# Questions for those of you with DP



## Ghostmon (Mar 14, 2009)

I'm pretty new to this forum and have posted a few times. I'm older than most of the people here (52) and suddenly started experiencing feelings of depersonalization about 5 months ago. My symptoms came on literally over a couple of days after taking iron pills to correct anemia, then taking synthetic hormones prescribed by an OB/Gyn doctor. Although I have used recreational drugs in the past, I haven't done anything in at least 25 years and I don't even drink alcohol.

What I am experiencing is very difficult to describe. It's kind of like I don't have eyes any more, and while I see everything around me, things seem surreal, kind of like I'm "seeing" (experiencing???) things in a movie, and everything seems flat and two dimensional. I also have been having terrible problems with depth perception and this sense almost like my head (which feels like it "jerks" sometimes) isn't actually connected to my body, nor are my arms or legs. My sense of time is very distorted and sometimes I feel like minutes feel like hours, while sometimes it's exactly the opposite and I don't know how much time has gone by. When this all got started I had rushing dizziness, horrible off the charts anxiety and feelings like I was literally being pulled out of my body. While most of those sensations have subsided, I've gotten horribly depressed because this came on so suddenly. I'm a single working mother -- I can't believe I'm still actually working! -- and it is extremely difficult to function and do everything I need to when I feel like such a ghost.

Anyway, my question for all of you is whether any of you started to experience DP due to medical problems (seizures, epilepsy, brain disorders, etc.). Do any of you have headaches, back pain, dizziness? I also get these strange sensations in my head, kind of like pins and needles sort of "numbness", and I find that my feelings of disorientation are worse if I'm sitting down, kneeling, or looking down. 
Have any of you experienced any of this???

I'm really terrified that there is something seriously wrong with my brain/nervous system and it's hard for me to accept that this was brought on just by anxiety. I'm worried that I may have something like neurological Lyme Disease -- I know there is at least one member who's posted about Lyme at this forum -- and I'm awaiting test results that I had last week.

Do any of you have any thoughts about this? I really do feel like I'm going crazy and cant stand this any more :!:


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## Conjurus (Oct 25, 2008)

That sounds like dp to me. I havnt heard of it coming from prescription drugs though it doesnt surprise me that it can. I have many of the symptoms you have though mine was either caused by head trauma or abuse when I was very young.

I have the head "jerking" thing. I've not seen anyone else talk about that before and I wasnt sure if it was related to DP. I'll just be sitting here and all the sudden my head will jerk in a certain direction for no reason. I dont know what that is, but I've had a cat scan and an eeg (I think those are two different things, maybe not, but I know I had two different tests done) and they both came up normal.


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## jay2008 (Nov 6, 2007)

Hello,

I'm sorry to hear you have begun to experience this. I wanted to specifically put out the feelings of the world looking flat. This is a common symptom of chronic DP and one that I experience everyday. My visual disturbances are the worst for me. They do vary in strength as I move into certain light and aware from stressful situations.

The other symptoms you are feeling sound like typical anxiety/panic related items that either manifest from the DP or because of it.


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## EverDream (Dec 15, 2006)

I have a question: did you ever had DP before? Did you suffer lately from any kind of stress/anxiety/trauma?

Your symptoms sounds very much like DP. But DP can be caused from all kind of reasons so you need to think if it can be mental or something else. You also got it not too long ago so maybe it's something that will pass from his own. Anyway, you need to think about the reasons for it and do tests. I think it's kinda rare to get DP from emtional problems at such age but in the end I'm not really sure of anything.

Good luck to you! I hope everything will be allright! And WELCOME!


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## Ghostmon (Mar 14, 2009)

To Jamie,

No, while i've had mild depression in the past and even had an occasional panic attack (maybe three times in my life, but none recently) i have never experienced DP symtoms.

As far as the anxiety: Being diagnosed as so severely anemic, in addition to having other medical problems that were very frightening to me did trigger an inordinate amount of fear and stress, as i'm a single mothe also living wih my elderly mother who is pretty dependent on me. Add in an abusive ex husband, severe financial problems (especially since my house burned a couple of years ago), extreme loneliness, worry about how i am going to keep it all together, and hormonal problems related to menopause and I suppose it was enough to be frightened out of my body and mind.

Yet as i'm typing this i also worry that the headaches, spinal pain and other weird symptoms may reflect something physiological, sigh...


