clinical stage of development for the treatment of the underlying biological causes of allergy and asthma and preclinical work on novel approaches to discovering compounds with lipid lowering and anti-inflammatory activities. The information contained in this press release, including any forward looking statements contained herein, should be reviewed in conjunction with the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other publicly available information regarding the company, copies of which are available from the company upon request. Such publicly available information sets forth many risks and uncertainties related to the company's business and such statements, including risks and uncertainties related to drug development and clinical trials. Preliminary research findings are not always supportable by evidence obtained from subsequent clinical trials. Final review decisions made by the FDA and other regulatory agencies concerning clinical trial results for AVP- 923 are unpredictable and outside of the influence and/or control of the company. Contact: Patrice Saxon of AVANIR Pharmaceuticals, 858-410-2660; or Bob Stone, or Ken DiPaola, both of The Dilenschneider Group, financial media relations, 212-922-0900.
LATE-BREAKING POSITIVE RESULTS REPORTED FOR AVP-923
from PR Newswire
On June 20, 2002, Avanir Pharmaceuticals in San Diego, California announced positive results from a Phase II/III clinical trial that tested the safety and effectiveness of Neurodex. The indication for Neurodex in this study of patients with ALS was pseudobulbar affect or emotional lability (exaggerated laughing or crying). Avanir reports that, in this study, the patients in the group receiving Neurodex showed a greater decline on a rating scale for pseudobulbar affect than those in two control arms, indicating greater improvement in their pseudobulbar affect.
Some people with ALS experience symptoms of pseudobulbar affect including uncontrolled laughing and/or crying in excess of the situation that prompts the laughing or crying. For many patients and their families, these symptoms are distressing and can sometimes be embarrassing. There are no medications indicated to treat pseudobulbar affect; however, some antidepressant medications are prescribed by physicians to treat pseudobulbar affect.
Neurodex is a combination of dextromethorphan and an enzyme inhibitor that allows for "sustained, elevated levels of dextromethorphan in the body." It is not approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at this time. Avanir plans to begin a second clinical study of Neurodex in pseudobulbar affect in patients with multiple sclerosis this year. If the results of the MS trial are positive, the company plans to present its findings and file a new drug application with the FDA as early as Spring 2004. The FDA requires positive, adequate and well-controlled studies of Neurodex before the drug can be approved for general use for emotional lability.
Avanir also plans to initiate an open label trial of Neurodex in pseudobulbar affect later this year in select locations. This will be an opportunity for some people with ALS who experience emotional lability to receive Neurodex and allow for further clinical evaluation of the safety of this drug over time.
For more information about ALS and pseudobulbar affect, contact The ALS Association toll-free at (800) 782-4747, [email protected] or on ALSA's web site http://www.alsa.org . For more information about treatments for pseudobulbar affect, contact your ALS neurologist or health care provider. For more information about Neurodex or the open label trial of the drug, contact Avanir Pharmaceuticals at (858) 622-5200 or visit the web site at http://www.avanir.com or contact Mary Lyon, RN, MN, Vice President of Patient Services at [email protected].
Background
Pseudobulbar affect is a condition characterized by frequent episodes of uncontrolled laughing or crying that do not match a patient's underlying emotion. It is also known by other terms such as emotional lability or pathological laughing and crying. Pseudobulbar affect is a condition associated with a number of neurological disorders, including ALS.
AVP-923 is a combination of Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide and Quinidine Sulfate. Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide is a drug that is available without prescription as an over-the-counter cough suppressant. Quinidine is one of the oldest prescription drugs still in use. It is primarily prescribed to control abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias). The total daily dose of Quinidine in this study is less than one tenth of the dose normally used to treat arrhythmias. Preliminary data suggests that a combination of Dextromethorphan and Quinidine may reduce uncontrolled expressions of emotionality in patients with ALS.
This phase II-III study was preceded by a small phase I study.
Study Design
The study is a double-blind, controlled, parallel, three-group study comparing AVP-923 to its individual components (i.e., Dextromethorphan alone and Quinidine alone) over a 29-day period. The total number of subjects to be enrolled is approximately 100. Twice as many subjects will receive the combination of Dextromethorphan plus Quinidine as will receive either component alone. Enrollment is expected to last until the Spring of 2002.
During the study, a small capsule is taken orally, two times a day (every 12 hours). AVP-923 is generally well-tolerated.
Possible side effects include fatigue, dizziness, euphoria, confusion, rash, or diarrhea.
It is hypothesized that AVP-923 will reduce the frequency and/or severity of uncontrolled laughing and/or crying episodes. Over the course of the 29-day trial, frequency and severity of pseudobulbar affect, quality of relationships, quality of life, as well as standard physical measures will be assessed. Participation in the trial will require one visit to establish eligibility for the trial and then 3 more visits during the 29-day trial period.
AVP-923 is an investigational drug for the treatment of pseudobulbar affect in ALS. Unexpected adverse effects can occur. If you are not enrolled in the AVP-923 clinical drug trial, do not take dextromethorphan and quinidine without consulting with your physician or other health care provider.
THE LASTING EFFECTS OF DXM
A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
by temoku
I quit doing DXM 8 months ago. I was doing it about once to twice per week and an average of about 800mg, going up to 1000mg a few times (I weigh 150lbs). Some of you may be interested in how I've experienced the past 8 months. To begin with DXM is awesome, or I think so anyway, but I would much prefer to have full mental functionality for this lifetime than a few fun
trips. Here is how DXM has affected every aspect of the experience of my life for the last 8 months:
First 3 months:
Constantly felt extremely detached from my surroundings. So much so that I often times was unaware of what my body was doing i.e. I found myself doing stupid things like waving my hands around (like you do when trying to dry them) but only realized it after I'd been doing that for some time (20 minutes or so I'm not sure of how long). Paralyzed with anxiety and fear,I developed my own version of what was going on in my surroundings based on this anxiety and then reacted to what was happening in my mind as if it were actually happening outside of me (which of course it wasn't as the people in my life can confirm). This along with the fact that I could not tell that there was a difference from me an another person made me start thinking I was schizophrenic. The weirdest part is I can't see properly; you know when you are on DXM and you are seeing something (like the door or a wall) and you know you are seeing it but it doesn't seem like you are looking through your eyes (kind like you are hovering just about your head or something)? Well my vision was like that, everything was surreal and I mostly saw things like what you see when you look at the american flag for 10 minutes then close youre eyes. It took effort to look at an actual object.
5 months after quitting DXM:
Only just being able to tell that there is a difference between me and another person, anxiety getting better, vision much better but very spatially disoriented. In other words: sometimes I would look at something and it looked like there was no space between me and what I was looking at, almost like the world was 2D. Very very strange. Oh and by the way, I was in school studying visual basic and Java programming languages and finding my once well honed logical thinking skills were suffering.
Where I am now:
I feel very close to normal now, almost no anxiety, able to carry out a conversation with someone and feel the great relief and joy for the fact that they are NOT me!! The most prominent thing now is the spatial disorientation. I still have a hard time with anything 3D, like building a fence or a room or something. Also the anxiety floods back in every now and then. And I'm definitely not quite as sharp on some things as I was previously but fortunately those things are few. I remain confident that I will be able to become a good C++ programmer (and my grades reflect that)!
You can reach this individual at [email protected].
ANOTHER PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
by Jacy
For around 2-3 months after taking DXM several times, I felt 'cloudy'. My brain just did not feel as 'crisp' as it did before. I was unable to understand or do any complex logical work (eg my job programming). I dont know if I could feel it physically, but in a sense I could definitely *feel* that something was different. I was worried that I had gotten brain lesions from my usage, and stopped using for a few months. Over those next few months the feeling passed and I believe my brain is operating at almost full potential again. I dont think I have recovered 100%, but in the range 90-95%.
I dont know if anyone else has experienced this. I am definitely not
imagining it all tho.
On a side note (sort of), other prolonged effects from acid (I think) includes: visual trails, seeing things in shadows, having to spin around all the time because I think someone is behind me. Sometimes I just get the physical feelings I am on acid (back of head hurts, throat and body feels weird), even tho I havent taken any in over 3 months now.
You can contact this individual at [email protected].
THE DXM BIRTH-DEFECT SCARE
THE SCARE THAT RESULTED FROM "DEFECTED" RESEARCH by gravol
The following information is from Wide Smiles (http://www.widesmiles.org), and has been disputed by most every physician because of its flawed research using chicken embryos, which are extremely unreliable. However, if one is pregnant, one should not be using any kind of recreational drug to begin with. The following is the report as it came to us:
WESTPORT (Reuters) -- Dextromethorphan, an ingredient in some cough medicines, has been shown to cause birth defects and fetal death in chicken embryos exposed to concentrations relative to those typically taken by humans, according to a paper in the January issue of Pediatric Research.
Dr. Thomas H. Rosenquist and colleagues at the University of Nebraska gave chicken embryos various doses (5, 50 or 500 nanomoles/deciliter) of dextromethorphan over three consecutive days. More than half of those given the highest dose died, while about one-eighth of the survivors developed congenital defects including "..neural tube defects such as spina bifida, facial defects similar to cleft palate, as well as cranial defects," a University press release explains.
