Head pressure, Brain fog, odd head sensation, feeling detached

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Hi all, 

I decided to become a member and make a post here after reading the forums for quite a while, great site by the way. 

I am currently suffering with various symptoms and am in a bad way and just don't know where to turn any more so thought I would post here and see if anyone has any similar experiences or advice. 

So first of I am male and 26 years old. I have been suffering with the symptoms in the title pretty consistently for about 2 and a half years now. I used to have some relief from the symptoms for a day or 2 here and there or maybe a bit of relief for a few hours in the day but recently the symptoms are pretty much constant and I cannot shake them. 

I have an overall mild pressure feeling in the head, its not painful but is just very aggravating and feels really strange. I also have extreme brain fog with this and like a fuzzy head, there is a constant cloud over my brain and I never have any mental clarity or a clear head. My cognitive function is extremely poor now, my short term memory is non existent, its scarily bad. I often feel, detached from reality when the symptoms are bad and suffer from de-realisation, although I think this may be down to some anxiety and depression I experience when the symptoms run me down. I also get random sharp cramping pains in the head, they are quite painful but do not bother me so much as they only usually last a second or 2, it varies on how many I get of these each day but its usually less than 5. It often feels as though my brain is malfunctioning somehow and my cognitive function and senses are all out of whack, its hard to explain. There can sometimes be a build up of these symptoms throughout the day and by the night I can feel like I somehow how the flu without a fever? Like I have the head pressure, completely foggy headed, I feel super unwell, weak, sometimes even start feeling cold. Also have night sweats usually for about 4 or 5 days each month, there doesnt seem to be any sort of pattern to them that I can notice, so not sure if they are relevant. Another thing I have is ringing in ears which is mild but seems to have gotten worse recently if that sounds relevant at all. The main thing that gets me is the odd head pressure/sensation and the utterly life hindering brain fog, my brain feels like it is coated in a dark blanket constantly.

I do suffer from anxiety, I know many of these symptoms can be caused or made worse by these symptoms. I dont doubt that anxiety is a contributing factor and the way I think about they symptoms probably makes them worse but I have come a long long way with my anxiety, I have good control over it, I haven't had a panic attack in a couple of years, I manage to control most of my concious anxiety and stay in a positive mindset. No doubt I still have some subconscious anxiety underlying and I am working on that but I am not convinced this is the route cause of my symptoms. I am in therapy for my anxiety. I do not feel I will ever fully recover while I have these symptoms hanging over me though. 

I have been to the doctor about these symptoms, although I do think I struggle to explain them or put them across very well in the doctors office. I have have blood tests which are all normal. I saw a neurologist couple of years back when this started, had a CT scan which was normal, they put the stabbing pains down to icepick headaches and thought the other symptoms were probably made worse by my anx/depression. Since then I went away and have been on anti depressants etc with no improvement of symptoms. I have also had a few ECGs and a 24hr ECG as I have slow heart rate and low bp so thought maybe the symptoms could be down to low bp and lack of blood to the brain, doctors do not think think this is the case and all my results came back normal. I have recently been back to the neurologist who is referring me for an MRI although he said he is sure there is nothing sinister and thinks the symptoms are probably tension type headaches and made worse by and previous drug use, he only put it down to the drug use when i told him about it though so it seemed like a convenient diagnosis. I forgot to mention I used to take drugs on the weekends socially, cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy on different occasions for a couple of years, I have had periods where I have felt ok since taking these drugs and do not really think they are the cause, I was not an addict this was just one or 2 nights a month at the weekends. So I have an MRI coming up but the neuro thinks it will be clear and obviously I hope it is and I am looking for other answers. 

What could be causing these symptoms? Other than anxiety which i no can be a factor, but I have periods where my anxiety is pretty much non existent but these symptoms still build up out of nowhere and persist. I was thinking maybe some sort of allergy could be a possibility, I have tried cutting out gluten and lactose, this didn't seem to make much difference although I didn't stick to this for very long. I actually did a juice fast for 2 weeks with eating nothing other than fruit and veg juice put through a juicer to see if that would help but it didn't really give me any relief. Are there any other stomach issues that could cause this? I never have diarrhoea or constipation, my stools always float recently though, to the point of not being able to flush them, also whenever I have seen chance medicine doctors they check me out and say they think i have issues with digestion, i don't feel i have these issues but do wonder if there might be something in it. 

Could there be something going on with the blood vessels in my head? Could it be a spine/posture issue? Some sort of epilepsy or electrical activity in my brain? I just have no idea now and am desperate for some relief. If anyone has any ideas or advice I would really appreciate it. 

Oh just to add I am reasonably fit, I try go to the gym a few times a week and I do some weight lifting. I am a normal weight. I have been losing some weight recently which is a concern but I am still in a normal weight range for height and age. 

