The Downside of Psychedelics Episode

[devonrexcatz]

Hi there

I have been a user of LSD over the last few years and the benefits have been tremendous. However, as Leo stated, ringing in the ears can occur and I experience this on a regular basis now. What I mainly want to highlight here though, is a situation which required a medical emergency following an LSD trip. 

After waking late one morning after a trip I had taken the previous day, I lacked vision in my right eye. An optometrist immediately diagnosed a 'retina detachment' and I was hospitalised immediately whereby emergency microsurgery luckily repaired my vision. I now suffer from constant cateracts on that eye and I cannot drive at night. 

It is not medically clear what actually caused the detachment and I certainly didn't want to reveal to hospital staff I was an LSD user. It couldn't be verified, in other words, that LSD caused it. What they did ask though was, 'have you taken anything that may have spiked your blood pressure?' So there's the potential clue/possibility. I still take trips but less often and in much lower doses. 

Much love

Belinda

[Leo Gura]

Perhaps your LSD was impure or not real LSD.

The notion that LSD would detach your retina sounds pretty absurd to me.

But, hey, we all got different genetics.

LSD also doesn't raise blood pressure as far as I know. Of course if you are freaking out, that might raise your blood pressure, but it's possible to trip very calmly. The psychedelic itself don't cause it.

[4201]

I am sorry to hear this.

According to this paper: https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/ajp.114.4.309

LSD seems to induce a small change in blood pressure. Shrooms as well: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/BF00408109.pdf

The studies have been done on volunteers so the change in blood pressure could possibly be caused by stress caused by the experience rather than the substance itself (honestly quite likely since there are no reason those compounds would affect blood pressure otherwise).

Cataracts do seem to be related to high blood pressure as well. It would be perfectly reasonable to ditch psychedelics if they cause too much stress for your body to handle. I would imagine putting the body in high stress situations is increasingly unhealthy as we age.

All of that being said I am not a doctor.

And it is entirely possible for you to reach enlightenment sober. Psychedelics are not a necessity although they can be convenient.

 

Edited July 26, 2021 by 4201

[Nahm]

@devonrexcatz

Let go of stress, worry, tension, stubbornness, ‘strong headedness’ and unwillingness to see & listen to the guidance of feeling, much more & more subtly.  Take seriously bringing more self, as in bodymind, care into your life by scheduling experiences of relaxation & well being. Simple things like a massage or reiki for example. There’s a million ways to stoke the creativity. 

[Vynce]

Leo also talked about how you could even get a psychedelic indused tinnitus. I have this condition since about 6 years, and my tinnitus even decreased since im meditating/doing psychedelics. However this "visual tinnitus" or visual snow increased with the trips. Interestingly during the trips its totally gone. Only after a few days it comes up again. Sometimes annoyingly bad, but sometimes just subtle. 

[Corpus]

LSD and other ergot derivatives have a pressor effect which produces a degree of vasoconstriction; if one is not sufficiently relaxed this will cause the BP to rise. However, a transient mild BP rise would not typically detach ones retina unless there are other co-existent conditions.

[Blackhawk]

I don't know about USA, but the country where I live.. If you tell the hospital staff that you have taken drugs, they wont report it to the police.

And one time when I had a bad trip, the police came inside my home while I was tripping balls, and my home was full of drugs, and they knew it, but since it was a medical emergency they didn't care about the drugs at all, they just drove me to the psych ward.

Edited July 26, 2021 by Blackhawk

[4201]

2 hours ago, Blackhawk said:

I don't know about USA, but the country where I live.. If you tell the hospital staff that you have taken drugs, they wont report it to the police.

And one time when I had a bad trip, the police came inside my home while I was tripping balls, and my home was full of drugs, and they knew it, but since it was a medical emergency they didn't care about the drugs at all, they just drove me to the psych ward.

Same in Canada but OP seems to be in Australia, no idea how drug friendly they are there.

[devonrexcatz]

The case for the LSD being impure is quite strong... It's been mentioned to me a few times over the years that the acid here in Australia isn't the same as it used to be and is tainted with a 'speed' component. Personally, I wouldn't know. 

It is also possible I may have been somewhat overexcited at some point during the trip but I honestly can't remember now. At no time was I terrified or hysterical...I'd remember that. 

The decision to not tell hospital staff about the LSD was based on the possibility that I may have been required to be reviewed psychologically...perhaps even admitted to the psych ward which was definitely not warranted. No thanks!

My LSD use is limited these days but a dabble every now and then is refreshing. It was one of my life's greatest discoveries. 

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply to this post and supply links, etc. Much appreciated! 

Much love

Belinda