Nootropics - entry 3
I have been using the 4-HTP for 5 days now, and still nothing new to report aside from the fact that it certainly seems to be working.
Day 2 of the Piracetam
On day 1, I took an attack dose (some suggest this is the best way to start out as it builds an instant whack and then just use maintenance) of 2400mg. I took it in 2 doses. I took my first dose approx 10am. I felt the effects within about half an hour. My vision felt slightly sharper (clearly I was still wearing glasses, but it was a sense of.. visual focus), and I noticed improved motivation (I was working on finishing my 3000 word Org Behaviour essay!).
I was able to concentrate well, but not in the sense that dexies would have MADE me concentrate, the 'racetam just "allowed" me to concentrate, rather than forcing me. I did find my mind was overactive, but, it was easy to control and moderate, in a similar way to how dexies would function - that is to say, to direct towards a useful outcome or though - but without any sense of physical fidgetyness, excessive thirst, increased heart rate, heart palpitation, dirty/speedy feeling or anxiousness.
I took my second dose at around 4:00pm, when I felt as though the effect of the first 1200mg had plateaued (sp?), as I was getting ready for uni. I felt the second dose realy hit me about 5ish. My clarity improved again, I felt a general evening out in my mood. Eventually I also developed a slight sense of disembodiment - very slight, and in no way alarming. So slight, that I only really noticed it when I spoke out loud, or intentionally focussed on trying to think far away. Very controlled though.
I felt the doses start to wear off around 10pmish, leaving me feeling slightly grainy. I'm not sure what connotations that word holds for people, but I use it to describe a feeling that you get after an exam. Where you know you've been thinking for an extended period and you feel a bit blank. It didn't make me sluggish however and It was only after this time that I noticed I had a significantly improved ability to multi-task - watching dexter and typing without checking at the same time, effortlessly. It was very entertaining :P. I slept soundly with no irritation and once again woke feeling remarkably refreshed.
Today, given the fact that the double dose felt slightly like overkill I just took 1200mg in one morning hit. I tested my multitasking again immediately during a seminar for work by intentionally writing a note about something I needed to do at work tomorrow, whilst trying to listen to what the presenter was saying (she was reading from overheads I had a copy of to give me a reference to check on success/failure) and managed to take both in successfully. Again I felt the effects begin to wane somewhat after around 7 - 8 hours after taking it, and felt slightly "loose" - like all my muscles were very relaxed - and a quite easily humoured.
One of the biggest positives I noticed today was my speaking was extremely sharp. No umm's, no ahh's. I'm pretty confident and clear in that sense anyway, but I was REALLY sharp. So I guess a side effect of that was enhanced confidence to not only speak up, but to do so on quite complicated matters without fear of being lost for the special big words ;). I did also notice a slight increase in visual disturbance as the effects wore off (you know, the speckling and little dotty type things you see when you look at white walls or pitch black rooms etc), but I have quite bad visual disturbance as a general rule, so am overly sensitive to any shifts in them.
It has worn off pretty much totally now (6:20pm), and again I feel slightly grainy, but not so much that it concerns me. I don't feel unmotivated, or drained or anything like that, so I can't see any real downside as of yet, aside from the fact that it has made me somewhat constipated - easily moderated with Metamucil though me thinks!
I think the strongest commonality accross both days on the Piracetam has been the abundance of thoughts, but in a controlled sense.
Day 2 of the Piracetam
On day 1, I took an attack dose (some suggest this is the best way to start out as it builds an instant whack and then just use maintenance) of 2400mg. I took it in 2 doses. I took my first dose approx 10am. I felt the effects within about half an hour. My vision felt slightly sharper (clearly I was still wearing glasses, but it was a sense of.. visual focus), and I noticed improved motivation (I was working on finishing my 3000 word Org Behaviour essay!).
I was able to concentrate well, but not in the sense that dexies would have MADE me concentrate, the 'racetam just "allowed" me to concentrate, rather than forcing me. I did find my mind was overactive, but, it was easy to control and moderate, in a similar way to how dexies would function - that is to say, to direct towards a useful outcome or though - but without any sense of physical fidgetyness, excessive thirst, increased heart rate, heart palpitation, dirty/speedy feeling or anxiousness.
I took my second dose at around 4:00pm, when I felt as though the effect of the first 1200mg had plateaued (sp?), as I was getting ready for uni. I felt the second dose realy hit me about 5ish. My clarity improved again, I felt a general evening out in my mood. Eventually I also developed a slight sense of disembodiment - very slight, and in no way alarming. So slight, that I only really noticed it when I spoke out loud, or intentionally focussed on trying to think far away. Very controlled though.
I felt the doses start to wear off around 10pmish, leaving me feeling slightly grainy. I'm not sure what connotations that word holds for people, but I use it to describe a feeling that you get after an exam. Where you know you've been thinking for an extended period and you feel a bit blank. It didn't make me sluggish however and It was only after this time that I noticed I had a significantly improved ability to multi-task - watching dexter and typing without checking at the same time, effortlessly. It was very entertaining :P. I slept soundly with no irritation and once again woke feeling remarkably refreshed.
Today, given the fact that the double dose felt slightly like overkill I just took 1200mg in one morning hit. I tested my multitasking again immediately during a seminar for work by intentionally writing a note about something I needed to do at work tomorrow, whilst trying to listen to what the presenter was saying (she was reading from overheads I had a copy of to give me a reference to check on success/failure) and managed to take both in successfully. Again I felt the effects begin to wane somewhat after around 7 - 8 hours after taking it, and felt slightly "loose" - like all my muscles were very relaxed - and a quite easily humoured.
One of the biggest positives I noticed today was my speaking was extremely sharp. No umm's, no ahh's. I'm pretty confident and clear in that sense anyway, but I was REALLY sharp. So I guess a side effect of that was enhanced confidence to not only speak up, but to do so on quite complicated matters without fear of being lost for the special big words ;). I did also notice a slight increase in visual disturbance as the effects wore off (you know, the speckling and little dotty type things you see when you look at white walls or pitch black rooms etc), but I have quite bad visual disturbance as a general rule, so am overly sensitive to any shifts in them.
It has worn off pretty much totally now (6:20pm), and again I feel slightly grainy, but not so much that it concerns me. I don't feel unmotivated, or drained or anything like that, so I can't see any real downside as of yet, aside from the fact that it has made me somewhat constipated - easily moderated with Metamucil though me thinks!
I think the strongest commonality accross both days on the Piracetam has been the abundance of thoughts, but in a controlled sense.