Thanks for reading

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  • Edited

    Hi everyone,

    Our resident GP has had a look at this thread and written an article about the things that can cause the brain fog and head pressure that Recoverandheal has described.

    Read it here: https://patient.info/health/headache-leaflet/features/what-causes-head-pressure-and-brain-fog

     

    • Edited

      My name is jonathan and i am 34yrs old from west afrcan, I have being having waves of squeezing presure in the brain, upper part of the brain, for 3 weeks now and I have being to 3 hospitals and have being placed on drugs like voltarin retard100mg nuriobium to say the least, but it's not getting better, have asked to do a CT scan, and I did, every thing came out fine, but said I have synopsis, was giving meds for that and still noting has changed

      Aside the upper head squeezing presure that comes in waves of 2sec per period, the left side of my head is tight too, the pain slides down to the back of the ear, jaw line and down to the neck.. all on the left side...which started a few days back..

      I am new here and read a similar case, 

      I was hoping to share, if anyone shares this kind of health issues and what they did to make it better... thank you

    • Edited

      Hi Jonathan, wow ,just read what you wrote and I never thought I'd find someone experiencing what I go through.

      I get the head tightness , the squeezing, throat swelling and the headaches.   Those symptoms that I experience will generally be caused by my sensitivity to scents, fumes, and high humidity with high heat index.

      Today, I have experienced the symptoms because where I live is is a heat wave going on. The heat index is now 100, but earlier I went out on my porch and the heat index was 95 degrees with humidity level at 78 % and luckily I made it back inside cause I suddenly experienced those symptoms with tingling, chills, etc., Then to make me more anxious I started to wonder if the humidity level was rising in my home with the air running, so for awhile there I still did not feel well.  

      This all started about 6yrs ago, a year an a half after my brain surgery. I noticed certain foods will trigger symptoms.  And due to having non allergic vasomotor rhinitis it contributes to those symptoms. Foods that contain tannins I stay away, however I love nuts and try to stick to dry roasted nuts, because roasting helps remove the tannins and with the food elimination I can do more things without being restricted as much.  

      I am still working on finding things such as food to avoid or  foods that help and anything else that will alleviate or cure it. I do remember one time last summer surprisingly being outside in 112 degree and doing fine.  I had thought it was the elimination of gluten but now not so much.

      Have you had any luck in alleviating your symptoms?  Hope you are feeling better!

    • Edited

      Hi, I had all of these symptoms in 2016. I had test after test. I even had a ct scan and everything came back normal. I went to 6 different doctors and nothing was found. Finally after going to my 7th doctor I found my problem. It was Hypothyroidism. You need to go to a endocrinologist to have your thyroid checked because regular doctors only check your TSH. You also need your T3, T4, reverse T3,free T3and Free T4 checked. 
    • Edited

      Unfortunately I’m almost 100% positive it’s related to mdma use. I have also been suffering from these same exact issues for some years now. I never attributed it to the mdma before but I went to edc in May. My friends and I all took mdma it worked well for them but didn’t work at all for me. I’ve used it at least 20 times in the past but it hasn’t worked for the few last times. I had tried it two weeks prior to edc but before that it had been years. Anyway since it didn’t work and I was tired and didn’t want to be a Debby downer while my friends were trying to have fun I took a quarter of an adderall. I have been going through the most miserable time of my life since. Extreme panic attacks and depression, pressure in the head, inability to concentrate on anything, I feel as though the voice inside my head when thinking to myself is so much quieter, I never get a good nights rest (nightmares of not being able to think) my vision has changed dramatically, everything looks fuzzy and grey and staticky, I can’t connect with anyone, I’ve seriously contemplated suicide as I’m afraid I will never feel human again. I’ve tried lexapro which made everything even worse for me, I’ve tried wellibutron, 5htp, so many different supplements and no relief. The anxiety is a little more manageable now most likely because I’m getting used to the new me. I feel disconnected from the world and reality. I don’t even recognize myself anymore. Let me know if you do ever find help please. I’m on the verge of quitting my job and moving in with my family because of the constant anxiety and no longer being able to concentrate on work. I feel so hopeless. I tried to go to a doctor and explain what was going on and was honest about the drug use. It landed me in a behavioral health hospital for 5 days which being stuck there, forced to take meds and forced to cut my cigarettes smoking down to 4 a day only exacerbated everything. Any help or advice would be great.

    • Posted

      Hi haley59459

      We note from a recent post which you have made to our forum that you may be experiencing thoughts around self-harm. If we have misinterpreted your comments then we apologise for contacting you directly. But if you are having such thoughts then please note that you are not alone in this, and there are people out there that can help.

