Severe headaches on comedown

[Jake24]

Does anyone else suffer from headaches as they come down from MDMA, on the night?

I've been taking it for about a year- a couple of times within a couple of weeks within each other, but mostly monthly or a few months apart. I don't suffer from any noticable comedown the days afterwards, and these headaches began on the 4th or 5th time I'd taken it. I should also add that no one else I have been with on any occasion has suffered similar problems, so I don't think it's anything it's been cut with. The last time was especially unpleasant, so much so that I don't want to do it again without a way to soften the unpleasantness at least.

I usually take a 1/4 of a gram in two doses, but I think I'm going to take a 1/8 and not re-dose next time. Also going to pre-load 5-htp. Is there anything else who people who may have experienced this could recommend?

 

[Nottamous]

First, don't pre-load with 5htp. This is a supplement for AFTER to help with recovery. Do a search here on BL for pre and post load supplements and you'll see lots of great advice.

As for your headaches there's just too many variables to be able for any of us to tell you exactly what's causing them. Could be utterly and totally unrelated to MDMA. Could be a food allergy (I have one that gives me headaches every time I eat a particular thing), another form of allergy, could be related to unfocused vision, could be an early symptom of mild dehydration, could be a caffeine withdraw headache, there are literally tons of things that could have caused or contributed to your headaches.

Personally I do not get headaches on a clean comedown but I have occasionally gotten them on comedowns from other substances.

What's your diet like? Do you normally have a lot of caffeine? Did you properly hydrate during your MDMA experience? Have you tested your substance and know it to be MDMA? How's your vision? Do you normally have healthy sleeping patterns?

The very basic and simplified rule of thumb is the healthier lifestyle you generally have the easier your comedown will be. Now granted this is very simplified and generic but you get the point

 

[Jake24]

I'm fairly certain that it's not dehydration, as I always properly hydrate during. I don't test my MDMA, but I on all these occasions I'm almost certain that the main component was MDMA.

I think one that seems most of viable out of those would be the vision-I suffer from extreme difficulty trying to focus on my phone when I'm up, so unfocused vision could be a factor. I don't think it's because of other substances because on one night I took something (foolishly) which someone else had bought, and which I most likely suspect was a pipezerine. Although it was pretty unspectacular, I didn't suffer any headache when the effects wore off, so it seems that my problem is related the effects of MDMA.

 

[Heh?!]

Yeah, I'd bet it was either the vision or dehydration. Kind of hard to say you hydrated properly when you have a symptom of dehydration. That's not to say you didn't try, I've had several rolls where I hydrated all through the night but it still wasn't quite enough. Just because you're hydrating doesn't mean you are getting enough hydration. It could also just be lack of sleep. Staying up all night on drugs does a number on your body, generally speaking.

Like Nott said, don't pre-load with 5-HTP and try alternating sports drinks and water for hydration.

 

[First Bad Comedown]

Serotonin influences blood flow in the brain to such an extent that it is VERY common for MDMA users to develop regions of LOW blood flow for weeks/months following each use. The decrease may only be 5-10 percent, but it is detectable on scans.
It is also common for these people to not notice the difference.

Sometimes blood flow is seen to INCREASE in the brains of MDMA users, and this is associated with anxiety/depression and the 're-wiring' of the brain. This can take many months or over a year to clear up.

Migraines are often thought to arise from the gut.
This is what the Chinese believe.
And there is plenty of evidence that migraines and cluster headeaches are caused by malfunction in the serotonin network, otherwise known as the brain-gut circuitry.

The night I developed serotonin syndrome, I had the WORST migraine of my entire life.
The slightest noise was extremely painful, and during the last year I have had several less severe events that also included sensitivity to sound. The first month was horrible - I couldn't stand being around noise.

Some people are much more sensitive to MDMA than others, developing anxiety, digestive difficulty, or headaches more quickly than their peers. You may be one of these people.

5-HTP may eliminate the headache as a POST load.
Pre-loading is a risk factor for Serotonin Syndrome, so don't do it.

Extremely healthy diet is recommended, since the contraction of the intestines drives much of the serotonin activity in the brain.
Lots of fluids, and some exercise would do you some good.
But make sure you are spacing your rolls by at least 3 months.
I cannot stress this enough.

Ignoring that advice may cause you severe consequences one day.
Good luck.

 

[llama112]

Make sure that you are drinking plenty water the days before you use MDMA as well. Personally, I drink plenty of water (I know the risks of too much water as well) but I never drink enough and I'm always dehydrated.
I get headaches often as well when I'm coming down. For me, I think it is between dehydration and jaw clenching. I grind my teeth like crazy and this can cause headaches as well.

 

[D n A]

I'd also agree that you are probably a little dehydrated. Also.. try spacing out your rolls more often. If you roll once every few months, it'll be easier on your brain than every week would be. In fact, regardless of headaches, you should try to do this. You'll be thankful in the long run!

 

[fakeplastictrees4]

I usually experience minor migraines after rolling, like right after. I'd say about 6 hours after i pop.
I get migraines frequently and they're tied in with serotonin.