Question about how to determine when a drug has cleared your system. I read that the proper math is half life x 5.5 for clearance. Is this safe and correct to assume, if I am planning to drink Ayahausca (because MAOIs)?

I'm on a dexamethasone taper. Half life is 36-55 hours. 55 x 5.5 = 12 days and change. I was planning on waiting two weeks to be EXTRA SUPER SAFE because I'm paranoid

Given the nature of my taper, my neurologist said I'm probably cool to wait 48 hours after finishing my last dose. However, set and setting for me includes making sure there is an affirmatively hard zero chance of accidentally killing myself in a freak drug interaction accident. My superpower is being a human side effect magnet, which isn't so super, beyond the realm of psychedelics.

Thanks fam.

Hey ms_manic_minxx.

I'm not sure where you got the half life X 5.5 formula for drug clearance but two weeks of abstinence from most (not all) drugs including the ones with relatively long half lives such as dexamethasone is IMO a nice time frame to ensure no harmful interactions occur between two or more drugs, as is commonly the case when switching from an MAOI to an SSRI following gradual taper of the first for 14 days.

In this case I can't see at first glance if dexamethasone would interact in a way to produce a negative outcome with N,N-DMT and the harmala alkaloids if they were taken together let alone following an abstinance of 14 days. On second thought perhaps a further increase in hypertension during the ayahausca experience which could potentially be a very risky side effect leading to an event such as a stroke, myocardial infarction or another negative cardiovascular outcome depending on the intensity of vasoconstriction. Other factors might also increase these risks such as covid-19. In summation I'd trust what your doctor says.

Corpus Callosum would be the one for this - or another qualified physician with sound knowledge of dexamethasone's pharmako properties. A steroid may have homeostatic repercussions for the body systems that could exceed its metabolic (multiple) half-life. You would need to look into this very carefully, or (rather, and) get an assured medical opinion especially if health outcomes in any of the range of crucial systems (seeing as KT kinda raised this) could be influenced by cessation of the medication. But check this though, because I'm only a pharmaceutical biochemist at best, rather than a physician.

Remember, though, that a relaxed mental state will help your general health state too!

[EDITed: a crucial word was missing!]

I appreciate the input. There is another doc I can ask too at an upcoming appointment, so I will report back here for science.

I don't know what you have been taking it for, but i'm shocked to hear it nevertheless because i remember not too long ago you said that you've had a covid-19 infection.
So you must have had some realy, realy bad luck with your health lately.

I'm sorry to hear this miss minx. I wish you the best of luck and a safe and pleasant journey.