      If you are having these suicidal thoughts then we strongly recommend you speak to someone who may be able to help. The Samaritans offer a safe space where you can talk openly about what you are going through. They can help you explore your options, understand your problems better, or just be there to listen.

      Their contact details are on our patient information leaflet here: https://patient.info/health/dealing-with-suicidal-thoughts, which also offers lots of other advice on how you can access the help you may need.

      If you are having such thoughts then please do reach out to the team at the Samaritans (or the other people detailed in our leaflet) who will understand what you're going through and will be able to help.

      Kindest regards

      Patient

    • Edited

      Hi Rob. My hormon level got messed up and we found out Im dealing with the same issue than you...

      Hypothyroidism.....  

      But I dont know how to cure this situation.... I live stress full life...Im planing to relocate to a calmer area also...

      What should I do ?

    • Posted

      Hi

      I've had a squeezing sensation in my head for about a year now.

      it comes in waves loke I've been whacked around the head and it fuzzies for a few seconds then goes.

      I can have these anytime. driving, in bed, sat still.. so it's nothing I'm doing or looking at.

      I had an MRI thinking it was ear and balance related. Nothing.

      I don't get any other symptoms but can have this numerous times a day.

      Do you think it could be the same thing?

      I've never taken any drugs but have had chemo 3 years ago.

    • Posted

      Thank you! I have had these debilitating problems for a long time. Having brought this to my attention may have just been life-saving.

    • Edited

      Hi Haley,

      I realize this post is from 11 months ago, so I'm not sure whether you're still active on this forum. If you are, I would like to know how you are now and if you found any relief of your symptoms. I too am experiencing the exact same symptoms as you described. Pressure in the head, inability to think or concentrate, the voice of my thoughts doesn't come through the fog in my head so I don't even know what I'm thinking. My cognitive function and short term memory have become so bad, I feel demented. I too don't recognize myself anymore and have fuzzy vision. For me it started with extreme panic attacks and anxiety about 10 months ago, which over time lead to major depression and eventually to the symptoms I'm having now (for about 5 months or so). I've had blood tests and an MRI of my head done, all of which came out normal. I am currently majorly depressed and, like you, I too feel that my anxiety is a lot less severe due to the fact that I have gotten used to the symptoms, but unfortunately that doesn't alleviate my symptoms one bit. My doctor, neurologist and therapist all tell me that these symptoms are a result of stress, depression and/or anxiety, but I'm just not convinced they are. Next week I'll be admitted to a mental health clinic for depression and anxiety and I really hope that this will help.

    • Edited

      Hi! Not sure if you are still active on here but I have been having these same exact symptoms. I had been miserable for a long time. Depersonalization is what it's called, and mine also comes with fuzzy vision and diminished "inner voice". I hope by now you have realized you can definitely feel human again, but if not Ill tell you this, I had ended up googling these symptoms and convincing myself i needed to buy every brain focus vitamin on the market, so i went to the health food market and ended up getting a job there. Working there, I changed my diet and supplement routine and I felt myself getting better for sure. I mean REALLY changed my lifestyle. I felt pretty good for a while, still needed work but I was getting to the point where aside from my visual snow, which was clearly a teeny bit by teeny bit, i essentially felt pretty normal. Fast forward, i kinda fell of my routine and now have to start all over. Since reverting back to my old eating habits, i have fallen back into feeling how i did first starting out, which really sucks. One thing though it made me realize i had come a lot further than i thought. Just message me if you'd like a more in detail breakdown of what i changed around. i know you can feel normal again

    • Edited

      My earlier reply

      "Hi! Not sure if you are still active on here but I have been having these same exact symptoms. I had been miserable for a long time. Depersonalization is what it's called, and mine also comes with fuzzy vision and diminished "inner voice". I hope by now you have realized you can definitely feel human again, but if not Ill tell you this, I had ended up googling these symptoms and convincing myself i needed to buy every brain focus vitamin on the market, so i went to the health food market and ended up getting a job there. Working there, I changed my diet and supplement routine and I felt myself getting better for sure. I mean REALLY changed my lifestyle. I felt pretty good for a while, still needed work but I was getting to the point where aside from my visual snow, which was clearly a teeny bit by teeny bit, i essentially felt pretty normal. Fast forward, i kinda fell of my routine and now have to start all over. Since reverting back to my old eating habits, i have fallen back into feeling how i did first starting out, which really sucks. One thing though it made me realize i had come a lot further than i thought. Just message me if you'd like a more in detail breakdown of what i changed around."

