What really is in the Conditioning meds?

I was talking with CrazyIdiot78 yesterday and we discussing possible side-effects of the cybernetics and lack of the conditioning cocktail.

So we started to think of the components, this what what we thought up for the insane cocktail.

Mercury - Preservative and the component that eventually kills the subject.
Benzodizapans – Anti-depressant
Immunosuppressants – Anti-Rejection medicine so that the body wouldn't reject the cybernetics
Amphetmines – To cause focus in the body.
Opiates – Primary addictive component as well as dulling the ability to feel pain.
Estrogen – for the suppression of the girls’ growth

Your thoughts?

Also the erasure of the memories and implantation of other memories is done through rapidly flashing lights from a device that looks like the old Visual Boy game system.

Cortisol, in the short term it boosts memory, but in the long term it causes memory damage

Just hit me do you think performance enhancing drugs like steriods inaddition to the cybernetics. Also on that thread could those drugs be tailored to a cyborgs skill set. An example could be depressants for Rico to lower the heart rate for sniping

Not to burst your bubble but memmory loss from long term cortisol usage is not a major effect or problem. If we want to look for a memory suppressent or memmory loss drug the other psychotropic drugs. Also Jacen Lithium is used more for Manic depression and not depression alone.

I can't even begin to conjecture about what chemicals would be used to facilitate imaginary technology, but I am absolutely confident that the handlers & support staff have created a drink called a "Conditioning Cocktail."

Professor Voodoo wrote:...but I am absolutely confident that the handlers & support staff have created a drink called a "Conditioning Cocktail."

...for those days you really need to forget.

I've just left it ambiguous in my stories.

Kiskaloo wrote:I've just left it ambiguous in my stories.

The only mention I've given it is that (in my "universe") the conditioning cocktail becomes unstable and breaks down under pressure (air or water). This caused the death of Elio's first cyborg, and provides a reason why Marisa can't be given a full dose.

Alfisti wrote:

Professor Voodoo wrote:...but I am absolutely confident that the handlers & support staff have created a drink called a "Conditioning Cocktail."

...for those days you really need to forget.

Perhaps it's an initiation prank played on the new handlers. Rico is brought in to mix a random drink, and the new guy has to swallow the whole thing no matter how awful it is.

Professor Voodoo wrote:

Alfisti wrote:

Professor Voodoo wrote:...but I am absolutely confident that the handlers & support staff have created a drink called a "Conditioning Cocktail."

...for those days you really need to forget.

Perhaps it's an initiation prank played on the new handlers. Rico is brought in to mix a random drink, and the new guy has to swallow the whole thing no matter how awful it is.

Michele: "Where's the umbrella?"

Rico: "One moment, Mister Pagan."

[Returns a moment later with a full-size umbrella.]

Rico: "Here you go, sir."



Michele: "Thank you, Rico."

Professor Voodoo wrote:Perhaps it's an initiation prank played on the new handlers. Rico is brought in to mix a random drink, and the new guy has to swallow the whole thing no matter how awful it is.

Puts a whole new meaning to "waking up ceremony".

Kiskaloo wrote:

Professor Voodoo wrote:

Alfisti wrote:

Professor Voodoo wrote:...but I am absolutely confident that the handlers & support staff have created a drink called a "Conditioning Cocktail."

...for those days you really need to forget.

Perhaps it's an initiation prank played on the new handlers. Rico is brought in to mix a random drink, and the new guy has to swallow the whole thing no matter how awful it is.

Michele: "Where's the umbrella?"

Rico: "One moment, Mister Pagan."

[Returns a moment later with a full-size umbrella.]

Rico: "Here you go, sir."



Michele: "Thank you, Rico."

*blinkblink* I have NO idea how, but I have GOT to write this tasty adult beverage into my fanon, somehow.

Officer_Charon wrote:
*blinkblink* I have NO idea how, but I have GOT to write this tasty adult beverage into my fanon, somehow.

Your story is pretty grim & dark right now. It'll be difficult to transition into a comedic scene. Looking forward to seeing how you handle it!


