Stimulants Near lethal OD. I think I have permenant brain damage. PLEASE help.

[Captain.Heroin]

what you mean baking soda..??? you shooot it or what?

No, you take it orally to increase the pH of your stomach, so that it doesn't get metabolized as quickly. I would never bother doing this to be honest.

 

[synchrojet]

The baking soda was a bad idea. I think you might have pushed the envelope a bit, but I'm also gonna side with the panic attack theory. Seizures leave a very particular footprint, easily identifiable in a hospital setting. That popping in your brain is a nasty feeling I know - I've had it on some high dose psychedelic trips where I freaked out at the ego death part. It doesn't feel "trippy", it feels physical, and just plain wrong. Believe me, I know. I'm not a doctor, so I cannot say with certainty that your experience was a strictly a result of panic. But you will recall that amphetamines can produce a manic state of mind, and I will disagree that 50 mg is a low dose - on top of the baking soda and in a no tolerance situation its plenty high enough to induce some manic thinking in some individuals, especially if one is inclined to begin with.

 

[TheLostBoys]

I had something happen to me back in 1998 that was similar, not as bad as yours tho. It was nothing but an anxiety attack. Like most people stated, eat healthy & exercise & you will get over it.

 

[andrewbert]

First time posting, pretty regular lurker around these forums...but...

OP almost the EXACT same thing happened to me starting 2 years ago or so. It was influenced more by alcohol than it was amphetamines, but stimulants(including adderall) definitely played a huge roll in it. One day I woke up and out of no where thought I was dying, grasped for air, couldn't breath, went numb..like ALL the way numb, and on more than one occasion had severe convulsions. Did the same thing as you, went to the ER and was told it was panic attacks. I responded almost the exact same way you did, bewildered the doctor would try to pass off this monumentally terrible overdose I'd have had on cocaine as just anxiety, and continued to read about health conditions and over time had convinced myself that there was something physically wrong with me(despite the fact my vitals were fine and I had a clean bill of health) and nothing irritated me more than when people told me I was fine.

It's going to perhaps be a while for you to come to terms with it, but it sounds to me like you're suffering from panic attacks. If you go to a doctor, benzos and an SSRI can be your best friend. Getting over panic attacks is nothing easy considering the circular thinking you go in during them, but adderall, weed, and general anxiety will definitely set you off how you described. Give it some time and take the advice of the other posters in this thread and I guarantee you'll be able to get over it.

 

[Torabora]

sounds like a drug induced psychosis, talk to a doctor and maybe try to do a therapy

 

[Juice.]

I'm sorry bro, that sounds like a terrible experience. From your words it almost sounds like you had a minor stroke!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transient_ischemic_attack

It is probably more likely that it was nothing more than a panic attack though. Amphetamine increases anxiety, and you, being an inexperienced user, probably overreacted to some of the side effects of amphetamine. It happens all the time, I can't begin to describe how scared shitless I was the first time I used amphetamine and took a look at my dick.

 

[MrRoot]

If you heard a popping sound there might be something wrong in you ears. My father had the same kind of symptoms as you did have and it happened few times a year and it was each time diagnosed as a TIA symptoms in ER over a few years until there was a Dr that specialized in ears and hearing. He had my fathers ears checked and there was bacteria in his ears that sometimes activated to grow and caused the symptoms. It was treated with specific antibiotics and he has not had those symptoms anymore.

The falling feeling is caused when the inner ear is blocked by the bacteria causing pressure and rest happens because your brains got weird signals from hearing and balance nerves contained in your ear.

 

[Silenced]

I had an issue for awhile after JWH use... I started feeling the way you did.... I really thought I had permanently messed up my body from using too much and there being no long term research so I had no idea what was happening. I thought I was doomed and that I had messed myself up for good. I was rushed to the ER from work.... it was rather embarrassing. My coworkers got scared when I'd go numb and get terribly cold... get that shaky thing going on... feel like I was falling into the earth... and all that. I would go completely numb and feel exactly like you and have the exact symptoms. This was happening after I had completely stopped drugs (other than my prescribed opioids for pain.) I was actually afraid to go to sleep because I had no idea what was going on. Panic attacks/anxiety were mentioned, but I had never had issues like that and totally dismissed it like you, especially when there were times it was an all day experience. The more research I did online, the more I began to believe perhaps it was true panic attack/anxiety issues. Sure enough, after nearly a year.... I am able to manage the issue with my mind and breathing techniques. PLEASE, just give it a try... read about ways to manage panic attacks and give it a try... it can't hurt!

