Here is my personal experience with Galantamine.
The Short Version:
- Galantamine works very well for me.
- I experience mild side effects easily managed.
- I use it infrequently for specific occasions.
- I still do all the practices, it turbo charges what I already do.
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The Long Version:
I really enjoy Galantamine, but it will impact many people in many different ways. So while my commentary is very specific to my dreaming experience, it will likely be very different from yours. And of course, my commentary should not be taken as medical advice. Here are some notes:
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When I first learned of Galantamine last summer (purchased online), I followed the erroneous-for-dreaming directions on the bottle which directed me to take 4-8mg daily in the mornings or evenings. Later, of course, I became aware that Galantamine should be taken during WBTB after 5+ hours of sleep.
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For about 2 weeks in June, I experimented with 4mg then up to 8mg a few times a week during WBTB and had my first lucid dream at 8mg. From there, I used it 2-3x per month through August.
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My Galantamine routine: Typically consumed on a weekend, I’d follow my usual before bed meditations and ritual while setting the intention of what I will do when I become lucid. I’d go to sleep around 11:00 and wake up around 5:30. I’d immediately take 8mg at my bedside, then head to the kitchen for a light snack of nuts and cheese (it can cause an upset stomach if I don’t do this). Then, for 15-30 minutes, I’d read about lucid dreaming in candle light, meditate, or plan my goals before going back to sleep.
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At first, it was hard to go back to sleep. I wasn’t expecting this effect and during my early days of usage, it would take about 40-60 minutes to fall back asleep. (Most of that from excitement!) Now that I’m more experienced with it, and use it strategically and less frequently, I no longer experience the restlessness.
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I experience many lucid dreams in one night with the aid of Galantamine. The quality tends to be much higher, with longer periods of lucidity, more dreams recalled and more vividness in non-lucid dreams. I have more stability and control and can more often deeply understand waking world scenarios and goals with the aid of Galantamine (it’s also worth noting I can now do higher levels of lucidity without Galantamine but it took 8 or so more months to get there. Galantamine nights most consistently give me greater numbers of dreams per night).
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It’s also worth noting that all the other aspects of dream practice are still required including mindfulness, intention, good sleep hygiene, induction techniques, reality checks, and a calming night time ritual. I do these practices every day and every night without fail whether I am taking Galantamine or not. Make sure you are keeping a dream journal! I don’t have the comparison to using Galantamine without these specific Dream Practices in place.
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I guess the biggest take away is to do the research, be open minded, don’t be afraid, and to expect that it might take your body a little bit of time to adjust to this new thing. In other words, it might not happen right away. I can’t say enough how important it is to do the research, to listen to your body, and to seek medical advice. It might not work the first time. You might need time to adjust (I actually take it the day before so my body “re-gets-used-to-it” - I have no evidence to back up that this works, but it seems to for me).
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Lucid dreaming is a skill. I thought Galantamine was an incredible crutch to help recognize that it is possible for me. To experience it early and get excited by the potential in a real, tangible way. In the early days when building a dreaming practice, patience is the number one deterrent, so I loved having Galantamine give me a glimpse into the depths and give me the motivation and will to keep practicing and building my skill even when it felt far out of reach. Before long, I stopped using it so that I could focus creating lucid experiences naturally. It took me 99 days of dedicated practice daily before I had a natural lucid dream during this period of intense focus.
Looking forward to learning about other experiences and answering any of your questions specific to my use of Galantamine…