Everytime I have taken mushrooms (& LSD) the headaches and bodyload are very distracting to the trip. I have always thought of it as something I just have to deal with but the discomfort in my arms and head is particularly noticeable and bothersome.

It's almost like aches deep within the body and mind, along with a feeling like I should be sweating but I don't. Also the typical waves of nausea (ginger doesn't really help that much).

Is there anyway to minimize these feelings?

Make tea

I do.

Might I ask if you take time to clear your stomach before mushrooms or LSD? Usually if I take mushrooms only just after 2-4 hours after eating a meal, small or large, I'll notice some subtle headache during the onset and sometimes partially throughout the experience. However, if I don't eat for 6 hours or more before-hand, anything such as headaches are completely absent. I wouldn't know why this occurs, either. This is just my method and experience.

Other than that, usually some smoked cannabis does the trick quite well. I've never had herbal teas during these experiences. Only afterwards to help with my emotions, thoughts, energy etc.

Perhaps some increased vasodilation is needed? For that, mint tea can help alleviate any pains. Salvia divinorum can help facilitate sweating. Nothing big dosage wise.. just enough to help dampen any pain, possibly renew the experience and increase sweating. This will increase your pulse, though. You could also try an increased humid environment to help promote sweating, too.

Don't eat

I didn't have this problem with LSD when I once ate my belly full right after taking LSD, I think it depends on the person. You seem to be more sensitive to this so I'd recommend not eating (This was the only time I ever took food with a psychedelic, but the setting was positive, I was with someone looking after me so I don't think the food was a negative thing.) All the other times I've taken psychedelics I've taken them after not eating anything for at least 12 hours. Usually it's 12-48 hours.

If you're not used to not eating, I'd recommend a simple 12 hours. Anyone can go without food for 12 hours with ease

To me what you describe sounds psychological and I think you should find the root and address it. Like some kind of energy blockage, or holding on too hard to the body. I think I know the kind of symptoms you are talking about, and for me that is the cause. That is just my personal experience. But I do not think there should be any reason that something like LSD alone would cause these problems unless your brain allowed it to. What kind of arm discomfort are you experiencing?

I will try not eating for 12 hours next time, although I usually dose after not eating for a good few hours.



I'm doubtful brother, it is definitely physical and I am experienced enough to let go.

The discomfort like I said is in the form of aches, aches that I feel inside of my brain that I also feel in my arms but to a lesser degree. I have done mushrooms about 30 times and it has always been this way even in my best of trips, it is very similar with LSD.

I am thinking about taking a painkiller next time, like advil or something. I have never done this as I like to go in totally natural but we will see..

I noticed less nausea with liberty caps, so if you take cubes, maybe you should try some libs or maybe psilocybe or panaeolus cyanescens.
I found that semilanceata is much cleaner, and not so hard on my body as LSD.

To be honest I think the body load is just part of the experience with mushrooms, at least in my experience. Making a tea definitely helps, and I find that stretching/bodywork can be helpful for dealing with uncomfortable feelings and sensations.

There was another thread recently that was relevant.

Personally, I feel like tension occurs during psychedelic experiences because of the physiological nature of what these substances do to our bodies. Psychosomatic reasons could exacerbate things for sure, but in general I think bodily discomfort is just part of the package.

If I have any discomfort in my body, regardless of what plant or fungi I am working with, I will ask the plant or my own body what it is trying to tell me. People hold emotions and stress in their bodies, and some of my most healing moments started as a mental inquiry into the discomfort I felt on my journey.

Something else that works for me is singing to that part of my body. Often a body part will hurt, and then I will feel a song come out, and as I start singing it the pain will stop, but if I stop singing before the song is over the pain will return.... I even get sympathetic pains for others which I will sing to in myself sometimes - that's one way that I help clients in ceremony actually...

I agree body load can be useful and be a tool for letting us know about an issue. Some of it is avoidable. As far as eating affecting pain responses during a trip, I doubt that is the issue. Dosing on a full belly of non-optimal food can lead to stomach issues, but I doubt it would cause headaches or limb pain.

All psychedelics can induce strange physical sensation, but some of the common complaints people have when ingesting mushrooms like gastric upset and nausea are caused partially by the dried mushroom material being difficult for the body to digest combined with the heightened body awareness that comes with the psychedelic state. If you are making tea and find no relief, it is most likely either psychosomatic or your biology reacts in this specific way.

Headaches are the worst kind of body load IMO, they really distract from the experience. Nausea and strange sensation I can deal with, but headaches are a deal breaker for me. Other pains brought out might indicate a chronic issue. When I take a psychedelic, I am acutely aware of my body for the most part. I have a cacti spine in the cartilage of my elbow that makes itself known as soon as I get high, I am not constantly aware of it in a sober state. Also, I am much more aware of spots on my hands where I have lost sensation due to cuts or burns over time when tripping, this is pretty normal I would say.

What kind of doses are you taking?

Hydration before and after is key, I'm sure to get a headache if I'm not well hydrated. Lately ive been fasting before hand, except for water, this helps big time with stomach cramps, or as we use to call it in the old days "gut rot".

Are you staying well hydrated during your journeys?

edit: nemesauce beat me to it!

What species do you use Sky Motion?? I primarily use Pan cyans (predominantly the Hawaiian strain thus far) and find these mushrooms much smoother on the body than cubensis. So just as a thought it may be worth experimenting with different species to see if this changes your experience at all. Of all the mushroom species I have tried so far, I find cubensis to produce the most body load by far.

I will have to grow these when I get the chance, I have only ever used Cubes, and everytime I have had a similar bodyload with the headaches, it became such a regular phenomenon over the years that I never really thought about asking others how they feel or what they feel like on mushrooms. Same with LSD, very similar body load but feels more metallic in my mind if that makes sense.

I will try a good fast and more hydration beforehand although I am usually well hydrated.

What kind of physical feelings do you all experience on mushrooms and LSD?

Do you like yoga? Maybe stretching and yoga could help as well? Either before or during the comeup? I find L gives me so much energy that it can feel jittery at times and I feel compelled to stretch and walk around. I'm not very experienced with with shrooms but I haven't had discomfort from them. I did experience discomfort on morning glory/LSA but I found it dissipated once I was tripping.

I haven't done LSD in years, but I know exactly what you are talking about when you say metallic feeling, for me it was always a metal taste in my mouth, but I always felt pretty light.

Cubes some times give me stomach discomfort, sometimes they don't, I haven't found a sure fire way to avoid it all times, drinking tea minimizes this, but I usually drink the mushrooms as well, I get body load every time on the come up.

Hope this helps, I just take it as part of the trip and have gotten use to it.

My experience:

Mushrooms tend to bring out mental and emotional issues through the body as a kind of nauseaus bodyload with sweaty-tremor like symtoms.

So when I'm relaxed on those levels it tends to be ok and the symptoms are minimal, but if not I can fast whatever I want and still get it.