“Magic” Mushroom Paralysis Fact Sheet

18 Apr

Written By Australian Psychedelic Society

This information is general in nature and should not be taken as medical advice. It is provided in good faith for the purpose of education and health promotion.

Magic Mushroom Paralysis AKA Wood Lover Paralysis:
Wood-lover paralysis (WLP) is associated with Psilocybe mushrooms which mainly grow on a wood-based substrate. Psilocybe subaeruginosa is the most common wood-loving species in the southern parts of Australia and New Zealand and fruits in the cooler months.

WLP is a syndrome of weakness or paralysis of variable intensity affecting any muscles of the body including legs, hands and face.
Can seriously impair walking, grip, swallowing and breathing.
In severe cases, breathing may be so impaired that it develops into a medical emergency that may require CPR and ventilatory support to prevent death - always call an ambulance and follow basic first aid procedures if:

breathing is affected (shallow or laboured).
level of consciousness drops (non-responsive to voice, significant confusion, disorientation) .
lips or fingertips turn blue or grey.

Swallowing difficulties may lead to choking on food or drink.
Occurs after consumption of some specimens of Psilocybe subaeruginosa (wood-loving species growing in cold climates). It can happen with fresh and dry mushrooms as well as tea or lemon tek.
It is impossible to predict which specimens of P. subaeruginosa will cause WLP, but patches that have caused it before seem likely to cause it again, even in future seasons.
Can occur suddenly and without warning.
Most often occurs within 2-4 hours of ingestion, but sometimes first noticed after the experience ends and sometimes even the next day.
Can come and go in waves, typically lasting less than 30 minutes but then returning.
Lasts until the end of the experience in half of all cases.
Residual weakness is present the following day in nearly half of all cases and can still be significant enough to impair functioning. Residual weakness lasts up to 3 days in a minority of cases.
Weakness can return even after it seems to have resolved, including the day after the experience. This can lead to accidents in dangerous situations like when walking, driving, working or swimming.
Using a muscle seems to make the weakness worse, and resting seems to make it better for a short time.
Often associated with a change in sensation like numbness or tingling.
Seems most likely to result from a currently unknown chemical produced by the mushroom, rather than an environmental contaminant.
Other medical emergencies like stroke and heart attack can also cause sudden onset weakness or paralysis and changes in sensation - if something doesn’t look or feel right, follow basic first aid procedures and call an ambulance.
There are no currently known effective treatments. Those suggested online are based on anecdotes without a validated basis and should not be relied on.

Harm reduction practices include:

Avoid patches and batches of mushrooms that have caused WLP before
When trying a new batch, homogenise multiple doses into combined dry powder or preserved tea. Start low and go slow with the new batch and be mindful that individual sensitivity to WLP may vary.
Get training and regular refreshers on basic life support/first aid and know when and how to start CPR.
Have enough sober sitters with first aid training to assist the number of people taking the mushrooms. People affected by WLP are unlikely to be able to give effective first aid to others more severely affected.
Avoid dosing alone or in isolated locations, particularly with new batches of mushrooms.
Always make sure you can contact emergency services and consider how long it would take them to arrive.
Be mindful that the weakness can return after it seems to have resolved. If you have been affected, avoid high risk activities like driving, working, swimming, cycling, hiking for at least 1 day after the experience. Do not do these activities while affected, even if it seems mild at the time.
If affected, tell the people you are with and rest in the recovery position. Have someone stay with you and monitor you for signs of worsening. If requiring rest for an extended period, change the side you are on periodically to avoid pressure injury.
Avoid eating if affected and be careful when drinking if the muscles of the face and mouth are weak. Ensure un upright position while drinking and take small sips of water.
If calling an ambulance, be sure to tell them you think it is WLP and let them know it can recur and can seriously impair breathing. They may not know what WLP is, but it will let them know what to look out for and they can tell the medical staff who can then find relevant information.