cocaine + panic attack = brain fog? DP/DR?

[abadchoice]

Hello forum, I come here with a question hopefully it can be answered.


First things a little history on how I came looking for an answer. I am a 27 year old male in good shape. Daily excercise and decent diet with a history of drug usage. I use to take ecstacy about every 2 to 3 weeks for about 2 1/2 years and once in a while cocaine usage for about 2 years. Use to take pre workout drinks and/or energy drinks for working out religiously for about 3-4 years. On a day I decided to work out around 7 pm, I took my pre workout drink and worked out. That night headed to a party drank heavily with about a 20 of cocaine through out the night. Next day I woke up a tad drunk still. Hangover kicked in and just relaxed the whole day with my girlfriend untill night time came in time for dinner i became really emotionally sad cause she had to leave back home for a week. Ordered myself a pizza and a movie ready to munch hard. As soon as i put the movie in and went for the first bite of the pizza...my appetite completely went away in a second and got a weird anxious/scared feeling. Went outside for a breather and just sat there thinking what the hell is going on get control of yourself. I finally came inside and laid in bed feeling out of it and scared/nervous. Fell asleep for about 11-12 hours and woke up feeling really dazed and confused and somewhat in a stoned from weed feeling. I was thinking it was the grogginess form over sleeping. This continued for days while feeling very paranoid and anxious. Decided to get some bloodwork done and everything came out fine. Took B12 shots and within 3 weeks i felt better. The anxiety was gone but I still had the weird stoned/tired vision. I went to the opthamalogist and came out with myopia and astigmatism. Got contacts...everything looks so clear now but the stoned feeling is completely still there. I went day to day trying not to think about it but the whole weird slow motion/cotton brain/ stoned vision is there. A year and 5 months later which is NOW...i decide to go the the Doc again for another blood test and everything came out fine with minimal deficiency in vitamin D and he decided to take me to a sleep study. Results came back with minimal REM sleep (6% when normal is 20-25%)....i do have trouble sleeping at night sometimes getting to sleep and i do wake up alot in the middle of sleeping. So im thinking all this might be due to that but its just hard to believe all this after one night of Id like to think a panic attack occured caused by the cocaine and booze??? I havnt touched X in over a year and well cocaine i did try 2 more times after to see if it gave me anxiety afterwards which it didnt! But that was about 4 months ago to try out as a "test" on how i would feel. Im clean now and really staying like that...don't have a choice either way due to my great career. Im always dwelling I wish i would have never done that night. I wish i felt normal again. The thoughts of whats wrong with me and the night of the panic linger on me every damn day and minute. Even when I get busy working out or at work or at the movies I get a little thought of not feeling right. Its so annoying. Some days i can cope with it and im in a GREAT mood and some days I let it get to me and I feel "down". Is this considered brain fog? DP/DR? or what can it be?? Any thoughts and comments are welcome! Much love

 

[BIGsherm7272]

It very well could be your sleeping issues, I have sleep apnea and before it was treated I felt the brain fog for years thinking that I had messed up my brain from drugs. But it was night and day after I started treatment. I recommend trying to fix your sleeping issues first then go from there.

 

[abadchoice]

thanks for the advice my friend ... will def. look into it

 

[Swimmingdancer]

Sometimes using coke or going through something traumatic can trigger/worsen a pre-existing condition. You need to find out why you're not sleeping well.

Have you been tested for things like a thyroid or other endocrine system problem? Sleep apnea? Did you supplement your vitamin D? And do you get sun? Do you get enough exercise? Eat healthy and take vitamins/supplements?

And try not to regret that night with the cocaine/booze/panic attack, don't think "if only I didn't do that I would be fine right now". Try to think of it as your body's way of bringing something that needs to be fixed to your attention. The hard part is figuring out how to fix it, I know, I have very similar problems.

 

[abadchoice]

Thank you for the comment. I do take Life paknao vitamins which has all b complexes, fish oils, omegas, D, A, C, magnesium and so much more. An additional D3 vitamin is being take aswell. I did have a sleep study done which came out with 6% REM sleep out of normal 22%(no sleep apnea). I get way more than enough sun at my job, find it hard why I would be low on D :/. Exercise is my daily routine and my thyroid levels are good(TSH and T-3 free). I have not checked with an endocrinologist. I have gone to an ENT aswell came out with a slight deviated septum but nothing out of the ordinary. My sleeping architecture sucks badly but i think its the maybe low serotonin levels? or lack of melatonin production since i do take it once in a while to try and help me out along side with Zzzquil. Hope its just some kind of anxiety stress issue that with resolve with time.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

Did they say how much deep sleep (slow wave sleep) you are getting? Not getting enough deep sleep could cause this problem, it's even more important than REM sleep for feeling rested and refreshed. But that doesn't adress why you are having sleep problems.

I would add a magnesium and calcium supplement. Also how much D3 are you taking?

