Fits/Spasms of Paralysis

[thwackkk]

Hi all.

My flatemate has been going quite hard for about 6mths now. Using combinations of Extacy, base/speed and K atleast 2 days per week, every week.

She has recently been getting spasms or fits of paralysis, ranging from just a limb or two, to the whole neck down, for up to 3mins, as many as 6 times per night. The episodes happen only when she is lying down in bed, usually just as she is about to drift off to sleep (ie most relaxed) and occur one or two nights after she has been out, and subsequent nights there after.

I would appreciate any information you might be able to give me to pass onto her as it is obviously quite a worrying occurence...........and yeah, not worrying enough it seems to stop her still going out each weekend....but thats a decision she's gotta make for herself ;-)

Thanx in advance

 

[Flexistentialist]

Do a search for "sleep paralysis" and you'll find the info you're looking for. IMO it's related to excessive MDMA use.

 

[thwackkk]

Will do...cheers

 

[En_warp]

yeah i get it too after a big nights, was fucking scary at the start and still is now.

best thing to do is when she can feel its coming on or she has just had one, is for her to go to the bathroom and put water over her hands, wrists and face. works for me. normally stops for that night.

 

[starfunker]

I'd advise she see a professional, it could be nothing but hey... famous last words right?!?!

 

[eKLaB]

I've also experienced this and just recently actually. After a huge weekend in Perth I was on the train home and nooding off to sleep and I could feel myself uncontrolable twich and move. I knew I was doing it but didn't want to say anything to the lady sitting next to me.
I ignored it and tried to get back to sleep, I must of kept doing it though and hit the lady sitting next to me because she eventually got up and moved to another seat.

 

[charlesbronson]

^^ your concern is prudent, but sleep-paralysis is nothing life-threatening.

testimony of people in this thread shows it is frequently associated with MDMA use, and is linked to the lucid hypnogogic hallucinations some people experience on MDMA.

it is one of three key symptoms of narcolepsy; sleep paralysis, cataplexy (sudden loss of muscle tone), and hypnogogic hallucinations/illusions. search if you want more info.

if it persists after drug use has stopped, and if it starts to happen often enough that it bothers you, there are pharmacological treatments that can be prescribed after a visit to your favourite GP. most common drugs used to treat sleep paralysis are tricyclic antidepressants, eg amitriptyline (note: use of TCAs to treat conditions unrelated to depression, eg. chronic pain and sleep paralysis, is common practice).

 

[thwackkk]

Thanx all...did a full search and have printed off some 20 pages of info for her.

Very interesting condition, but sounds scary as all f@ck!!!!! Considering i was doing as much if not more than her not long ago (minus the excessive K and xanax to fall asleep when the weekend was finally done), i'm really glad i never experienced this.

 

[chugs]

i get sleep-paralysis all the time, as a kid and still as a adult (though not as much). You wake up, can't even open your eys or move your body.

usually happens when your breathing is constrained (i find)-its hard not to panic when you can't breath properly (i.e. blanket/pillow covering your mouth but it's all about mind-over-matter and urging yourself to move. Somtimes its easier just to go back to sleep and urge yourself to wake at a later time....

The worst is when it happens in a car and you can't move or say anyhting, tis a complete nightmare

 

[Doodle]

Sleep paralysis is very scary, you get used to it so that you don't freak out when it happens but it is always scary.

I get it after big weekends whether that be MDMA, alcohol, to much caffeine or just not much sleep. I find if it happens as I'm nodding off to sleep the only way to stop it from happening the next time I'm about to nod off is to turn the light on, sit up and read for 10 - 15min then I can get to sleep no worries.

My advice if she wants it to stop is get off everything for a couple of weeks and have a rest. Sounds like her body and mind will very much love some type of break.