"Dextromethorphan was also highly lethal at 50 nmol/embryo/d," the team writes in the Pediatric Research paper.
According to Rosenquist, these findings add weight to recently reported findings from the Baltimore-Washington Infant Study in which a history of cough medicine use emerged as a risk factor for congenital malformations.
"We found that dextromethorphan causes defects so early in the development of the embryo that in many cases the woman wouldn't even know she is pregnant," Rosenquist said in the statement. "We feel that a single dose is capable of causing a birth defect and that, ultimately, it could be the cause for a woman to have a miscarriage."
Dextromethorphan suppresses cough by acting on receptors in the adult central nervous system. But in embryos, the drug appears to "knock out" the receptors, thus leading to the defects.
Further study is needed, but in the meantime, Rosenquist suggests that pregnant women be advised not to use dextromethorphan-containing cough medicine.
"Although we used chicken embryos in our study, modern molecular biology shows that the same genes regulate early development in virtually all species -- from insects to worms to humans," said Rosenquist. "Based on this, it can be predicted that the effects dextromethorphan had on the chicken embryos also would occur in human babies."
It should be noted that this study was published in 1998 and no other studies have been published since then backing up this claim.
A DXM NIGHTMARE
ONE BOYFRIEND'S PLEA FOR DEALERS TO STOP DISTRIBUTING DXM POWDER Exclusive by gravol
On June 22 on the Usenet newsgroup alt.drugs.psychedelics, a frantic plea came in from a very distraught boyfriend. The following is what was posted by that boyfriend, DAREzombie:
"I live in vermont, and some idiot provided my 15 year old ex girlfriend with 600mg of dxm, and she found out the hard way she's 2d6 deficient. Long story short, she ended up in the hospital for the past 4 or 5 days, and can't even remember her name or where she is when she wakes up in the morning. In her DXM induced ramblings she ratted out EVERYONE in my town, all the dealers, everyone she's smoked pot with. The cops have been trying to put wires on everyone they bust, and it's all because some clueless idiot decided to make a few bucks selling a chemical they had no fucking clue about to a young clueless girl that wanted to get fucked up."
She had no sitter because she had no idea how powerful the shit is. The kid that hooked her up with it said that if you take 2 of the 300mg pills (which is a stupid dose per pill.. whoever bought this shit and set it all up for sale was apparently an absolute idiot)."
She was in the hospital for days for a reason, she was totally blacked out for 2 days (in which she ratted everyone out) and she lost vision in her right eye for 3 days, and she was having seizures and uneven breathing. I talked to her today and she's still a little confused and gets dizzy just from standing too long. I told her everyone's pissed at her because she ratted everyone out (in a 1 1/2 page tellall confession with names up the ass), and at first she totally denied doing it, and then all of a sudden realized she did and started crying. And btw it was her mom that brought her to the hospital when she started having seizures and kept saying she was blind. fucked up shit"
The female in question weighs about 115 to 120 pounds and is only 15 years old. The hospital had diagnosed her as literally blind in one eye but it slowly came back after the 2nd or 3rd day. None of this has been substantiated, but we are accepting this person's report at face value. It provides a nightmarish perspective into the world of those who try DXM and find themselves to be deficient in the enzyme that metabolizes DXM. We will continue to update you on her progress in future issues.
A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF DXM AS A DISSOCIATIVE
AND A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PROPERTIES AND CLASSIFICATIONS OF DXM
by gravol
Introduction
Notice the similar structural formulas for PCP, ketamine, and DXM. All three drugs each have one benzene ring and in the case of PCP and DXM both have one carbon ring. DXM's structure is also very similar to that of levorphanol, with the *only* difference being an extra methyl group instead of an HO (perhaps levorphanol in high doses also exerts a dissociative effect?).
Properties
Dextromethorphan, which is (+)-3-methoxy-17-methyl-9a,13a,14a-morphinan, is the methyl ether of the dextrorotatory isomer of levorphanol, which latter is a narcotic analgesic and from which DXM can be synthesized by methylation of the phenolic hydroxyl group (U.S. Patent 2,676,177, issued in 1954).
The name dextromethorphan is broken down by prefixes and suffixes. Dextro- means of the right, meaning the right isomer of levorphanol, and -meth refers to of the methyl group, since DXM has an extra methyl group that levorphanol doesn't. The last part of the name actually refers to the drug methorphan, which is a methyl analogue of racemorphan, as codeine is of morphine. DXM is the right isomer of levorphanol as levomethorphan (LVM) is the left isomer, and may also have dissociative properties, but unfortunately this chemical has long since been banned
History
Dextromethorphan HBr was first prepared by Grussmer Schnider while working for Hoffmann-LaRoche. Being an opiate it is considered a controlled substance listed in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21 Part 1308.12 (1987); however for over 40 years it has remained a unique psychedelic and one of the single best legal ones available. In fact, according to the American Journal of Medical Science (227, 291; 1954) it is of equal antitussive effectiveness as codeine.
As recently as 1971, the drug was still under close scrutiny by the Council on Drugs of the American Medical Association, which stated that final assessment of its antitussive efficacy and relative potency must await results of objective clinical trials.
The brand names for DXM when it first appeared in the 1950s were Methorate (Roerig) and Romilar (Sauter).
DXM as a Narcotic Antitussive Analgesic?
To many people, DXM is many things. According to Henry Hitner, Ph.D., who is the Vice Chairman of the Dept. of Physiology and Pharmacology of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Barbara Nagle, Ph.D., who is the Director of Program Planning and the Medical and Pharmacy Education Director of III Associates in Bryn Mawr, PA, and according to the Glencoe Basic Pharmacology Textbook (4th ed., 1999), DXM is a Narcotic Antitussive.
The book states (pp. 220-222, 223) that "Certain narcotic analgesics (codeine and dextromethorphan) are antitussive (suppress coughing). In general, the antitussive analgesics are much less potent analgesics than morphine and possess a lower addiction liability. Therefore, codeine and dextromethorphan are considered relatively safe and are frequently found in over-the-counter remedies."
It should be interesting to note that the majority of doctors and the companies that manufacture DXM do not promote the drug as a narcotic; however, the above doctors and most pharmacology textbooks show DXM as a "narcotic antitussive analgesic."
DXM as a Psychedelic?
There is even less medical information available regarding DXM as a psychedelic. The term "psychedelic" first appeared in 1956, and is in close conjunction with a hallucinogenic drug. In fact, the term psychedelic is not used in medicine, but is instead referred to as hallucinogenic/psychotomimetic.
There is much debate whether DXM is a true psychedelic, as is LSD. However, most anyone who has taken DXM in large-enough dosages agrees that the drug is not only a hallucinogenic but a psychedelic as well.
The characteristics of a psychedelic drug is simply a drug that causes A) sensory distortions, B) pseudohallucinations, C) perceptual distortions, and possible D) dissociation. The only category DXM does not fit under that is common of most hallucinogenic drugs is that it is not a CNS stimulant. However, under the common defintion of a psychedelic, it is not stated that for a drug to be a psychedelic it must stimulate the central nervous system.
As for the other characteristics of psychedelics, DXM does cause sensory distortions (merging or floating into the back of a chair), pseudohallucinations (closed-eye visuals), perceptual distortions (the slowing down of time) and dissociation (feelings of separation of part of the body, or loss of a part of the body, or failure to recognize a part as one's own body). In fact, most people who use DXM on a regular basis do classify it as a psychedelic. Just because DXM doesn't neatly fit into any certain category (LSD-like, tryptamines, and phenethylamines) of psychedelics doesn't mean that it is not a psychedelic. In fact, DXM doesn't neatly fit into any category of any drug. Its actions are five times the complexity of marijuana.
DXM as a Dissociative
DXM is most commonly known as a dissociative. As stated before, it has a similar structure to that of PCP, and has even been referred to as "poor man's PCP."
And like the characteristic of most dissociatives, DXM is being used in post-operative surgery as a general anesthetic.
DXM exerts its dissociative action by binding to the NMDA receptor site and plugging it up, just like PCP and ketamine does. It is known that ketamine inhibits NMDA receptors by two mechanisms by a blockade of the open channel by occupying a site within the channel in the receptor protein, and a reduction in the frequency of NMDA channel opening by drug binding to a second attachment site on the outside of the receptor protein. Those are the exact same effects that DXM produces, and PCP probably also shares this duality of action.
The NMDA blockade has to do with most of DXM's intoxicating and dissociative effects.
DXM and its Relationship with PCP
Phencyclidine (PCP) was investigated for use as a general anesthetic in humans. It was developed in 1956 as a potent analgesic-amnestic-anesthetic agent. It was briefly used as an anesthetic in humans before being abandoned because of a high incidence of bizarre and serious psychiatric reactions. However, because of a high incidence of emergence delirium, it was dropped from further consideration for this purpose. It is still used in veterinary practice to immobilize primates. Like DXM, because of its psychotomimetic effects, the drug has gained wide popularity as a drug of abuse.
