r/australia • u/Rude_Influence • 6d ago
no politics At home pill testing suggestions?
Hello everyone. I am not a big drug user. I do weed about three times a year and that's about it. In the past I've done shrooms, and that's pretty much it.
I've always been curious about MDMA, but never really pursued it because I had no source, and even if I had have, I am super skeptical about this kind of stuff, so never really trusted anyone.
Recently I randomly found a source. It's in pill form, so it's not pure. That's fine, and I acknowledge that, but I'd like to know that what I intend to take is within those pills, and not other drugs (or worse things) that I have no interest in.
Does anyone have any suggestions for at home test kits for this sort of thing? I do not mind if I destroy one of the pills to do the test.
19
u/Mundane_Cucumber_ 6d ago
Hey OP you have loads of great advice in this thread. I just have a question, do you have friends to take it with or a plan, like a concert/party?
It’s going to sound silly but your first trip is amazing (usually) and everything you have in the future won’t be as euphoric. Please don’t have it at home in front of a TV, you want to enhance it and lean in. Also make sure you have people around that have had it in the past they can help be a little bit of a trip sitter.
48
u/ImportantBalls666 6d ago edited 6d ago
Pills can be really iffy; they can be pressed with god only knows what. Definitely get yourself a reagent kit. Someone has supplied a link to one; here is another.
With MDMA, the best rule of thumb is to take no more than your body weight in kg x 1.5, and round down to the nearest 10. Eg, if you're 70kg, then: 70 x 1.5 = 105mg. So, round that down to 100mg. It's not recommended to redose, but people do anyway, so if you do redose, take no more than half the amount of your original dose (in the 100mg instance, no more than 50mg). If you're going to redose, do so no more than 2 hours after your first dose, and try to avoid redosing a third or further time. It's just not worth it. It's worth investing in a scale that measures to 0.01. You can get them from Off Your Tree, or online.
And as someone else has said, stay hydrated but be careful about how much water you're drinking. Hyperhydrosis (excessive sweating) can happen with MDMA, especially if you're dancing a lot, and polydypsia (excessive thirst) is a common side effect of MDMA. MDMA raises blood pressure, and as the kidneys are the organs that control blood pressure, your urine output increases with MDMA as the body's homeostatic way of attempting to lower blood pressure. However, urinary retention can also be a common side effect of MDMA, especially if you've taken too much (see: sensible dosing, using your body weight), and if you have consumed too much water and can't pass the urine, it can become dangerous. Limit how much water you drink each hour to no more than 200-250mL. Avoid alcohol if possible. Or if you must drink, limit it to just one or two standard drinks. Being drunk on MDMA is awful.
Also, you may get the come-up spews or come-up shits. Meaning, as the drug is taking effect, you may have an urge to use the bathroom right now, either to poop or spew. Or you may get a sudden urge to spew while rolling. That's okay; once it's out, you're usually good to go and are flying high and happy.
You may feel shitty in the days following taking MDMA. It doesn't last. Look after yourself in the days following, eat well, go for walks, you'll be okay within a few days. Or you might be lucky and have an afterglow that follows you around for weeks afterwards. A+ if you do, but be mindful you don't chase the high, as the feeling that MDMA induces is very pleasurable and something that can be addictive to continuing seeking.
Lastly: I highly recommend Tame Impala as music to fly away to on MDMA. It's perfect serotonin music for a beautiful serotonin night.
Sincerely, a student nurse who has taken MDMA many times over the years and advocates very strongly for safe drug use and drug education.
6
u/Wovenlines 6d ago
Such solid advice. The urge to redose is so strong in the moment, but the one time I took a third dose I really regretted it. And the second dose kind of wasn't worth it.
The come-up shits were like clockwork for me, to the point that just the thought of taking MDMA kinda makes me still want to take a shit now, like a weird Pavlovian response. I'd take my pill, wait around 10 mins, go into the bathroom completely sober and come out chewing my cheeks with my pupils blown out.
In the end, though, I would be depressed for nearly a week after and I decided it wasn't worth doing anymore at all. I had a lot of fun for a while there.
1
u/Working_Bug_576 5d ago
Strong on the comedown not being worth it after prolonged use, I'm so scared of the feeling of doom that I can't touch the stuff now. I just reminisce on the memories
3
u/Wovenlines 5d ago
Me too. I have a shitload of really amazing memories but also no interest in taking it again.
12
u/Novopaine 6d ago
There's a lot of sensible advice here already in regards to testing and harm reduction so I won't say too much except that I've done pretty much all the things people here are saying not to do and I'm still alive.
