Hi there,
I am new and I would like to share with you my bad experience in consuming Ayahuasca.
Two weeks ago I went with my partner; I am 50 in in my 30 I had good experience with sometimes smoking grass.
This experience was very difficult. Most of the people started feeling good after 20 minutes, while it took me longer... probably I was the last 'effected'. All started ok... relaxing feeling, heavy feeling and interesting patterns.. Then I felt some sort of a pain in my chest... felt also pain in my heart. This pain set me on a very bad trip. I was thinking I am going to die. The question I brought to the retreat was related to my chronic back pain … I wanted to know what I need to do so I can reduce the pain… While I agony I was asking myself about the chronic pain… but I was struggling to relax on the dyeing fear. Well, chronic pain is not the worst thing I could die. Was the only answer I managed to get. My partner was relaxed and giggling from time to time… I looked around to see all of us … I realised that everybody took Ayahuasca and that in case of emergency nobody could help me… my thoughts went even further I was blaming myself why I didn’t research about Ayahuasca before I came here… now dangerous it is. I appear to be so naïve to myself. I had even a picture of my body left in the forest and that everybody left and it will be dangerous to report my death. I kept repeating myself that this is going to pass soon… it was almost 2 hours when the new round of Ayahuasca came that I felt better and in this world. I didn’t dare of trying the second helpings, but left sitting and wondering why I had such a bad experience. I felt very lonely with my odd experience… Particularly in the morning when all of us were ‘awake’. I was the only one with the bad trip.
I am not scared of dying and I am not sure if I have a heart condition (will check with my GP) I only know that I very often feel different and odd and wonder how this experience could have happened? Any thoughts good people? I am curious to hear some comments and sprinkles from your fountains of wisdom.
Thanks.
Gloria

Ayahuasca can cause some cardio instability, very rarely is this more than just a passing event. I also experience some strange sensations sometimes when using these substances.

Have you ever experienced heart pain before? These medicines can really mess with one's mind. Where you imagine heart pain to be and where heart pain actually occurs may not even be the same place. Heart pain is generally right in the center of your chest, not to one side as is commonly preconceived.

I have experienced myself and read more than one trip report where people have perceived cardiac pain and feared death. Then on accepting that they may die and that they are powerless to do anything about it have instantly had a lessening of the symptoms and enjoyed the rest of their experience. I am not saying that what you experienced was imaginary, just that it is common and may not have been a real representation of what was happening with you physically. Panic is common when you first use these medicines, I have experienced that too. Fighting the medicine's effect can cause anxiety. I think, from what you have written, you may have experienced that to a greater extent.

Every single experience with these medicines is unique. Even to the person taking them. It is never the same twice. Do not try to compare your experience to others. For people who do it more often it becomes difficult to compare their own experiences with their own.

All that said DMT is contraindicated with people with serious heart conditions as it can be quite a workout for it, but no more than any other moderately strenuous exercise. A checkup is definitely worth it if you are concerned. But I would not worry unduly.

People say they are not scared of dying, but when the moment comes and you think "this is it, I am going to die right now" fear is much harder to control than previously imagined. The reality of the experience is much harsher than the preconception. It's funny how much we really know ourselves when faced with situations out of the ordinary.

I wish you the best in your healing time and hope you reconcile your experience well. Do take the time to think about and integrate what you experienced, don't just try and forget about it. Even harsh experiences like you had are great teachers if we take the time to truly examine what we were thinking and why.

Wishing you warmest light.

It's important for you to understand that ayahuasca is not the only way to explore other states of consciousness. Personally I don't believe Aya is any better than mushrooms or lsd. To be completely honest with you I think mushrooms and lsd are better for long trips. I don't believe that vomiting or diarrhea is good for anyone. If you want to explore with dmt I would try vaporizing freebase dmt. It's much cleaner and Less stressful on the body. Mushrooms and lsd are also a great way to explore. Start off with low doses and work your way up. I'm sorry you had a bad trip. This is only my opinion so do a lot of research before you decide to explore again.

@Shenmue - Or one could try oral DMT with Moclobemide (no nausea/vomiting/diarrhea), vaping DMT is such a waste compared to oral DMT. Though for me personally, oral DMT/Aya is better than mushrooms (i find i respond better to DMT compared to Psilocin) and DMT is definitely better than LSD (i don't particularly like LSD so far).

I've experienced what seemed like a piercing in my chest during DMT trips it wasn't intense, just concerning. And it was in the left side of my chest where I thought my heart was, so it's interesting (and refreshing) to hear that heart pain is in the center of the heart.

Hey Gloria, sorry you had a bad first experience. I have had that exact feeling on MDMA/Ecstasy, as well as psilocybin, so I know how bad that can be. I recently tried straight DMT for the first time, which is a major component of Ayahuasca, and I can tell you that my body heated up and my heart and body felt very very heavy as part of an excellent journey.

Those people having fun around you is your major sign that you were unconsciously fighting the experience. With Ayahuasca, LSD and mushrooms, you can’t just snap yourself out of it, nor should you ever expect to. Before you trip in the hours and days and weeks leading up to it, practice breathing. Practice expressions of love to those around you. Practice focusing on the good in your life. Eat well. Exercise well. Bring that calmness and strength of your own life experience to the trip.

Definitely go to a doc and make sure you don’t have any heart condition, but this most likely was just a bad trip that all of us have gone thru at one time or another. And I have had horrible sciatica in the past (it’s still there). I would have to crawl out of bed and have a roomate help me up so I could go to the bathroom. I can tell you that the best thing for back pain is exercise and core strengthening. I do a program called TapoutXT for 3 months out of the year and it does wonders for back pain, as there is none!

Have you had any further insights or thoughts now that you’re a couple more days between you and your experience?