Swollen Face - Allergic reaction?

[Arlo]

Hey all, can any one provide some info on this situation swim is dealing with?
Swim seems to have taken to much and ended up with a really swollen face. He read about it online and it is a symptom of an overdose, a sever allergic reaction. He had never had a bad reaction until I over did it.

Does this mean that swim is now am allergic to GHB and will encounter an allergic episode if he takes it again?

You input would be greatly appreciated

[MrG]

A swollen face could be caused by many things and let me first state that trying to find your answer solely online would be reckless at best. Whatever information you manage to find in relation to your friends allergic reaction you will need to get confirmation from a medical specialist. With that out the way it would, however, be interesting to look into this particular incident and see if there is anything which might point to being a major factor.

Firstly, please state the dosage or dosages which led to this reaction along with details of any polydrug use (use of two or more substances at the same time).

Please give rough description of SWIY's physical characteristics and whether he had eaten previous to dosing.

[Arlo]

SWIY went to the doctor, who was somewhat confused about GHB. SWIY walked away with a prescription to a steroid cycle for four day's ad the instruction not to play with GHB.
The night in question goes something like this;
SWIY gets home and induces a 1/5 of an oz of liquid ghb, works a bit, takes a mineral bath and has a glass os Scotch. SWIY gets back to work and 4 more times consumes 1/5 oz of liquid ghb, has a couple cigarettes throughout the evening and a couple more glasses of scotch. At some point, somewhat dizzy, SWIY cracks into a form of "natural" raisin bran bought at a local co op, no milk.
SWIY slept like a baby, woke up with jowls like Dudley DooWright.

Has anyone heard of this happening? It would be such a shame for SWIY to have t give this up if it has developed into a true allergy. He is just unclear if it was only the outcome of way too much or if is unique to his body chemistry.

[Pondlife]

First off never mix GHB and alcohol. That's how most of the GHB train wrecks happen.

You don't mention the strength of the "liquid GHB" that you used. As you probably know, GHB is normally used as the sodium salt (NaGHB) which is a solid. This is normally dissolved in water, and a typical concentration is 1g per 5ml, but it can vary.

You are using a measurement of "oz", which I assume is US fluid ounces. There are about 30 ml in one US fluid ounces, so 1/5 oz is about 6 ml. Assuming the typical 1 g per 5 ml concentration, this equates to 1.2 g of NaGHB.

If I understand your post correctly, you did this a total of five times, for a total of 6g of GHB. You don't mention the exact time period, but whatever it is that's a lot of GHB for the first time. Especially with a couple of glasses of scotch. My guess is that SWIY overdid it and also committed the cardinal sin of mixing it with alcohol. I think he's lucky to just have a swolen face.

I'd suggest trying about 1 g of GHB without any alcohol. That should be enough to feel something, but not overpowering. If he still gets a swollen face, then GHB is probably not for him.

Jumping in at the deep end and mixing different drugs, especially two CNS depressants like GHB and alcohol, is not the best way to experiment with a new drug. Start low and work up. Don't mix GHB and alcohol.

Edit: looks like MrG got there first.

[MrG]

Originally Posted by pondlife

Edit: looks like MrG got there first.

LOL! Sorry mate, gotcha again!

[Arlo]

Swif will give it a go... although I am assuming I have to wait until this steriod cycle id complete? Feel like just stoppoing the cycle an trying a gradual re entry..

[MrG]

Right well the first thing SWIY was doing wrong was drinking alcohol with GHB. Don't do it. It's not good practice and can kill you, so don't do it.

The doses, even though SWIY is using that archaic measurement of fractions of ounces, apparently is about nearly 6ml of GHB so the single dose isn't particularly of concern.

However he does mention having dose a total of five doses, over what period of time?

TBH even the mineral bath could be a suspect here. Or Raisin bran.

Although the reports related to Xyrem (pharma GHB) do list swollen facial features as a possible side-effect but I don't know if this would be the GHB or the Sodium (salt) that would actually be the culprit in that case.

If SWIY *really* wanted to be able to continue taking G and had access to another course of steroids, he could recreate the entire event again but replace each GHB dose with 1ml of GBL instead. This would get converted in-vivo to GHB without the associated Sodium content of NaGHB

Not that this would necessarily be a wise thing to do but if he didn't have a reaction then he would know that it was likely the Sodium causing the problem.

[Arlo]

SWIY induced one ounce total of GHB over a period of four hours. SWIY doubts if it is the salt content and was also thinking that booze, bath and/or raisin bran was at the root of the problem.

What SWIY struggles with is the notion of an allergy to something, never having an allergy before. SWIY wonders if a small amount is taken, will his head balloon to bigger than it did previously, as is the rumor I was told with allergies. Or was this event just a one time toxic reaction that is not a lifelong allergy but the outcome of two/three thing being out in the gullet together that should not be?

[Pondlife]

Given that GHB is present in small amounts in the human body, and is found in low concentrations in some foods, I would doubt that it would cause a true allergic reaction in small quantities.

That's assuming what SWIY has is pure GHB without any other crap.

If SWIY is concerned, why not try a very small quantity like 1ml. That won't have any noticeable effect, but any true allergy would likely show up at a low level.

[Arlo]

SWIY decided to get back in the saddle, depressed at he possibilities of looking at this experience as being over... SWIY now recognizes the need to take the entire experience into consideration... Feels good to be back.. SWIF feels like he has discovered one of the most pleasant, non destructive chemicals out there and will work to find the right way to manage it. Thanks for the cool guidance. This is a place i look forward to hanging out in.

[MrG]

Well it's your, or rather SWIY's call I guess. I would, however, recommend that you spend as much time reading through the reams of material posted in both the GHB forum and the D-F Archive in order to ensure you are as fully versed in this substance as possible. Just for the sake of your lab monkey of course.

Personally SWIM agrees that GHB is a most intriguing substance and, like many have done before him, sees it less and less as a purely recreational tool and more like a beneficial supplement.

DO NOT, at any time, allow SWIYself to dose 24/7 though. That is a completely different matter and can be very difficult and even dangerous to quit from.

Reputation Comments on this post:

extremely well handled. You know who.

[Arlo]

Thanks Mr.G that is outstanding advice,
SWIY really really apprecyes the caring advice.
-Arlo

[Arlo]

Update on SWIM's swollen face...
It looks as thought SWIM had a tooth that needed attending to.. so, either the g, or some new naturopathic toothpaste was the culprit. Most likely the TP as it was the first day he used it and brushed right over the bad tooth.
-Arlo

[MrG]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, stay away from that "natural" crap! LOL.

So are you saying that the swollen face may have actually been an abscess and not an allergic reaction?

[Arlo]

Yea, looks like the issue was not G related at all. Just a coincidence with the bad tooth, new toothpaste and g consumption...
-Arlo