Experience:Propylhexedrine (375mg, oral) - Exceptionally euphoric amphetamine-like high
- Substance(s): Propylhexedrine, cannabis, gabapentin
- Dose: 375mg (propylhexedrine), unknown (cannabis), 1,200+mg (gabapentin)
- Route of Administration: oral (propylhexedrine), vaporized (cannabis), oral (gabapentin)
Subject
- Age: 19
- Sex: Male
- Height: 188cm / 6'2"
- Weight: 75kg / 165lbs
- Date: 02/2023
- Location: Northeastern United States
Background
Prior to this experience, I had extensively used amphetamines recreationally in high doses (primarily dextroamphetamine, to a lesser extent the 3:1 dextroamphetamine/levoamphetamine mixture marketed as Adderall). I had overdosed (on amphetamines) and subsequently completely abstained from using them for approximately 45 days, so I had no tolerance to dopaminergic stimulants. I did, however, have a high tolerance to cannabis. At the time, I was prescribed 40mg fluoxetine (Prozac) (one dose, morning), 50mg hydroxyzine (Vistaril) (one dose, nightly), 100mg trazodone (one dose, nightly), 800mg gabapentin (Neurontin) (two doses, 400mg each, morning/afternoon), 60mg buspirone (two doses, 30mg each, morning/nightly), and 10mg melatonin (one dose, nightly). I've been diagnosed with bipolar type II, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and multiple severe substance use disorders. I believe that my bipolar disorder, when unmedicated, significantly increased the euphoric effects of stimulants, as I could easily induce a state of mania. I took propylhexedrine in an environment I felt comfortable in while those I was with were sleeping (in retrospect, not a good idea) and went on a number of excursions throughout my experience.
Experience report
This was my first experience with propylhexedrine. I consumed 375mg over the course of about two days - I did not sleep for two nights, experienced a (very rough) comedown, was admitted to a hospital due on the grounds of tachycardia and irritability, but was cleared very quickly, given lorazepam (Ativan), and sent home. Each dose of propylhexedrine was prepared by soaking the cotton of a deconstructed Benzedrex brand nasal inhaler in an acidic solution (initially lemon juice, later a flavored lemonade). I've previously had a hard time controlling my stimulant intake and compulsively redose, leading to several overdoses; like amphetamines, I compulsively redosed propylhexedrine and ended up taking a dosage far higher than I had expected to. Compared to high recreational doses of amphetamines, I found propylhexedrine to be exceptionally euphoric, but with significant peripheral effects, including hypertension, tachycardia, and vasoconstriction. To date, this experience featured the worst comedown I've experienced in all of my experience with stimulants - I attempted to remedy this with lorazepam, clonazepam, gabapentin, and hydroxyzine, with limited success. Anyways. Let's get into a more detailed account of the experience, shall we? I documented the experience extensively with specific timestamps in February and am submitting this report in October of the same year.
In retrospect, I now know that I had experienced many symptoms of serotonin syndrome, which I suspected I may have during the experience, but was not level-headed enough to determine for sure. I'd like to preface the detailed account of the experience by saying that the quantity and pace I consumed propylhexedrine at is inadvisable and potentially dangerous, especially in combination with the medications I was taking. However, I do cherish this experience, as it has been the most euphoric stimulant high I've ever had. Anyways. Let's go.
Timeline
T+ 0:00 - Ingested 87.5mg of propylhexedrine. A Benzedrex inhaler's cotton was soaked in lemon juice for 1 hour and 15 minutes prior to consumption. I drank the lemon juice, consumed a non-nominal quantity of cannabis (I didn't document by cannabis consumption), and began waiting. I didn't find the consumption of the lemon juice to be particularly unpleasant, which many users report. The lavender and menthol tasted... strange, but not remarkably unpleasant.
T+ 1:00 - Definitely began to feel the effects. I described the feeling as "exactly like 40mg of Adderall" and particularly noted that my body felt very good. Relative to Adderall, I observed more involuntary body movements (twitching, jerking, etc), a heavier body load (more pronounced vasoconstriction), and notable xerostomia. I noted "this feels like trippy Adderall, that's the best way I can describe it." This is likely attributable to the more pronounced serotonergic effects of propylhexedrine relative to amphetamines.
T+ 2:00 - I wrote that it "feels pretty much like Adderall in moderate doses." At this point, I decided to take another 87.5mg, finishing off my initial cotton/lemon juice solution. I began preparing another cotton/lemon juice solution for use later on. My notes on this part of the experience are limited, but there was significant time dilation - it felt like time was passing incredibly quickly. Pronounced euphoria, a particularly strong body high, accompanied by vasoconstriction. My extremities (hands, feet) felt cold and clammy, likely a result of limited circulation. I spent this part of the experience lying in bed, using my laptop.
T+ 3:00 - I took 1,200mg of gabapentin in hopes of reducing the body load. Limited notes during this part of the experience.