 

[Pharmokinetictal]

I dont know what happened in your brain. I know what amphetamines do to your synapses though...especially in high doses. People are right. You can't 'OD' on amphets but this was your first time AND you take baking soda, which potentiates the effects dramatically. You obviously had a panic attack. It doesn't matter if other people take 50mg a day. They do because they've built their tolerance up to that level.

Also, tolerance has nothing to do with it half the time. Amphetamines damage synapses at the synaptic cleavage. If you took that much at once for the first time, you definitely could have pumped so much dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine out at once that some of your neurons in the Ventral Tegmenal Area and Striatum could have 'shredded.' Also, acute amphetamine 'overdoses' can precipitate temporary psychosis or help it surface all together. The psychedelic properties of the weed couldve helped that. I'm not trying to freak you out, buddy. It will go away. It will.

Dont smoke anymore weed. Dont take anymore amphets. Take a lot of fish oil supplements to help stabilize your cell membranes. Take a lot of multivitamins. Theyre neuroprotective and have antioxidant properties. SSRIs have a neuroprotective effect against amphets but it's probably been too long. But if you're still feeling incredibly panicky, see a doctor and try a SHORT SHORT treatment of benzodiazepines. I mean that....SHORT. I would never recommend benzos to anybody. They're incredibly addictive if taken for too long but it sounds like you could use a little relief. Assuming youve never taken a benzo, I'd talk to your doctor about this event honestly, and then discuss the possibility of .25mgs Xanax BID (to be given no longer than a month) along with 5mgs SID Celexa to be administered until you feel better. Lexapro is nearly the same as Celexa but it's brand name so it costs more. Don't do Klonopin...it's more addictive and has a longer half life. Don't do Valium cuz it just sucks. Ativan has weird side effects for some people.

Also, in the meantime...eat a lot of cheese, avocado, white meats. You need to get your body producing serotonin and dopamine again. Good luck.

 

[olab7]

eat right, excercise, stay off the drugs for a little while as others have said

most likely it was too much amphetamine for you mixed with the weed. for most people this doesnt cause problems, but it looks like were both part of that unfortunate minority =/

ive had that "falling" feeling from mixing amphetamines and weed. it didnt get as bad as what you described though. once i just took amphetamines, too much of it, and the next day i had huge anxiety attacks, paranoia, and almost blacking out. i went to the doctor because i was in panic and she told me it was lack of sleep mixed with the stimulant. after i finally slept the next day i still felt a tad off. then the day after i was fine.

your brain is probably still recovering. also it took me like 2 weeks to get over panic attacks whenever i smoked weed. because once youve have that experience it lingers in your thoughts. and when you think your going to have one, you most likely will because its mental. did you tell the paremetics or doctors about the drugs you used? if they knew thats probably why they seemed rude. doctors dont like drug abusers lol

im sorry to hear this happened to you as i know panic attacks arn't a joking matter as one may think. but i think thats what this was: severe panic atack. doctors are probably right although i do admit what happened to you did sound kind of serious. i have no doubt that youll be feeling better soon be careful next time!

 

[daddysgone]

Ever had any vertigo issues?

The falling sensation you mentioned is consistent with vertigo. The stress and anxiety of the amphs could have kicked off a vertigo attack.

 

[Jackie Chan]

I had ABSOLUTELY no feeling in my body, you could stab me with a knife and I wouldn't be able to feel it.

I had something very similiar happen to me, it freaked me out so much I tried burning myself with a lighter to see if I could feel anything and NOTHING! In my case I'm pretty sure the cause was just panic attack and anxiety, and that total numb feeling took a while to go away so dont worry too much about it.