Also like DXM, the pharmacology of PCP is complex. Phencyclidine and dextromethorphan produce multiple pharmacological actions, including CNS depression, peripheral autonomic effects, analgesia, and anticonvulsant activity. The only difference between the two is that PCP may also produce CNS stimulation as well as depression.
Phencyclidine interacts with several neurotransmitters, and these interactions are known to account for many of the actions of PCP.
Much like DXM, the effects of PCP vary significantly with increasing dosage. At low doses, there are CNS stimulation, euphoria, and sympathetic stimulation similar to the effects produced by amphetamines. With increasing dosage, thought processes become disoriented and speech is slurred. This is followed by paresthesia, slowed reflexes, and ataxia. Disorders of body image are common, with both elongation and shrinkage of extremities. This state may last 4 to 6 hours, after which a depressive state occurs, along with a paranoid behavior pattern. It may take several days before the affected individual returns to normal.
DXM may also cause a false positive for PCP, which is quite common, and because of this, a positive assay requires secondary confirmation. One case involved a blood test showing a possitive assay for PCP after ingestion of dextromethorphan powder.
As you can see, the effects of PCP and DXM are different from another. However, in a general sense, DXM is similar to PCP. More similar than DXM is to most drugs, including other narcotic analgesics. The dissociative effects are actually a lot closer to those of ketamine.
DXM and its Relationship with Ketamine
Ketamine was first synthesized in 1964 in Belgium (see Patent 634,208). According to the United States Dispensatory (27th ed., 1973), "Ketamine hydrochloride is a rapid-acting general anesthetic that produces a dissociative state of the central nervous system in which amnesia and profound analgesia are induced although the patient does not appear to be asleep." This is very similar to the effects of DXM in high dosages.
"The compound is neither a barbiturate nor a narcotic, and its action is quite different from that of conventional anesthetics." The only main difference between DXM and ketamine is that ketamine is short-acting and DXM is long-acting.
The psychological effects of ketamine include pleasant dream-like states, vivid imagery, hallucinations, along with possible confusion, excitement, and irrational behavior. This state is very similar to the dissociative action of DXM.
Ketamine is still occasionally used in humans to provide anesthesia in patients who cannot tolerate the cardiovascular depressant effects of other anesthetics, and DXM is likewise being used in high dosages for post-operative surgery.
DXM as an Antidepressant?
William White states that "The music euphoria and motion euphoria are probably partly due to PCP2 activity, and partly due to other activity. As NMDA blockade and sigma activity can both lead to dopaminergic activity, reuptake inhibition would potentiate these effects.
"Interestingly, DXM seems to be much more potent at this site than other sigma/NMDA ligands (such as PCP or ketamine) in comparison to activity at other sites. Also interestingly, at least one tricyclic antidepressant has been found to be active at related receptors (sigma, PCP); it is possible that the PCP2 site may be a target of some antidepressants."
This makes the case for some that DXM also has antidepressant action, but not by the reuptake of serotonin, in the traditional sense.
Metabolism of DXM and Grapefruit Juice
DXM enters the bloodstream through the GI tract within 30 minutes. It is ultimately metabolized to 3-hydroxymorphinan (3HM). DXM is converted to dextrorphan (DXO) by a liver enzyme called cytochrome P450-2D6 (debrisoquine 4-hydroxylase). This is the same enzyme that metabolizes caffeine and other drugs. One thing William White failed to note, is that by ingesting grapefruit juice (GFJ), which contains naringin, it greatly alters and prolongs the metabolization of DXM, and may lead to a more euphoric effect.
Conclusion
DXM is very similar in both properties and effects to other dissociatives, like PCP and ketamine. One sidenote is that there are many more dissociatives, which are inhaled. Nitrous oxide (N2O), for instance, is a powerful anesthetic and dissociative. The combination of N2O and DXM can be quite a euphoric experience. However, DXM is most similar to PCP and ketamine in both effects and its action on NDMA receptor sites.
DXM stands alone in that it is both legal (though regulated by the federal government) and hallucinogenic. The most common trait of DXM is its dissociative action, and thus should be classified as a dissociative at higher dosages, and as an antitussive in lower dosages.
DXM AND DREAM RESEARCH
EXCERPTS FROM THE DREAMING FAQ REGARDING DXM by Rob Bowling, Pharm.D.,Ph.D.
The first anecdotal reports of Dextromethorphan have been around since the early 1960s, although it's use was then by those in the medical community.If you FOIA the original NDA materials for Dextromethorphan to the predecessor to the FDA, you will notice that these indicated that Dextromethorphan had possible addiction potential. It was *never* kept secret in the industry, or in the government.Just as Tiletamine (which is *only* controlled federally *as a combination product*), and Ketamine (before it became a Controlled Substance) many ofthese substances weren't considered a real concern because of drug delivery systems, or because of other reasons, even though the medical community knewof their possible abuse and addiction qualities. With Dextromethorphan, it was a matter of formulation: syrup formulations back then. And, most believed that because the studies which they relied on indicated that witheven moderate doses, the effects of Dextromethorphan on the Chemorecptor Trigger Zone (the area of the brain which controls nausea), overdose issues would not be an issue for the population at large. The "information" about Dextromethophan being a "recreational drug" thatfirst started appearing on BBS's in the mid/early 1980s came fromlittle-known "home grown" books published in the early 1970s for the most part. This information came from those who had used it in the 1960s. There have always been rumors that even some of those in the development of Dextromethorphan tried it recreationally (although this is more than likely an urban legend).But, you are still correct that Guifenesin in cough syrup predates the recreational use of Dextromethorphan. However, many in the medical community still argue that it is of questionable efficacy used incombination with Dextromethorphan, or any cough suppressant for that matter.
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1.5. Do substances like drugs, herbs and foods affect our dreams?
Yes . During REM protein-synthesis is highly active, so your body needs highlevels of amino acids. The neurotransmitter in use during REM is Acetylcholine. It is made from the B-vitamin Choline and the vitamin B-5.But there are more vitamins that can make us dream more. The body can synthesis the B-vitamin Choline. But in order to do that it needs vitamin B-12, Folic acid (B-9), the amino acids Methionine and Serine. Vitamins B-12plays a role in the activation of amino acids during protein formation. Ithas also the ability to increase the production of Acetylcholine andnormalize neurotransmissions in the brain.Vitamin B-6 is another important vitamin. It is a co-enzyme, which participates in over 60 enzymatic reactions involved in the metabolism of amino acids. It is involved in the production of several body proteins and neurotransmitters. It is particularly indispensable to the action of aminoacid neurotransmitters, like Serotonin, Dopamine, Melatonin, andNorepinephrine, which effect brain function. It is also involved in themetabolism of Selenium, Calcium, and Magnesium. Melatonin is a neurotransmitter/hormone that is only active during sleep. It is being metabolized when you fall asleep from Serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is being metabolized from the amino acid Tryptophan. Melatonin increasesnon-REM sleep and makes it easier for you to fall asleep. But it has also an interesting rebound effect that gives more frequent and vivid dreams. The vividness might even give you a lucid dream.The amino acid Tryptophan can be metabolized into Serotonin and Niacin (B-3).Vitamin B-6 promotes this conversion. Taking Niacin or Nicotine patches will increase the Serotonin production. The more Niacin you take, the more Serotonin is produced and more Melatonin is metabolized. Calcium and Magnesium promotes Serotonin production as well. Zinc is in every cell of the body and is a part of over 200 enzymes, so Zinc supplements may increase REM-sleep, too.DMAE (Dimethylaminoethanol) is a very important B-vitamin. It flows easily through the brain's blood barrier, where it is converted into Choline. During REM, Choline is added the coenzyme A (Vitamin B-5), and we have Acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter in use during REM. 5-HTP (5-Hydroxy-TryptoPhan) is a Serotonin precursor that also flows quite easythrough the brain's blood barrier. It is a good alternative to Melatonin.Vitamin C helps metabolizing several amino acids and hormones. It is also important to have adequate levels of amino acids. A few important ones are Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Methionine, Cysteine, Serine and Tryptophan. Using Tobacco, Alcohol or Coffee prohibits the absorption of necessary vitamins and amino acids. Depressants suppress REM sleep, one is Alcohol, but taken in right doses can create a rebound effect so that you wake up remembering many vivid dreams. And anti-depressants may increase dream recall. Caffeine will make you sleep lighter, will increase your dream recall and maybe even give you a lucid dream. Herbs like Valerian, Mugwort, Mullein,Kava Kava, St. Johns Wort, Calea Zacatechichi, Salvia Divinorum, Scutellaria Indica, Licorice Root, Vervain, Jasmine, Honeysuckle, Datura, Bee Pollen,Catnip, Hops, Scullcap, Lavender, Damiana, Withania Somnifera, Passionflower, Chamomile, Cardamom, Gotu Kola, Ginkgo Biloba, Ibogaine, Verbena, Rose,Cinnamon, Marigold, Nutmeg, Peppermint, Holly, Yarrow and Anise may help youdream more, recall more or even have a Lucid Dream. Make sure you know moreabout these herbs before you use them: some are to be used in pillows, someare to be smoked, some are to be used in tea, etc. And finally we have psychedelic drugs like DXM that may induce Lucid Dreams. Some of the drugs and herbs can be addictive, and be poisonous if taken in too large doses. Crystals and Magnets may also affect your dreams.