Rico does not seem to me very well versed in spirits...

I... might have an idea how...

Also...

Henrietta: You ARE going to be bringing that back to the dorms, right?

Jay: Don't forget me to bring me some, Rico.

Cortisol is unlikely. Anyone on prolonged doses would be an utter mess - trunchal obesity, skin striations, impaired wound healing, psychosis, high blood pressure, diabetes, muscle wasting... the list goes on and on. Mercury we can rule out, too - I cannot envision what purpose it might serve.

Jacen is probably on the money with the immunosuppresants, hormones, opiates and amphetamines. I think it goes without saying that the medication also includes ingredients that help the synthetic organs and cyber implants function optimally.

The trouble with the immunosuppressants would come if one of the girls got a cold, though... how close to the real thing ARE these replacement organs? Anything there for a disease (bacteria, perhaps) to interfere with?

Natch I can actually buy the use of Mercury as it was used as a preservative in vaccines. Also mercury containing compounds can be used as adjuncts to increase the efficacy of certain medications, mainly in vaccines. Givern the advanced nature of the technology in gunslinger girl and the fringe of medicine they are opperating on I am willing to buy it.

Jello. Lime flavored Jello. And caffine. Lots of it.

Yum...Jello. [starts humming the Jello jingle from the 90's: J-E-LL-O, it's alive.]

Intravenous Jello.... IV CAFFEINE?! Sign me up, son!

maverick375 wrote:Jello. Lime flavored Jello. And caffine. Lots of it.

The Jello I can understand from a scientific standpoint...it has unique & unexplainable properties. The extra caffeine however, is something none of the OC cyborgs need.

Oh Jesus.... I just pictured Marisa after indulging in a Jolt run...

Hilshire: Elio... is Marisa VIBRATING?

Elio: Oh Christ... let me get the crash webbing...

Marisa: I CAN SEE THROUGH TIME!!!!

Professor Voodoo wrote:

maverick375 wrote:Jello. Lime flavored Jello. And caffine. Lots of it.

The Jello I can understand from a scientific standpoint...it has unique & unexplainable properties. The extra caffeine however, is something none of the OC cyborgs need.

Monty: Speak for yourself...

Officer_Charon wrote:The trouble with the immunosuppressants would come if one of the girls got a cold, though... how close to the real thing ARE these replacement organs? Anything there for a disease (bacteria, perhaps) to interfere with?

Food for thought, certainly. My fanfics have the girls virtually immune to stuff like radiation and chemical/biological weapons, for what it's worth (not much, to be honest, given that I just threw that in my writing without any serious consideration - thought it would sound cool, and that was that). But see the point crazyidiot raises below...

crazyidiot78 wrote:Natch I can actually buy the use of Mercury as it was used as a preservative in vaccines. Also mercury containing compounds can be used as adjuncts to increase the efficacy of certain medications, mainly in vaccines. Givern the advanced nature of the technology in gunslinger girl and the fringe of medicine they are opperating on I am willing to buy it.

Huh. First I've heard of this, and it's true - the preservative bit, at least. The organomercury compound in question, thiomersal, also has antiseptic and antifungal properties. Perhaps a similar substance is present within the conditioning cocktail, which counteracts any infections that might result from immunosuppresion. Of course, the ironic thing is that it's also toxic and therefore contributes to the cyborgs' lifespans being short.

Alfisti wrote:

Professor Voodoo wrote:

maverick375 wrote:Jello. Lime flavored Jello. And caffine. Lots of it.

The Jello I can understand from a scientific standpoint...it has unique & unexplainable properties. The extra caffeine however, is something none of the OC cyborgs need.

Monty: Speak for yourself...

Rachel: I second that!

maverick375 wrote:Jello. Lime flavored Jello. And caffine. Lots of it.

I wrote: The Jello I can understand from a scientific standpoint...it has unique & unexplainable properties.

I've reconsidered.

The lime Jello can be used as a disciplinary tool...

Giuseppe: Henrietta you disobeyed orders, fired 5 full magazines into an apartment, got yourself shot and cost the SWA over a quarter-million euros in damages.