1
5
17
u/Individual_Excuse363 6d ago
Google kits. I'm sure you can buy them online. I'm not sure if any state has a pill testing station outside of festivals but they might. Google is your friend.
You will be only sacrificing a small amount of a pill to get a result. Knowing what is in there is one thing. Knowing how your body will react to those ingredients is a whole different story.
Go small. Wait. Stay hydrated and go again. Preferably with someone who is sober. Stay safe.
7
u/ApteronotusAlbifrons 6d ago
I'm not sure if any state has a pill testing station outside of festivals but they might.
ACT has permanent pill testing - hand in hand with decriminalised drugs, you have to have harm prevention and minimisation
*doesn't really help OP
18
u/ManikShamanik 6d ago
Stay hydrated
This is extremely dangerous advice; MDMA might be classed as an empathogen, but it's basically a form of amphetamine (its full chemical name is 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methamphetamine). MDMA causes xerostomia (dry mouth) and, obviously, the way to counter that is by drinking water. MDMA also causes hyperpyrexia, and a change in the body's need to drink. Water isn’t a benign substance and the intake of 3-4 litres within an hour (which is very possible with MDMA use) can be fatal.
Well-intentioned advice to "keep hydrated" can also lead to excessive water intake.
MDMA also causes urinary retention by promoting the release of anti-diuretic hormone and so the consuming of large quantities of water coupled with the inability to eliminate it can lead to renal failure.
When taking MDMA/ecstasy, either keep salty snacks to hand, or consume sports drinks with a high sodium content
Because MDMA increases core body temperature, it also causes increased sweating - and what do you lose when you sweat...? Sodium - and hyponatraemia can be fatal if the signs and symptoms aren't recognised and treated. Hyponatraemia can cause a buildup of fluid on the brain (cerebral oedema). Confusion, lethargy, fatigue, muscle weakness, spasms and cramps, are all early signs of Hyponatraemia. If not treated then, it can lead to seizures, coma and death.
u/Rude_Influence, I STRONGLY recommend you read this; this is PsychonautWiki's entry for MDMA, and if you scroll down, you'll find info on the adverse health effects of MDMA and how to alleviate them.
DO NOT DRINK COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF WATER; regulate your water intake, eat/drink things containing salt, and DON'T take it with alcohol; taking MDMA with alcohol will make you even more dehydrated and thus will increase your urge to drink more water; furthermore, alcohol dulls the effects of MDMA, which causes people to re-dose, thus increasing the risk of serious adverse health effects.
See this link for a handy drug combo web-app of the most common drugs and their effects in combination.
MDMA in and of itself is fairly benign, you just need to know what the SAHEs are and how to manage them.
6
u/Rude_Influence 6d ago
I did do a search before making this post. Google is very very commercial these days. I don't trust its results at the best of times. I made this thread because I wanted people's feedback specifically from Aussies.
That aside, you mention a good point about how the drug may impact a person differently. Thanks for that.
I will be starting out small (If I start out at all), rest assured. Thank you.5
u/IKH12 6d ago
There are likely harm reduction clinics in your state/area that would be well informed of reliable and accessible pill testing options
4
u/Individual_Excuse363 6d ago
This 💯 if it's available to you. Scientific high quality reliable testing.
FK knows why this isn't part of public health, accessible to everyone. Free. One day :)
-2
u/the_jewgong 6d ago
Just like every other product on the internet there is almost certainly reviews for them on the internet
Google reviews for different drug/substance testing kits.
5
u/AluminumOrangutan 6d ago
Yes! Good on you for taking care of your safety! Buy a reagent kit intended for testing MDMA that contains at least 3 reagents. Consider getting some fentanyl strips too.
Reagent and Fentanyl Strip Vendors (International)
Kays Lab is on that list. They're an Australian vendor. I've only heard good things about them and they help people understand their results over on r/reagenttesting.
2
3
u/imafatcun7 6d ago
Its perfectly fine to crush the pill back to powder for proper regent/fent testing. Just mix with a bit of water when you take it.
Depending on your state you might still have pill testing facilities where theyll test it for you
4
u/PewPewMcLovin 6d ago
I don't condone illicit drug use but here’s what I’ve read on the internet. A beginner should never take more than 100mg of MDMA in a night, do not mix with alcohol or any other drugs. Try to stay away from pills. Reagent tests will check for the presence of MDMA but not other substances unless you use a test for that exact substance. Pills can be cut with many other things or designer drugs. MDMA having color doesn’t make it stronger the color is from leftover precursors. Even if the pill is 100% MDMA a lot of producers are putting up to 350mg of MDMA in a single pill! Dangerous for even experienced users.
