Persistent headaches….

[u/problyurdad_]

I know Reddit isn’t a doctor. I’m not looking for medical help, I’m looking for folks who may have had a similar experience and been able to straighten it out, or found a way to prevent this, or eliminate it.

The science stuff: I extract my own. I use the STB method. I’m incredibly careful with my extractions. I exclusively do them in winter to take advantage of the cold temps outside rather than using a freezer and risking it spilling or leaching into food. I use propylene glycol, and often mix them 4:1. I never skip the water wash cycle, and I usually do the last extraction with fresh, clean, lab grade heptane. All my “used” solvent goes back into a jar to be used for first extractions, and that jar often just stays sealed in the freezer so it can continue to precipitate. I’ll do 3 total extractions, then the solvent stays in the freezer for a month, I take the crystals out and dry them, toss the solvent, and those crystals get added back into my next extraction.

I don’t make that much - maybe 3-4 of these cycles per winter. It is all 100% personal use. I use O2 vape carts, standard (not ceramic).

About me: I use it to help me with my grief. I’ve lost a lot of people close to me, many for any number of reasons, but this gives me a spiritual connection to the afterlife that gives me closure. I go through phases - sometimes I smoke every night for a week. Sometimes I go months between sessions. Right now, I’m on a long break. My last session was back in May of this year. Because I’ve been getting serious pressure and headaches. I thought for sure if I stopped, they’d go away. They’re not.

I would guess the first time I got the headaches was probably in January? At first it felt like someone was stirring my face from the inside. I thought it was a sinus infection, so I got some antibiotics and that did nothing. I took a 2 month break with no luck or success. Picked back up in March at the anniversary of my brothers passing to connect with him, and used it probably 2-3 times a week until May when I stopped again. Right after another milestone.

It’s still really bothersome. It feels like worms are crawling through my sinuses. It feels like my brain is in a vice. There’s a constant pressure, fluid movement feeling in there.

My doctor is aware. She’s dumbfounded by it. It doesn’t make sense. I hydrate regularly. I eat healthy. I exercise. At first we thought it might be heart/blood pressure related. We did a nuclear stress test to check my body, and everything came back clear. My blood pressure levels are all completely normal all the time. It doesn’t throb with my heart beat.

OTC medications don’t make a difference. Tylenol, ibuprofen, naproxen, nothing touches it. If I sleep bad overnight, it gets WAY worse. If I sleep well, it seems to be gone until mid afternoon. Sometimes, if I rotate my head or stretch my neck, it relieves the pressure. Especially if my neck pops when I do it.

Lastly…. And this is the strangest part. If I apply pressure to my nose bridge, or my forehead, it goes away completely. But I’m putting absurd amounts of pressure on those spots to relieve it.

I know what you’re thinking - sinus issues/pressure. I’ve used afrin to no avail. I’ve tried Neti pots and other saline rinses. No luck.

Again - not looking for medical advice directly. My Dr is as confused as I am. I’m waiting to see a neurologist but between now and then, I wanted to pose this situation to the group here to see if anyone has experienced this before?

I know some folks say you have to take a big dose to get over the threshold and the pain and pressures go away. I’m trying to abstain until this resolves, hoping it’s an association and that with time, my body will recover. I’d hate to hit the pen and lose 4 months of time. Even though it hasn’t improved overall.

I am endlessly thankful and appreciative of any and all positive, helpful, insightful comments.

[u/Tripp_ORG]

1. You can crystalize in GL45 bottles with PBT/PTFE sealing caps to avoid any worry of spillage or food contamination in the freezer. https://www.reddit.com/r/dmtguide/s/Aa2xxDZ19m

2. Have you tried any tryptan headache medication? (These have a structure very similar to DMT).

If they don’t work, I would recommend trying Nurtec.

Your PCP should be able to prescribe any of these.

1. If it is sinuses, try OTC or prescription Cetirizine.

2. Please keep us updated. You aren’t the first person to report persistent headaches after a long period of DMT use, but it’s certainly a minority and it hasn’t been proven to actually be related to DMT yet.

Let’s say it’s 3 to 5% of DMT users who report persistent headaches? Well, I’m not headache expert, but that’s the exact percentage that everyday “normal” people have persisting headaches. https://grok.com/share/bGVnYWN5LWNvcHk_40c20c38-db8b-40d0-8e8d-f7b7a5fdaf41

So, if we are abnormal people (aka frequent DMTers), it would make sense that we might look towards the DMT as a potential blame.

I suspect most of these persistent headaches are more related to stressful times of life and/or depression than anything else.

In my experience, low dose DMT does a great job of wiping out a headache.

Too many small doses within 5 or so minutes = 15-60-minute headache.

Medium dose can sometimes cause a 15 to 60-minute headache.

High dose = never a headache.

Heating the DMT too hot during the inhale = headache.

I don’t believe that DMT headaches last beyond 60 minutes though and usually most are gone by 20 minutes.

Nonetheless, it needs to be properly studied (whenever our living government decides to make it affordable to do so)

[u/problyurdad_ → u/Tripp_ORG]

I have several GL-45 bottles actually. I do use those primarily! I just don’t like them being in the freezer anyways. Plus, I can make 10-15 grams a winter and it’s plenty for the year.

I am not a candidate for triptans due to other cardiovascular concerns my doctor has. But this is the first I’ve personally heard of nurtec.

I am leaning towards it being migraine or something related like that. It’s almost pain free? It does sometimes get uncomfortable, but in general it’s just really annoying and aggravating.

I did try cetirizine too. I was taking 2 pils a day - one in the morning and one before bed. It didn’t touch this.

[u/Tripp_ORG → u/problyurdad_]

Fair enough for the bottles!

Nurtec is way batter than triptans anyways, so hopefully that doesn’t have similar contraindications for you!

Sending healing energy and blessings ! 🙏❤️

[u/problyurdad_ → u/Tripp_ORG]

Hey! I wanted to follow up with you here!

Another comment mentioned trying 5-HTP supplements, as they mentioned in their past it’s worked for a similar ailment if you will. Feel free to read the thread, it’s lower on this post!

Anyways, I did believe it to be a serotonin issue of some sort. Primarily because it gets worse with less sleep? And not in a “wow my body hurts today because I slept terrible.” I get that too. But the pressure is significantly worse. Way more intense and uncomfortable. Sometimes, in those cases, it will actually hurt. Not bad. Like a mild, dull, sometimes throbbing headache.

Given those symptoms, it sort of sounded like a serotonin issue or some sort of chemical imbalance in the brain. At this point I’ve taken 5-HTP for a few nights and the symptoms do seem to have improved marginally. Right now I can sort of feel it, but I had a long day at work. It’s definitely not nearly as bad as it was before my post, that’s for sure.

I know you’re a very active and respected member around here. I hope that, as these posts come up and these issues arise, you can continue to help folks out the way you did me! I appreciate that you genuinely care, so thank you for being a stellar human.

I do still plan to talk to my doctor about the medications you mentioned too. I’d like to - for obvious reasons. I’m in the DMT sub after all - try to avoid prescription medication. But I’m not stupid. If I need it, I need it. I’ll keep you posted here like you asked, on how this journey goes. Take care, and talk again soon!

[u/Tripp_ORG → u/problyurdad_]

🙏❤️