Party drug users have come up with ways to ‘prepare and repair’ before and after a big night out.  Here are some suggestions 

Before

• Rest up so you have the stamina to get you through the partying and the comedown.
• Stock up at home and when you’re clubbing with: drinks to rehydrate you (isotonic energy/sports drinks are good), healthy foods to replenish your body, and lollies or chewing gum to ease jaw clenching and teeth grinding if you’re taking ecstasy or amphetamines.
• Consider taking multivitamins once a day before and after partying. Eat well before and over a long weekend.
• A starch heavy meal including rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, or noodles before you start gives you more slow-release energy to keep you going. Over a long weekend try to eat, whether or not you feel hungry, even if it’s just fruit or a smoothie. As you might not feel like cooking or shopping, have food which is easy to prepare ready in the fridge for when you get home.
• Make sure you have easy access to condoms or water-based lube (on you and back at home) even if you’re not planning to fuck - at least you’ll be prepared if it happens. Latex gloves too, if fisting might be on the cards.
• If you take HIV drugs make sure you have a supply on you and/or where you might end up, such as at a friend’s or boyfriend’s house. If you miss a dose you can take it within an hour or two of the time it should have been taken. But if you only remember hours later, don’t take double, just take the normal amount the next time you’re due to take your pills. Ask your doctor how late you can take your particular drugs. If you keep missing doses of your HIV drugs the virus can start to get resistant to the meds you take. Three ways to remember your pills: set the alarm on your phone, ask a mate to remind you, or sign up for a text reminder on myHIV website.
• Make sure you’re clued up on mixing drugs.

During

• Take your essentials: condoms, enough cash to get home safely, your HIV meds if you're on them, and lollies or gum.
• If you smoke you’re likely to smoke more than normal, meaning a lot more toxins for your body to deal with.
• Dress so that you don’t overheat or get dehydrated in the club. Make use of the cloakroom and have warm clothes to wear to the club and back.
• Remember that both alcohol and chems dehydrate your body, so keep up your liquid intake, especially if you are dancing. Piss getting darker or not pissing very often is a sign you need fluids. But too much water is dangerous. A pint of non-alcoholic liquid an hour is recommended such as fruit juice on its own or mixed with lemonade.
• Take breaks from dancing so your body can cool down and get a rest.
• If you are going to another party the next night try to rest or sleep in-between.

After

• Chill out with friends (‘back to mine’), this way you can look after each other. But a ‘chill out’ involving more drugs will just make the comedown harder.
• Drink plenty of non-alcoholic drinks to flush toxins from your body (especially your liver).
• Eat a healthy snack or meal before going to bed.
• These high protein foods have nutrients that help recovery: meat, fish, soya beans, lentils, bananas, sunflower seeds, peanuts and almonds.
• Oranges, kiwi fruit, avocado, carrots, broccoli, spinach, salmon and tuna are all rich in vitamins.
• If you take HIV pills set an alarm so you don’t miss a dose while you catch up on sleep.
• After partying avoid ‘detox’ regimes that involve half-starving yourself or eating in an unbalanced way.
• Know where or how to get more support if needed – sometimes things happen during a night out that can seem fine at the time but on reflection may make you feel bad or depressed.

Feeling ‘down’ a couple of days after partying happens because the drugs made your brain release its feel good chemicals. Until your brain replaces them feeling depressed is the unavoidable pay-off but this wears off within a few days. Taking more drugs won’t avoid this comedown, it just makes it worse when you finally stop partying. If your comedowns are getting longer or worse maybe you need to cut back on your partying or talk to a doctor.

This article was last reviewed on: 28/10/11
Date due for next review: 28/10/13