Low Vitamin D can be caused by certain health conditions, which are often difficult to diagnose (just a few examples being a parathyroid tumor, celiac disease, Crohn's disease, systemic candidiasis, cystic fibrosis, kidney or liver problems, etc). I have a Vit D deficiency myself and have the same problems as you (poor sleep, brain fog, but no sleep apnea, thyroid tests appear within normal range, etc).

Do you have any other symptoms?

Are you currently taking any drugs?

One thing you could try is eliminating gluten from your diet for 1 month. It's hard but it's definitely worth a try. Another idea would be things to help with anxiety like yoga, meditation, certain supplements. And another would be things to help your digestive system (in case you're not absorbing vitamins). I can recommend a bunch of supplements that can be helpful if you explain in more detail about your symptoms.

 

[abadchoice]

As for the D3 vitamin its 2000 IU's from the supplement and D3 500 IU's from the LifePak Nano Vitamins. I remember seeing "Vitamin Isufficency" ... from a 30-80 range i was at 25 as per the results.

As for symtpoms the only one that bothers me is what I would like to think is brain fog...maybe getting it confused but it's what I'd like to think it is?. Been there for over a year. Its as my eyes feel a bit heavy when I open them wide, sometimes ill feel my head buzzing/cottonish as if you went on a hard cardio day and the "out of it" state is there constantly...or the groggy feeling from over sleeping is there all day long.... Kind of hard to decribe :/... ringing in the ears here and there....anxiety isnt an issue anymore....when im driving or its really sunny outside...that really bothers my eyes and perception...orthostatic hypotension happens here and there aswell. Cant recall any other symptoms other than those. Just the re occuring thoughts of what is wrong with me ... I want to feel normal again blah blah blah.

Albumin level at 5.3 on my blood lab...says "hi"

Drugs/caffeine none...quit drugs a while back and just taking the vitamins




Here is the result from the sleep study..

total bed time 365.5/total sleep time 338
Sleep Effeciancy 92.5% (normal >90%
Sleep Latency 11 min (normal >10,< 30
REM Latency 250 min (normal is 70-120
Stage 1 3% (normal 5-10%
Stage 2 90.5% (normal 45%-60
Stage 3 0% (normal 10-20%
Stage 4 0% (normal 10-20%
Stage REM 6.5% (normal 20-25%

1 Hypopneas and index of .2

Average 96% Sao2 Minimum was 91% Sao2

0 limb movements (PLMS)

EKG no significant dysrthmias

Mild Sporatic snores causing arousal

AHI .7

 

[abadchoice]

I do deink Alcohol on the weekends too...

 

[Swimmingdancer]

I know exactly how you feel actually!

I'd increase the D3 to 4500 IU. Add a calcium supplement and a lot of magnesium. Chelated magnesium - like magnesium taurate, magnesium glycinate, magnesium citrate, magnesium malate, magnesium oratate, etc - is the best, but if you can't afford it get magnesium citrate, not magnesium oxide.

I'd also add some amino acids, do you want some recommendations?

Your sleep study shows NO deep sleep! Deep sleep is stage 3-4.

How's your "sleep hygiene"? (this is all the behavioural and environmental stuff that can affect sleep)

Do you have any digestive problems at all? (feeling bloated, nausea, constipation or diarrhea, etc). Do you have any pain anywhere? Anything at all else you can think of?

I definitely consider getting more tests done, seeing a doctor that specializes in hard to diagnose/treat conditions or an integrative doctor. Write down every symptom you can think of and take the list to them, even if it's something you think is minor or unrelated (like, say, dry skin or feeling angry when you're hungry, or stuff like that).

Try not to drink alcohol, at least until you can improve your problems. Alcohol is bad for sleep and for many of the conditions that can cause sleep problems.

 

[abadchoice]

Your a great help....really appreciate your concern.....amino acids would be great!.....I've really tried fixing my sleep hygiene habits....I've made my room more comfortable and what not....I've tried so much to make my sleep hygiene effective but still at times does not work....as for digestive tract.....I do get a lot of gas when it comes to dairy products and at times loose stools but not really any pains...I really would like to try a neurologist and an endocrinologist soon. Could this be what they call derealization or depersonalization?

 

[Swimmingdancer]

Things to try:

I would seriously try eliminating wheat, dairy, processed sugar and alcohol from your diet for a month and see if that helps. I know it's is hard, and it's tempting to not want to even believe that something like that could make a significant difference, but I know quite a few people for whom it made a huge difference, and it's something you can do yourself that is pretty simple, it just takes a lot of self-discipline.

Sleep hygiene takes a lot of self-discipline too, and I know how hard it can be to stay motivated when you're feeling the way you are. I certainly have problems with it myself, like trying not to go on the computer late at night . If you're interested I can give you a list of things to try to do/avoid for sleep hygiene.

Definitely try the magnesium. For some people it can take a while of taking it every day to notice a difference, but it's relatively cheap and easy and is good for you in lots of ways.

