I was the person mentioned in a
previous 5-MeO-DMT report that was originally published in
The Entheogen Review in 1999, some eight weeks after the event took place.
Some 10 years later, I am following up on this.
At the time the first account was written, I was not to know that I would continue to have severe symptoms, that continued for some SIX years! To this day I still have some breathing problems, albeit very mild ones, and carry an inhaler everywhere.
The panic attacks, breathing problems and vertigo continued, as did the high blood pressure. I had persistent upper respiratory infections, requiring two rounds of antibiotics, and my doctor referred me to a respiratory specialist, who prescribed various medications. Several months later, while staying with a friend, my breathing worsened and my friend took me to the emergency room where I received a nebuliser treatment and a prescription for prednisone. All together I must have spent several thousand dollars in medical fees. (I did not have insurance).
I continued to take Klonopin every few hours and if I woke up in the night, to keep the panic attacks at bay. I was working as a caterer and had to accept jobs. It was very difficult to maintain stamina and I had to rely on staff as I tended to collapse half way through a job. When I did not have to work, all I could do was rest at home and I remember feeling so weak that I could not even consider taking the garbage out, and I had to wait until I felt I could walk down stairs and out of the apartment building to the dumpster.
Reading the original account, I realise that it did not say that as soon as I inhaled the substance, within about 3 seconds, there was a huge bang in my head, which I likened to a bomb going off, and that is the last thing I remember until I came round, wheezing loudly and completely disoriented.
I gradually phased out the Klonopin over 2 years or so, but still had to take it occasionally. I have no idea where I went when I was out, but I feel as if I had a near-death experience and that I may have stopped breathing for an instant. For a long time, I was frightened that I would never recover. I am very grateful to be as well as I am now and after some time, I was able to work therapeutically with MDMA to process the experience.
I am all in favor of adventure and experimentation, but I feel that the importance of appropriate dosage cannot be stressed enough. More is not necessarily better!