TESTIMONIALS OF PEOPLE WHO USE DXM FOR LUCID DREAMING AND OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCES
compiled by gravol
Jacob Jarnigon:
You know when you're about to have the obe when your body tingles or loud vibrations pulsate throughout. Sometimes I get excited and wake up, that sucks! Really, I've been having somescary problems though. When I go obe there has been these things grabbing me and slinging me around; sometimes they drag me into theground, way down, it's another world it feels like. I've learned they won't hurt me but are just having fun with me. The funny thing is thishas been going on for a while, but just recently there has been some psychedelics (mainly DXM) that have allowed for me to view their wavelength visually while I'm awake and now I can see them (or they finally are showing themselves) while I'm ob; that being the only way I can touch them physically. Their appearance is simple: Imagine a 2ft long string with many mop-like strings hanging from it ; that is aboutthe jist of their looks. I can't explain exactly how they are because they are on a different wavelength. Nothing we know can apply to these"whatevers" (as I call them). Nobody knows about me and these whatevers. Just last night I was making love to my girlfriend, totally sober, when they came up out of the ground to watch, the little weirdos! I threw a pillow at one of them to try and scare themoff and my girlfriend turned around and looked back at me saying"what's wrong baby?" I replied, "nothing's wrong, you just feel so,so,good." Anyways, they're harmless and my fear of them has gone. I just want to say this: there are an indefinite amount of undiscovered wavelengths, which could possibly (and probably do) comprise worlds as real , if not more real, than our human world. They are undiscovered, but real. Nobody is crazy, just perceptive. Most psychedelics can stimulating actual lucid dreams. And DXM usually makes people drowsy enough to go to sleep. A DXM, or ketamine experience can very closely resemble theact of lucid dreaming. When you go into a dark room or close your eyes on these two substances you leave your body and enter 3 dimensional hallucinatory worlds.
CTSaen ( [email protected] ):
Well to start off I am in NO means advocating this method..but it works for me so here goes. I have been a frequent lucid dreamer since I was very young. But I could never control the onset of these dreams. Also I had never beenable to achieve an OBE...I have come close but there was always something blocking the exit or I would fall asleep trying. Recently, I have discovered DXM..Dextromethorphan...I took approx...350 mg. And I was feeling light headed about two hours after taking it...I laid down and tried to fall alseep...I wokeup dreaming...instantly became lucid...VERY VIVID...I woke up...to realize Iwas peaking on the DXM...rolled to the my other side...and BAM...blasted out of my body..and turned to see my face staring in horror...VERY SCARY...suddenly my room went black and a tunnel appeared before me...I heard whooshing sounds and was sucked into this tunnel..where I returned to the lucid dreamscape I had just been in...the dreams lasted much longer then normal...I explored the astral plane..met dead relatives..and met spirit guides...then Id feel a pulse in my consciousness..and id be yanked back at tremendous speed back to my body...this process continued several times during the night..I didnt seem tohave control of return or seperation...it was very disconcerting..but while Iwas in the astral...I did have control over that environment etc...i would be interested to know if anyone else has had similar experiences...Thanks
Clarity Now! ( [email protected] ):
The DXM "oobe" is not the same as a what most folks in this newsgroup are striving for -- being able to explore other dimensions without theuse of drugs. (I could be wrong!) For the main part, DXM causes psychedelic hallucinations -- it's chemically induced. You have no real control, but I"m sure there aretimes you think you do. DXM is great if you aren't able to get OOB naturally and are frustrated. I've tried it at the upper plateau levels and the experiences were definitely memorable. My favorite part is flying through space at light speed :) I've also had what seem to be psychedelic visuals (I've never tried LSD, so I don't know) -- but pillows of jel-like globs of color coming at me (now I know where the inspiration for lava lamps comes from .) I guess you could take this to the alt.drugs.psychedelic ng to seewhat others have to say about such an experience.
Anonymous:
I haven't read many accounts of this outside the DXM FAQ trip report section, but a handful of times I combined DXM with other psychedelics. DXM+psilocybin, DXM+LSD, were both spectacular memorable experiences. Although DXM is not "visual" in the same way as psilocybin or LSD when I combined them I saw very detailed geometric patterns, and have had many interesting experiences on DXM with and without other drugs with eidetic imagery and hypnagogic landscape-flying...
THE DXM ENIGMA - THE PYRAMIDS AND 11:11
AND HOW IT COULD AFFECT YOU
by Anonymous
[Editor's Note: It's not that the writer of this wishes to remain anonymous, but I have lost the information pertaining to his identity. However, I feel it is relevant enough to post anyway. For those of you who are confused about the 11:11 phenomenon, you can visit http://www.nvisible.com/1111.htm and learn more about it there. In brief, 11:11 affects many people, the majority of which have not even heard of DXM. It affects doctors, scientists, religious people; it does not discriminate. We believe it is a wakeup call of things to come in our lifetime. So please do not take the following information lightly, especially if you have witnessed this strange phemonenon.]
On Aug. 11, on grid point 11 at 11:11 a.m., the Solar Eclipse went into complete corona, where the hyperdimensional energies of the Sun and Moon were as precisely aligned as they could ever possibly get. And, as we had said in the previous edition of this book, finished March 8, 1999:
With all the attending stresses of the Grand Cross configuration, this Eclipse will become as a laser beam of focused, fourth-dimensional consciousness/energy, or metaphorically significant as the lance that pierced the body of Christ on the Cross. As this hyperdimensional "laser beam" reaches its strongest point of corona, it also ignites one of the most highly significant Grid vortices on Earth - the location of Stonehenge and a host of other megalithic stoneworks. This single burst of energy will blast the Global Grid so strongly that the entire Grid itself will sound like a gigantic gong, rising to an incredible height of frequency for a few moments�We can also expect that this blast of energy would continue to cause the Global Grid to expand, thereby causing land shifts as Wilcock's readings are predicting.
And indeed, on Aug. 17, 1999, the exact day when the Grand Square planetary conjunction itself went into its tightest alignment, there was a tremendous 6.9 earthquake in Turkey -- directly over the area where the eclipse path had traversed just six days earlier. This was all the convincing that was necessary to see that these effects really can be measured and predicted. Taiwan then followed soon afterwards with equal severity. We remember seeing the ring of energy created in the Pacific Ocean basin, and how much it resembled cell mitosis, as though the Earth itself was showing us a physical metaphor of regeneration. We also remember Joseph Jochmans' information from Athelsan Spilhaus and others that suggests that such a geometric expansion has already occurred in the past. The Hopi prophecies about the Earth's grid expanding like the white spots on a growing doe are also very interesting bits of corroboration.
So, this continuing increase of Light or aether density into the global energy grid, by such a precise hyperdimensional arrangement of forces in the galaxy, cannot go without its effects. The Ra Material tells us that the Earth will have to "electromagnetically realign its vortices of reception," and that they have "every reason to believe" that the sum total of this realignment will be approximately 20 degrees due east of North. Furthermore, there is even more intriguing research to show that the "gateway" of 11:11, which opened on Aug. 11, 1999, had great significance. In Graham Hancock and Robert Bauval's book, Message of the Sphinx, [or Keeper of Genesis in Europe,] the 11:11 ratio is specifically mentioned as being of quintessential importance to the functioning of the entire pyramid itself! This 11:11 ratio is also shown to have a harmonic connection to the angle measurement of 111.111 degrees, elsewhere in the Gizeh complex.
In Hancock and Bauval's work, there are frequent citations from the landmark Pyramid Texts of Unas, and their reference to the First Time, or "Zep Tepi." Hancock and Bauval tell us that this First Time of Egypt was 12,500 years ago, the exact date of the close of the most recent Solar Breath / precessional cycle. At this moment, the point where the Sun would rise, called the vernal point, was directly in front of the Sphinx within the constellation Leo, the Lion. Hence the very first thing we see is how the terrestrial Sphinx was built to face its celestial counterpart. This obviously is another piece of evidence linking the Sphinx to a time of 12,500 years in the past.
This Sphinx alignment dovetails nicely with Bauval's discovery that the three pyramids of Gizeh are a precise terrestrial map of the constellation Orion, designed to be in exact alignment with the celestial Orion 12,500 years ago. Then, we are told that the second major time-encoded date for the Pyramid complex is the point at which the internal "airshafts" in the Pyramid align with their celestial counterparts in the heavens. The time where everything fits together is in 2500 BC, almost exactly 8000 years after the First Time of 10,500 BC. The vernal point, where the Sun rose, has then moved exactly 111.111 degrees away from where it started in 10,500 BC! There again, we have an apparently built-in, deliberate numerical synchronicity showing itself!
Hancock and Bauval speculate that the pyramids might somehow be able to facilitate time travel within the focus of consciousness, so that those of the Egyptian Pyramid Age might be able to scan backwards to this "First Time" of 12,500 years ago. If this is true, then they suggest that these precision alignments in the Pyramid have their purpose for calibrating that specific time. The reader will remember that we discussed similar methods of time calibration in the chapter on the Constant of Nineveh. Thus, on page 235 of "Message of the Sphinx," they write that since the precession causes a one-degree shift every 72 years,
�If the Horus - King could have been provided with the 'special number' 111.111, and had used it in the way described above, it would have led him back to (72x111.111 years =) 7,999.99 years before the specified 'ground zero,' i.e. to almost exactly 8000 years before 2500 BC - in short, to 10,500 BC.
