# anxiety, HPPD, silent migraines?



## brileeb (Feb 10, 2012)

I'm 19 and i've had severe anxiety/DP for a few months now which I believe is from a psychotic episode I had after smoking Spice (K2). I even checked myself into a psychiatric hospital, it's gotten so bad. My psychiatrist doesn't understand why i'm feeling this way, especially because I haven't really experienced any sort of trauma, except some verbal abuse as a child. I was prescribed Prozac because it helped with my depression in the past, Pamelor, Klonopin and Seroquel (which i've stopped taking because of the side effects) and it doesn't seem like it's working. I've only been on it for a few weeks now, but I haven't felt any changes yet. I've had all sorts of tests (EEG, CT Scan, Hearing) and no one can't seem to find anything physically wrong with me (except for some small ovarian cysts, which are pretty common for women). I was diagnosed with silent migraines by my ENT, but I truly don't believe that's what it is because my symptoms are constant and don't come in episodes like migraines would. I also thought of HPPD as a possibility, but i'm really not sure. Whatever it is though, I feel like i'm pretty much handicapped. Any ideas? My symptoms are:

DP/DR of course
Severe anxiety
Panic attacks
Dizziness/lightheadedness
Crackling/popping sound in ears
Tinnitus
Vertigo
Weakness/fatigue
High pulse rate
Double vision/visual snow
Constantly spacing out
Sharp pains in head
Seeing blue dots
Feeling "heavy headed"
Feeling like my limbs aren't really attached to my body (sounds strange I know)
Tingling/numbness
Slurred speech
Loss of appetite


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## forestx5 (Aug 29, 2008)

brileeb said:


> I'm 19 and i've had severe anxiety/DP for a few months now which I believe is from a psychotic episode I had after smoking Spice (K2). I even checked myself into a psychiatric hospital, it's gotten so bad. My psychiatrist doesn't understand why i'm feeling this way, especially because I haven't really experienced any sort of trauma, except some verbal abuse as a child. I was prescribed Prozac because it helped with my depression in the past, Pamelor, Klonopin and Seroquel (which i've stopped taking because of the side effects) and it doesn't seem like it's working. I've only been on it for a few weeks now, but I haven't felt any changes yet. I've had all sorts of tests (EEG, CT Scan, Hearing) and no one can't seem to find anything physically wrong with me (except for some small ovarian cysts, which are pretty common for women). I was diagnosed with silent migraines by my ENT, but I truly don't believe that's what it is because my symptoms are constant and don't come in episodes like migraines would. I also thought of HPPD as a possibility, but i'm really not sure. Whatever it is though, I feel like i'm pretty much handicapped. Any ideas? My symptoms are:
> 
> DP/DR of course
> Severe anxiety
> ...


I had a similar experience with cannabis. It gave me a lot of the same symptoms. My experience may not be the same as yours. I sorted out my experience after many years, because of the uniqueness of how it started. The first thing I felt after smoking was a hard pull and burning sensation in my stomache, immediately followed by a rising warm flushing sensation.
Everything that happened afterward was explained by temporal lobe seizure. (and the influence of cannabis). The left side of my head went cold/numb/tingly. And 3 minutes following the "epigastric aura", I was having epileptic discharges in my left temporal lobe.
The best I can figure is the seizure resulted in high intracranial pressure which caused diffuse lesions in my brain. (my MRI sees them). This resulted in my ears popping and cracking, because it gave me a form of palatal myoclonus which can be considered a form of epilepsy, and it comes in variations. (and it's permanent). Ever since this episode, I get a drumming/fluttering in my ears when my eyes are exposed to bright lights. Certain noises and jaw movements also cause the fluttering. The fluttering is most likely my stapedial muscles in my inner ear. I also have pressure changes and popping and clicking.
Your ENT should be able to give you a Toynbee test, to determine if your popping and clicking is "objective". (they can hear it). If it is, it is rare and its causes are limited to things that can cause damage to your brain stem. Nothing they can do about it, however. I've never had the test. I don't need it. I know what it is.
I just had an EEG which was "significantly abnormal" in regards to my left temporal lobe. Not much they can do about that, either.
You might benefit from an MRI. At least you may learn what you are dealing with.
Best wishes and sorry to learn I am not the only one.


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## kate_edwin (Aug 9, 2009)

"just" verbal abuse can cause a trauma disorder. Simple non violent emotional neglect if it happens early and often can do the same thing. It doesn't need to be physical or sexual abuse or something big like that. Little things can feel traumatic to small
children.


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## kate_edwin (Aug 9, 2009)

Or it could be an anxiety disorder with dp symptoms


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## forestx5 (Aug 29, 2008)

Or it could be the relatively rare psychotic reaction to cannabis. Participants in research studies for medical marijuana have experienced such things. Some people even get deathly ill from eating peanuts, or getting stung by a bee. 
The blue dots are most likely sparse white blood cells in the tiny capillaries of your eyes. Under the right conditions, "the blue field entoptic effect" allows these white blood cells to appear as little "sprites", which squiggle and zoom out of sight. That is the scientific explanation.
I'm sure psychology as its own interesting trauma based explanation.


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## tengent (Apr 22, 2012)

Sounds a bit more intense than what I've experienced. Have you noticed if these symptoms are caused by your own worrying thoughts, or are they just there? In my experience they seemed to be just there, like a part of myself, not caused by thoughts. But my worrying thoughts would cause more trouble. What helps me is looking at how your thoughts impact your feelings. "Oh shit, I feel depersonalized. Will this ever go away?" "visual disturbances.. is a panic attack coming on?" Just stop, see the irrationality of the thought, breathe, and know whatever happens you'll still have your head and you can go on and enjoy life.


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## Legitlex_ (Feb 8, 2014)

we are in the same boat, i got mine from spice as well.


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