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## Matt210 (Aug 15, 2004)

Ghostmon said:


> Anyway, my question for all of you is whether any of you started to experience DP due to medical problems (seizures, epilepsy, brain disorders, etc.). Do any of you have headaches, back pain, dizziness? I also get these strange sensations in my head, kind of like pins and needles sort of "numbness", and I find that my feelings of disorientation are worse if I'm sitting down, kneeling, or looking down.
> Have any of you experienced any of this???
> 
> I'm really terrified that there is something seriously wrong with my brain/nervous system and it's hard for me to accept that this was brought on just by anxiety. I'm worried that I may have something like neurological Lyme Disease -- I know there is at least one member who's posted about Lyme at this forum -- and I'm awaiting test results that I had last week.
> ...


It is possible to have DP do to medical problems. But in all my time talking to people with DP/DR (this is about four years worth of chatting, and a heck of a lot of people) I have met a total of two that ended up having something physical wrong with them. A total of one that had Lyme Disease. Like you, I also worried about having something neurological and actually convinced myself I had Lyme disease for a while. I went to the doctor with all these printouts on Lyme disease and said "This is what I have, start treating me". Get tested for sure - it is certainly possible, but not likely. Also - don't be afraid about Lyme disease. While the list of symptoms is endless, and there are lots of rumors that it can never be properly treated - Lyme is treatable with long term antibiotic therapy. I know someone who had it, and they are fine now. Cured.

As for all your physical symptoms - they can all be pinned down to anxiety. Get tested but im sure you'll be fine.

Hang in there.


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## Ghostmon (Mar 14, 2009)

Thank you so much for your replies!

With what's going on it's hard to believe that this is all in my head. But at the same time, I find that having the support from you folks, going to therapy (even though I don't want to, lol) and talking with a friend who is bipolar and has had DP symptoms at times (I never knew this before until I confided in her what was going on with me) has been helping quite a bit, more than I would have thought possible if there was something physiological going on.

So, regardless of what caused this, it is making me feel like there is indeed hope and that maybe this damned condition will eventually go away. BTW, as horrible as I feel most of the time, I have been forcing myself to go to work for the last few weeks and have gotten to the point where there are moments where I can forget about myself and get involved in what I'm doing.

Thanks again to everyone!


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## Conjurus (Oct 25, 2008)

As I've often said, the community here is amazing and definately a part of recovery for many people as long as you try not to over focus on your dp.


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## York (Feb 26, 2008)

I had a baby three months ago, and got dp a month after giving birth. I've always felt more anxious around my period, so I think hormones have a big say in how you feel (as we all know). Long term stress, hormones and anemia is one big reason you can get this I think. Taking iron pills, vitamin B and omega-3 has helped me somewhat. I've also started CBT, hopefully it will help even more. I'm considering brain-transplant if it doesn't. As for pain, I think anxiety can give you all kinds of sensations. I get the same pain in the same place in my head every time I have dp,I guess its tension causing it. Good luck!


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## HereNotHere (Mar 3, 2009)

My doctor is sending me for an MRI and some other tests. She does think I might have absence seizures from epilepsy. This is because I sort of "wake up" while driving and don't recognize anything around me. Sometimes I am paying attention in a meeting at work and the next thing I know someone is asking me a question a few times and I have to ask what they were saying. My co-worker says I was slumping and staring. I also have intermittent hallucinations that indicate to her something is wrong with my brain. I could just be dissociating, but she wants to rule out epilepsy.


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## pendered212121 (Mar 22, 2009)

hi yes mine started after i had a head clod that affect my eyes and their after came the dizzy spells headaches etc....keep ya chin up and remember you control the dp not it you


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## Ghostmon (Mar 14, 2009)

Hi Again,

I just wanted to let folks know that I just found out yesterday that I tested positive for antibodies for a Lyme Disease infection, as well as Bartonella infection, also known as "cat scratch fever, which can be also be spread via a tick bite as well.

I haven't had the chance to talk with my doctor yet about what exactly my test results mean, and I have a phone appt for tomorrow. I'm kind of freaked out, because I'm still feeling pretty out of body. However, at the same time some of the anxiety is easing a bit because at least it makes me feel like I'm not completely losing my mind, and that the infections may have been what triggered my DP symptoms in the first place. (I had wondered why my symptoms started after taking high doses of iron to correct anemia. When I researched it, it turns out that iron feeds bacteria and viruses. I had suspected that maybe taking so much iron had exacerbated an underlying infection that got into my nervous system.

The doctors at the HMO I go to had "pooh-poohed" my theory, but the private doctor that ordered the Lyme testing thinks that very well could have happened.

I'm still trying to maintain a positive attitude, as crazy and disconnected and sick as I feel. But honestly, I'm really scared and could really use some positive thoughts and words of support. Thanks so much!


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