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Will my past LSD use cause birth defects? I'd like to have children, but I worry.

Answered by William Anderson, MA, LMHC

Question

I used to do a lot of LSD. I have done more than 500 hits of acid, along with a lot of other drugs, but LSD was always my drug of choice. I have heard many times that doing a lot of LSD can cause chromosomal changes in your body and that these can be passed on to your children. I do not know if this is true or not. I am now in my late 30s and a few years away from the drug life I used to live and I want to have children now with the great guy I am engaged to be married to. But I am worried about my past and whether or not I am going to be putting a child at risk. Should I be worried about mutations?

Worry will not solve anything and can make you sick. Instead, take action.

Make an appointment tomorrow with an MD who specializes in obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive medicine. These are the doctors who help people with fertility problems, but they also deal with genetics issues and should be able to put your mind at rest, setting you on the best course for having a great life with a great guy and a great family.

If, when you make the appointment, they ask what your interest is, tell them you are interested in starting a family and want to consult with the doctor about possible risks due to family history. If they want more detail than you want to share with the office staff, tell them you'll discuss that with the doctor.

Trying to figure this out without going to an expert in genetics and reproductive medicine is a mistake.

A worry-free future with a family can be yours, and you can be on the way tomorrow.

About the Expert

William Anderson

MA, LMHC

Sarasota, Florida

Specialties

Compulsive Disorders, Life Coaching, Addiction or Substance Abuse, Eating Disorders, Other, Impulse Control Disorders, Thinking Disorders, Depression

License

my_license #MH7773