We know that this seems like wishful numerology of the worst sort - i.e. 'factoring in' an arbitrary value to a set of calculations so as to procure spurious 'corroboration' for a specific desired date (in this case the date of 10,500 BC, twelve and a half thousand years before the present...) The problem, however, is that the number 111.111 may well not be an arbitrary value. At any rate, it has long been recognized that the main numerical factor in the design of the Great Pyramid, and indeed of the Giza necropolis as a whole, is the prime number 11 - a prime number being one that is only divisible by itself to produce the whole number 1. Thus 11 divided by 11, i.e. the ratio 11:11, produces the whole number 1 (while 11 divided by anything else, i.e. any other ratio, would, of necessity, generate a fraction.)
What is intriguing is the way that the architecture of the Great Pyramid responds to the number 11 when it is divided, or multiplied, by other whole numbers. The reader will recall, for example, that its side length of just over 755 feet is equivalent to 440 Egyptian royal cubits - i.e. 11 times 40 cubits. In addition, its height to base ratio is 7:11. The slope ratio of its sides is 14:11 (tan 51 degrees 50'). And the slope ratio of the southern shaft of the King's Chamber - the shaft that was targeted on Orion's belt in 2500 BC - is 11:11 (tan 45 degrees).
Arguably, therefore, the ratio 11:11, which integrates with our "special number" 111.111, could be considered as a sort of mathematical key, or 'stargate' to Orion's belt. Moreover, as we shall see, a movement of 111.111 degrees backwards along the ecliptic from 'ground - zero' at the Hyades - Taurus, the head of the celestial bull, would place the vernal point 'underneath' the cosmic lion."
So now we can see that Hancock and Bauval directly mention the 11:11 ratio as the "stargate" of the Great Pyramid! [Note: Just as this book is in its final edit and going to print, a huge bolt of lightning exploded overhead in a giant flash, right as we read the word "Stargate" again.] Synchronistically enough, the colon between the two numbers, which indicates a ratio, reads exactly the same as the colon in clock time, AND exactly the same as the colon in Bible quotations! This lends even greater credence to the validity of the 11:11 conjunction being so important - it appears that the entire Pyramid was built to encapsulate this number! Then, when we see the focus on the internal timelines, the metaphor of the returning capstone and the Masonic connections of this symbol to "A great order of ages" being "born anew," we must start to seriously consider that the period between the Aug. 11, 1999 conjunction and May 28, 2000 conjunction will end up being seen as a symbolic event of incredible significance to us as a planetary species. The ancients clearly were able to focus in on this time as being of significance, and in order for us to see it we may need to study more of the "subtle" effects in society, such as the changes in paradigms that are now occurring with events such as a major motion picture about the Martian Anomalies.
We rounded out the book with a discussion of the Nineveh Constant, which helped to show us how these cycles of time might be used by extradimensional travelers to navigate through the timestream, or the fabric of space and time. We also were given another glaring clue as to the elegant beauty and simplicity of the harmonic numbers underlying all of the Creation. Simply multiplying 70 by 60 seven times in a row can render the entire Cycle, measured in seconds. The pulsar B1257+10 shows an almost exact similarity to our own in its configuration, and as this is the first major extra-planetary system that we have found, we can assume that they all function to some degree of harmonic consistency. And with Wilcock's original research, this same harmonic system has been expanded out to the Galactic level, and we can see that all truly does work in perfect mathematical harmony.
With the work of Cowan and Masson, we see that time itself takes on a dynamic, shifting, energetic structure that can be accurately predicted in advance, and whose behaviors have certain definite effects upon civilization. So now, we have an even greater grasp of how our own Great Solar Cycle affects us as a planetary society. (4:44 p.m., 3/8/98.) As we learn and understand the physics behind the Shift of the Ages, we are made pure with our own realization that all things are in balance. Whether we look at sound, color, geometry, atoms, cells, biology, the human body, pyramids, the Global Grid, planetary orbits, the Sunspot Cycle or even greater cycles such as that of the Constant of Nineveh, and now the rise and decline of massive, seemingly random social trends as well, we can see that all things, indeed everything, obeys these magnificent, cyclical harmonic principles.
We now know that a massive effort was made by the survivors of the Atlantean cataclysm to preserve the basis of this knowledge for our own generation. Mythologies the world over have encoded the precessional numbers in their roots, and various other societies have retained immense pieces of the puzzle, such as the Maya, the Aztecs and the Sumerians. These teachings found their way into the Western secret societies over time, and now they continue to thrive in the United States Government and its backbone of Masonic belief, as well as the United Nations as a whole in their remarkable Meditation Room.
We have also seen how the extraterrestrial forces surrounding us at this time have made numerous efforts to communicate these simple truths to us, through Nostradamus, Cayce, Jane Roberts, Walter Russell, David Wilcock and others. We have indeed arrived at this Omega Point of planetary Ascension now, and we are surrounded by a throng of spectators. These brothers and sisters on the outside made sure that we would have the necessary technology in place at the end of this cycle so that we may process our collective karma from the Age of Atlantis. It is time for us to Ascend, to regain our true heritage and to reclaim the Earth, or the New Jerusalem, in its cleansed and perfected fourth-density form. We have all the proof that we need to convince ourselves that this epic, fantastic event is very soon to occur.
THE HOW'S AND WHY'S OF CEV'S
AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT WHAT THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF CLOSED-EYE VISUALS MAY BE Exclusive by gravol
One of the greatest things I've ever experienced while tripping on DXM was the presence of CEVs (closed eye visuals). In the last issue, I went into some depth about what I experienced and saw in these visuals, along with what is common to see. But now I feel I have begun to unlock the door as to why some people experience them and others don't, and why those that do experience them enough times only find them to dissipate over time and occasionally come back, like some kind of magical spell that whimsically eludes the follower.
The answer lies in the action of antihistamines, and how they affect the brain. First of all, to help explain why antihistamines are so important, are the following points:
1) Most CEVs are witnessed while under the influence of Coricidin Cough & Cold, which contains the most powerful OTC antihistamine available, chlorpheniramine maleate. The chlorpheniramine somehow causes DXM to produce mind-boggling visuals of people, geometric shapes, and other complex mathematical sequences when you close your eyes.
2) Another common antihistamine, diphenhydramine (Dramamine, Benadryl) also occasionally produce DXM-like CEVs even when one is not under the influence of DXM. Since most people do not mix DXM and this antihistamine, it's rarely discovered. One safer alternative to viewing CEVs without doing Coricidin is simply doing a dose of DXM after waking up from a Benadryl nap - the likelihood of seeing CEVs is much higher.
3) In my case, and in others that I have interviewed, CEVs are rarely seen in just DXM itself, but for some people they are. Since antihistamines are very common OTC drugs, a lot of people don't realize they may have ingested an antihistamine within the past 12-24 hours of taking DXM.
4) The antihistamines themselves may not be what's causing the DXM - you have to take an in-depth view as to how they affect your brain. Perhaps low-histamine levels can greatly increase the occurrence of CEVs. They are also not the only thing that precipitates the advent of CEVs, but they surely produce the best results (see below).
So how do antihistamines work? Antihistamines generally, and Diphenydramine Hcl specifically, act by antagonizing histamine at the site of the H1 histamine receptor. Antihistamines dry up the secretion of the nose, throat, and eyes. They relieve itch and will help you go to sleep. Dimenhydrinate depresses the middle-ear function, but the way in which it actually prevents nausea, vomiting, or dizziness is not known. However, these drugs are not just antihistamines. They have a significant amount of anticholinergic activity. What does this mean? There's a chemical in the nervous system called acetylcholine, which is one of a set of substances called neurotransmitters. These chemicals transmit signals from one neuron to another. Acetylcholine is present in many different parts of the brain. Notably, it's present in areas thought to be associated with memory, and is the primary transmitter of the motor pathways leading off from the spinal cord. It plays a role in just about every system, however.
Acetylcholine is also the neurotransmitter in use during REM (dream) sleep. Somehow these CEVs are linked to the same part of your brain that regulates dreaming. And since dreams are still a total mystery to science, chances are CEVs will be as well. But the answer could lie in finding out more about the action of Acetylcholine and how DXM affects its release.
Dramamine et al work to prevent acetylcholine from transmitting its signals. The importance of acetycholine to memory may explain the amnesia people usually have for the events during a high-dose Dramamine trip. The heaviness that people often report is most likely a result of the blocking of signals to muscles: the brain has to send a much stronger signal to overcome the opposition produced by diphenhydramine, and this is interpreted as a sensation of greater effort by the brain.
