Hey all,
I had my first really positive experience with 2cb recently, at 18mg (I think this was my 6th trial of 2cb). It was mildly disorienting and body-painful as it came on (first 1+hr), but settled into an interesting experience. This is described elsewhere.
I had a single mildly positive experience with 7.5mg 2cb and rue, but 2 were _negative_, bad body feel, headaches, low BP, and 2 were not positive at all.
My understanding of 2cb now:
1) Its effects can be subtle and vary significantly with trial (based on my and several other VPL'ers experiences). I've had the opportunity so far to only work with drit's tablets.
2) It seems to reduce my blood pressure to the point of getting motion-based headaches, as it comes on, as I come down, and for the next 24 hours. There have been two papers which have shown 2cb's bp dropping effects (I was told this after my last experience because I was talking about the bp lowering effects)... (Refs given at bottom)
3) For me and a couple people I've talked to, the initial stages of 2cb are quite hard and I realized on my last trial that I really needed to try to relax into the experience and let the body and mind hard stuff go by... headaches and other body discomforts are common.
4) There might even be a 'learning curve' with 2cb for some people. I'll have a better idea about this when I try it again (prolly not too soon). Another VPL'er has said that he needed several attempts before he was able to get through to something good.
On a personal note, my body has low BP normally. If 2cb lowers BP, I may be more prone to the negative effects of this than others. Is it possible that the rue + 2cb would increase BP to compensate for 2cb's action of relaxing the valves? For me, the next 24 hours after 2cb, I experience motion-sensitive headaches and get dizzy and vision-fadey when I stand up quickly. I associate this with low BP.
I am considering trying some BP increasing herbs with 2cb next time.. ?
Refs:
Saez, P. Borges Y. Gonzalez E, Cassels, BK (1994). Alpha-adrenergic and 5ht2-serotonergic effects of some beta phenethylamines on isolated rat thoracid aorta. Gen Pharm 1994,25,pp211-216. I apologize that I haven't read this, but was told by a reliable VPL'er that it discussed a relaxation in the aortic system.. and a drop in BP.
Lobos M, Borges Y, GonzalezE, Cassells BK (1992) the action of psychoactive drug 2cb on isolated rat thoarcic aorta, Gen Pharm 23, pp1139-1142)