    • Edited

      hello, I am going through this and it's been on and off for 2 years with various other symptoms also. I would like to know what you tried and what worked please. maybe it will help me

    • Edited

      My partner is having all these symptoms, I have said for a while I think he has did or something, but no one is listening, he is now on the NHS waiting this for psychotherapy but they have already cancelled and rebooked his appointment 1 month later. Please can you help me understand what has helped you. Maybe I can help him feel free from his procrastinating and help him to see a brighter future before he does something he can't come back from. ❤️

    • Edited

      for me they found bulging discs at c3/4 and c5/6 treating the bulging discs with cervical traction and physical therapy has solved all of my brain issues. the doctors never said that the bulging discs caused my symptoms, they actually said it wasnt possible that the injury was causing my brain fog. All I know is one week after I started traction my brain fog and head sensation was getting better. A year later it still flares up every now and then but I just go back to the traction and keep it at bay. The other mystery is that no one could tell me how i developed the bulging discs in my neck, no accident or injury ever, they just showed up.

    • Posted

      for me they found bulging discs at c3/4 and c5/6 treating the bulging discs with cervical traction and physical therapy has solved all of my brain issues. the doctors never said that the bulging discs caused my symptoms, they actually said it wasnt possible that the injury was causing my brain fog. All I know is one week after I started traction my brain fog and head sensation was getting better. A year later it still flares up every now and then but I just go back to the traction and keep it at bay. The other mystery is that no one could tell me how i developed the bulging discs in my neck, no accident or injury ever, they just showed up.

    • Edited

      I was going through the same thing until I asked for an MRI of my neck. For me they found bulging discs at c3/4 and c5/6 treating the bulging discs with cervical traction and physical therapy has solved all of my brain issues. the doctors never said that the bulging discs caused my symptoms, they actually said it wasnt possible that the injury was causing my brain fog. All I know is one week after I started traction my brain fog and head sensation was getting better. A year later it still flares up every now and then but I just go back to the traction and keep it at bay. The other mystery is that no one could tell me how i developed the bulging discs in my neck, no accident or injury ever, they just showed up.

    • Edited

      what do you mean "just go back to the traction" i feel like i have a bulging disc(s) are there any exercises you can share that may help me? And do you have pain that travels down your neck to the back of your shoulders?

    • Edited

      I use a Cervical Traction pillow I got from Amazon. There are other options but the pillow works best for me. The pain does goes down my neck into my shoulders. sometimes in my upper back as well. Typical symptoms for Cervical neck issues also includes issues travelling down your arms into your fingers. I dont get that pain much but it does get bad in my shoulders. I also get dizzy/vertigo symptoms as well.I can also get some pretty severe headaches, but again the traction is my saving grace! i was actually in a really good place with hardly any issues on a day to day but i was involved in a minor car accident and i was rear ended so i am right back to square one for now. images year over year showed signifigant improvement on my 3/4 but the accident herniated by 5/6 😦. it was nice to see the images year over year though. i figure i fixed it once ill do it again. im back at my traction and so far so good. each day seems to get better. also, thermacare makes adhesive heat wrap patches that i wear while i sleep. they are made for your neck and i swear they are magic! I wish you the best and hopefully this helps!

    • Edited

      Hello!

      I'm really sorry for the LONG POST. but I just need to spill it out to people who understand, because others (including doctors) thinking I'm crazy (and please don't mind the possible grammar mistakes, since I'm Russian living in States.)

      I'm 30.

      My story is EXACTLY THE SAME AS YOURS, MIRROR REFLECTION!!!

      (before you read everything: last 2 years of my life was horrible. I lost 2 businesses, lost all savings, lost apartment, lost my car and at the end almost lost my 5 years of relations, or maybe still in the process of loosing idk)

      FUNNY FACT (not actually funny): I had a serious 3 hour conversation with my GF the day I tried adderall, we kind of break up, and 10 years ago my first panic attack started the day I broke up with my GF).

      STORY:

      First time tried MOLLY (August 2019), 2 weeks after again (everything was great) and then week after half of ADDERALL - THAT WAS IT, .

