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Nootropics

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Re: Nootropics

#311

Post by throwaway713 »

cariaso wrote: post #103
cavisne wrote: post #16

Its concerning to see Modafinil on the same list of "defaults" as caffeine and vitamin D. They are on a different scale when it comes to the effect on your brain. That aside, my anecdotal experience of mod is its basically a waste of time. Sure you stay awake longer but we can all easily procrastinate a day away regardless, it wont make you any more focused or any smarter. If you for some reason need to improve your…

You suggest that it does work, but that procrastination is still possible. fair enough. But if it doesn't keep you awake, it's possible that you're one of the ~15% of the population who is a non responder due to: rs4680(A;A) aka Met/Met at COMT Val158Met via http://snpedia.com/index.php/Rs4680(A;A) rs4680(G;G) carriers deprived of sleep respond quite well to 2x 100mg modafinil in terms of improved vigor and well-bein…

I really want to get my DNA tested, because I'm almost certain that I have the AA variant. rs4680 is also known as the worrier/warrior gene; those with the AA variant tend to handle stress poorly, have high anxiety, and are neurotic. Seeing as how I fall apart with the slightest bit of stress in my life and score 100% on every neuroticism test I take, I would be very surprised if I didn't have this variant of the gene.

Also, my psychiatrist prescribed me Modafinil at 100 mg. I felt nothing and fell asleep shortly after taking it. He bumped it up to 200 mg -- still felt nothing. At 400 mg I just decided to quit taking it, because it literally had no effect whatsoever. Bit of a bummer, because I had high hopes for its effect on my ability to stay awake and focus. (Adderall, on the other hand, does produce a noticeable difference.)

Re: Nootropics

#312

Post by smelterdemon »

PeterisP wrote: post #199
afarrell wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One thing to help with sleep that is https://freedom.to/ , which you can use to make a list of websites to hard-block and then schedule them to be blocked either 1) now through 8hours from now 2) every SMTWRarsday from 11:30pm-8:30am

I have a problem with all these website-blocking tools that I want them to behave differently than they do, perhaps you can suggest something? The issue is that I want to block only the main , 'browsing' pages while allowing deep links to that same site. For example, I want to block reddit, when googling some question turns out an answer that's on a niche subreddit I've never seen, I need to be able to read it. Howev…

With StayFocusd at least, you can whitelist subreddits while blocking the main site.

Re: Nootropics

#313

Post by scriptkiddy »

aninhumer wrote: post #289
forloop wrote: post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're intellectually dishonest. It doesn't matter how many times I destroy your points you'll slime back with highly improbable interpretations of statements.

I don't think this interpretation is improbable, otherwise I wouldn't be suggesting it. And my points have not changed, all I've done is clarify them.

I'm pretty sure the person you were arguing with is trolling. There's no way someone could be so socially inept to take the op's point so literally.

Re: Nootropics

#314

Post by mrfusion »

Raphmedia wrote: post #281
mettamage wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's hard for me to fall asleep. I haven't cracked it yet how to do it perfectly. What helps: view the problem as improving your likelihood to sleep. Before I viewed the problem as falling asleep 100% of the time, which is a really defeating view to have when I can't fall asleep. Sleep tips that help me: 1. meditation: still experimenting with body-scan vs. breath meditation, they both help but have different effects…

> magnesium Yes! Magnesium changed my life! I was certain that I was living with a hard depression... until I read somewhere that lactose intolerance can lead to magnesium deficiency. I started taking Magnesium and felt the effect immediately. All of my body is physically relaxed. I struggled with muscle cramps and spasms, they are gone thanks to increasing my magnesium intake. The body truly is a machine... !

Can you share the brand and dosage?

Re: Nootropics

#315

Post by JamesBarney »

daveguy wrote: post #47
RachelF wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most of us take drugs like caffeine and alcohol pretty often. The person who made this site has been willing to test, meticulously document and analyse his results. He's pretty informed as to the side-effects, so no, I don't think he's "bat shit crazy", he's doing us a service.

His testing and analysis are not exactly rigorous. Even with an N=1 he comments about how he can smell the difference between the placebo and treatment. In his most highly rated drug, modafinil, he took it on 8 different days and could tell which one it was 5/8 times. 8 days, couldn't tell the difference 3/8 times and it is his most highly recommended drug. He definitely needs to try drug free, exercise and sleep ove…

You are making the perfect the enemy of the good.

If you compare his rigor to that of a fully funded NIH experiment, yes it will be found lacking. But if you compare it to all of the personal the experimentation that any of us do on a regular basis i.e. trying out a low protein diet, a paleolithic diet, TDD, sleeping more, not being on the computer before bed etc... Then it is the height of rigor.