I think what caused it for me was messing around with stimulants too much (mdma and crack) and then smoking weed triggered it. But some of the things you describe sound a lot worse than what happened to me. Benzos help a lot with that scary numb feeling.

 

[f1ape]

Doesnt sound amphetamine related bro. stimulant pyschosis is the other side effect I've heard of people having from amphetamines...what else u on? go talk to the doc or mri asap

 

[SaosinEngaged]

Definitely sounds like drug induced psychosis. On another note, I've had panic attacks while "feeling fine" and you can most certainly have them even while you're not overly anxious. You can have subconscious "angst," so to speak, that can and will still trigger a panic attack.

Also, in the interest of HR, stay away from uppers!

Man, stuff like that is playing with fire IMO, you're increasing your heart rate, BP, etc. It's like a recipee for a heart attack. I may be so against stimulants because of my family history with heart conditions, but I digress, it just doesn't seem smart to take things which can literally give you a heart attack.

That's why I play with opiates and nothing else. Hell, if anything, they reduce BP. I just always found them much safer (obviously unless you overdo it).

The one time I took adderall, I thought my head was going to explode. I'll never touch a stimulant again. Hell, I don't even drink coffee anymore.

Just my 2 cents. (please excuse me if I came off as preachy)

 

[500]

Well, I would like to give a little update on what happened.

Ive been to a neurologist, already had a few MRI's, and some other tests. (EEG, EMG, etc.) Since the initial overdose I have had 4 grand-mal seizures, and multiple ones including intense convulsions but nothing near as intense as the grand-mals. Literally everyday or every other day im having myoclonic seizures.

I am now diagnosed with a unknown seizure disorder that isn't epilepsy. I apparently fucked up something in my temporal lobe. The termonology the nuerologist used was hard to comprehend to the laymen such as myself.

So to all you people saying its a "panic attack", "psychosis" or just "anxiety". Go fuck yourself. Im sure I have the intellect to realize a bit of hypochondriac or panicking. Im prescribed keppra and Im still having seizures.

The keprra isn't working. Ive had 2 pretty bad myoclonic seizures since I was put on it about 4 days ago. One of which I fell on the ground and was inconstantly conscienceless. Benzos stop the seizures COMPLETELY, but I don't want that habit.

I can't drink anymore, once the alcohol leaves my system I have a seizure. My drivers license has been taking away for 6 months. And Im fucked.

I have a question that maybe some of you might be able to help me out on. Im attempting to persuade my nuero to prescribe me phenobarbital. I think that would be the most effective drug to treat this.

Problem is. I look like a "junkie" to him. I told him I smoke cannabis, and that this seizure disorder was induced by a amphetamine overdose. So I cant even imagine how im going to get him to prescribe me that.

But this keppra ain't working, and if you have any suggestions I'd appreciate them.

PS; Im not a inexperienced amphetamine user. Ive used amphetamines atleast over 50 times before the overdose. Only thing is I haven't used amp for so long before the OD that my tolerance was at zero.

 

[Vaya]

^I would personally be relieved from what we are telling you, not dismissive! That said, I understand why you are skeptical. There is a reason though that everyone feels that anxiety attacks are by far the most probable thing to have occurred.

Didn't the hospital tell you specifically that you didn't have a seizure? You probably didn't have signs of a seizure such as lacerations on the tongue (from biting), etc. They can tell if you had a seizure!

Panic attacks are pretty horrible, many of us here have experienced them in fact. The fact that you "heard a pop" and were on weed and amphetamines is like the perfect scenario for inducing a panic attack. Don't underestimate how horrible a panic attack is; We're not saying that nothing happened to you, just that it was unlikely to be a seizure, especially seeing as the hospital told you specifically that you didn't have a seizure.

Everyone here is trying to help, not be dismissive and say that you didn't experience something traumatic! Good luck getting over this...

