Health Chronic pain and tripping?

[ahint]

edit/tl;dr: Not looking for medical advice about my condition or advice around pain relief, asking for experiences tripping and whether pain brings on a bad trip, and mentally coping with pain whilst tripping.

Hey - I just wondered if there was anyone out there with chronic pain type issues who trips? Or doesn't trip because of the pain? I would really appreciate hearing any and all experiences around this!

In September last year I developed interstitial cystitis after covid - when it's fine I'm fine, but when it flares up it can be absolute agony and every ten minutes feels like hours, I really struggle to tolerate it. Thankfully I'm fine way, way more often than not now, and the lows are less low. I'm in physiotherapy and cautiously hopeful this won't be forever, it's already way more manageable than it was, but it's still really uncomfortable when it flares up. My urology doc told me it may be chronic though, and "very manageable" may be the best it gets.

I took a very small (sub-tripping) dose LSD, and it really set my bladder off, so that's out of the question for now I think. I did the same with a small dose of shrooms and my bladder seemed to tolerate it fine.

I'm on amitriptyline and I gather that there isn't much point trying to trip whilst taking it, but I'm slowly tapering the dose down, and hopefully I can come off it completely eventually. In general, though, I miss tripping, but I'm really frightened of being in pain (and experiencing the urinary urgency & frequency) whilst tripping, enough that I'm kind of cautious about tripping again.

Does anyone else have pain issues? Have you found a way to trip with pain? Or is it one of those things where it's just best to not trip (can a good set and setting ever be achieved with flare-and-recede pain?), and try to meet tripping-related needs in other ways?

 

[Arnold]

I take nearly a weekly dose of lsd or other psychedlic, mushroom/phenethylamine/ketamine for chronic back pain.

I get about four days of relief from that. It has already been proven that lsd will alter your pain perception.
I've spent thousands on chiropractors/osteopaths/naprapaths yet they only ever provided two day relief for me and anyone else I know who is in the sme boat.

It's a kinda no brainer for me.

 

[brokedownpalace10]

Psychedelics have enabled me to reduce my reaction to chronic neck pain. That being said, that aspect of it was not a magic bullet, but it did help.
Cringing from pain makes it worse.

OTOH, and not related to you, muscles spasms are a part of my issues and psychedelics also helped me relax and pinpoint them.

 

[ahint]

I take nearly a weekly dose of lsd or other psychedlic, mushroom/phenethylamine/ketamine for chronic back pain.

I get about four days of relief from that. It has already been proven that lsd will alter your pain perception.
I've spent thousands on chiropractors/osteopaths/naprapaths yet they only ever provided two day relief for me and anyone else I know who is in the sme boat.

It's a kinda no brainer for me.

LSD really set off my bladder, but I'm definitely considering shrooms again. I'm glad that it seems like psychedelics might help pain, I'm glad it hasn't just sent you into a bad trip.

Psychedelics have enabled me to reduce my reaction to chronic neck pain. That being said, that aspect of it was not a magic bullet, but it did help.
Cringing from pain makes it worse.

OTOH, and not related to you, muscles spasms are a part of my issues and psychedelics also helped me relax and pinpoint them.

My issues might be muscular! My physio says my pelvic floor muscles are super tight/basically in a permanent kegel. Thanks for the advice about cringeing from pain, I definitely fight it when it's flaring up. I'm glad psychedelics helped you rather than just making things more intolerable.

 

[Mr. Krinkle]

i piss my brains out on LSD for some reason - i've always wondered why - i drink a lot of water too - but i do that because im pissing so much and im wondering if i might get dehydrated - but then again, i also always feel great after a big gulp of water - so idk

but i can totally see that being a problem with a condition like interstitial cystitis

as far as knocking out other types of nagging pain, i would agree that lsd does relieve some of that or it at least makes it more manageable in my experience

 

[ageingpartyfiend]

I have pain issues and was having a medium -pain day last two times I've tripped (actual 250ug and 200ug doses lsd)

Both times I was slightly anxious that the pain would negatively affect the trip (moreso the first time), but I wasn't aware of the pain at all until 12 hours or so into it and even then it was no problem.

Seemed to have a positive impact on pain levels for 3 or 4 days afterwards too

 

[ahint]

Thankyou so so much for these responses, it's really useful to hear about other experiences with this (I definitely expected pain = bad trip rather than tripping = possibly better pain tolerance). As soon as I'm either off the amitriptyline, or have found a minimum effective dose, I am definitely going to try a full shrooms trip again on a low pain day.

 

[cgdon]

indiana pouch for interstitial cystitis / painfull bladder syndrome after failed multiple treatments ( hydrodistention , botox , pelvic floor therapy , medication )
normal bladder hydrodistention
bladder capacity under anesthesia 350 ml
/ no hunner
urodynamics small bladder capacity 70ml with urgency / pain
before surgery 24/7 urgency and +20 times frequency.

pain not resolve with surgery because of neuropathic pain and pelvic floor dysfunction + pain in continent urinairy pouch.

