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Learning a Lesson
Codeine, Caffeine & Cannabis
by Reet
Citation:   Reet. "Learning a Lesson: An Experience with Codeine, Caffeine & Cannabis (exp40670)". Erowid.org. May 3, 2007. erowid.org/exp/40670

 
DOSE:
T+ 0:00
102 mg oral Codeine (extract)
  T+ 0:00 165 mg oral Caffeine (extract)
  T+ 0:45 1 hit smoked Cannabis (plant material)
BODY WEIGHT: 175 lb
This experience details more the psychological aspect of a codeined mindset rather than the physical results, which you can read plenty of other experience reports, my aim isn't to be too redundant.

For the last week or so, I've been really enjoying my codeine. 7 days ago I got a prescription for 30 Tylenol 3s and I believe about half to be left. Yesterday, at about 11pm, I followed the method in the codeine FAQ regarding the water extraction.

[quick note] 10 Tylenol 2s were crushed to a fine powder and dissolved in 20ml of 50C water, whose container was then placed in an ice bath, lowering the temperature to 10C. The mixture was strained through a coffee filter and the resulting liquid was drunk. I saved the coffee filter, flattened it out, and let it dry. One tylenol 2 weighs approximately 0.4g, or 400mg. 300mg of which is acetaminophen. 10 T2s'd be 4g, 3g of which would be acet. (measured on a one decimal place digital scale, so consider margin of error). This morning, the filter was dry, and last night's gunk had dried to a powder. The powder weighed to be 2.7g, indicating that, at absolute worst case scenario, 1.3g of acet. could have made it into the mixture.

18 hours later, tonight at 5pm, I drank what was a saved replication of last night's experiment (i did it twice and sealed the second in a glass jar in a dark cupboard for later). This was probably somewhere around 80mg of codeine. Today's early-evening experience was a calming disassociative journey. I was at work, and due to the nature of my job, this is absolutely conceivable. I was in a good mood and had the usual effects of codeine. I noticed at around the T+3h mark that I was considerably dispassionate. The fact that I actually noticed this in one sudden realization just strikes me as being noteworthy. A sudden 'Man, I'm pretty apathetic right now.'.

My voice grew a bit expressionless, skipping out on regular conversation and just providing one word answers, even to close friends. I was very lucid and cognizant, so I could articulate what I needed to say very well, but didn't waste words, body language, or even emphasis. I guess it's noteworthy as well that The preparation swallowed also contained 150mg of caffeine, which could have explained an unnaturally proactive state of mind while at work. Most of my codeine experiences have, unfortunately, been combined with caffeine, so I guess I've always associated it with having a bizare energy conflict and being productive but on a very linear level.

I got off work at 10:30pm, came home and prepared the next mixture. The effects of 5pm's dose still very present. I only had 9 T2s left, so I topped it up with a T3 (totalling 102mg codeine and 165mg caffeine). Preparation crushed, dissolved in hot tap water, cooled in cold sunroom for 15min., fridge for 15min, and ice bath for 20min, filtered through coffee filter, results swallowed. (Paste is drying, but I expect it to weight about 3grams). While waiting for the codeine to kick in, I sat down and prepared for impending mindlessness by playing snippets of video games.

At t+45m, I rolled a joint and took one pull. This is usually what I've found to be a good time for the pot to help jumpstart the codeine. I grew immediately much higher. I turned the video game off and began working on musical compositions. The results were good, and I noticed that vocals were sung considerably more lazily. Part of me tries to rationalize codeine as a drug to facilitate the state of mind that is producing the sort of music I need right now, though it could just be a simple sign of drug dependency.

T+3 I shut down because I started feeling a little uncomfortable. Slightly anxious, but not sleepy enough to lay down. The 165mg of caffeine was apparent and I vacuumed the 3rd floor of my house and filled the bin with wood from the woodpile. I found I was trying to distract myself from the anxious energy that seemed trapped behind a wall of listlessness. A very frustrating combo. So here I am, frustrated, and growing higher.

Then I started thinking about acetaminophen. This codeine FAQ's pulled off the internet, and I did a lot of cross-resourcing, so I felt fairly confident. The weighing of the dried paste was very encouraging as well. But for some reason my mnd kept wandering to the 'what if' it didn't work? What if, over the last 25 hours, instead of ingesting 262mg of codeine, I had also injested *9* grams of acetominophen!!!?? This thought suddenly scared the crap out of me, and I began researching the symptoms and signs of a potential acetominophen overdose. (my wisest first move would have been to take 2mg of clonazepam to relax my anxious state of mind) I ended up shutting the computer off because I was only worrying myself more. This was not euphoria. This was an introspective doorway. A glimpse into the consumption of almost 1g of codeine and potentially over 12g of acetaminophen in the span of 9 days.

I've probably shit once in 2 weeks. This all dawns on me at once. And at this moment in deep introspection, anxiety, and fear, I swear to flush the T3s I have left down the toilet. I know so many less harmful ways to get high, if that's what I need so badly.

At about t+4h, I tried laying down to go to sleep. I've always found that opiates and synthetics like oxycodone hit me considerably harder once I 'call it a night'. The body shuts down and the mind overcompensates for lack of physical stimulation. The mind races more quickly. It is not subdued. It is not mellowed. As I begin to drift to sleep, a shock of anxiety pushes me to turn my lamp back on and sit up, concentrate on what feels like very shallow breathing, and try to maintain lucidity and focus. This happened several times until t+5, when I went back to the studio and went over a few mixes to distract myself.

As a side note on my psychology behind opiates and music is that when I listen to it sober later, I fall madly in love with the pain I see reflected in the music I create while in this state of mind. It is so sad and tragic to see myself translated so despairingly onto this abstract sonic canvas, but knowing that I was in a state of oneness with my abstract conscience, unassociated with my physical being, while creating it makes the shadows so lovely and tranquil.

I kept questioning why I would ever possibly do this again if I knew how uncomfortable it could be sometimes. During the months of percocet, I asked myself the same questions while laying awake in bed, filled with the wonder of not waking up. The masochism therein follows me, and sometimes I think drives me to continue using opiates. Again, the pleasant symptoms that are usually the motivation behind taking opiates are a given.

At t+5:45, I went downstairs, grabbed some V8, 2mg of clonazepam, and bashfully checked my liver, made myself a huge pot of dandelion root tea for a futile peace of mind. I'm significantly more relaxed already, and am sure to sleep like a rock once I submit this experience.

The end result of all this? Now that I'm comfortable, and very very certain that I did NOT ingest 9 grams of acetominophen, I'm laying in bed and thinking about a couple days from now, swallowing 3 T3s and placing microphones around the piano. It's always quite the same, it seems.

Be good to yourselves.

Exp Year: 2005ExpID: 40670
Gender: Male 
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: May 3, 2007Views: 49,223
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Codeine (14) : Alone (16), General (1), Music Discussion (22), Preparation / Recipes (30), Combinations (3)

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Experience Reports are the writings and opinions of the authors who submit them. Some of the activities described are dangerous and/or illegal and none are recommended by Erowid Center.


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