500, please listen to Pegasus here. As I believe he's absolutely correct. Because I've gone through what you described in your original post, to the 'T.' I also have panic attacks (NOT just 'Generalized Anxiety Disorder') and am, out of necessity, prescribed 20mg of Valium PRN (as needed) AND 2mg Xanax XR twice a day to prevent my symptoms. I'm not suggesting you go out, achieve a prescription for benzos and let the inevitable occur, as it did with me - that is, become physically and somewhat psychologically dependent on them But if your attacks continue to persist, try to ask a doctor for a prescription for Clonodine and/or a beta-blocker, like propanolol or atenolol, to take at the onset of symptoms.

Trust us, it takes above and beyond 50mg of mixed amphetamine salts potentiated by baking soda, and many more than one single time, to cause brain damage of the caliber of amphetamine psychosis. If you came here looking for help, bud, then please attempt to take our advice, rather than dismissing it (which could be a symptom of your newfound anxiety). Barring that, see a neurologist and get some neuropsychological testing done which will be designed to identify neuronal damage to the prefrontal cortex (where the deficiencies or hyperactivity of dopamine and norepinephrine, on which stimulants act primarily, would be the most apparent).

And others have already given you what is likely the best advice: give up the amphetamines while you're still ahead. Magnesium, iron and B-complex vitamins (as well as vitamin E) will help your mental health on a homeopathic level. Again, you went through a deeply traumatic experience, and all that you are feeling is real, because you are feeling it. What I (and others here, too, I would imagine) are trying to say is that what you describe is not at all necessarily symptomatic of irreversible brain damage. I think that if *any*body here felt thta way, they would tell you.

Best wishes, stay safe and be healthy to your body, my friend.

Most sincerely,

~ vaya

 

[500]

500, please listen to Pegasus here. As I believe he's absolutely correct. Because I've gone through what you described in your original post, to the 'T.' I also have panic attacks (NOT just 'Generalized Anxiety Disorder') and am, out of necessity, prescribed 20mg of Valium PRN (as needed) AND 2mg Xanax XR twice a day to prevent my symptoms. I'm not suggesting you go out, achieve a prescription for benzos and let the inevitable occur, as it did with me - that is, become physically and somewhat psychologically dependent on them But if your attacks continue to persist, try to ask a doctor for a prescription for Clonodine and/or a beta-blocker, like propanolol or atenolol, to take at the onset of symptoms.

Trust us, it takes above and beyond 50mg of mixed amphetamine salts potentiated by baking soda, and many more than one single time, to cause brain damage of the caliber of amphetamine psychosis. If you came here looking for help, bud, then please attempt to take our advice, rather than dismissing it (which could be a symptom of your newfound anxiety). Barring that, see a neurologist and get some neuropsychological testing done which will be designed to identify neuronal damage to the prefrontal cortex (where the deficiencies or hyperactivity of dopamine and norepinephrine, on which stimulants act primarily, would be the most apparent).

And others have already given you what is likely the best advice: give up the amphetamines while you're still ahead. Magnesium, iron and B-complex vitamins (as well as vitamin E) will help your mental health on a homeopathic level. Again, you went through a deeply traumatic experience, and all that you are feeling is real, because you are feeling it. What I (and others here, too, I would imagine) are trying to say is that what you describe is not at all necessarily symptomatic of irreversible brain damage. I think that if *any*body here felt thta way, they would tell you.

Best wishes, stay safe and be healthy to your body, my friend.

Most sincerely,

~ vaya

Im sorry if Im undermining your expertise here. But I think me and my neurologist knows more about this then anyone on here.

I had 2 MRI's, a EEG, a EMG, and a oral evaluation.

Everything he said was vague to me because Im a layman just like you, but he diagnosed me with a seizure disorder, and said I damaged my temporal lobe and it IS causing me to constantly have myoclonic seizures and occasionally grand-mals seizures.

I can tell this comment is already insulting to you and a few other people here. But guess what, it has NOTHING to do with imaginary panic attacks and anxiety bullshit.

I lose all control of my body, I can't feel anything. For a few of them Ive fell and lost conciseness, and the grand-mals can't even be put into words.

I don't give 2 shits about everyone saying 50mg is a pussy dose. Guess what, it is. But I had absolutely no tolerance. I took the baking soda which does make it MUCH stronger, and I wasn't drinking enough water. It probably had something to do with a underlying condition also.

