Hi all, I am 29 and live in the UK. I am not sure if I have HPPD but came across this site when searching out symptoms I have been suffering from for about 6 months now.
I have slight double vision (worse when looking at light sources or back lit (e.g TV's etc)), visual snow, slight afterimages that burn away very quickly, halo's around light sources and some trails. I also have some floaters (crystal worms). My colour perception is fine and the only I anxiety I have is caused by me worrying about the symptoms.
I used to to take ecstasy when I used to go clubbing about 5/6 years ago but was never a heavy user but took it quite regularly for about 18 months. I now only take it on very rare occasions (maybe 1 or 2 twice a year if that) and I have never done LSD/shrooms and only real hallucinogen I have taken is Salvia.
I smoke cannabis 3 or 4 times a week, sometimes this makes my symptoms worse, other times I don't notice a difference.
I started getting the symptoms I described above in February this year, starting with double vision and visual snow. As these progressed and other symptoms become prevalent I visited my GP and optician. The optician was worried I had optical neuritis (a symptom of MS) so I was referred to the eye hospital. I have been tested for everything possible to do with my eyes and neuro-opthalmology including an MRI scan of my orbits and brain and everything has come back as healthy.
My GP made me have a full suite of blood tests to rule out things like thyroid diseases or diabetes and again these all came back normal. My blood pressure is fine as well.
I have taken ecstacy since the symptoms occurred and they don't seem to have got any worse.
My question is, do you think this could be HPPD? Is MDMA known to cause it if I have never taken other hallucinogens?
The symptoms I have are driving me insane and have started to affect me mentally as I feel constantly down and worried that I am going to have to live with these for the rest of my life.
Any help or advice from the community is greatly received as I feel at the end of my tether!