      • 30 minutes after adderall I got a chest pain, pulsation in my mid back, and then SEVERE PANIC ATTACK, it was short though.
      • 2nd day good great mood, mild headache.
      • 3rd day I was laying flat with severe headache.
      • 4th day my scalp was burning.
      • 5th day after work I went straight to hospital, because of burning sensation and anxiety, in the hospital I was shaking a bit, mild panic attack got me. CT Scan done, EKG done, checked blood for something - all good. I told doc though about drugs (but he didn't even know what MOLLY is).
      • 2 more times I went to hospital after that with SEVERE headache, they injected me and gave some pills but there was not much of relief.
      • during firs 3 weeks SEVERE Fog, 3 straight days of SEVERE CONFUSION felt like I wasn't here, very slow thinking (I thought I'm done!), 1 epsiode of strong SEIZURES, 4 times SEVERE Panic Attacks, numbness/tingling sensations in hands and legs, 2 SEVERE Light Sensitivity episodes, face pain, teeth ache, basically every spot of the head was in pain.
      • after 3 weeks or so started to notice ringing in the ears, then my eyes started to fell dry and tensed, like the surface of an eyeball was dry and not clear, I used some eye drops to help it. It also felt like the blood vessels in my eyes are popped out so much that I could feel them when was moving my eyes. Multiple times was waking up with the symptoms of FLU: sore throat, congested nose, but after an hour or so symptoms were gone. Also I noticed my face got a bit swollen after I lay down for a bit. Waking up in the mornings was so miserable. Headaches every other day... I missed the work, couldn't handle my business, didn't care about anything else.

        So, it has been almost **3 months since. As of now:

      • There is this SPASM feeling around my head (mostly forehead and sides).
      • Bad concentration (I work on a Wall Street, every day numbers and analytics. Sometimes I just want to get out of here, feels unreal to handle these tasks.
      • Low ambitions.
      • Reading is bad kind of. I can only concentrate on reading fully when I do it out loud.
      • Eye strain like feeling, something is off, hard to describe, still using eye drops.
      • Tinnitus (steady in both ears, sometimes in the evening and in the morning there is an additional ringing in my left ear). But in the morning tinnitus is on it's peak.
      • Neurologist, ENT, MRI neck/head, EKG - all normal.

        (M A Y B E I missed something, but overall you got an idea)


      WHAT HELPED ME SO FAR:

      • VALERIAN: over the counter sedative, helped me to fight panic attacks, migraines and insomnia during 1st 3-4 weeks.
      • Boxing, Running, Weight Lifting (when the panic attack/anxiety was at it worst I went to gym, located in my development, and just punched the bag till I couldn't. And believe me, the power and anger I had that moment was insane, more than normal. No Gym - run around the block. Immediate relief after (at least for me). But I do know from my past and from the doctors that it helps.

      FURTHER STEPS:

      • Root canal I have a very bad tooth (every day pain, idk if it is connected to the symptoms or TMJ). will be done in a couple of months. It cracked not so long before everything started. Also my wisdom teeth are all hidden and laying righjt on the nerves, don't know yet what will be done.
      • TMJ: I have TMJ since 17 (just found out that it called TMJ). So my jaw is clicking when I open my mouth wide. It actually never bothered me before, very rarely jaw-clock when yawning. So, in 3 weeks I'm going to surgeon, just consultation. Will keep you updated.
      • VITAMINS: Just started B12, OMEGA 3, WORMWOOD (consuming for couple of weeks already, the one thing I noticed for sure - big increase of libido), MAGNESIUM. Will keep you posted.
      • Serotonin test.
      • Vitamins test.
      • Accupuncture: will start soon. Why acupuncture: it relaxes nerves and muscles. One more reason why I want to do it, because I found a thread (will probably post later, don't remember exactly where I found it), so the guy said he had all our problems but after he did an acupuncture on some specific nerve, that somehow connects our Gallbladder and Head, the symptoms went away. We'll see.

      CONCLUSION for now:

      As of now I've returned to my day to day activities. I tried to analyze my situation. I had very bad couple of years, lost everything, depression, lack of ambitions and drive, this is what pushed me to use drugs, honestly. I never tried any drugs in my life until now. (only weed long ago: see last topic). So, molly (MDMA) and adderrall are forcing your body to release more serotonin into your blood, thus you feel euphoria like sensations. I'll check the levels of serotonin in my body, but I think that was not even an adderall that caused all that. The adderall caused big anxiety/panic attack and then anxiety/panic attack caused the rest. When the person experience an anxiety, muscle tension begins. Other thing, that on and after molly you want to clench your teeth so bad (I was chewing gum during and couple days after) - that what puts tension on jaw and head muscles - reason for TMJ maybe. Another thing from Molly and Adderall is dehydration - was going to bathroom 4-6 times per hour, also was replenishing the loss (drinking water). One more thing, couple weeks, prior to apocalypse, I started smoking this JUUL and another vape during the day (all day), plus couple regular cigarettes a day and also I use chewing tobacco from time to time. According to all of the above, it is hard to say what exactly was the last drop. But still, most likely the MUSCLES that contacts the blood vessels around the head, eyes. Need to find the way to relax them.




