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Palinopsia, 1 year onward and still struggling


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So for a couple of years I was smoking weed, eventually becoming a daily smoker for around 6 months. During this period I started experimenting with psychedelics.

I noticed after using MDMA a couple of times that I would have slight after images for a day or so later but wrote it off. Then after a couple of trips on 2C-B I developed an intense case of palinopsia along with depersonalisation and occasional 'shifting' of textures etc. I figured it would go if I stropped tripping so I did, and 6 months later it was still there. I thought maybe I should stop smoking weed, and id already cut down a hell of a lot due to the extreme anxiety I've developed because of this HPPD or whatever it would be called. Anyway so I did quit for around four months, consuming nothing but alcohol but still no luck. I should add that during this time I've been having a very healthy diet, taking a lot of vitamins and have tried several herbal cures like rhodiola, St. John's wort, ginkgo, gotu kola, all sorts. Anyway after a few months of occasional weed use I quit again and have now been without weed or alcohol or anything for an entire month, still with no improvement.

The dp/dr went for the most part rather quickly but I'm really sick of these afterimaes getting in the way of my life, I also feel 10 seconds behind all the time, generally slow and stupid, which is upsetting to me as I was a high achiever and cannot perform as well in my degree any more. I guess some extent of dp/dr is still there as o can often feel her disconnected from myself or my environment when put in social situations, especially if im not feeling 100% to begin with.

Does anyone have help or advice? I want to get back to my life as it was before, I was very happy and now feel almost clinically depressed. I've been offered SSRIs but I don't want to take something like that daily, and don't like the idea of benzos. Cannabis and occasional psychedelics/MDMA used to help me greatly with my personal issues but now smoking weed actually gives me anxiety. Is there any medication people know of that could help with the palinopsia and this mental slowness?

Thanks to anyone who can help or advise me

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Hi there. I would suggest you to try Keppra. It's great for after-images, not working for trails on me though. And it does reduce DP/DR and brainfog. It's not a cure but it definately helps me socially and mindwise.

No side effects at all for me either currently. Every case is unique but this is something that you can try without taking risks. Show your local neurologist this study:

 

"Levetiracetam efficacy in Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorders:

a prospective study. Casa, B, Bosio, A. Drug Monitoring Service, New

York NY; USA; Mater Dei Clinic, Rome, Italy. Journal of the Neurological

Sciences, Volume 238, Supplement 1, 2005, p. S504.

 

Abstracts of the XVIIIth World Congress of Neurology

 

"Background: The occurrence of flashbacks following use of drugs is a

recognised condition known as Hallucinogen Persisting Perception

Disorders (HPPD), therapy for wlffch is based on neuroleptic and

attticonvulsant medication. Tiffs prospective study assessed the efficacy

of the novel antiepileptic drug levetiracetam (LEV) in treating patients

with HPPD over a 1-year period.

 

Method: Patients with HPPD were treated with LEV 1500 mg/day

(500 mg in the morning, 1000 mg in the evening) for 1 year. Daily

flashback frequency and electroencephalogram (EEG) assessments

were conducted at Day 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, 180 and 360. The incidence of

adverse events was monitored throughout the study.

 

Results: 27 patients (121 males, 6 females), with a mean age of 21.8

(range 18-26) years, were enrolled. At baseline, mean daily flashback

frequency was 9.3 (range 1-45) and EEG assessment demonstrated

temporal slow patterns in all patients. Over the 1-year treatment

period, 20/27 (74.1% ) patients became flashback-free. After 15 days,

7/27 (25.9% ) patients were already without clinical manifestations,

with 6 patients demonstrating > 75% reduction in flashback frequency

and 1 demonstrating 50-75% reduction. EEG patterns normalised in

18/27 (66.7% ) patients after 30 days and in 23/27 (85.2% ) after

90 days. 3/27 (11.1% ) patients continued to have flashbacks, despite

complete disappearance of EEG abnormalities. Side effects were

few in incidence and mild in severity. No patient discontinued

treatment.

 

Conclusions: This study demonstrated LEV to be highly efficacious in

the treatment of HPPD, with very good tolerability and ease of use.""

 

Good luck,

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Oh really, fuck that must be so disturbing. But what I've heard is that after-images is one of the most treatable visuals. And it might reduce over time.

I have long trails on everything. About 300 floaters that I can see in any daylight everywhere, all the time. Long starburst, extreme light sensitive. Slight after-images. Strong CEV:s (has been decreased with Keppra). Widescreen mode is turned on. High contrast, increased colours. I have problems with recognition and expressions.

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