Amino acids - some to try would include:
- l-lysine and l-arginine for anxiety/stress
- l-tyrosine for dopamine
- l-tryptophan for serotonin (5-HTP is another serotonin precursor)
- l-ornithine for anxiety/stress, fatigue and sleep

It would be good to take a general amino acid supplement, but it can be helpful to take the above in larger quantities. Amino acids are necessary for survival and physical/mental health, but we often don't get enough from our diets and even the ones the body can make can become necessary to supplement when we are stressed, depressed, sick, etc. It's good to take all of the ones I mentioned above if you can, so you don't have an imbalance (for example tyrosine and tryptophan (or 5-HTP) should really be taken together according to the studies). Let me know if you'd like more explanation, or if you're on a budget or don't want to take a ton of supplements.

Do you think you're getting enough B vitamins in your multi-vitamin? You said B-12 helped you before.

As I already mentioned, I would also recommend looking around for a really good doctor of some sort. Ideally one that sees the brain/mind/body as a whole, is willing/able to put in the time/effort to help you get to the bottom of what is causing your problems and what combination of treatments (including/especially non-drug treatments) may help effectively treat them, as opposed to just spending a few minutes with you and either saying there is nothing wrong with you or handing you a prescription. Unfortunately it can be quite difficult to find/get this level of care and we often have to take charge of our own health and be very persistant and dedicated.

Working on your attitude towards how you're feeling is important too. Don't dwell on it or feel guilty/blame yourself.

. . . . . . . . . .

Terms for mental symptoms:

As for whether or not you could consider your symptoms derealization or depersonalization or brain fog, I can't answer that easily or briefly, sorry, this will be long:

It depends how you define the terms "derealization" and "depersonalization". If you use the definition that they are symptoms/mental states and not disorders (different from a diagnosis of "depersonalization disorder"or "dissociative disorder"), that they can be transient (you don't have to feel that way constantly to qualify), and that they can range in severity (from very mild to severe), then possibly, but almost everyone has experienced at least the mild form of these at some point in their life. "Derealization" and "depersonalization" are just terms sometimes used to describe certain symptoms, which can be quite vague unless you have it severely, and can be caused by a huge number of different things. It's difficult to explain them briefly. But basically depersonalization refers to issues with your perception of your self: a mental state in which a you feel detached or disconnected from your personal identity or self, which may include the sense that you have changed/are not yourself and are observing your own actions, thoughts or body. And derealization refers to issues with your perception of your surroundings: when you perceive the external world as seeming unreal, strange or altered. Derealization/depersonalization are very common with sleep deprivation, can occur in conjunction with depression and anxiety, and can be due to a huge number of disorders, diseases, life events, and health conditions/problems. I wouldn't be too concerned with deciding whether or not your symptoms could be called "derealization" or "depersonalization", since even if you do feel you have those symptoms it's obviously not a severe case, like where someone is convinced life isn't real or they can't feel their body etc, I would just try to describe how you feel to your health care providers as best you can in your own words.

"Brain fog" is also a vague term, and is sometimes criticized or not used in Western medicine/psychiatry, because it can be seen as unclear (no pun intended ). It's basically a subjective sensation of mental clouding described as feeling "foggy", tired/"groggy", slow, "off", "spaced out", "dulled", etc. Again, a vast number of things can cause this, sleep deprivation being one.

Another term used in psychiatry is "anhedonia", which means you are unable or less able to experience pleasure from activities usually found enjoyable, (exercise, hobbies, sex, socializing, etc). There is also "motivational anhedonia" meaning you lack the desire to engage in these types of activities. Again, it's just a symptom and there are numerous causes.

Depression and anxiety can also have tons of causes, people often get diagnosed with things like "clinical depression" or "general anxiety disorder" because it's easier than looking for a complex hard to find cause. These "disorders" are just a collection of symptoms, used primarily to determine what medications could be given to you. They don't assume or address the cause. This can be problematic since things like antidepressants or anxiolytics (anti-anxiety drugs) simply mask the symptoms (if/when they actually work) and do not treat the underlying cause(s). It's easy to stop looking for a cause or treatment that actually fixes the problem, and just become dependent on the drugs. Not to say drugs can't be helpful, but I personally believe they should only be used when necessary and as part of a larger treatment plan. Since this is a drug forum, not everyone will agree with me, and it's certainly a lot easier to just take a pill and convince yourself your problem is not fixable any other way and therefore not have to do anything else, so I do have a lot of empathy for that mindset.

Your sleep problems could be causing/worsening a lot of your symptoms, and/or your sleep deprivation and other symptoms could have the same cause.

. . . . . . . . . . .

Sorry this was SO long, I have trouble explaining things quickly. Hope it's not annoying and can be of some help

 

[chrisalt]

What is the question hear? To many drugs are causing you panic and paranoia. Welcome to my world, other's world's and drug addiction/abuse.