Re: Nootropics

#316

Post by scriptkiddy »

fowlerpower wrote: post #28

Does anyone else think this shit is totally bat shit crazy? I may be of the minority here but I am definitely not the minority in the real world. If you care about health why not exercise and eat healthy and never take any type of drug for any reason unless you are sick.

I agree 100%. That's exactly what I do and it's been working out great for me.

Eat a healthy balanced diet, get intense physical exercise for at least 30 minutes every day, and sleep an adequate amount. It's really not too difficult. It does require discipline, but discipline is only difficult if you make it difficult.

I've never really understood the whole concept of brain enhancement drugs. What are they really doing for you? Is it at all possible they are effective only due to the placebo effect? What are the long term risks of using so many different substances?

Re: Nootropics

#317

Post by perfectfire »

codezero wrote: post #72
perfectfire wrote: post #61

I've been on (legally, with a prescription) Modafinil (4 straight days of nausea), Armodafinil (made me really sleepy), Dextroamphetamine (3 times including right now), Adderall (constantly felt sick), Adderall XR (even worse than Adderall), Ritalin SR (about the same as Adderall), Bupropion twice (Wellbutrin, no noticeable effect). Pretty much everything other than Dextroamphetamine either made me feel sick or stran…

:( This sucks. I tried a lot of different combos of medications and was lucky to have a doctor that let me very clearly experiment with what worked. My dose: Adderall XR 30mg + Adderal 10mg (around 2pm) I tried Adderall, Vyvanse, Ritalin and Concerta (long acting Ritalin) Ritalin had the best cognitive effects but the worst side effects. I slept, but I didn't really sleep. Over time, I developed terrible atrophy as w…

Thankfully, I don't have any urge to pick off the hair on my head. It's just facial hair. I do shave from time to time, but the shave isn't close enough. In fact newly shaved hairs are the most satisfying to pull out. I might have to go back and try razors again. I stopped using them because I could never get a good close shave and I figured if I can't get a good shave I might as well have the convenience of an electric shaver.

I actually don't have ADHD, I have narcolepsy, but it comes and goes (hence this being the 3rd time I've been on Dextroamphetamine).

Re: Nootropics

#318

Post by perfectfire »

FullMtlAlcoholc wrote: post #115
perfectfire wrote: post #61

I've been on (legally, with a prescription) Modafinil (4 straight days of nausea), Armodafinil (made me really sleepy), Dextroamphetamine (3 times including right now), Adderall (constantly felt sick), Adderall XR (even worse than Adderall), Ritalin SR (about the same as Adderall), Bupropion twice (Wellbutrin, no noticeable effect). Pretty much everything other than Dextroamphetamine either made me feel sick or stran…

Like you, I once was on a roller-coaster of cognition enhancing drugs. I did find that I was more productive, but only if I planned out what exactly I wanted to do beforehand and removed all distractions from my workspace. (Phone on airplane mode in another room, email/chat closed, websites blocked, etc.) However, the side effects made it rarely worth it. However, I started going to see a new doctor. He recommended t…

> Selegiline

Interesting. I just moved and my new doctor just recently suggested maybe trying MAOI's. I've found a medication that has been absolutely wonderful for depression, but I have yet to find anything that helps with anxiety other than Klonopin and that's definitely not a long-term solution (I'm tapering off of it for the second time right now). I haven't been taking stimulants for ADHD though, I've been taking them for narcolepsy.

I'll definitely look into Selegiline now, thanks!

Edit: Oh wait:

> it doesn't have a noticeable narcotic/stimulant effect

I kind of need the stimulant effect because of the narcolepsy.

Re: Nootropics

#319

Post by creeble »

mrfusion wrote: post #314
Raphmedia wrote: post #281

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> magnesium Yes! Magnesium changed my life! I was certain that I was living with a hard depression... until I read somewhere that lactose intolerance can lead to magnesium deficiency. I started taking Magnesium and felt the effect immediately. All of my body is physically relaxed. I struggled with muscle cramps and spasms, they are gone thanks to increasing my magnesium intake. The body truly is a machine... !

Can you share the brand and dosage?

2nd that - I've also "heard" coffee is a magnesium-flusher, and heavy coffee drinkers should replenish magnesium.

Re: Nootropics

#320

Post by hx87 »

hasbroslasher wrote: post #123

So you're telling me you alter your biochemistry to become more productive without a care for how it affects your overall (mostly mental) health? Hell, I started smoking cigarettes at 16, which I rank near the top of my worst decisions ever, despite the fact that it helped me hack my brain chemistry as I powered through numerous difficult math and CS classes with top scores. As a result, I spent years thrashing, kick…

> Eventually this kind of thing ends up costing you $50 a month and keeping you on par with everyone else in the office (who also happen to brain-chemistry-hack)

If it makes the entire office more productive, wouldn't that be positive-sum, not zero-sum?

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