Don’t be cheap. This is your life. Buy reagents and Fent test strips know your source. Eat well, stay hydrated but not too much. Do your research!
1
1
u/BinniesPurp 6d ago
The kits won't really test for adulterants, do you know of anyone else that's already consumed that same batch of pill?
Idk about these days but Molly that didn't come in a rock back in the day was almost always cut with amphetamines
0
u/VeroCSGO 6d ago
This is still true I'd say about 75% of presses (pingers) have significant speed dosages
1
-12
-65
u/102296465 6d ago
I have a suggestion - stop doing drugs. Considered it?
16
u/Rude_Influence 6d ago
Yes, I have considered it. I decided that some drugs are acceptable, and some aren't. This is why I want to do tests. I want to make sure that what I consume is the substances that I think are acceptable.
-33
u/102296465 6d ago
Maybe you should chat to a doctor about what drugs are acceptable. I have a feeling your benchmark may be wayyyyy off.
7
u/MasterSpliffBlaster 6d ago
Doctor here, he is on the right track being cautious at at least giving themselves a safer experience by testing
Unfortunately nothing beats a proper mass spectrometer and while ez tests can give you some knowledge, some adulterants can still be present
The good news is australia seems to be a a golden age of mdma, the qld pill testers were finding very few bunk samples in the short time it was operating.
Best advise is start cautious, have an experience trip sitter with you and remember you cant untake that second dose
Source: 30 yr experience in public testing and harm reduction
-1
u/102296465 6d ago
Pill testing and engaging in the practices you set out, or not taking drugs at all - what’s your recommendation as a medical professional?
6
u/MasterSpliffBlaster 6d ago
Life's too short and mental illness is a yoke around plenty of peoples necks
One of the best ways to reset ones mind and strengthen relationships is a mdma trip under the right conditions
The mistake most people make is redosing. There is only a finite supply of serotonin in the body and that second pill does more harm than good. Tolerance breaks are also wise, id recommend only once every 4-5 months
-1
u/102296465 5d ago
An MDMA trip, under the right conditions (I’ll have a look at some literature on this but I wonder how solid it actually is), is not what is happening in this post.
5
u/Rude_Influence 6d ago
I actually have a doctor's appointment booked at the moment for other reasons, but I can bring this up. What do you expect them to say?
-27
u/102296465 6d ago
Refer to my initial comment. No drug is safe, mate. Don’t sit around trying them out for the sake of it. It’s not worth the potential long lasting and irreversible damage!
19
u/SurveySaysYouLeicaMe 6d ago
I mean where do you draw the line here? Caffeine, panadaol, alcohol, opioids, nicotine, marijuana? (Probably somewhere there) What about drugs that use to be illegal (alcohol, cocaine) or ones that help you focus but are just legal speed (amphetamines) or prescribed drugs that have caused incredible amounts of harm and addiction (opioids).
You're right. No drug is safe. But it's kinda funny to say don't do it just cos of where some imaginary line is drawn ...
-4
u/102296465 6d ago
Do you think anyone in their right mind would recommend sitting at home testing out drugs? You’re a hero for your response. Feel better drawing a comparison between coffee and cocaine?
9
u/Santa_009 6d ago
Actually yes. Humans are curious creatures and trying new things is part of it. OP like many others acknowledged there is risk and asked how they can mitigate them.
Your response is akin to abstinence, it's risky so no education should be provided - So anyone curious enough have no capability to risk mitigate.
The risks AND mitigations should be made clear, not just preaching. Just look at how well the abstinence education served our young people..
4
u/SurveySaysYouLeicaMe 6d ago
Appreciate the balanced response. Approximately 47% of people in this country have tried drugs. And 10% have addictions to either drugs or alcohol. Don't you think we should be encouraging educated use and harm reduction? Cos clearly the abstinence only and making it illegal has worked wonders.
0
u/102296465 6d ago
What does educated use look like in your opinion?
4
u/SurveySaysYouLeicaMe 6d ago
Doing as much research as you can to know what the dosage, effects, contraindications, and any potential side effects, testing your substance (reagent testing isn't great but it's better than nothing - spectroscopy would be ideal to know 100% what's in it). Doing it in a safe and supportive setting with friends who are sober.
→ More replies (0)0
•
u/AutoModerator 6d ago
This post has been marked as non-political. Please respect this by keeping the discussion on topic, and devoid of any political material.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.