Now with that in mind, perhaps acetycholine or lack thereof may something to do with experiencing these CEVs. Surely, whatever is causing CEV activity is affecting a very complex part of the brain, because the visuals themselves are very complex. My guess is that the antihistamines or some action they produce affects the NMDA receptor site or similar sites, and cause these visuals (it may not have anything to do with NMDA at all). Why would I say that? Because people have experienced similar visuals on just antihistamines by themselves and on high doses of strong narcotics (morphine, hydromorphone, etc), and there must be some common link in how these drugs affect the mind that also works in a similar way that DXM does when the conditions are right to experience CEVs.
If you want to maximize the occurrence of CEVs during your trips, try the following - every one of these methods have been proven to work in individual cases, however your mileage may vary.
1) Sodium chloride - By taking a pinch or two of table salt before your trip, it increases the chances of CEVs - while full-blown CEVs may not be detected, the lines by which you can view them tend to stand out more. This method has been tried by others with varying levels of success.
2) Brain vibration - One very good method of greatly increasing your chance of CEVs (this is the best method I have found as far as frequency and intensity of CEVs) is sitting on a riding lawn mower (no push mowers - you have to actually be ON one, riding on it) for at least 1 to 2 hours. This works great if you happen to have a large lawn to mow, otherwise you have to just bide your time on one - by being on something that is vibrating the brain gets wrattled around a bit and the receptor sites are affected as well - this would make a lot of sense. Unfortunately, riding in a car does not do this because it doesn't vibrate.
3) Grapefruit juice (GFJ) - One breakthrough that came to you exclusively by this Zine was the advent of GFJ. It's now been proven that GFJ acts on the enzyme that metabolizes DXM and slows down the metabolization. First-time users of GFJ+DXM increase a high incidence of CEVs and a feeling as if it's your first trip again. It's not sure how this may affect CEVs, except that DXM stays in your system longer than normal. On the opposite note, the new drug AVP-923 quickly speeds up the metabolization of DXM. Beware that GFJ also potentiates many other drugs, like Xanax and Feldene, and has led to many ODs because people were not aware of this fact.
I hope at least one of these methods will help you. The Zine does not condone the use of DXM with antihistamines. We are very adament on this stance, not to cover our ass, but to cover yours. Dramamine by itself is fatal, let alone when mixed with other chemicals. And Coricidin is probably responsible for the highest level of OTC overdose deaths nationwide, though Tylenol probably causes more underlying liver damage. Bottom line - stay away from Coricidin. The reason antihistamines were brought up is to educate the reader on how and why CEVs are present for some people and not for others, it's not a guide to maximize your own CEVs (though the last three points may be used without any serious incident).
What follows is a letter that was written by a DXM user who may be conducting research in the future at the Beckman Institute regarding DXM and CEVs:
I did a 3rd-plateau dxm trip Friday night. I usually focus on the closed-eye eidetic imagery (it is much more interesting than the open-eye visuals). And so I found a very interesting phenomenon, one that I'd seen before but not quite as lucidly as in this last trip.
Dxm trips usually take off from whatever's been in your mind lately. It's very set/setting dependent. So, there was a scene in my mind where I was looking at a sort of "de-briefing room", like a war-room type thing, with projector and secret codes on the screen, etc... I guess this came from the fact that I've been playing Return to Wolfenstein3d alot lately (and there are scenes like that here).
Only these scenes are a lot more lucid and detailed than anything in the video games. Scrolling data pops up on the projector screen, as people (or what I think are people) are moving around in the background, all of this performed in real-time.
So on the screen, there seems to be a schematic printout of a secret weapon, or some type of airplane. 3d drawing, rotating on various axes, fully detailed.
For a moment, I wonder if my ability to influence the eidetic imagery will affect such a lucid representation. So, just out of the blue, I think of the most absurd thing I can, to test the visualization, to see how robust this visualization system is... I think of the word 'penis'
And within about half a second, I see the airplane *in the projection* replaced by some sort or phallic shape. However, the rotation is still going on, and the data output is still scrolling alongside of it.
So I think 'typewriter' and the same thing happens. Suddenly, a typewriter is inserted where the penis-thing was, and yet the overall shape of the scene remains in tact. The people are still acting as if they are looking at the information on the screen, but that information is different. And, to top it all off, the people themselves take on the shape of a typewriter (if that makes any sense at all).
What fascinates me about his is the separation between intentionality and content, between semantics and syntax. In thinking of any particular word, it takes relatively little time (within 1 second) for the scene to change, and yet it isn't a complete scene change, like a segue between two entirely differnet scenarios. Instead, the new thought is inserted semantically into the existing framework. If I am thinking of a certain person, that person will suddenly appear, but not just pop up. Instead, he or she will be incorporated into the current semantic context of the scene (so instead of instantly appearing, perhaps he or she will walk into the room, or something like that).
Another scence involved an item on a shelf underneath what appeared to be a very large hat (again, I don't choose the nature of the scene, only the semantic properties within it). Again, I tested this phenomenon of choosing a particular semantic quality for the scene. I remember thinking various different things, and they would all show up underneath this hat. Then I remember thinking 'typewriter' (I don't know why 'typewriter' kept coming up), and I saw a typewriter show up underneath this hat thing, slowly protruding, then filling out the shape.
Then what was interesting was that the typewriter was too big for the shelf, so the shelf collapsed. The mechanics of this whole interaction were incredibly fluid, so much more than I could ever have anticipated. Basically, the scene took what it saw as a literal representation of what it would have seen in the external world. It must have thought that if a typewriter were really there, it would have been too heavy for it to stay up on the shelf, and so the shelf collapsed.
What interests me in all these cases is the level of semantic insertion into the scene. Like I said before, it wasn't a simple replacement of one item or another, like a meaningless canvas or visual playground. Instead, the scene attempted to maintain some type of cohesion... When I though of a new concept, it was *inserted* into the pre-existing semantic context. Perhaps the overall semantic flavor of the scene was absurd, but at a lower level, the scene could have made sense.
That is to say, the scene maintained syntactic integrity, at least based on a certain visual 'synatax' (I remember speaking with Brian about possibly doing my senior project on a sort of visual syntax; he though it was too difficult a concept to do at the undergrad level).
This is the type of research that I like to perform under these various states. Determine what the level of representational scope might be for whatever phenomenon I might be observering (in this case, semantic insertion and syntactic cohesion), and see whether these phenomena are applicable outside of the particular psychedelic state. One could always simply complain that these are select cases or phenomena that are only evident in these particular alterations of consciousness. That is where you have to do more tests, to determine what conditions are indeed constant, and what conditions are anomalies presented by the alterations in consciousness.
There are other phenomena that I am quite interested in under these states. For instance, what is the visual granularity of eidetic imagery. In other words, how fine is the resolution of this type of imagery. This goes into the aspects of underlying representation. Not only that, what is the granularity of motion of these images? In one scene, I was thinking about blood flow out from a vein into a tube (I had just recently given blood), and I had a full representation of the phenomenon in mind. I tried slowing down the blood flow to its very slowest, and at that point I was able to see individual 'points' of blood moving down the tube. What I noticed what that these points sort of 'jumped' around at such fine resolutions (that is, they didn't move continuously, but moved more like if the scene was being represented using a slow frame-rate). This implies a 'frame' paradigm, rather than a continuous-motion paradigm (which in effect, implies a synchronous versus asynchronous motion mechanism, which requires some sort of pulse or clockline to keep things matched up.
Anyway, just thought I'd throw this your way to let you know what kinds of things eidetic imagery tests can be used for in a scientific framework (and, of course, for entertainment purposes). I've had some quite intersting video games in my head played out, so much more lucid than anything on playstation 2 or pcs.
You can contact this individual at [email protected].
AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT DXM ABUSE
A SCIENTIFIC LOOK AT THE GROWING PHENOMENON OF DXM ABUSE AMONG ADOLESCENTS by gravol
We are seeing an increasing number of news reports lately regarding the abuse of DXM, and one DXM-containing medication in particular, Coricidin Cough & Cold. Below, I have compiled abstracts from medical papers that have been reported involving this abuse. With all the attention DXM is getting in the media these days, it is interesting to see the perspective that the Scientific community holds.
The Statistics of Coricidin Abuse:
This is brought to us via the University of California, San Francisco, California Poison Control System, San Francisco Division, USA, in an article by S. Banerji and I.B. Anderson. Cases involving ingestion of a dextromethorphan-containing product recorded at a poison control center were studied. A retrospective review of all consultations involving the ingestion of Coricidin HBP Cough & Cold tablets recorded by the California Poison Control System was conducted for the period from January 1 to October 1, 2000. Computerized charts on the consultations were reviewed to obtain data on patient age and sex, number of tablets taken, reason for tablet ingestion, symptoms, treatment, disposition, and outcome. A total of 92 charts (for 92 patients) documenting Coricidin HBP Cough & Cold tablet ingestion were reviewed. The reason for tablet ingestion was classified as abuse in 65 patients (71%), a suicide attempt in 8 (9%), misuse in 1 (1%), malicious administration in 1 (1%), and normal use (but with an adverse drug reaction) in 1 (1%); 16 patients (17%) consumed the tablets for an unknown reason. The 92 patients comprised 42 males and 50 females. Among all patients, 78 (85%) were 13-17 years old, and among those classified as having abusive intent, 58 (89%) were in the same age range. The most commonly reported signs and symptoms associated with ingestion were tachycardia (50 patients), hypertension (29), lethargy (40), mydriasis (20), agitation (15), ataxia or dizziness (20), and vomiting (9). Sixty-one patients (66%) had some alteration in mental status. Fifty-six (61%) were treated in the emergency department; 11 (12%) were admitted. All patients recovered completely. Information on the ingestion of Coricidin HBP Cough & Cold tablets recorded at a poison control center indicated a high rate of abuse of the product among teenagers.
