I have mentioned Piracetam several times before. I first tried it just for the hell of it. I’d taken it way, way back when I was in University as a Nootropic, a smart-drug. I couldn’t say if it made me any smarter, but I recalled how pleasant the feeling was. Like a nice, sunny day.
Took it a few years ago, and the change it made t my spasticity was phenomenal. No plecebo effect there. I was no longer dragging my leg about, stumbling about like a drunk.
I Googled it several times, this was the first thing I found (from 1976).
art45-paediatric-studies-do...
A lot of these commonly prescribed spasticity drugs work on the GABA receptors in your brain. Benzo’s, Baclofen, Gabapentin, Lyrica. A sledgehammer to crack a nut, maybe. Powerful drugs at any rate.
Piracetam is a cyclic derivative of GABA, structurally it looks very similar. Then again, I don’t know what that means.
Getting back to the above link. Piracetam helps spasticity of a cerebral origin. Prescribed for spasticity in Cerebral Palsy, as is Modafinil.
And this is the thing. I have lesions on my Occipital Lobes, near(enough) to the brain stem.
I can only surmise that part (at least) of my spasticity is down to my brain. My brain, my precious brainbox.
Anyway, after the Piracetam I moved onto 4-AP, 4-AP-3-MeOH, Gabapentin, Lyrica. I forgot about Piracetam. Then, the other day I found my stash as I was clearing out my back room.
I’ll get to the point now.
I’d been dragging my leg more than usual, tired, tired achey legs, hard to stand for any length of time.
I thought I was headed downhill, but I’ve been here before, where I think it’s over for me. Eventually I snap out of the doom and gloom and apply some logic.
Like, fantastic spasms in my left leg (usually in my right).
If my left leg spasms, I am constipated.
If my spasticity is worse than usual, I am probably constipated.
Full bladder = spasticity.
So, plenty of bran, more veg, regular toilet habits, lower spasticity.
Then, I started taking 2 grams of Piracetam, 4 times per day.
Outstanding. No crutches, no hanging onto walls, can’t keep it up for more than five minutes, but for me it was like night and day.
I have asked my neurologist about Piracetam before - “Oh yes, very interesting.”
I’ll add, I’ve been taking Piracetam with 4-AP and 4-AP-3-MeOH combined. Took me a long while to get around to taking 4-AP and 4-AP-3-MeOH together. I am cautious.
And Modafinil as well. Like I’ve said before, as well as eliminating my crushing fatigue, it gives me the abiility to focus on each and every step. If I do not focus, I fall over. Cannot smack my head, we all know why.
Quite a few MS people I talk to take Piracetam. It is an OTC supplement, buy online, no problem at all. I used to buy by the kilo. I am going to get some more this week.
So far (touch wood), I've been able to take care of a lot of my symptoms with medicine. If my spasticity ramps up, change medicine. I keep meaning to keep a calendar/diary where I can monitor symptoms/medicine/sleep/toilet/stress, etc.
I’ll add as well, I am now taking L-Methionine.
healthunlocked.com/amneasie...
See my Methionine post earlier if you haven’t already.
Remyelination? I don’t know but I’d like to think I can protect what I have left.
Take care if you are in the hurricane, folks.
4-AP/Ampyra
