Myasthenia Gravis Support Group
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular disease leading to fluctuating muscle weakness and fatiguability. The hallmark of myasthenia gravis is muscle weakness that increases during periods of activity and improves after periods of rest. Although myasthenia gravis may affect any voluntary muscle, muscles that control eye and eyelid movement, facial expression, and...
Has anyone ever heard of mestinon being abused as a street drug? This is really puzzling to me because of the nasty side effects when you first start taking it.
The only effect I feel from it is that instead of struggling to do my daily living (getting to the bathroom, showering, etc), I can do them more easily.
There is no euphoria, no buzz, etc.
The first thing I was told in the ICU by the attending doctor was that is was common to see young people come into the ER who had snuck their parents mestinon to get a buzz and accidentally overdosed. This sounded absurd to me as I get no joy from taking it, other than I can function better.
I can get a lot of the same effect if I take in a lot of caffeine, which i used to do to get through the day, except I get the nervousness and anxiousness and wired feeling from too much caffeine.
Am I the only one who has never heard of mestinon abuse?
The only effect I feel from it is that instead of struggling to do my daily living (getting to the bathroom, showering, etc), I can do them more easily.
There is no euphoria, no buzz, etc.
The first thing I was told in the ICU by the attending doctor was that is was common to see young people come into the ER who had snuck their parents mestinon to get a buzz and accidentally overdosed. This sounded absurd to me as I get no joy from taking it, other than I can function better.
I can get a lot of the same effect if I take in a lot of caffeine, which i used to do to get through the day, except I get the nervousness and anxiousness and wired feeling from too much caffeine.
Am I the only one who has never heard of mestinon abuse?
I think that some kids try anything in the medicine cabinet--a good reason for having a locked one. It is probably a placebo effect--like the person who drinks a thimble full of booze and become inebriated. Recently read an article that questioned that even an MG person can "overdose" on it--rarely ever seen in patients.
Probably a good market out there for a drug that gets you high from the placebo effect. Maybe coke with an aspirin (the 1960s heavy drug).
Having never taken recreational drugs, I don't know if they have the bad side effects of MG treatment, but I can't imagine taking any of the MG meds for thrills!
As Russ says it has been used in combat areas where possible nerve gas poisoning might occur, but since there is some concern it has contributed to Gulf War Sydrome, I would suspect that it is not readily available "to take home."
True overdose is rare any more since there are other drugs to treat MG and so we aren't tempted to use the extreme doses that used to cause problems. It is not readily absorbed or cross the blood brain barrier easily. The side effects are uncomfortable to say the least. I am not "up on" all the street drugs, but it seems a very unlikely candidate for a "buzz." b.
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-84042009000400019&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en
I discovered my anxiety was MUCH improved after eliminating caffeine from my diet and re-introducing it back. I have some iced tea when I get a chance and that makes me feel pretty darn good.
I have done a handful of recreational drugs in my time and I would venture to say that while it may be possible someone desperate and knowing the benefits of mestinon may try to crumble up and maybe "snort"? some mestinon or something, it certainly is not readily available with MG being such a rare disease.
Peace.
Troy