 

[fastandbulbous]

LSD has been shown to be more effective than morphine, as a painkiller, for certain pains. I think it would work for phantom limb pain, as it causes distortion/hallucinations of proprioception. The other drugs that are effective are cannabis and NMDA antagonists, both of which cause proprioception hallucinations. Only thing is, the idea of taking LSD to treat phantom limb pain has the chance of going horribly wrong...

 

[ahint]

LSD has been shown to be more effective than morphine, as a painkiller, for certain pains. I think it would work for phantom limb pain, as it causes distortion/hallucinations of proprioception. The other drugs that are effective are cannabis and NMDA antagonists, both of which cause proprioception hallucinations. Only thing is, the idea of taking LSD to treat phantom limb pain has the chance of going horribly wrong...

The pain I experience is a bit weird - morphine doesn’t work either. It’s like the feeling when you’ve been unable to use the bathroom for 12 hours and your bladder is painfully full to bursting with intense pressure, and you need to go *now*? It’s like that but urinating doesn’t take the feeling away. For some reason LSD (a microdose, anyway) seems to make it worse.

 

[fastandbulbous]

If morphine does fuck all, it's probable it's neuropathic type pain. Is the bladder pain a result of ketamine abuse, in the past?

 

[porkstock]

A way different type of pain, but I managed to take LSD while camping with a broken hand in a cast. I was worried about it beforehand, but the pain didn't really bother me during the trip.

 

[SpiralusSancti]

I get more aware of causes of my pain and generally my bodies condition and what I should do to improve my wellbeing. I also can in a sense measure in how good condition is my body by amount of body-load I experience. In a bad condition even stuff not known for causing bad body load tends to do so at least at come up while if I’m in a good health even stuff usually labeled as causing a lot of body load hardly does so in normal doses, ofc there are exceptions to both cases.

 

[ahint]

If morphine does fuck all, it's probable it's neuropathic type pain. Is the bladder pain a result of ketamine abuse, in the past?

No, no ketamine abuse! I've snorted a line of ket twice in my life. One part of the equation is tight pelvic floor muscles - my physio explained it as my pelvic floor muscles being in a permanent state of kegel, along with transiently dipping positive for leucocytes (correlated with pain episodes) but sans any actual infection being picked up by culture. Interstitial cystitis is a strange beast. It all came on the same week I got covid. Medical professionals are on it.

 

[brokedownpalace10]

No, no ketamine abuse! I've snorted a line of ket twice in my life. One part of the equation is tight pelvic floor muscles - my physio explained it as my pelvic floor muscles being in a permanent state of kegel, along with transiently dipping positive for leucocytes (correlated with pain episodes) but sans any actual infection being picked up by culture. Interstitial cystitis is a strange beast. It all came on the same week I got covid. Medical professionals are on it.

Just read a little about that one. That sucks. Sorry you have to do this. Covid is weird for sure. When it rampaged through our street 80% of cases were mild, but over half of those mild cases had long term effects. Only one guy still having issues a little over a year later, though.

I was lucky and just got knocked way down for a week, two more weeks to recover, then all good.

 

[Dextro .45]

I’ve got chronic pain since age 25 (40 now)

Opioid analgesic medications reign supreme….but unfortunately have a cluster f@ck of negative outcomes, tolerance, dependence (addiction), natural hormone suppression, mental & cognitive impairment, decreased vigilance, etc

I take long acting daily Methadone 80mg in morning plus a 25mg after dinner when condition flares up

Cannabis THC/CBD have great analgesic properties
Pregabalin (Lyrica) is also useful
Ketamine is a valuable tool, analgesic, antidepressant, NMDA antagonist, dopamine & opioid activities
Methylphenidate (Ritalin) & Amphetamines have amazing synergetic effects with opioids
NSAID anti-inflammatory medications for you specifically (rough on the GI tract & stomach)
Low-dose benzodiazepine (Diazepam 5mg) as needed

You should be speaking to several specialist referred by your family doctor….that know everything about your specific condition and suitable treatment.

I take 100ug of LSD-25 every Saturday morning as I have the place to myself, GF at work until 6pm …..LSD is such a CLEAN amazing molecule, with its added dopaminergic properties to boot (unlike Psilocybin/magic mushrooms). We went to the Royal Botanical Garden together in the summer, rock garden, felt like I was literally in heaven, Adam & Eve, Mother Nature, animals everywhere, overwhelming beauty everywhere you look, on a tab of quality LSD it was an incredible sunny Sunday

LSD does have its own unique analgesic properties….obviously it significantly helps to have a potent mu-opioid agonist in your system while you place that tab under your tongue lol

I absolutely LOVE LSD…..summmer at the cottage, waterfront bbq, swimming, boating, surrounded by breathtaking beauty everywhere, free from Mother Nature and the Sun….caressing you with it’s beautiful rays of energy

God bless

 

