She had mistaken the substance for cocaine and ingested roughly 550 times the normal recreational dose of 100 micrograms. The intense effects lasted 34 hours but resulted in the complete elimination of her pain the following day and a dramatic shift away from her daily morphine use. She had relied on opioid painkillers for approximately 10 years prior to manage the lasting damage from an infection contracted in her early twenties.
The woman shared a residence with a roommate who kept a small bottle of the white powder. Believing it to be cocaine she insufflated a single line through her nose. Realizing the error almost immediately she contacted the roommate who confirmed the identity of the substance by checking the remaining quantity in the container. No purchase was involved as the powder was already present in the home.
Vomiting started within the first hour and persisted frequently for the next 12 hours as she remained mostly incapacitated. Observers noted her sitting upright in a chair with eyes open then closed or rolled back along with occasional frothing at the mouth and random utterances. The subsequent 12 hours brought a more pleasant sensation with reduced vomiting and the ability to hold conversations. Full resolution of the psychedelic effects occurred after approximately 34 hours with no lasting physical harm detected.
The next morning the woman found her chronic foot and ankle pain had disappeared entirely. She discontinued morphine for five full days without any withdrawal symptoms appearing. Pain returned mildly afterward leading her to resume a reduced opioid dose while she began using LSD in small microdoses of about 25 micrograms every three days. By January 2018 she had fully stopped all pain medications and remained opioid free for an extended period.
The details of this case were documented in a peer reviewed case report published in January 2020. The study authored by researchers Mark Haden and Birgitta Woods analyzed three separate accidental LSD overdoses. It highlights how the massive dose produced unexpected positive effects on both pain levels and morphine dependence. Full documentation of the incident including interviews and medical records is available in the complete case series and an open access copy.
This event underscores the complex interactions between LSD and the human nervous system particularly its effects on serotonin receptors that may influence pain perception. It adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting psychedelics could play a role in addressing chronic pain conditions and reducing reliance on opioids. Medical professionals emphasize that such high doses carry significant risks and should never be attempted outside of controlled clinical settings. The case nevertheless contributes valuable real world data to ongoing research into alternative treatments for debilitating conditions like those stemming from Lyme disease.
