# Naltrexone, Maudsley Hospital and what YOU can do to help CURE DP



## missmcleod (Jan 28, 2015)

It really frustrates me that we all want a cure, we want relief and people to be aware of this condition, right? all you have to do is make the first step, it all starts with you. If you want change you have to make it happen...

https://www.facebook.com/TheDepersonalizationFoundation

I'm currently an inpatient being treated for Depersonalization Syndrome in the UK, soon to be reffered to the specialist clinic in England. Wednesday I start naltrexone, I've tried many antidepressants and antipsychotics with little relief over 4 years but I'm not giving up hope, I can't.

I feel emotionally numb 24/7, outside of my body and have low skin conductance to the point where I've resorted to self-harming to feel 'here'.

My symptoms are chronic and I don't have periods of fleeting normality, they include head pressure, constant tiredness, brain fog, difficulty concentrating, (somitazation) where my face feels out of sync with my movements e.g smiling, laughing, watching my hands move without feeling it happen. Feeling light and ghost-like, looking in the mirror and seeing my eyes move weirdly and pupils dilated. Not responding straight away when people talk as if it takes a while to register. Memory loss as if I completeley didn't have a past, it was wiped when the mechanism activated. I'm sure many people can relate and if you have any of these symptoms then please let me know I'm not alone, I think that's one of the worst symptoms really.. feeling like you're alone in all of this.


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## Guest (Feb 2, 2015)

Is there a website for non-facebook users?

Also if you don't mind expanding on some of your symptoms. E.g. where is your head pressure located? I share some of your symptoms, feeling like a ghost, brain fog, difficulty concentrating, taking time for conversation to register (I notice people without dp have this ability to respond almost before the other person has finished talking), and slow registration of surroundings too. I also have memory loss and feel like my voice and laugh and smile were taken away when this started.

You are not alone.


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## missmcleod (Jan 28, 2015)

Currently unfortunately there isn't but as it grows we'll look into making a web page.

It's on the top of my head but it can shift and change. I know what you mean totally with the voice and laugh, it's as if it comes from another side of the room. Praying I can have better insight to what's happening when I'm reffered to the DP clinic in London soon!

Do you have any problems with sleeping/waking?


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## Guest (Feb 2, 2015)

When it's time to sleep I'm not tired and don't want to sleep. When it's time to wake I'm not rested and don't want to to wake. And I need music to sleep.


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## TDX (Jul 12, 2014)

> Wednesday I start naltrexone, I've tried many antidepressants and antipsychotics with little relief over 4 years but I'm not giving up hope, I can't.


In my opinion Naltrexone is crap. You need a minimum dosage of 250 mg/day of Naltrexone to block the kappa-opioid receptor, which is thought to cause depersonalization. In high doses Naltrexone can cause liver damage. Nalmefene does not cause liver damage and has a much higher affinity for the kappa-opioid receptor. But it seems to have the other side-effects of Naltrexone, which are not dangerous, but can be very annoying.



> I've tried many antidepressants and antipsychotics with little relief over 4 years but I'm not giving up hope, I can't.


Could you make a list of which medications you have tried?


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## missmcleod (Jan 28, 2015)

TDX said:


> In my opinion Naltrexone is crap. You need a minimum dosage of 250 mg/day of Naltrexone to block the kappa-opioid receptor, which is thought to cause depersonalization. In high doses Naltrexone can cause liver damage. Nalmefene does not cause liver damage and has a much higher affinity for the kappa-opioid receptor. But it seems to have the other side-effects of Naltrexone, which are not dangerous, but can be very annoying.
> 
> Could you make a list of which medications you have tried?


Olanzopine, Quatiopine, Amisulpride, Lamotrigine, Prozac, Duloxotine, Depekote aand Sertraline

I'm quite sensative to medication and none of these have been beneficial to my DP


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## missmcleod (Jan 28, 2015)

TDX said:


> In my opinion Naltrexone is crap. You need a minimum dosage of 250 mg/day of Naltrexone to block the kappa-opioid receptor, which is thought to cause depersonalization. In high doses Naltrexone can cause liver damage. Nalmefene does not cause liver damage and has a much higher affinity for the kappa-opioid receptor. But it seems to have the other side-effects of Naltrexone, which are not dangerous, but can be very annoying.


See I've heard of people having positive effects with it because it can alter perception (correct me if I'm wrong) and with my history of crap meds it can't harm to try


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## Guest (Feb 2, 2015)

missmcleod said:


> Olanzopine, Quatiopine, Amisulpride, Lamotrigine, Prozac, Duloxotine, Depekote aand Sertraline
> 
> I'm quite sensative to medication and none of these have been beneficial to my DP


I'm wondering at what point you'll realise most doctors haven't got a clue how to treat dpd? There are no meds which target any of the dissociative disorders successfully and that's why the meds you've already tried have been of no benefit to you. There maybe some meds developed in the future, but right now they're only doing you a disservice.

It's very common for people with dissociative disorders to be very sensitive to medication.


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## missmcleod (Jan 28, 2015)

Zed said:


> I'm wondering at what point you'll realise most doctors haven't got a clue how to treat dpd? There are no meds which target any of the dissociative disorders successfully and that's why the meds you've already tried have been of no benefit to you. There maybe some meds developed in the future, but right now they're only doing you a disservice.
> 
> It's very common for people with dissociative disorders to be very sensitive to medication.


I've been through quack after quack doctors until only recently I met a new psychiatrist who luckily treated patients with DP in india and he was the only doctor who knew what I was experiancing was dpd and reccomended I came off of all my medication which is why I think my sleep is so poor this week. I'm falling asleep at the keyboard.

Have you heard of a med called Jdtic? I think it's still in the testing process but it looks promising


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## TDX (Jul 12, 2014)

> Have you heard of a med called Jdtic? I think it's still in the testing process but it looks promising


They gave up, because it caused serious side-effects. ALKS-5461 will come out in 2016 and is a selective kappa-opioid antagonist, too.


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## Guest (Feb 2, 2015)

missmcleod said:


> I've been through quack after quack doctors until only recently I met a new psychiatrist who luckily treated patients with DP in india and he was the only doctor who knew what I was experiancing was dpd and reccomended I came off of all my medication which is why I think my sleep is so poor this week. I'm falling asleep at the keyboard.
> 
> Have you heard of a med called Jdtic? I think it's still in the testing process but it looks promising


I also saw a doctor who knew a lot about dpd and she recommended me stopping the medication I was on (seroquel). That was about 2 years ago and was the best advice I ever received from a doctor. Since then my recovery has been solid and swift with the help of a great psychologist who knows a lot about treating people with dissociative disorders. I had trouble sleeping too when I stopped, but hang in there it WILL get better and it's well worth the discomfort to clear your body of the toxins that medication is. Admittedly it took a couple of months for the effects to fully wear off, but like I say it's worth it.

I feel so clear these days, and b/c of that I'm able to work through and talk about the problems that pop up in my life much much easier. When I was medicated I felt like a useless blob with almost no ability to focus on any of the deeper issues I needed to see. I could hardly achieve anything in my life and I felt so depressed when I was medicated.

Doctors should not be allowed to prescribe medication for illnesses they know virtually nothing about.. it's unethical if you ask me.

Some people here have talked about the drug Jdtic but I don't know much about it sorry.

Keep looking after yourself and I hope you start to feel better soon.

Zed


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## ocean (Feb 17, 2015)

hi missmcleod i read what you wrote and found many similarities in it compared to me. i used to take some meds but mostly without any effect. antidepressants and antipsychotics. since some days have gone since you wrote this post i would like to ask you how you have been so far in maudsley hospital?


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