[ahint]

I’ve got chronic pain since age 25 (40 now)

Opioid analgesic medications reign supreme….but unfortunately have a cluster f@ck of negative outcomes, tolerance, dependence (addiction), natural hormone suppression, mental & cognitive impairment, decreased vigilance, etc

I take long acting daily Methadone 80mg in morning plus a 25mg after dinner when condition flares up

Cannabis THC/CBD have great analgesic properties
Pregabalin (Lyrica) is also useful
Ketamine is a valuable tool, analgesic, antidepressant, NMDA antagonist, dopamine & opioid activities
Methylphenidate (Ritalin) & Amphetamines have amazing synergetic effects with opioids
NSAID anti-inflammatory medications for you specifically (rough on the GI tract & stomach)
Low-dose benzodiazepine (Diazepam 5mg) as needed

You should be speaking to several specialist referred by your family doctor….that know everything about your specific condition and suitable treatment.

I take 100ug of LSD-25 every Saturday morning as I have the place to myself, GF at work until 6pm …..LSD is such a CLEAN amazing molecule, with its added dopaminergic properties to boot (unlike Psilocybin/magic mushrooms). We went to the Royal Botanical Garden together in the summer, rock garden, felt like I was literally in heaven, Adam & Eve, Mother Nature, animals everywhere, overwhelming beauty everywhere you look, on a tab of quality LSD it was an incredible sunny Sunday

LSD does have its own unique analgesic properties….obviously it significantly helps to have a potent mu-opioid agonist in your system while you place that tab under your tongue lol

I absolutely LOVE LSD…..summmer at the cottage, waterfront bbq, swimming, boating, surrounded by breathtaking beauty everywhere, free from Mother Nature and the Sun….caressing you with it’s beautiful rays of energy

God bless

Whilst I am so, so appreciative of the intent, I'm doing everything within my ability to get a handle on my condition, it has already improved since it began, and I have looked into many things! I'm in the UK and don't have the option of seeing multiple specialists - it took me six months to be able to see one! Opioids do nothing and I would be very reluctant to touch ketamine with a bladder condition.

I am specifically looking for experiences tripping and advice/experiences/etc about the trip itself when dealing with any kind of chronic discomfort. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for your, and other people in this threads, kindness, so I really hope I don't sound ungrateful, but I am specifically looking for experiences of tripping (specifically, does pain send people into a bad trip? how to mentally deal with discomfort during tripping? is it a good idea? etc, etc), rather than advice on my medical condition itself, which I'm finding a bit unwelcome. (But again, I have absolutely no ill will against anybody offering it and I know it has all been offered in good faith, and I hope I haven't been rude.)

 

[brokedownpalace10]

Whilst I am so, so appreciative of the intent, I'm doing everything within my ability to get a handle on my condition, it has already improved since it began, and I have looked into many things! I'm in the UK and don't have the option of seeing multiple specialists - it took me six months to be able to see one! Opioids do nothing and I would be very reluctant to touch ketamine with a bladder condition.

I am specifically looking for experiences tripping and advice/experiences/etc about the trip itself when dealing with any kind of chronic discomfort. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for your, and other people in this threads, kindness, so I really hope I don't sound ungrateful, but I am specifically looking for experiences of tripping (specifically, does pain send people into a bad trip? how to mentally deal with discomfort during tripping? is it a good idea? etc, etc), rather than advice on my medical condition itself, which I'm finding a bit unwelcome. (But again, I have absolutely no ill will against anybody offering it and I know it has all been offered in good faith, and I hope I haven't been rude.)

I'm not a medical expert, and I'm not a psychedelic expert, but I'm wondering if tripping might be good for your pain if you tripped specifically to work on your pain.
Declare intent to yourself before the trip and as it comes up to face your pain head on. I don't mean to fight it. Get over it by relaxing and going through it, embracing it, working on getting in touch with the tense muscles and pinpointing them exactly to relax them.

Maybe just having a normal trip doing normal trip things might indeed be hard since your pain might be quite distracting.
However, if you've dedicated a trip or two to helping yourself deal with it, then normal trip stuff might be possible indeed.

I purposely did a lot of "maybe" and "might" up there. These are just the random thoughts of an unkempt mind and YMMV.

Just thoughts. Good luck.
Don't let it take "you" away. If you can keep yourself (mostly) for your people, and for yourself, you're a hero, remember that. You're not weak, you're not broken, you're a warrior and a hero.

 

[simstim]

I have taken mdma with a broken toe/foot.

I stubbed my toe and it swelled up and turned purple. I kind of just did it so I could say I had rolled with a broken bone.


Mdma isn't a great pain reliever.

 

[Hexagon Sun]

Not sure if it will work for you but green tea does wonders for my bladder. I dont know the exact mechanism but it is somehow bladder friendly/curative. You loose nothing for trying. Brew 2 or 3 green teas and drink peacefully on your crises days and tell us if it worked. Maybe you could help other people this way