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Lingering Cognitive Deficits
DXM
Citation:   penguinz. "Lingering Cognitive Deficits: An Experience with DXM (exp89243)". Erowid.org. Sep 24, 2016. erowid.org/exp/89243

 
DOSE:
275 mg oral DXM
BODY WEIGHT: 185 lb
I took DXM after moving to a new city and not having any contacts to obtain other substances. I took the minimum dose of pure DXM cough syrup suggested in the DXM FAQ to reach second plateau (closed eye hallucinations). I took about 200mg, then took sips of approximately 25 mg every fifteen minutes until I felt effects. I thought I was being very careful to take only the minimum amount needed and without any of the contaminating drugs found in other cough syrup preparations.

The trip was really quite amazing. Out of the drugs I've tried, it reminded me most of Ecstasy. I felt energetic, mildly hallucinogenic in a way that felt very beautiful and creative, and had heightened sensation and feelings of empathy. It got best when I went to bed with my girlfriend. Cuddling felt amazing, both in a tactile way and as a sort of profound emotional union. I had beautiful dreams as I drifted peacefully in and out of sleep.

Waking up the next morning I felt very pleased that I had spent so little, incurred no legal risks and had an amazing trip. However, the problems set in after about 24 hours.

I started to feel like my memory was worse than usual.
I started to feel like my memory was worse than usual.
I had a vague feeling of unreality and dissociation. I was tired all the time. My vision seemed unfocused. After a week, I had what I would consider an anxiety attack with severely fast heartbeat. I ended up having to take time off school to get my head back together.

After about six weeks I had settled back to something similar to how I was before taking DXM, but I still feel slight deficits in memory and slight sensory disconnection to my surroundings. At the four month mark I still feel only 85% at the cognitive level I was before trying DXM, and I still have some anxiety issues. I am currently experimenting with antidepressants to see if I can reverse the cognitive changes with meds.

I am quite sure that my bad reaction to one moderate dose of DXM was several standard deviations outside the norm. This isn't the usual outcome. .

Exp Year: 2010ExpID: 89243
Gender: Male 
Age at time of experience: 23
Published: Sep 24, 2016Views: 2,619
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DXM (22) : Small Group (2-9) (17), Post Trip Problems (8), First Times (2)

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