For me chest pain was only noticeable for the first month - on the left side.
The first night was the most severe - the rest of the month was pretty minor.
As the re-wiring of my brain continued it eventually became quite obvious on the right side.
In fact it was so persistent and severe that my right arm went completely NUMB on two separate occasions - a sign of stroke.
It took many months of constant local aching combined with anxiety for this to happen.
It was always deep inside the armpit and down the bicep.
Occasionally it pinged very specific muscle nerves in the shoulder, and when it was bad it would affect the palm of my hand.
Terrible shooting pains.
If I remember correctly, the first 'stroke' occurred around month 6 right after smoking weed...and the second happened around month 8 while laying in bed after a high-garlic meal. Garlic causes blood pressure to drop, which increases stroke risk.
And this was the type of sensation loss that one would get from sleeping on a limb for several minutes, right down to the pins and needles.
Motor control was never lost, but I did feel like my right arm was heavier than my left.
By month 11 ALL aching and discomfort in my arm was gone - for good.
I must admit that recently my left armpit has had very mild aching that slightly resembles what happened before.
But there is NO anxiety or discomfort, only awareness.
A good sign, I think, that blood vessels are continuing to re-establish themselves.
You see, serotonin has a direct effect upon small blood vessels in the brain.
And if you move enough capillaries around, over time you will begin to affect arteries as well.
The process of angiogenesis, or creation of new blood vessels, is a well-known property of brain glial cells.
And brain vasculature is fortunately set up so that neurons can derive their blood supply from a variety of sources.
Also fortunate is the fact that not all 'strokes' are debilitating.
Hemorrhaging is quite dangerous because it can put pressure against neurons causing cell death.
And ischemia is the opposite - the loss of blood flow down an artery.
This is usually caused by clots, possibly in the brain or arteries of the neck that supply the brain (which can need surgery).
But Temporary Ischemic Attacks, or TIAs, are relatively minor strokes that typically do not cause wide-spread neuron death.
Symptoms are similar to those seen with more severe strokes but milder, of course.
Paralysis on one side of the face or blindness in one eye is a serious sign.
Pain in the shoulders, armpits, neck, or arms are considered less serious - but these often occur only on one side.
To test for a stroke both arms are lifted straight in front of the body by a medical professional, and you are told to hold both in the same position.
When the other person lets go, a droop or fall of one arm is a sign of lower muscular control.
And nerve damage in the brain.
When serious strokes occur in older patients, they are immediately put into physical therapy the next day.
Cardio is performed daily for six months, because statistically this is the time at which long-term recovery potential is reached.
Whatever level of function they attain by six months is what they will probably end up with.
And occasionally there is amazing progress in a minority of patients due to this exercise.
But in general, it is the extent of neuron death in the first five minutes that determines outcome.
Can I say for sure that you are having TIAs?
No - only an MRI can do that.
And there is little that can be done other than exercise.
Anti-clotting medications can be prescribed, like low-dose aspirin, or surgery performed on clots.
Neither address the root cause for you, so exercise is your best bet.
Lowering inflammation in the blood vessels of the brain and heart is a VERY good idea.
I highly recommend brushing your teeth three times a day if not more.
And floss every other day, making sure to brush once you are done.
The body treats plaque in the mouth like an infection, and the result is inflammation throughout the bodies circulatory system.
Good brushing habits are linked to lower levels of heart disease and stroke, regardless of other lifestyle choices.
This should be a regular practice, because only long-term changes will result in lower inflammation.
Daily aspirin is fine too, but stick to baby aspirin.
And turmeric is one of the greatest anti-inflammatory herbs in the world.
It fights inflammation in the intestines and it is a mild SSRI.
I take it daily and it occasionally makes a BIG difference in the way I feel.
Also, fish oil should be taken several times per day!
It improves the way your body digests harmful fats and cuts down on - you guessed it - inflammation.
You are doing well to run despite your chest pain.
The fact that you are doing it repeatedly without severe reactions is a VERY good sign that your HEART is just FINE.
I recommend lifting because it releases powerful waves of BDNF and dopamine.
Just start off easy and stop when and IF you feel chest pain.
If you can handle cardio, lifting should offer you no complications if you take it slowly.
Drop the cigarettes since they contribute to inflammation and prevent STEM cell proliferation in the brain.
You are robbing yourself of some of the powerful benefits of exercise.
Alcohol is a potent killer of nerve growth factors, so I'm glad to hear you dropped it.
Try to get as little light exposure at night as possible.
Dim your lights and computer monitor.
And get LOTS of sun during the day.
This improves brain function including serotonin production - and sleep is necessary for brain recovery.
Healthy diet is a must, but nothing does as much as regular exercise.
Make sure you stay away from MDMA for at least a year.
An experience like this is a sign that you may be more sensitive than others.
But the dose you took was ridiculous, too.
Now you know.
For many smart people, MDMA is a once per year experience anyways.
There is a reason for that.
Let me know if you have more questions.
No matter what, you are going to be OK.
That much I know.
Your heart is fine.
Your brain will be.
Period.
FBC