      MY PAST PANIC ATTACKS (idk maybe it is all connected):

      • In my teens all my friends were smoking weed. I tried many times, and only 2-3 times out of many It felt good. The rest were mild panic attacks, strange sensations on my face, legs were shaking, vomiting etc... And then (idk if it was connected) I tried some synthetic weed and 3 days later I was in hospital. Till my 20s my BP was 90/60 , after what happened it was 140/80 for couple years and now 120/80. Panic attacks - panic attacks - panic attacks. I've seen every doctor, even went to psychic, some old grannys with super powers etc... Told me it was a bad eye.

        At the same time, prior kinda, I lost 2 a friend and my cousin, and broke up with my GF after 4 years together.

        After couple of years of suffering everything went away, I refused to take medications (anti depressants). Somehow it all got away.


      Thank you all for this thread, thank you for reading and let's FIGHT IT TOGETHER, because, you know, people who never experienced this - won't get it.

      LET'S DIG, let's try not to understand the symptoms, but WHAT ACTUALLY LED TO THEM, the events that happened prior!!!


      Good Luck!!!

      Regards,

      Alex.

    • Posted

      hi could you tell me what changes you made please? I'm currently taking b2 for migraines, as well as other medications. often after eating or at night time I get a strange feeling of almost out of body/detatchement and numbness. sometimes accompanied with a migraine. they put it down to hemiplegic migraines.

      thanks for any help.

    • Posted

      hello, that is exactly how mine started and then all of a sudden it never went away. I have a history of migraines as a child that felt similar but I don't get the headaches accompanying the "aura" symptoms now. how are you now

    • Posted

      what kind of doctor did you go to that found this? did they find it from a CT scan?

    • Edited

      Hi, i wanted to ask you if youre still struggling with this issue. -any suggestions to get rid of or feel some sort of relief

    • Posted

      Hi there,

      What symptoms where you experiencing? Did you have to see a specialist for your diagnostic?

    • Posted

      Just curious. Have you ever asked your doc about the rhinitis to make certain it wasn't cerebral spinal fluid? I'm asking because this occurred after your brain surgery. I am not a doc but I'd surely ask if it was me.

    • Posted

      Same story as Haley and Timmo, please help guys, my story is basically the same, bar the adderall, ive had this going on for several years and im desperate for a way to sort it! Please anyone can help?!

    • Edited

      Hello, I'm sorry to hear this, I went through the same thing. I was having panic attacks, anxiety attacks depersonalization, and all after I smoked weed a couple of times with my boyfriend and his family, who's now my husband. My biggest regret is not being able to go back on smoking, people said it'll help me with anxiety and it had no side effects. They were wrong. People with anxiety are most vulnerable to these "hidden" side effects. The symptoms began to escalate with the months. Last year, it was the 25th of December and my family was going through a rough situation. My panic attacks didn't let me sleep until 4am in the morning and had me going to the bathroom like 10 times per half an hour with my accelerated digestion, which was part of the attack. I had no consolation for what would be of my life in the future, I was desperate. I woke up my mom and told her I was having panic attacks. She gave me a pill, that for the next 3 months I would be taking, and it would improve my quality of life greatly. Hyderax (Hydroxyzine) is an anti-allergic for the skin, but also used to help relieve anxiety and stress, plus it isn't strong and it's dependency free. This pill helped get my body out of the state of emergency I was having all the time and helped me go back to normal (get rid of the bad habits that my body was starting to take, the panic attacks). It's not over the counter, but I got it through a family member. I also invented these breathing exercises, that consists on helping me avoid escalating to a panic attack when I feel it's coming. I usually fill my lungs with air completly and then breath all out until I'm out of air and hold it there until I feel my heart slowing down, while thinking "Everything is alright, calm down". Plus, I also assisted to therapy and knowing a professional's opinion in my case helped a lot. She reminded me of things I needed and gave me emotional tools for the long run. With the help of the pill Hyderax to relieve anxiety, doing my own breathing exercises to help slow down my heart, and with the help of Therapy. These three things returned my life to 95% normal, which is good. I can say, I was very lucky to have a combination that solved my problems and now I'm leading a very normal life compared to before. Most importantly, stop overthinking is a great help, too. Sorry it's 2 years late, I do hope this is of help for you or someone else who's in desperation. My best wishes for you.

    • Posted

      I am currently experiencing similar, after stupidly trying mdma for the first time.

      After 2 years of private consultations, many mris, brain has been ruled out, tmj remains potential, but the noose seems to be tightening around the cervical spine.

      Please get checked for this. Remember, a side effect of mdma is overuse of muscles of mastication (jaw, gurns) this could have twisted your neck spine out of alignment, resulting in head pressure, eustachean tube issues and the jaw joint.

      I'm due to start a chiropractor course with this, but after a sports massage on my neck, I had a noticeable improvement.

    • Posted

      This resonates exactly with me. Symptoms since taking molly (1st time) Aug 2019.

