MAOI

[apothecary]

Hi guys,

Are there any naturally occuring conditions that would cause symptoms similar to serotonin syndrome on ingestion of a MAO inhibitor?

I guess I mean similar to allergies and stuff.

I don't get very powerful effects from MDMA pills that others claim to be quite strong, I get powerfully painful headaches after Psilocybian mushrooms, etc. This sort of leads me to believe there might be something wrong with my head, and I'd just like to make sure

[mescalito]

Didn't know MDMA or shrooms were an MAOI... :confused:

[apothecary]

Both are serotonin related, and I figured any maoi complications may arise from that general area, thought it may be worth mentioning.

[mescalito]

Hehe...I've been in hibernation for a while and wanted to have a dig

My advice stay off the chems and stick with nature.Who knows if your getting MDMA instead of just a speed trip anyway?

A friend of mine was telling me recently of his mate who ate 70grams wet cubes and got NOTHING , when I asked him about this blokes habits he told me he pours dirty pills down his throat all the time!

YUK convinced me to stay chem free anyway.

[Torsten]

not getting decent effects from MDMA has one of two causes or a combination there of. Assuming you are not taking SSRI's, you either have low serotonin levels or high MAO levels. The fact that you react badly to shrooms indicates the former.

I am not sure what your question is aimed at though. Are you considering taking a MAOI without anything else, but were worried about having an existing condition that might trigger serotonin syndrome?

[apothecary]

Not taking SSRIs except the occasional smoke or snuff of some sceletium (not too often right now). I don't actually react badly during the shroom trip apart from nausea, after it though is a different matter.

If it wasn't illegal, I might be considering taking the maoi with something else. I just was curious if MAOI could possibly trigger anything due to such conditions as low serotonin or other chemical imbalances... i.e. if it could be dangerous without me realising it.

EDIT: Is it possible to test for high MAO levels? Can I like, take some DMT or something and see if I trip?

[ 13. July 2005, 13:52: Message edited by: apothecary ]

[Torsten]

One way to test for MAO levels is to work out at what dosage of Peganum harmala you are fully inhibited (ie where 30mg of dmt will last 3-5 hours).

This obviously takes a few weekends and would not be legal in australia.

Low serotonin means you are further away from serotonin syndrome than most others, so you are less likely to encoutner such problems. The issue with MAOI in low serotonin individuals is more to do with the anxiety and other negative effects they might get from the MAOI or any combination they might take. Some of these symptoms may even be falsely thought of as serotonin syndrome.

Keep in mind that MAO levels rise for a day or more after taking amine drugs or from excessive neurotransmitter release such as stress, sex and endurance/extreme sports.

[occidentalis]

Torsten:

Keep in mind that MAO levels rise for a day or more after taking amine drugs or from excessive neurotransmitter release such as stress, sex and endurance/extreme sports.

Does that mean that people under a lot stress in their lives generally or people having regular sex have higher MAO levels than everyone else (the relaxed but frustrated folk ) or does MAO production adjust after a while?

[Torsten]

it doesn't adjust to stress and sport, but it may adjust to regular sex (I learnt very early that sex and strong psychedelics are not compatible - especially when you are easily distratced ). I don't see why it would though as the mechanism is the same - too many monoamines floating about, hence more MAO needed to keep things in order.

[bsm2wr]

It is more likely that the putative MDMA pills were not 'good' rather than your head/NT system.