T+0:00 - Took 300mg of DXM from gel capsules containing ONLY dextromethorphan HBr as the active ingredient. I cannot stress enough how important it is to verify that no other active ingredients are present. Acetaminophen, guaifenesin, and antihistamines in combination products can cause serious harm at DXM recreational doses. I weigh approximately 75kg, putting this dose at about 4mg/kg, solidly in the second plateau range.
T+0:30 - Mild nausea and an itchy, restless feeling. A slight spaciness in my thinking.
T+1:00 - The dissociative effects were establishing themselves. I felt a growing detachment from my body, as if I was operating it by remote control. Music sounded fundamentally different, deeply immersive and three-dimensional, like being inside the song rather than listening to it. I put on headphones and lay down.
T+1:30 - Peak of the second plateau experience. Closed-eye visuals were vivid: dark, abstract landscapes with deep blues and purples, geometric structures that I seemed to be floating through. My body felt simultaneously heavy and weightless. The mental state was dreamlike but not confused, more like lucid dreaming while awake. Creative and philosophical thoughts arose spontaneously.
T+2:30 - A strange phenomenon characteristic of DXM: robo-walk. When I got up to use the bathroom, my motor coordination was significantly impaired, with a distinctive stiff-legged, flat-footed gait. This passed when I lay down again.
T+4:00 - Effects slowly fading. The dissociation receded gradually, and I felt increasingly grounded in my body and room. A residual afterglow, pleasant and contemplative, remained.
T+6:00 - Mostly baseline but with lingering cognitive fog and a dreamy quality. Fell asleep without difficulty.
The next day I felt a DXM hangover: slight brain fog, mild lethargy, and a flat emotional tone. This resolved by the following day. DXM occupies a unique niche in the dissociative landscape. It is legal, accessible, and produces genuinely interesting dissociative experiences, but it must be approached with extreme caution regarding product selection. The risks of using products with multiple active ingredients are severe and entirely avoidable. I space my DXM use at least several weeks apart and never exceed third plateau doses.