      2 brain mris negative

      Cervical spine mri (negative)

      Tmj disc mri negative

      Currently getting checked for cervical spine alignment (not specifically checked on my mri) after a sports massage gave me some tangible relief.

      It makes sense as the skull base muscles (c1 vertebrae to skull) are all connected with jaw etc and we know that molly makes you gurn.

      Interesting you mentioned wisdom tooth. On my night out, I had somehow managed to bite down on a partially erupted wisdom tooth (btm left) at the time it wasn't grown enough to occlude with the upper jaw, so it must have gone sideways to do so. It was real painful in the morning, but I've never thought of that... Could it be wisdom tooth?

    • Edited

      hey! I removed one, no change. 3 more to go but they are buried. Really dont think thats the issue.

      I think you are on the right track! I'm also looking onto chiros, went to 1 around a year ago and after the 1st visit i suffered like in the beginning (for the next 3 days).

      I agree with you on this side jaw clenching effect after molly.

      Lmk if you will have any further luck with chiros, I will also keep you updated!

      For now gym and cardio helps me, but whenever I add a new exercise, or add a weight to existing exercise - I suffer next day with more head tension, tinnitus and neck uncomfortable feeling, but when i keep on doing this new exercise (or new weight) - build up a tolerance.

      in the beginning I was afraid even of 10lb dumbbells - i felt horrible the next few days.

      So yes, def the muscles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Posted

      Hi there, I have had a similar quest to find out that I have hypothyroidism too. however my docotor put me on 50mg of levothyroxine which brought my THS and T4 back to the lower end of the "in range reading" and refuses to increase this even though I still have all my symptons- brain fog, spacey, head pressure and Tinnitus etc. any advice you can add would be great as this has been going on too long and is driving me insane.

      Many Thanks

      paul

    • Edited

      I'm getting an independent review of my radiology data, and have specifically asked for cervical alignment and interface with atlas and Jaws... I'll post when I get a report.

      I'm going to try a chiro cervical specialist too.

    • Edited

      hi Timo, i have exactly the same symptoms. Did you find out what is was? Did you get better?

    • Edited

      Hi there,

      I have these exact symptoms constantly. Head pressure, fogginess, depersonalization, memory and cognitive issues... the only thing that's different is that I also have tremors in my hands and my legs, and sometimes muscle spasms. My EEG, MRI, CT Scan, and other neurological tests are normal— oh! I also have visual snow. Anyways, what did you do to change your symptoms?

      Thanks,

      India

    • Edited

      Hey, any news on your radiology data review?

    • Posted

      Hello Cory,

      Can you tell me exactly what your cervical traction pillow is like please? I have just checked Amazon but there are so many different types.

      Thank you,

      Kind regards,

      Kay

    • Posted

      Orthopedic surgeon spotted some minor misalignment but didn't think it was significant.

      Currently getting another peer review from a neuro and a max fax.

      Another thing you want want to look into is carotid artery dissection, there are some case reports of this with mdma, but the symptoms are well correlated. Could be some jaw swelling causing stenosis or similar...

    • Edited

      holy s**t dude it boggles my mind how you have literally went down the same direction as me at everything. caratoid artary disection and cervical instability

    • Posted

      yea please go a little more into detail about your symptoms If you don’t mind, I feel so lightheaded and confused as well as so detached that sometimes I pull over because I’m afraid I’m going to have like a seizure or something.

      also what kind of steps did you take because I don’t really eat too bad other than TV dinners such as healthy choice food plates and a lot of Coca-Cola but I am a pretty unhealthy weight being somewhat under weight as a 29-year-old male. Thank you so much for hearing me out and looking forward to a response.

    • Edited

      Hey, I know this thread is old and everyone has been sort of jumping in and out but anyone who has been experiencing these symptoms, especially on the psych side needs to have their blood metal levels tested in addition to their thyroid. Toxic build up of metals in blood/brain can mimic all sorts of other conditions; the most concerning misdiagnosis being schizophrenia. Often your body isnt able to filter something common like magnesium or copper and you can wind up with a literal build up in your brain. Psych doctors mean well but often forget to check common physical causes and if you even off handedly mention ANYTHING psych to a medical doctor they just pass you off.

    • Posted

      Hi

      could you tell me what work you gad done on your neck? I too have these symptoms with a painful neck... thanks

    • Posted

      Can actually be coming from your spine. Go see a chiropractor.

