I've tried piracetam and found it to be way too stimulating, even in very small doses (about 1/10 of a capsule). So I tried aniracetam, which is supposed to be much more "relaxing". When combined with l-theanine, it was supposed to be a totally calming experience. I found that combination to also be too stimulating, even at very low doses.
So I re-tried
L-Pyroglutamic Acid, the amino acid that all these nootropics are modeled after with various kinds of tweeks. It seemed like a more natural way to go, although I doubted whether it would be strong enough to make a difference. Turns out, I couldn't really tolerate that either, which I also find to be uncomfortably stimulating.
I have to say though, that before I got to the uncomfortable stimulating phase, I did notice and enjoy a certain degree of extra energy and mental sharpness that accompanied it. But for me, it's way too much like drinking coffee, or a bit too much coffee. I'm just better off without it, as it affects me (with sleep and more) long after it would for a normal person.
@alice111, If I were to recommend a way to start exploring nootropics, I'd probably suggest starting out with l-pyroglutamic acid. At the link above, you can get 30 tablets at Amazon for $7.33, a cheap and easy way to start. If that doesn't work, then maybe go to the tweeked nootropics from there.
What I like about the Powder City website is that it gives very thorough descriptions of all of them, so you can make a relatively well-formed opinion. But as with most things for pwCFS, what is generally true for normal people may not be the case for us.
All the Best,
Wayne
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