Did anyone experience memory and learning impairments from cocaine use?

[ABC233]

I recently quit cocaine after 2 years of use 2 weeks ago when I first noticed impairments in memory and thinking ability.  Since then I no longer use the drug an never will as 15 minutes of pleasure is not worth risking life and a successful career.  The impairments were so severe last week that I couldn't even write an email during work and I couldn't understand the financial reports that I analyze daily as part of the  job duties.  Yesterday was the first time where I noticed alight improvements in memory and learning functions, still not to the point where I'd like it to be but progress.  I want to know if anyone experienced the same symptoms and if an amino protocol supplement and prolong abstinence can restore my brain functions.  I have been informed from other members on the site that the amino protocol treatment can restore these impairments.  Howver there is no scientific proof of this so I would like to hear of real life situations from peoples experiences and whether prolonged abstinence and an amino protocol diet really repairs/improves brain functions.  Please advise

[dalbert560]

hi/thanks for the info on the supplements,vitamins,aminos etc. that a ex-cocaine addict can take to help heal his brain etc./I have been a crack and cocaine addict for 33 years and have been clean for 4 months but my mental abilitys are shot/my name keith  god bless you /look forward to hearing from you /keith

[ABC233]

Today by far has been the most productive day.  Memory, learning, and deciphering functions have improved significantly since last week.  What a relief.  Still not there fully but I would say significant progress.  Hope it continues at this rate.  So after 2 weeks of stressing I am feeling alot better.  I wonder if it's the memory boosters and aminos or the brain repairing itself?  Anyone have any feedback or experienced same?

[PinPinPatrick]

I have also used cocaine... well I only used cocaine twice, but I have used Crack Cocaine many many times.  

I also have problems with concentration, attention, memory, motivation.

Quoted from a Psychiatrists hand book, "Long term cocaine used causes deficits in attention, concentration, new learning, visual and verbal memory, word production, and visual-motor integration observed, patients had been drug free for 6 months... This study indicated that long-term cocaine use may produce sustained brain blood flow deficits and persistent intellectual compromise in some subgroups of cocaine-abusing patients... Crack abusers showed a 23 percent decrease in cerebral blood flow, and crack users who were also cigarette smokers showed a 42 percent decrease in blood flow compared to the control group"

Now obviously the long term effects for you will vary based on were you daily user, how long have you used, how much, did you smoke cigarettes, did you drink alcohol too.

But you can "Change your Brain, Change your Life".  

Most importantly you need to abstain from drugs and alcohol... People spiral downwards much faster than they can build themselves up.  So it's going to take lots of work and time to recover.  I have not had Crack for 2 years and I am still having mental problems to this day, but mind you I didn't stop my binge drinking until recently and had also occasionally used marijuana.  But from what I have researched in my own recovery and also just based on my own experience is that cocaine causes by far the most long term damage of all these substances I have done... but another key point is that alcohol doesn't help my brain heal faster even if it's just the occasional binge drinking session.

Now there are 2 routes you can take... I would highly suggest the nutrition, supplement, and exercise route as that is what I have been doing.  But another route you can take is a recovery with the aid of a Psychiatrist.  Obviously under the aid of a Psychiatrist you are going to be taking meds, and I don't really like that personally but it's upto you.

The damage done by cocaine is decreased blood flow, damaged arteries and capillaries, damaged synapses, reduction in the amount of dopamine, a 'down regulation' in the number of dopamine receptors at the post synaptic neuron.  And yes cocaine actually causes the neurons inside your mind to readjust themselves and changes genetic expression to make less dopamine receptors.  It's a muting effect, the neuron wants to do that because it's been bombarded by too much dopamine and too much excitation.  Like you have been exposed to a loud noise for a long period of time and then when you are not exposed to it your hearing is temporarily muted, or might even be partially lost depending on how loud that noise was.

So obviously to recover, you want to increase the blood flow to the brain, improve the circulation, have the amino acids needed for the production of dopamine readily available, and heal the synapses and increase the number of dopamine receptors.    


For the exercise, nutrition, and supplement route you are going to want to first detoxify your body.  Supplement Phosphatidyl Choline (also in eggs and Lecithin supplements), probiotics, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, MSM, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Glutathione, and Glycine.  You really want your liver to be working in full swing for your recovery to help eliminate as much other toxins as possible that can delay recovery.  I take daily detox by genuine health which is probably much simpler for you to take.  It has mostly all those ingredients in it.

Phosphatidyl Serine is also a key supplement to take to improve the memory in the because it will help heal receptor areas.  Fish oil should also be supplemented, particularly DHA or docohexanoic acid.  60% of the cell membranes within the brain are made up of DHA.  It allows your brain to become very fluid, flexible, and increases it's ability to be plastic.  A study has shown over the course of 3 months with 2 groups of children, 1 with omega 3 fish oil supplemented daily and 1 placebo group, those who have taken the fish oil had actually better reading, writing, speech than those who didn't.  With the brain scans before and after ( first ever brain scan of before and after with children) those who took the fish oil had actually developed their brains 3 years!!!  Huge improvement.

NAC or N-acetyl-cysteine is a very important supplement to take in cocaine recovery because it helps to restore glutamate circuits in the brain.  The glutamate circuits are particularly damaged in cocaine use.  It also helps heal the pleasure centers in your mind which are severely damaged by cocaine use.  

I am also taking Piracetam, because it makes me feel good, improves blood flow the brain, improves memory, cognition, creativity, and concentration.  

Another thing you can do to help improve the supply of dopamine in your neurons that has been lost from cocaine use is supplement the following.  B-Vitamin, Multimineral, L-Glutamine, L-Tyrosine (amino acid that will actually be made into the dopamine), and vitamin C.  The B-vitamin and multimineral are important so that the co-factors and enzymes necessary to convert the L-Tyrosine into Dopamine can be made.  This will help restore your dopamine levels as quickly as possible, but just because your dopamine levels are back to normal doesn't mean the damage from the cocaine is healed.

I don't care for the "restore your dopamine levels immediately" type of treatment because that will happen over time anyways and it's more important to get off the drug, exercise, improve blood flow, and heal the synapses and receptor sites.  Just make sure you have high protein in your diet and your dopamine banks will gradually fill up anyways.  Eggs are probably one of the best recovery food you can have because of all the protein, phosphatiyl choline & serine in them.  

Exercise is also key to your recovery because it increases blood flow and circulation to your mind.  Do lots of cardio!  It will also strengthen a heart that has been weakened from cocaine use.  

[RaeLadyRae]

I felt the same, i'd ask my doctor for cognitive enhancers, not knowing truly what they were, I assumed they'd repair my memory, But, really i was just trying to fix with another substance.  My memory loss at the time made me very scared, but looking back on it, the paranoia, the hypochondria that comes with taking uppers is so severe. After the time it took to detox my body, and the stability that followed, allowed my mind to focus and take in the world.   a quote Ive read and helped me understand is this " A mind when distracted, absorbs nothing deeply" that explained that perhaps my mind was so distracted it couldn't follow a process, but it is now.           Don't panic, in time it will get better.

[dominosarah]

I read the other responses you got from the 2 other forums you posted this in.  You will continue to notice an improvement in your brain functions as long as you stay away from coke.  You are fueling your body and mind with healthy supplements now.  Most of us have noticed some of the same symptoms you posted in your 1st thread and the longer we are clean the more clearer things are.  Keep doing what you are doing.  You are doing just fine!