Abuse Potential of Morphine/DXM medications:
This is brought to us via the Clinical Studies/Center for Chemical Dependence, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA in a report by D.R. Jasinski. The potentiation of morphine analgesia by dextromethorphan raises the issue of whether dextromethorphan also potentiates those actions of morphine that lead to abuse. Clinical pharmacology experiments indicated that dextromethorphan does not potentiate the euphorigenic and miotic actions of morphine. Morphine suppresses the dysphoric action of dextromethorphan. A second set of experiments indicated that dextromethorphan does not alter the response to naloxone-precipitated withdrawal. In a third set of experiments, dextromethorphan did not alter the morphine-induced depression in the slope of the increase in minute volume in response to breathing increased CO2. In contrast to potentiation of analgesia, dextromethorphan does not enhance the euphorigenic, physical dependence, and respiratory depressant actions of morphine. These findings indicate that dextromethorphan does not enhance the abuse potential of morphine and that the potentiation of analgesia appeared to be selective.
DXM and Diphenhydramine/Ephedrine Abuse:
This comes via the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City 73190-3000, USA ( [email protected] ) by D.V. Gauvin et al. Two groups of rats were trained in a two-choice drug discrimination procedure under a fixed-ratio 10 schedule of food reinforcement. One group of rats (n=12) was trained to discriminate the presence and absence of a drug mixture containing 10 mg/kg dextromethorphan + 10 mg/kg diphenhydramine. The other group of rats (n=12) was trained to discriminate the presence and absence of another drug mixture containing 10 mg/kg dextromethorphan + 10 mg/kg ephedrine. Cross-generalization tests conducted with each of the stimulus elements demonstrated that (1) the drug mixtures were not perceived as new entities distinct from their component elements and (2) the stimulus element saliency may be a factor determining the nature of discriminative control by drug mixtures. Cross-generalization tests conducted with the psychomotor stimulants, cocaine and amphetamine, engendered complete generalization to the training cues in both groups, whereas, pentobarbital engendered predominantly saline- or default-lever responding. These data suggest a potential abuse liability for both of these common over-the-counter drug mixtures and cautions against the use of such combinations in pediatric patients.
Bulimia and DXM Abuse:
This comes to us via the Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425, USA in a report by L.D. Marsh et al ( [email protected] ). The comorbidity of bulimia and substance abuse is significant. The substance that is abused may vary and the abuse potential for nonillicit substances may be overlooked. This paper presents the first case reported of dextromethorphan abuse and bulimia. It demonstrates the complexity of assessment and treatment of bulimia and substance abuse of over-the-counter medications.
Cough Syrup Abuse:
This comes to us via the School of Natural and Social Sciences, Shepherd College, Shepherdstown, WV 25443, USA in a report by M.N. Darboe. Drug abuse has been a national social problem in the United States for decades and is often complicated by the emergence of new types of abused drugs or new forms of abuse. The forms of abuse, particularly by young persons, include the search for substitutes for better-known substances. It is unclear, however, what factors determine the choice of drug or substance for experimentation, considering the wide range of choices. This paper attempts to delineate the factors which make Dextromethorphan-based cough syrup an attractive choice.
Largest DXM Dose Ever Reported:
This comes to us via the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City in a report by T.R. Wolfe and E.M. Caravati. The case of a 23-year-old man who was acutely intoxicated on dextromethorphan and who was chronically addicted to the drug is described. He consumed the highest daily dose for the longest duration yet reported in the world's English-language medical literature. Toxicity, abuse potential, and therapy of dextromethorphan intoxication are discussed. Unfortunately, we do not have access to the entire article and cannot disclose the actual amount that was ingested.
Cognitive Deterioration from DXM Abuse:
This comes to us via the University of Western Ontario, London, in a report by A. Hinsberger et al. Dextromethorphan (DM), the dextrorotatory isomer of 3-hydroxy-N-methylmorphinan, is the main ingredient in a number of widely available, over-the-counter antitussives. Initial studies (Bornstein 1968) showed that it possessed no respiratory suppressant effects and no addiction liability. Subsequently, however, several articles reporting abuse of this drug have appeared in the literature. The drug is known to cause a variety of acute toxic effects, ranging from nausea, restlessness, insomnia, ataxia, slurred speech and nystagmus to mood changes, perceptual alterations, inattention, disorientation and aggressive behavior (Rammer et al 1988; Katona and Watson 1986; Isbell and Fraser 1953; Devlin et al 1985; McCarthy 1971; Dodds and Revai 1967; Degkwitz 1964; Hildebrand et al 1989). There have also been two reported fatalities from DM overdoses (Fleming 1986). However, there are no reports describing the effects of chronic abuse. This report describes a case of cognitive deterioration resulting from prolonged use of DM. Again, we do not have access to the article and cannot publish it in its entirety.
Teenage DXM Abuse:
Finally, this report is by S. Murray and T. Brewerton. Dextromethorphan, the d-isomer of the opiate agonist levorphanol, has none of the analgesic or sedative effects associated with the opiates and is approved for over-the-counter use as an antitussive. It is available, in various combinations with other medications, in nonprescription cough suppressant and common cold formulations, and its availability in the United States is not controlled. In this paper we have reported two cases of recreational use of dextromethorphan-containing cough syrup by two unrelated teenage boys. Despite the safety of this medication when used at the recommended dosage, there have been cases of "recreational" use of dextromethorphan as well as death by overdose. Although usually thought to be nonaddictive, dextromethorphan produces a substance dependence syndrome, and physicians should be aware of its abuse potential, particularly by youths.
TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE
AND OTHER MACABRE TALES OF STRANGE BEHAVIOR BY DXM USERS compiled by gravol
The following will be a monthly section that appears in the Zine highlighting some of the strange behaviors of DXM users. This is not to poke fun at the drug or the users, but to give you a little taste of "shock therapy" so-to-speak. While some of the reports are rather incredible, it is not advisable that you follow any advice given in this section. It is simply meant for entertainment purposes only. In fact, most of the stuff reported here is downright disturbing...
DXM Enema:
The first case comes to us from a male named "BRO." He claims: " I did the DXM enema a few weeks ago and I definately don't recommend it, but put it to the test if you want to. It may work well for you. I did it pretty much the same way it is recommended on the Third Plateau. [Editor's Note: The Third Plateau is a DXM community website, located at http://www.third-plateau.org ] It was real uncomfortable. It burned and filled my lower intestine with lots of pressure and gas. I was forced to shit it out then I just swallowed a pill. I would rather just go through the nausea and throwing up which is caused through taking it the good ole fashion way. The nausea doesn't last that long anyways and the throwing up kinda feels good after its over."
Bottom line is this, folks... if you don't like the taste of something, that is no need for you to shove it up your.... well, you know what. In fact, there are reportedly a few individuals who are doing this practice. Maybe we should call Ripley's Believe-it-or-Not?
A Dog on DXM:
One DXM user was so bored he decided to feed 214mg of DXM to his dog, named Zeus. The user, whose identity we have concealed, states "If you're planning on dexing your dog, here's how I managed to do it. Cap some powder, or put it in an olive, whatever. I ended up wrapping my powder and whatever was left of the first capsule i tried giving it in an apple skin, then, basically shoved it down his throat. lol He tore my hand apart but, seeing my dog do the Robo-shuffle was worth the trouble."
Very, very disturbing. We are happy to note, however, that the dog is apparently fine.
Penis Shrinkage:
One DXM user, VanillaDEX, reports a rumor he heard from a friend that if you use DXM more than 3 times a month your penis will shrink. The totaly absurdity of this rumor makes it rather entertaining, but similar rumors have been started about LSD and have been carried to great lengths by paranoid trippers. We are happy to report (at least from the perspective of yours truly, the Editor) that no such thing exists. In fact, low doses of DXM and afterglow can cause a prolonged erection and make the females quite happy. So I guess DXM might be an alternative to that Stay-Hard cream.
Psych Ward: And lastly, whatever you do, do not take advice from this individual, who goes by the handle cykros: "just over two weeks ago i decided to get a bottle and a half (12 oz, 1064 mg) of tussin, and downed that, expecting a really nice 4p trip, with a pot of coffee waiting if i got sleepy...anyway, i stayed online too long, and my dad found me all bugged out at the computer not even knowing where i was....really bad shit, not that it was a bad trip, just had bad results. Anyway, i ended up in the hospital that nite (btw, had an awesome OOBE, only upside )and stayed in the icu before going to my own room...later found out i was labeled suicidal, homicidal (due to threats made while tripping), and impulsive, which got me thrown into yale psychiatric hospital for the last fucking two weeks....sucked major donkey balls, word to the wise, don't get fucking caught . Anyway, i'm tripping now (hehe, got out earlier today, didn't waste much time...) so i guess i'll wrap this up...i just wanted to allow others to learn from my stupidity."