    • Edited

      hello, i have the exact the same things you described, so did you solved it, if yes , how and what was the problem

    • Edited

      Have you considered that your partner may be hyperventilating? Long term hyperventilation causes constriction of blood vessels and these cause all manner of physical and mental problems. The sad thing is that doctors aren't willing to believe it. I hyperventilated for 26 years and have spent the last 33 reversing the constricted blood vessels. Physical problems included heart palpitations, occasional complete loss of muscle tone in right arm, meaning for a few seconds I couldn't hold anything, right eye vision would blur for a few minutes at times, when I stood up after crouching for a few moments everything would go black for a short time until pinpricks of light would come through and gradually I could see. Mental symptoms included anxiety, panic attacks, intrusive thoughts and OCD. I have felt rigid blood vessels soften and then become pliable and then whoosh the blood starts to flow again. I have felt shivery or bubbling feelings in my body as blood vessels are released. All the physical symptoms bar occasional heart palpitations have gone, in fact my eye sight is now improving. Sadly, not being medically qualified means no one believes me. My GP thinks blood vessels return to normal quickly but she's wrong. All research is isolated, no one joins the dots yet there are a host of research papers into different conditions all saying the same, that hyperventilation causes them or lack of blood flow is a factor. The lack of blood flow is because of constricted blood vessels due to past or present hyperventilation. I have gone on at some length in case this helps someone, just don't expect your GP to believe you. If anyone reading this has anxiety or OCD, if you withdraw from the feeling or thought, you will feel a throbbing or soreness behind it. That sensation is caused by constricted blood vessels. Hoping this helps someone.

    • Edited

      I forgot to add that the mental symptoms are much improved too. I still have some constricted blood vessels but, once these are gone, have every confidence that any remaining symptoms will go too. Since we all have to breathe, little importance seems to be placed on something so apparently basic yet so fundamental.

    • Edited

      totally get where you're coming from. I found all my physical and mental symptoms stemmed from the constricted blood vessels which were themselves caused by hyperventilation (see my reply to Paula for details) but doctors don't get it. James Nestor of California University has written a book called Breath, about the lost art of breathing and the problems it can cause. What no one seems to have done so far is to research the effects of long term hyperventilation and how the constricted blood vessels can be unconstricted faster. Speaking to friends and colleagues, I think a lot of people hyperventilate but don't know it and doctors treat the symptoms, without delving into the cause.

    • Posted

      so how did you fix it ? and no more head pressure ?

    • Posted

      ALex did you find the solution? did it go away?

    • Posted

      Hi Timo1995,

      I hope you will read this message. How do you feel today?

      I really hope that you answer me. I feel the same way like you and absolutely desperate. I am searching for help. I don't know what to do. Maybe you feel better today and can say what has helped you.

    • Posted

      Hi Christina,

      I also have head pressure for 5 months. Looking for answers.

    • Posted

      i have the exact same stuff going on after a really bad mama trip....

    • Edited

      i hope it is still active, not to alert anybody but my strange head pressure turned into a seizure, currently in hospital been here almost a week strong painkillers help but sleeping pills that are not given often here seem to be the key mostly, i do get overlooked on my ward alot as the issues i have are not visible

    • Posted

      wow u had the seizures as well, i had about the exact same amount and in front of my daughter, and in the ambulance, will be taking some of your advice, there has been some great information here glad i checked this out, currently in hospital and couldnt sleep

    • Posted

      hi i am going through the same thing! it started with the right side of my head getting electric shock type of pain and now its a constant squeezing feeling. I sometimes feel the pressure on my face, nose, ears as well. I have had 3 ct and waiting on a neurologist app to get an mri done.

    • Posted

      Hi India, how are you feeling now? I've had the same as you, the hands and leg tremors lasted only 2 weeks, the muscle spams maybe 2-3 months but the head pressure fogginess and cognitive issues, blurry vision persist (its been 10 months now)...for me im not sure if this was covid related, or because some birth control i started taking when everything started.

    • Posted

      im had my thyroid checked but how do you get tested for heavy metal build up? i had actually suspected this as a cause for the first couple years but people convinced me other wise. and if it has made its way to the brain, how do you detox that?

    • Posted

      a lof of coca cola means a lot of caffeine. i cut caffeine out completely. i was noticing a correlation between caffeine and panic attacks, as well as alcohol

    • Posted

      really requires a complete change in lifestyle.

      for me that meant

      no sugar

      no alcohol

      no dairy

      no gluten

      adequate sleep

      taking multivitamins and fish oil

      addressing your underlying anxiety

    • Posted

      Hi, Please can you let us know what you did?

      I may be experiencing this and I literally feel like a zombie, my head feels so odd, i feel sick and absolutely awful after a traumatic experience a few weeks ago. Any help would be very much appriciated.

    • Posted

      Opps, Sorry! i didnt see the above! I am not with it!

    • Posted

      Check full iron plus ferritin, b12 injections (not pills) along with folic acid. Good luck

    • Posted

      hi.. did you find out what was causing this or get any relief?

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