T+ 4:00 - I noticed prevalent tachycardia. My Apple Watch recorded my heart rate ranging from 136-144bpm. I noted that "I'm vibin (sic) tho, imma listen to some music." I also wrote "always gotta stay hydrated when taking lots of stimulants," accompanied by a smiling imp emoji. I began listening to music - initially Avenged Sevenfold's "Bat Country," and noticed that the music sounded... nothing short of incredible. Far superior to amphetamine-induced music appreciation. I then listened to Pierce the Veil's (I'm an emo I'm sorry lol) newly released "The Jaws of Life." After listening to the entire album, I stated "this whole album is fucking trash." I still agree with that statement (the drumming is lackluster following the departure of Mike Fuentes, but that's a whole different conversation). After listening to the album again, I stated that "Death of an Executioner," "Pass the Nirvana," "Emergency Contact," and a few other tracks were bearable. I was surprised that I didn't enjoy the entire album as much as I thought I would. I assume that I was in a state of heighted emotion, evidenced by my scathing and caustic critique followed by a retraction of part of my statement. I continued listening to music for quite a while. I observed enhanced immersion and enhanced music appreciation.
T+ 6:00 - I decided to go buy some bagels! Propylhexedrine has pronounced appetite suppressant effects, so I wasn't very hungry, rather, I had a strong desire to move, go outside, do something, and I knew that I needed to eat in order to have an enjoyable experience, especially if I were to consume more propylhexedrine (which I intended on doing).
T+ 6:30 - I arrived at the bagel shop (it was about 7:30 am) and ordered bagels for myself and everyone residing at the place I consumed the propylhexedrine. I ordered and payed for the bagels then proceeded to walk out of the store before picking up the bagels. Thankfully, a rather attendant employee pointed out my mistake before I had a chance to leave. Amphetamines are noted to have a plateau of focus enhancement, after which, any higher doses will impair concentration. Such was the case - I was all of the place, bouncing off the walls, extremely talkative. My movement was staggered and imprecise, indicative of a loss of fine motor control. Unsurprisingly, my hands were shaking a lot. After acquiring bagels, I went to a coffee shop for coffee. I have no idea why I did this - I was already wide awake and did not need more cardiotoxicity, but to be fair, I can't say I was in a good state of mind to make good decisions.
T+ 8:00 - Not much to report. I noted a fear of crashing. Due to sleep deprivation, I began feeling slightly fatigued. The wakefulness-promoting effects of propylhexedrine seem to outlast the euphoric effects. I ran a variety of errands and went to several stores. My choice of clothing and makeup was... certainly a bold statement, a result of the increased confidence resulting from receiving a flood of dopamine and serotonin.
T+ 13:00 - I decided to re-dose, consuming an additional 175mg of propylhexedrine. This cotton was dissolved in the aforementioned flavored lemonade drink. I allowed it to soak for several hours, and the cotton seemed to coagulate and change texture. I wrung the cotton to get all of the propylhexedrine out of it and downed the lemonade. Far more pleasant than simple lemonade.
T+ 14:00 - My third dose of propylhexedrine began to kick in. I was extremely self-confident, bordering experiencing delusions of grandiosity. In retrospect, I can characterize much of my behavior as manic in nature.
T+ 15:00 - I went to a music shop and bought four pairs of drum sticks (Ahead 5As, Promark Forward 5Bs, Vater 5Bs, and Wincent Mikkey Dees) as well as a replacement batter head for a bass drum and some moon gel. I was extremely excited about this purchase. I had a long conversation with the shopkeeper about all sorts of drumming-related things. I don't remember the entire conversation, but Neil Peart and his style were discussed in detail. I was far more sociable than I normally am. As a drummer, I don't often get the chance to speak to other experienced drummers, so I tend to "talk shop" with other drummers when I do encounter them, but this encounter was remarkable for its duration, detail, and the amount of information I was spitting out. Word vomit, if you will. I remember feeling an overwhelming sense of euphoria and was extremely enthusiastic about my purchases.
T+ 15:15 - I practiced drums for approximately 45 minutes. I love practicing on stimulants because I can play faster, louder, and cleaner than I normally can. However, the high volume of propylhexedrine I had consumed inhibited my drumming ability and I was quickly frustrated with my inability to concentrate, leading to a comparatively short practice session. In short, my concentration was heavily impaired, as is often the case with high doses of stimulants.
T+ 16:00 - I began transcribing drum tab for "Bat Country" on paper, an extremely time-consuming process. It would have been more effective to use digital sheet music software, as I can work much faster in it. I did this for about two hours without interruption. My hands were shaky and my tab looked unclean as a result, but I put a lot of effort into such a menial task. Reminiscent of punding experienced on high doses of amphetamines.
T+ 18:00 - I went out with some friends. At Wawa, a friend of mine and I were called "fags." I'm mentioning this only because it is indicative of the extremely... uhh... eccentric? nature of my outfit and makeup. My eyeliner was applied very poorly (due to shakiness) and my outfit was, for lack of a better way of describing it, outlandish. I also decided to acquire yet another Benzedrex cotton, which I soaked in lemon juice.
T+ 19:00 - I consumed another 175mg of Benzedrex.
