What to tell my doctor? / What medications to consider for ecstasy recovery?

[punchthrone]

NOTE: I posted this in the dark side forum as well as I didn't know which one to post in for this topic, forgive me!
Hey guys.

I'm new to blue light. I've been visiting it for a couple weeks now to read up on other peoples' experiences, though today I decided to become a part of the community both because I'm in this little hell for a while and because I need advice on something I haven't found on any of the forums here. To shed some light on myself and my situation, I'll give a brief(ish) overview:

I'm 18 years old, I was both extremely healthy both mentally and physically before my experience with substance abuse, aside from having a small run in with depression for a part of my time in high school. I'm in college, and come from divorced parents, my father being a former addict to many different drugs. This past February I took about 5 doses (pills) of ecstasy in the span of about 12 hours. This was the first big mistake I'd ever made in my life, and I regret it completely as I'm sure many of you do. Since then I've been experiencing the typical consequences such as memory and attention problems, anxiety, depression, low sex drive, etc. I've also been looking for various solutions to recovering faster, and so far I've only tried supplements such as 5-HTP and L-Theanine. I've also been going out of my way to be extra social to distract myself from thinking too many negative thoughts.

My next planned course of action is to find a new doctor (as I've moved from my home in NY to attend college in TX) and discuss my health problems with him, and possibly go back on fluoxetine (SSRI) because I took it for depression in the past. Though yesterday I did read a thread here that discussed medications for MDMA recovery; and many people said that it's not a good idea, with few exceptions. Other more recommended drugs/supplements that were recommended on the thread were tricyclics, SNRI's, and SSRE's. If someone could educate me on any of the three and any possible experiences with them that'd amazing. Also, if anyone could let me know if telling my doctor that my issues are likely stemming from my experience with that one day of abuse is a good idea, that would be even more helpful.

NOTE: I apologize if any of my sentences and ideas are a bit confusing as putting thoughts down is still semi-difficult. Thank you! :D

 

[sick_guy]

I'm interested in potentially helpful medications too, because I'm running out of options and hope. I'm just so scared that antidepressants will fuck me up instead of healing in a long term, and I will never recover because of them. But IDK if I'll ever recover without them too, so maybe it's worth a shot...

 

[ixkx]

I am having a similar condition (anxiety manifesting itself in physical symptoms, mild depression), and currently I am doing my second round of AD so I have bit of experience.
The first psychiatrist put me on tricyclics (Dosulepin), it didn't help at all and made me depressed more - but everybody reacts differently, she told me she had mostly good experience. So I did some break and tried the natural way, but it was hardly bearable.
So I gave it a second chance, another doctor I visited suggested either SSRI or Vortioxetine (aka Brintellix/Trintellix), which is newer and has kind of a different mechanism (and should be tolerated better). I chose the second option and currently I am on it for a month. I think I am starting to feel a bit better, but it's hard to compare, I started with a low dose, the doctor suggested to wait another month and see. The good thing is I feel almost no side effects, not even sexual ones, only a bit of nausea at the beginning but nothing too bad.

 

[Tranced]

Take a look at nootropics. A few months of Aniracetam (1500mg) + CDP Choline (250mg) had long term, positive effects (effectively cured) my physical anxiety symptoms that I developed a few years back.

The depression was a tougher nut to crack (ongoing, but very sporadic/mild).

I've honestly posted the various methods for dealing with depression/anxiety far too many times to list again (& it's late); I should really compile them into a megathread. Actually, I'll just quote an iteration of this post I made the other day:

Yes, but expect a lot of hard work & time; you likely won't get instant results and it won't be easy.

I developed the same symptoms in university and I put it down to the lifestyle I was living at the time. I was getting takeaway pizza's every night, usually with extras. I put on loads of weight and I developed a gluten intolerance/acid reflux/IBS. I became bored and fatigued and miserable, and it got worse and worse, then eventually started getting better after a few years.

Supplements tend to work for some and not for others, and some are more noticeably effective. I got nothing from l-tyrosine, or 5-htp, but 1500mg Aniracetam + 250mg CDP Choline per day practically cured my debilitating anxiety, with long term effects. I found that to be somewhat of a miracle, to be honest. I also found that ashwaghanda helped a tiny bit with the depression, as did niacin (nicotinic acid, not the flushless 'niacin'... real niacin should make your body go bright red and tingly).

The best things I've found to help have been:
- Not thinking about negative stuff (look into mindfulness and meditation). What you think is a choice and we all seem to obsessively indulge in negative shit that doesn't serve us. I don't actually really meditate, but I do practice mindfulness.
- Learn some breathing techniques.
- Excess sugar/carbs seemed to be making me fatigued, so eat a healthy, clean diet (wholefoods; veg, grains, beans, meat, fish, herbs, etc). If you can't cook, learn; it's easy and you can eat like a king, and treat your body with respect, with every meal.
- Masturbation also made me fatigued, so no fap! It's an easy quick fixed when you're so depressed, but too much and it's like a drug addiction and messes with your hormones.
- I either had, or developed during depression, a Vitamin D deficiency, so I bought a years supply of 4000 IU Vitamin D tablets off the internet, and take one daily.
- Get lots of sunshine. Go out doors. Go in nature.
- Exercise. It's hard when you're fatigued, but healthy body = healthy mind. I've just started running and got some decent running trainers, which make such a difference. It makes me feel really good and I lost 3 pound or so in two days.
- CBT/therapy can help.
- Don't smoke, it's terrible for your health, and anxiety.
- Don't drink too much, it's neurotoxic.
- Don't smoke weed or take drugs, at least up until you feel fully recovered, and even then, take it easy.
- Be active, see friends. laugh.
- Less time on social media/phone.
- Try faking happiness when you chat to people. It's infectious and seems to fool you into feeling happy.

Personally I think it's usually drugs triggering an underlying unhealthy body/mind/lifestyle which was on the cusp, rather than causing some kind of irreversible damage (generally speaking, of course). It's more of a change and a nudge, to me. The brain is fluid and can recover. The mind is even more fluid and can facilitate this. You have control over your life.

Depending which country you're on, your doctor would probably (very pushily) 'encourage' you to take benzos (state sanctioned addiction), or SSRI's, or both. I see you're from the UK, so expect them to pressure you into taking SSRI's, if you ask. I'm yet to ever in my life meet somebody (in person) who actually claimed to have benefited from being given SSRI's from a doctor (I always ask). Anecdotal, but worth baring in mind. And the withdrawals are brutal - I've laid witness to that.

Good luck!

 

[punchthrone]

Thank you! I'll definitely keep these things in mind for the future. I actually very unluckily contracted pneumonia from something but I'm young and have access to healthcare so I'll be over it quick. But these things will help a lot for afterwards. I also read the last paragraph, and I'd like to add that fluoxetine worked wonderfully for me.

 

[indigoaura]

I actually have a bottle of CDP Choline to try. It was recommended to me based on DNA analysis. I have not tried it yet, but now I feel eager to give it a go. Is Aniracetam similar to Piracetam? Piracetam made me quite edgy.