Henrietta: I'm sorry Giuse, I was just trying to be of use.

Giuseppe: I expect you to finish the whole thing...

Spoiler:

Henrietta: (winces and takes the first bite) Eh...it's not too bad...you girls wanna try some?

All her fellow cyborgs quickly push their chairs away from the table.

Henrietta: You suck.

Professor Voodoo wrote:Giuseppe: I expect you to finish the whole thing...

Are those... olives?

And celery, and tomatoes... and cheese wedges?

how about lithium as a mood stabilser,and valium as an anti anxiety treatment ?

Alfisti wrote: Are those... olives?

Officer Charon wrote:And celery, and tomatoes... and cheese wedges?

Yet another reason Monty does not like visiting "home base."

Monty: You're the new bloke, right?

John Darme: Yes, they've got me working with the SRT team, and assisting with training.

Monty: Word of advice...avoid the lime Jello.

______________________________________________________________________________

I love the duality of this thread; a few folks taking the question seriously...others following a Jello tangent.

Jello is ALWAYS relevant. *grins*

In all seriousness, I've got a buddy with a biology Masters degree (some sort of specialty, I couldn't tell you what, because I have no clue) and another with a chemistry background... I'm fixing to pick their brains on the matter

crazyidiot78 wrote:Natch I can actually buy the use of Mercury as it was used as a preservative in vaccines. Also mercury containing compounds can be used as adjuncts to increase the efficacy of certain medications, mainly in vaccines. Givern the advanced nature of the technology in gunslinger girl and the fringe of medicine they are opperating on I am willing to buy it.

The dose of mercury in old vaccines was very small, and only caused problems in a very small subset of the population that was sensitive to it. Even if the girls had many doses, it probably wouldn't harm them, but maybe their cyborg parts skew it toward being much more harmful- I don't know.

True the small doses of mercury once or twice would not be a major issue but if a mercury containing compound is a component of the conditioning medication this would lead to chronic mercury exposure. This could be further compounded by the cybernetics preventing chelation of the mercury from the body. Thus over time the level would become toxic. Thus there is some sci fi posturing involved but it is possible in the GSG universe in my opinion.

Puget Sound wrote:

crazyidiot78 wrote:Natch I can actually buy the use of Mercury as it was used as a preservative in vaccines. Also mercury containing compounds can be used as adjuncts to increase the efficacy of certain medications, mainly in vaccines. Givern the advanced nature of the technology in gunslinger girl and the fringe of medicine they are opperating on I am willing to buy it.

The dose of mercury in old vaccines was very small, and only caused problems in a very small subset of the population that was sensitive to it. Even if the girls had many doses, it probably wouldn't harm them, but maybe their cyborg parts skew it toward being much more harmful- I don't know.

Of course the amount of mercury was small almost trace amounts. But don't forget that the girls will be getting doses often (perhaps daily) and mercury that you can ingest from fish takes often months to leave the body. So the trace amounts of mercury builds up over time until it reaches a lethal dose.

I thought about the drug.
In my Opinion i does not make sense to use it every time they repair the girls body.
Wherefore is it? To let them forget the pain?
Haha, they dont feel much pain.

A bit morphine and some immunsupreassant do the same job.
So i think the conditioning here makes no sense. The only thing i does here is to shorten their lifes...

It's apparently needed to make the cyber implants work properly. Also, it keeps them obedient.

Do the cybernetics just only work with a special chemical that is in the conditioning drug or what??
I dont think so....

So there is really no special need for the whole drug at each repairing.

But the fact remains that it IS frequently used. There doesn't seem to be any other logical explanation as to why.

i think that there is some creatine phosphate and Adenosine triphosphat in it.
but mosty i can see day blood tests and the like being used to work out the next days dose.

I could see creatine phosphate in the conditioning meds but ATP (adenosine triphosphate) has a very short half life and would not stay stable in the medication long enough to make it worthwhile

Unless, of course, they've made some kind of artificial ATP analogue with a nice long half-life.

Artificial analogues of biochemical substances are all the rage nowadays.