Well, that is all for this issue. We will try to get these individuals some psychiatric care and in the meantime, look forward to more tantalizing tales of the just plain weird.
DXM ARTWORK
A COMPILATION OF ARTWORK DONE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DXM
compiled by gravol
Below is several pieces I did while under the influence of 2nd plateau trips. The first one is a colored pencil drawing of Notre Dame Cathedral in France. The other three I did in regular graphite pencil. The last one was the most difficult, and it took several weeks to complete. You can view the drawing in its entirety on the web at http://www.lesia.org/amiens.jpg
Notre Dame Cathedral Jack Nicholson A Metamorphosis
Paris, France The Shining A Dove in a Hand
Amiens Cathedral, Paris, France (Full picture at http://www.lesia.org/amiens.jpg ) OTHER ARTWORK
by various artists
The following pieces come courtesy of the Third Plateau Website, which is highly based in the arts. If you would like a piece submitted, please contact the Editor at [email protected].
Painting by Computer- Drawing by Grrinded Self-portrait by
Mad Hatter Painting by NHaedhroes in
DextroMeth pastel
Finally, in the Artists Spotlight Section, we have two paintings by murmurmaid from the Dextroverse Community. Keep up the good work!! Submit your artwork to win a chance at free DXM!
INFO ON ORDERING PURE DXM POWDER
compiled by gravol
There are only two reliable sources for obtaining dextromethorphan powder for research purposes. One is Chico Chemical and the other is LTK Research Products. Neither of these companies are affiliated with the Zine. Information, taken from their website, follows.
If you are a company that sells DXM powder and would like to be noted in this section, please contact the Editor. Unfortunately, we've had many cases of fraud in the past years so we're only posting the most credible sources.
Chico Chemical
Chico Chemical is a chemical reseller based in Winston-Salem, NC -offering fine chemicals and bulk actives with a market focus on small research entities that require special attention and personalized service. We purchase only the finest quality product in bulk enabling smaller customers to get the product they need at an affordable price.
Our inventory is growing, and options for payment are being added everyday so feel free to email us about how we can be of service to you.
Mail: 353 Jonestown Rd. - Suite 169 - Winston-Salem - NC - 27104
Email: [email protected]
25 grams $45
50 grams $79
100 grams $139
* $5.00 S&H on all orders
Most orders will ship within 48 hours.
Avg. Delivery Time 2-3 Days in the USA
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration regulates the sale and use of these chemicals. Chemicals are sold only for use as approved by the FDA. The use of these chemicals may be further limited or regulated by federal, state, or local government. Buyer is responsible for compliance to applicable laws and regulations. Buyer expressly warrants that they will use chemicals purchased in accordance with all applicable laws and ordinances.
1. Delivery
All sales are FCA Seller's shipping point. Seller's delivery to the carrier constitutes delivery to Buyer and Buyer assumes all risk of loss or damage during transit. The purchase price of all products includes shipping via United States Postal Service Priority Mail, however, Seller reserves the right, in it's discretion, to determine the method of shipment. Upon receipt of all goods, Buyer must immediately inspect the material and make a claim to Seller in writing for all shortages or defects. All claims must be made to Seller within five days of receipt by Buyer. If no claims are made within the five days, it will bedeemed that the goods conform to these terms of sale, and have been irrevocably accepted by the Buyer. If Seller determines that the products named in Buyer's claim are defective, inadequate, or otherwise incorrect, the Buyer is eligible for a full refund of purchase price or a replacement of the product. Buyer must return products to Seller in the accordance with Seller's instructions.
2. Warranties
Seller warrants that its products shall conform to the description of such products as provided to Buyer by Seller through Seller's catalog or other literature. THIS WARRANTY IS EXCLUSIVE, AND SELLER MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Warranty is ineffective if Seller determines that Buyer has misused the products in any way, has failed to use the product in accordance with industry standards, or has failed to comply with any applicable regulations regarding the use of the material.
3. Buyer's Use of Products
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration regulates the sale and use of these chemicals. Chemicals are sold only for use as approved by the FDA. The use of these chemicals may be further limited or regulated by federal, state, or local government. Buyer is responsible for compliance to applicable laws and regulations. Buyer expressly warrants that they will use chemicals purchased in accordance with all applicable laws and ordinances.
To order by mail with a check or money-order:
1. Print, sign and date a copy of the Terms of Sale Agreement.
2. Print and fill out an Order Form.
3. Photocopy your valid state ID or drivers license. **
4. Mail the signed Terms of Sale, Order Form, and the copy of your ID
along with a certified check or money order for the amount of order
(made payable to Chico Chemical) to:
353 Jonestown Rd - Suite 169 - Winston-Salem - NC - 27104
* There is a $10 S&H fee for mail orders.
** ID needed for age verification only. Name on ID should match
signature on Terms of Sale Agreement.
LTK Research Products
LTK Research Products is a research chemical company located in Minot, North Dakota . We currently offer Quality research chemicals at a low competitive price. We are now offering our products over the web as well as by mail
If would like to contact us you can:
by mail: LTK Research Products
2001 8 th Ave SE Suite F
Minot, ND 58701
by Phone: 1-866-LTK-PROD/1-866-585-7763 between 10am and 4pm cst
by Fax: 1-701-839-0891
by e-mail: [email protected]
Orders by Check or Money orders: If the web page ordering system does not fit your needs you can order anything from this site by Mail.
Please send your order to :
LTK Research Products LLC
2001 8 th Ave SE Suite F
Minot, North Dakota 58701
Please include the following :
- A return address
- Enclose a check or money order
- Make payable to:
LTK Research Products
- Include a $15.00 fee for shipping and handling
- There is a $9.00 added charge for express deliveries
- Name of chemical(s) you want
- Amount(s) of chemical(s)
- Photo copy of ID on all orders over $500
- We do not deliver to P.O boxes
- An e-mail address would be helpful to let you know
- If there are any problems
- No COD
Shipping: Paypal Shipping Rates: $50.00 - $99.99
$15.00 Priority mail/Delivery confirmation
$100.00 - $199.99 $20.00 Same as above
$200.00 - and over $30.00 Express Mail delivery
If you need overnight delivery you will have to call for a price quote. We send overnight deliveries via Fed Ex or Airborne Express. We will only ship to a confirmed address. If you place an international order you may be subject to additional fees and verification before you order is sent.
Credit Cards orders by phone: coming soon
30 grams.....$ 65.00
50 grams....$ 125.00
100 grams...$ 197.00
* If you are interested in a bulk price quote for Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide please e-mail for price and availiblity
Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide
U.S.P., N.F., F.C.C Grade, 99.5+%
C H NO - Hbr F.W. 370.33
18 25
LTK Research Products LLC does not warrant that products supplied by LTK Research Products LLC are listed in Toxic Substances Control Act
inventory list. The purchaser assures the use of the product/s purchased from LTK Research Products LLC will be in full compliance with the TSCA and its regulations.
Orders by Check or Money orders: If the web page ordering system does not fit your needs you can order anything from this site by
Mail Please send your order to :
LTK Research Products LLC
2001 8 th Ave SE Suite F
Minot, North Dakota 58701
LTK Research Products is in the process of creating a web page to direct researchers to interesting and exciting developments occuring
with our products. At LTK Research Products, we provide you with the finest research products available.
Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide-USP Grade
This chemical is currently used in investigations for preemptive use on postoperative analgesic requirements.
See Sanoa A. K.Helmy, MD, Ayham Balij, MD; Anesth Amalg 2001;
92:739-744
*All Refunds / Credits will be Issued within three business days
upon receipt of the returned product.
Execptions: Due to the nature of our products we cannot accept returned products that have been opened. If you have a problem please contact us right away, so we can work quickly to resolve your problem. All returns will be subject to a $10.00 restocking
fee.
Our Goal @ LTK Research Products is 100% Customer SatisfactionIf for any reason you are unsatisfied please contact us @ 1-866-
ltk-prod or 1-866-585-7763
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to thank everyone who either contributed to the Zine or helped provide information on DXM. I would especially like to thank void and Vaesolis from the Dextroverse and all the helpful people from that site and others that helped me compile this massive publication.
Next Issue: Vaesolis Meditation Technique Update, and Much Much More!
Also, don't forget to look for the 5-year Anniversary Special in December!
About the Editor: Gravol, also known as Jeff, is 24 and works on the Zine in his spare time. Born in Phoenix and having lived in Akron, Ohio, for
several years, he now resides in St. Augustine, Florida. He is also the author of the Dramamine FAQ, found at lycaeum.org, and an artist in his spare time. To check out some of his work, goto http://www.lesia.org/amiens.jpg. You can find him posting at Usenet's alt.drugs.psychdelics, as he is a regular there.
* If you'd like to contribute an article or any information to the DXM Zine, email [email protected]. The Zine is free, but any contributions
reduce the tremendous amount of time it takes to complete it would be helpful in maintaining its free distribution. Thank you!