About Paul Expertise I am able to answer any questions related to drug or alcohol addiction espcially in regard to recovery and Methadone Maintenance. I am a recovering addict who has been clean over 10 years. I am on Methadone Maintenance.
Experience I have many years of experience in this area. My experience ranges from childhood through the present. I will give people straight forward advice even though they may not agree with me. I have lived addiction for the past 15 years with 10 of the 15 being clean and sober.
Organizations Connecticut NAMA
Education/Credentials High School Graduate.
College graduate.
Question Hi! Let me just say that I appreciate your willingness to share your knowledge with others via allexperts.com! I hope you don't mind the noncritical nature of my question, and I will try to take up as little of your time as possible.
I have no experience with illict drugs, but am writing a work of fiction that deals with them. I've done some research already, but have not found a resource that explicity answers the following question:
What illicit drugs might cause a user to have absolutely no memory of, say, the night before when he/she was using the drug(s)? And, regarding the illicit drugs that might fit this description the best, how long would each stay in the user's system (i.e., detectable in a police-administered medical checkup)?
Thanks so much!
Answer Hi:
The type of drug(s) that you are referring to that would cause a person to have no memory after using them are called hypnotics, sedatives or barbituates. There are many different drugs that would fit this description but I will only touch on the most common. The first would be Ketamine. Ketamine or "Special K, Vitamin K or Kat" as it is known on the streets, is a rapid-acting disassociative anesthetic used on both animals and humans. It is used mainly when the patient or physician does not want to remember a procedure that is going to cause a lot of anxiety and pain. Hospital Burn Units use this drug a lot. It is being abused by an increasing number of young people as a "club drug," and is often distributed at "raves" and parties. In regard to how long it stays in someones system, the time varies. It is possible to test for the presence of ketamine metabolites in urine, blood, & hair, but it is an uncommon test to do. In the last couple years ketamine has become more widely known in the popular media and some testing companies have added it to their "Club Drug" testing battery. Unless there is a particular reason to be looking for it, as in the case of an autopsy, specific ketamine tests are not normally conducted. It is not one of the NIDA-5 standardly tested for in the basic drug test, nor is it included in the extended drug tests. If testing for ketamine is specifically requested, the breakdown product of ketamine, is detectable in both blood and urine for 7-14 days and possibly longer in heavy users.
The next drug is Versed. Versed is a sedative that has a variety of uses, depending on its dosage and administration. It can be used as a light sedative to help alleviate anxiety before a therapeutic or diagnostic procedure, as well as to allow the patient to forget what happened during the period of sedation. It can also be used as part of general anesthesia to create an environment of complete amnesia where the person would remember nothing. In regard to testing for the drug, depending on the amount ingested and how long the person has been using the drug, Versed could be detected for up to 10 days after its last use.
The next drug is called Scopolamine. Scopolamine acts by interfering with the transmission of nerve impulses by acetylcholine in the parasympathetic nervous system and produces symptoms typical of parasympathetic system depression: dilated pupils, rapid heartbeat, and dry skin, mouth, and respiratory passages. Because scopolamine depresses the central nervous system, it is used as a sedative prior to anesthesia. This drug is not used much anymore because of the advance in Anesthesia. Detection periods are 2 - 4 days after last use.
The next drug is called AMBIEN. Ambien is a drug that is prescribed for people who have a hard time falling asleep. One of the side-effects if too much is taken is that people have a hard time remembering what they did after taking it. Sometimes people will take it an hour or twqo before they want to fall asleep. During that hour or two they may watch t.v or make a few phone calles etc. The next day thay do not recall talking on the phone or watching t.v. Ambien cn be detected in the urine, blood and hair for up to 7 days after the last dose.
The last medication I will talk about is something you may have heard of before. It is called Sodium Pentothal, or it's real name thiopental sodium. This drug is a ultra-short acting barbiturate that produces produce rapid unconsciousness and amnesia. Detection periods for this drug are between 1 - 2 days because it is so short acting.
There are many others but they are all pretty much the same. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
