Side effects - My medical condition (Chronic Pain) and LSD

[eBagger]

Okay, heres the rundown. my friend wrote to me -

I have pelvic and lower abdominal pains, even sensitive testicles that hurt to the touch. I've had them over a year and they are chronic. Been on anti biotics and had everything checked out doctors can't find out whats wrong. I have to stay away from spicy, acidic foods and alcohol for sure.

I've found that weed helps my problems about 90% of the time, and I love weed for its medicinal and recreational use.

I have been wanting to try acid/shrooms for a long time now. I know most of you are already thinking its a bad idea, but I feel I really need to see what else there is out there.

With the information I've given you do you think it would effect his condition? I know seratonin can effect physical being, but I've always assumed LSD is primarily in the mind. Does anyone else get any ill physical problems from LSD?

[Shampoo]

First of all, please regard the rules pertaining to self-incrimination. This is included in the rules you agreed to when you signed up as a user of this site and further contradictions to this rule will likely result in infractions and an eventual banning.

To answer the question, many people find that LSD and general psychedelic use result in cramps, and what is commonly known as a "body load". My friend's friend, an occasional user of LSD, says that nearly every time he takes LSD he is bogged down with severe lower back muscle aches, and general physical tension. For someone with a condition like your friends (Who I assume you were talking about), the use of LSD is likely exacerbate these symptoms.

[eBagger]

hmm well that doesn't sound to good. Sorry about the rule breaking. I've signed up for plenty of forums in my day so I've just gotten accustomed to not reading the rules.

And idea about shrooms?

[Joe-(5-HTP)]

Unless swiy has a bad trip and physically damages swiyself in some way, or if swiy just sat and stared at all the pretty colours and got cramps as a result then there is no way the lsd would affect swiy physically and therefore no way it could exacerbate swiys physical problem...

[Songcycle67]

SWIM agrees with shampoo; there will generally be a bodyload which may include abdominal cramps and lower back pain. Many users experience this phenomena and are too amazed by the experience itself to let it bother them.

SWIM has similar problems as your friend: he has lower back pain which leads to severe abdominal pain and even pain in his testacles (SWIY should be checked for sciatica). He takes LSD as often as he likes and has some rough spells when the acid occasionally exacerbates his condition, but usually it only lasts a twenty minutes or so and if SWIY can breathe and stay calm they will dissipate. The only foreseeable problem is that SWIM uses pretty hefty pain medication and during these spells even it can't stop the pain; so if it does happen chances are the individual will have to grin and bear it. It's all about how well SWIY feels they can maintain: of course they won't know until they try, but for most (especially the real seekers) these sort of things are managable and worth the trouble.

SWIM should also say that he had no such problems during his first handful of experiences; it was simply too beautiful.

[MindNRA]

And I have to agree with Joe. LSD has painkilling properties so your pain would not be exacerbated at all, it might actually diminish.

And I have never had any abdominal cramps and out of 20 people that SWIY has tripped with, nobody has ever complained of such cramps. Dizziness because everything is moving? Yes. Cramps? Never.

I don't think your condition would be affected in any way at all. And Acid acts on dopamine and 5htp receptors, not quite serotonin.

[Micklemouse]

Whilst psychedelics might not affect the physical condition, the physical condition will almost certainly affect the psychedelic, & probably not in a good way, especially seeing as the pain is chronic & seemingly universal - A Certain Mouse tells me that the thought of tripping with sore balls, never mind abdominal pain, makes him shudder, & not in a good way!

Psychedelics can make the user very sensitive to physical sensations, & the slightest twinge can provide the focus for a very uncomfortable experience (read bad trip). As has been stated, many trippers experience stomach cramps at some level, & A Certain Mouse has sat through some nasty trips with people as a result. Generally though it passes & is easily passed off as just part of the experience.

That said, if the tripper knows his body & his pain (if you know what I mean) then he could be ok, especially if he has found something that helps with the pain, & doesn't experience breakthrough pain once controlled. I would recommend doing a bit more research before allowing your friend to go through with this though.

MindNRA - 5ht* receptors are very much part of the serotonin system. There is no concrete evidence as to how LSD actually affects the brain, but research points towards action at one or more of the 5ht* receptors.

[Shampoo]

Originally Posted by eBagger

And idea about shrooms?

LSD and mushrooms both act as agonists of 5-HT-2A/C receptors, as well as other 5-HT (serotonin) receptors. In terms of peripheral activity outside of the CNS, their actions are comparable, though LSD is a bit more of a receptor-slut, in that it also acts as an agonist at some 5-HT1 autoreceptors, decreasing serotonin activity in these regions. Since serotonin is implicated in the slow-pain response mediation, its absence is likely to increase certain forms of pain, like those described by your friend.

By the way, there is a pretty significant library of evidence pointing to the actions of LSD at the 5-HT receptors and specific subtypes. It is not the mystery people make it out to be, but actually quite a well documented structure-activity relationship (SAR). For more information on this SAR, please see many of the documents in the archives, or ask me for more information and I can point you in some interesting directions.