Do you know what a seizure feels like? Guess what, I do have brain damage from the OD, and the fact that someone here is still telling me there just psychotic panic attacks is ridiculous and ignorantly audacious.

Even after 2 MRI's, a EEG, and a neurologist telling me I have a seizure disorder. (which I already knew). You still possibly think this is just some stupid panic attack bullshit.

Its been 3 weeks since the OD, Im still having violent seizures, I had one last night. O but wait, having no control or feeling in your entire body and violently convulsing is just a panic attack.

 

[Pegasus]

^Hey, we can't diagnose people, we can only say what is likely to have happened. You went to another doctor and got a true diagnosis, that's smart of you. The reason so many people described similar experiences is that in many cases (mine as well), it was anxiety attacks. You also said in your first post that the hospital specifically said you didn't have a seizure... That's a pretty substantial tidbit playing into everyone's comments.

 

[Vaya]

Bro, what you said to me doesn't offend my intelligence at all. That's not how I meant to come off. I did not realize you had had all those tests done, nor did I realize you were having diagnosable myoclonic seizures as a result of confirmed temporal lobe damage. You gotta relax and realize whomever responds to this thread is trying to work *with* you, and not trying to minimize what you're experiencing. As I said, the feelings you're experiencing are *real* because you are experiencing them. Looking back, for whatever reason, I'd overlooked your update post where you had mentioned the seizures and the fact that you'd actually seen a neurologist, and I apologize for giving you advice that had already been addressed.

That said, however, there is no need on your part to be so aggressive, nor to assume that I'm attempting to be elitist. Also, I'm not a layman when it comes to this stuff (although I am NOT a diagnostician), so please find the exact terminology your neurologist used (he/she must have given you papers describing the nature of your affliction as he diagnosed it) and lay down for us in this thread and I will attempt to do what I can for you insofar as offering suggestions or advice. My degree is in biological- and neuro-psychology with much time spent, in a laboratory setting, researching drug-induced neural toxicity and TBI patients.

~ vaya

Edit: and I realized what happened, about my not knowing you had seen a neurologist when I posted my first response to you. Your update was made, according to the top of your post, Today at 5:05. I typed my response to you at 4:30 but did not submit it until 6:38 because I'd fallen asleep in bed after writing what I wrote. I'd just returned to my apartment where I live now after a 5 hour drive from visiting family back home, and thought I'd peruse Bluelight in order to wind down to get some sleep. My falling asleep as I was thinking about how to end my post was unintentional, and my post was still up on the screen when I woke up, and I submitted it then. If that sheds any light on what happened. I wasn't ignoring your posts, and my suggestions to see a neurologist and get some neuropsychological testing done were written BEFORE you provided us with your update that you had already done as much. Kudos on making that step, it's great that you got a diagnosis from somebody other than an ER doctor. And as per your previous posts, I didn't interpret 'convulsions' as 'seizures' because one can convulse without it being classified as having myoclonic, atonic, clonic, generalized/partial or grand mal seizure.

Also, I'm quite surprised, given the finding that the damage is localized to your temporal lobe, that your doctor didn't know specifically which type of seizure disorder you had. There is something called TLE, or temporal lobe epilepsy, which, as I am sure you have surmised already, intimately involves the temporal lobe in its etiology. Give this link a once-through.

 

[Vaya]

You also asked 'do you know what a seizure feels like?' I do, both myoclonic and grand-mal (although, experientially, I was not conscious for the grand-mal seizure itself obviously, but am well aware of how the precipitating psychological/physiological and post seizure symptoms feel).

As for your phenobarbital question, if you truly believe it's going to help, then straight up ask your doctor about it and present him the reasons that you believe phenobarbital is your best option. If you wouldn't mind, I'd sort of like to know, too, what your reasons are because it IS effective, but it's nearly (if not THE) oldest seizure medication still in use today and one would think with all the progress we've made as a society in understanding the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of seizures, you'd be more apt to try one of the newer and more specialized AED's.

~ vaya