T+ 21:00 - I impulsively decided to make a very long car ride with a friend. We were both on rather tweaked - myself on Benzedrex, they were on Adderall. Both of us were extremely talkative for the duration of the trip, which was made for absolutely no reason.
T+ 22:00 - I returned home and continued writing drum tab. I believe I may have booted up Minecraft and played a bit of Tekkit.
T+ 25:00 - At this point, I summarized my experience with Benzedrex as follows: "okay. update on propylhexedrine asf. i can only vaguely remember what happened when i was heavily intoxicated but i know that i was extremely energetic and had a lot of motivation to do things i didn't often want to do. my threshold for impulsive decision-making was also significantly decreased. it still hasn't fucking worn off. my heart is still pounding. my skin is tingling. i have so much energy but i haven't slept in like... 2 days? idk anymore. i'm like kind of nervous for whatever's gonna happen when it finally wears off. i still feel myself jaw-clenching and i have an incredible amount of concentration so i know it's still active but i don't feel any of the euphoric effects associated with usage." Following this comment, I did much of the same. Minecraft, music, not much else. Nothing remarkable to report other than pronounced vasoconstriction.
T+ 32:00 - I now believed that I was finally coming down. I wrote an informal review on the substance, as I often do, which is transcribed below:
closing thoughts/review: 7/10, bitchhhh!
actually really fun! i took WAY too much and my heart rate and blood pressure were dangerously high and i don't know how i didn't stroke the fuck out of get SS (serotonin syndrome) from my other meds
but other than that it was a lot of fun! had a lot of effects similar to very high doses of adderall. more pronounced vasoconstriction than amphetamine, less mental clarity, more physical stimulation
when compared to adderall, propylhexedrine has a greater proportion of effects on the peripheral nervous system, such propylhexedrine is likely more cardiotoxic
positives: enhanced focus, enhanced motivation, euphoria, a lot of energy, the ability to get out of bed in the morning
negatives: oh boy... teeth grinding, abnormal heartbeat, nausea, increasing sweating, dehydration, high blood pressure, SEVERELY suppressed appetite, impossible to sleep, blurred vision, anxiety, and vasoconstriction
T+ 40:00 - I wrote "they were not lying about the hangover." Compared to amphetamine, the comedown was particularly unenjoyable. At this point, I still had not gotten any sleep.
T+ 44:00 - At this point I had experienced a very hard comedown. I believe the propylhexedrine began wearing off at approximately T+ 39:00, but it started getting bad around T+ 42:00. I noticed that the past several hours had been nothing short of abhorrent. I cried four times for no reason (prior to this experience I had not cried in months, something I do very, very, very infrequently). I was extremely irritable, hostile, anxious, and confused. I isolated myself because I was extremely hostile to anyone I talked to. I was still unable to fall asleep, unsurprisingly.
T+ 50:30 - I still was unable to sleep. I wrote "on the plus side, I never want to have any more stimulants ever again!" Of course, that changed after the comedown wore off.
T+ 52:30 - Still unable to sleep. I went to use the bathroom. While urinating, I felt my blood pressure drop significantly, and I fell to the floor. At this point, I was in such a state of confusion that I didn't feel comfortable diagnosing and treating myself, and such, went to a hospital. I knew I had taken far too large a dose for someone without a tolerance and visited a hospital out of an abundance of caution.
T+ 53:00 - I arrived at a hospital (6:00 am). The nurse who attended me was unaware of Benzedrex or propylhexedrine were. I gave her a brief lesson on propylhexedrine, how it induces its effects (agonism of TAAR1/VMAT2, reversal of dopamine and norepinephrine transports, etc). Because she had never heard of propylhexedrine and the medical system used at the hospital had no information on it, I had to explain how propylhexedrine toxicity is normally treated - there is no direct antidote, so treatment focuses on managing symptoms. Having already overdosed on stimulants before, I knew the standard protocol, and explained it to her. In short, I was given lorazepam. An EKG revealed sinus tachycardia and I had no other concerning symptoms, so I returned home (obviously I did not drive after taking the lorazepam, that would be dangerous).
T+ 55:00 - Still unable to sleep. I consumed a large quantity of gabapentin and an even larger quantity of cannabis with the intention of knocking myself out and catching some sleep.
T+ 57:00 - Finally, I was able to get some sleep.
T+ 63:00 - I woke up after getting 6 hours of sleep. At this point, I felt a bit dull, attributable to dopamine and serotonin depletion. Other than that, I felt largely fine. The next day, I checked myself into an IOP drug rehabilitation program, as it was very evident my use of drugs was eventually going to kill me. I also began taking Seroquel at the advice of my psychiatrist, who suggested I may have bipolar, which I now know to be the case.
T+ 72:00+ - My mood remained down for several days following my experience with propylhexedrine. After I had stabilized, I bought another two tubes of Benzedrex. Despite getting UA'd by my IOP, I knew that I'd test positive for methamphetamine for another week or so anyways, so I decided to make good use of my time and do more propylhexedrine. The following experiences were less substantial as I had established a tolerance. After these two tubes were exhausted, I decided to be done with propylhexedrine, and I have not used it since.
Submitted by Vanillaaaa
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