Head pressure, Brain fog, odd head sensation, feeling detached
Posted , 724 users are following.
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
56 likes, 1496 replies
Lizzard10693 Recoverandheal
Edited
I'm Liz, 27, too many random issues. I've had the same issue and have been for 6 months. My doctor had me on Celexa, citalopram hydrobromide, at night. For me it really did help except I already have a problem with too many hormones, anyone need any? Its a SSRI, so it's going to target only that serotonin receptor and rebuild plasma if your lacking. I have found that taking 800 mg of ibuprofen helps since usually it's inflammation. A mental health exam is probably the best way to find out honestly. I do have the eye sight if a Bat trying to make it's way through Rock-La-holma, but you might need to update your prescription. I've asked too many times if there was any chance of menengitits due to multiple symptoms but no source. I'm resistant to penicillin and had heavy duty antifungals, like flagel, due to county of birth. any other recommendations would be awesome. the source for my Centralized precocious puberty. oh and BE CAREFUL. i noticed the back right side while having shooting pain had a tender bubble thing start rising....think of caring for it like a new born's soft spot.
epster19171 Recoverandheal
Posted
Hi again! I had to tell you about a discovery I made today... I woke up feeling extremely disoriented and weird like now for a couple of weeks. It got so bad I almost had a panic attack. Then I tried relaxing on the sofa. I was lying in a funny position where my neck was being tense and all of a suddenly I started to feel better. This happened to me once before and then also I felt this funny feeling in the back of my neck. Like tingles going down my shoulder and up my head. I am pretty sure now my symptoms are at least partly due to some tension in the neck or back. If you haven't tried massage then I suggest you to try it. I am planning to go to have a massage now. Other possible solutions could be that I have taken vitamins now and drank lots of water.
Lifemed Recoverandheal
Posted
Sounds like its your anxiety levels get that checked out.
lo68758 Recoverandheal
Edited
much as it sounds crazy , your brain is being scanned. Mass optogenetic experiments are taking place. Do you feel a pulsing magnetic field and occasional sense a
vacum around you (as if your ears were becoming blocked?) are your dreams somewhat more vivid and light in them turned whiter? do you ever see bluish faint flashy light in the dark? we are being watched, studied and experimented on.
jim84153 Recoverandheal
Edited
Hi there,
There's a very good chance it's the drug use. I had almost exactly the same symptoms at nearly the same age. Instead of ketamine I was taking dxm, but the two have very similar effects. Not all the time, maybe once per week. But it was enough. Depersonalization, derealization, brain fog, ice pick headaches. The same symptoms.
I cured them by stopping the substance use. It was not an immediate fix, it took probably a year for me to feel totally back to normal. But that was going on a decade ago and they haven't come back.
I'm telling you, it's the substances. It won't go away until you cut them out.
gazmatraz Recoverandheal
Edited
A few years ago I suffered with something very similar to this. I used to sit in a fog all day either at work or at home, not concentrating on what I was doing, not really seeing what I was looking at or reading words in front of me. I'd always be terrified before meeting people or doing anything social, that they would notice me being slow, or boring, or not understanding, or think I was stupid etc. I used to see distortions in my vision, at one point I developed a physical problem with my eye that was almost like a blister within my retina, and the worst part was the feeling of unreality - that there was a 'space' or a gap between what I was seeing, and actually processing it - something I couldn't describe to anyone (then I saw an image like this: https://nashuproar.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/unnamed-900x442.jpg which was the first time I realised that what I was experiencing had a name - ie depersonalisation or derealisation.
I had all sorts of tests done, blood tests, CT/CAT scans, you name it - nothing 'wrong' with me as far as they could tell. I also suffered from really bad anxiety, and had done most of my adult life in various waves. I basically felt like I could never, ever imagine being better and being free of it. I went through every possible explanation I could, was constantly googling every single possible malady that could cause it, I was desperate to find a solution. I thought that I had 'broken' myself or my brain, either from drink, or drugs, or some other cause. I was utterly desperate to find a reason for it, so that it could be fixed. I didn't believe deep down that it could just be caused by anxiety, there were too many issues and it was too physical, and half the time I didn't feel anxious.
The answer in my case, that I eventually accepted, was that it WAS all caused by/symptoms of my anxiety. Anxiety is not just something that's in your head, it causes real, physical problems (like the blister I had in my eye - all a result of the stress of anxiety). And, you can suffer from anxiety without realising you're feeling anxious, or panicy - it can just be that you can't stop thinking about it, or can't stop 'noticing' things wrong with you or checking yourself to see how you feel. And, I DID get better - not straight away, but quicker than I thought I would. I started a mixture of CBT therapy (I'm in London, I googled a local council-based provider) and anti-depressants - it took me a while to find the right ones and the right dose, plus the fact that they take at least 3 weeks to work once you do - but one day maybe 2 months later I suddenly realised that I hadn't noticed feeling foggy, or worried about anything in a few days - it had just disappeared without me even noticing because i had slowly got more and more busy being 'normal'.
So, my small piece of advice would be - get any tests that doctos recommend (it sounds like you've had some/most) but just trust that if they all show up normal - it probably does mean that everything physically is ok, and that it's more likely to be your anxiety. Like I say, make sure you get the most likely tests, but just to be sure - and if they come back negative, the most likely thing is that it's your anxiety. Ask yourself when the last time you felt stress-free and yet still had all these symtoms - my guess is that you can't remember such a time, which suggests to me that they're related. Then keep on with therapy and, for me anyway, anti depressants really helped - once I had found the right ones (the first ones I tried made me feel stoned, which obviously didn't help given the symptoms, the second ones were great and started helping after 3-4 weeks, maybe slightly more. It's different for everyone).
I never thought I'd ever feel better again - and I did. Hope this helps a bit.
kate92707 gazmatraz
Posted
which anti-depressants did you settle on? there are so many of them out there
luke88784 Recoverandheal
Posted
Im also having this same issue and i dont think its a coincidence that i also used to be a social drug user as in cocaine etc.. Last few days it literally feels like ive been losing my mind i cant think straight i have pressure around the temples of my head i dont feel myself at all and im constantly exhausted but also don't have a good sleep when i do go to bed. I have had multiple ct scans and doctors appointments and they have no idea whats going on this is also accompanied with a sore neck/throat aswell which im unsure if its related or not.
tracy1976 Recoverandheal
Posted
Wow! I felt at times i was reading about myself! I've been living with similar symptoms since 2018. It got much worse in 2019. I wish we could talk as this is the first time I have found such a similarity.
I am a 45 y/o female. Had all the bloodwork and imaging too. Always normal yet I feel so debilitated. Is there a way we can link up and discuss?
jovi60747 tracy1976
Posted
how are you now ?
civ08600 Recoverandheal
Edited
Hi, I am 20 years old 8 months ago I took paroxetine for a few days, then I quit because I suffered from severe brain fog and memory loss, but sense then the symptoms never go away it is just getting worse everyday I went to different doctors but nothing helped and everytime I feel emotional i feel somthing in my head like pressure and the symptoms get worse
sarah20633 civ08600
Posted
how are you now?
sandy13371 Recoverandheal
Edited
You describe my symptoms perfectly. After almost 4 years and over 30 doctors we have figured out this is from needing a small dose of medicine for hypothyroidism (labs are barely in range so most docs wont treat) and dysbiosis/sibo (most likely caused the hypo in the 1st place). small dose of T3, eating low histamine (game changer ... day 3 on low histamine diet and head pressure, dizzy horribleness flu feeling was gone) and working on gut dysbiosis and I am finally improving. I am not exaggerating when I say I thought I was going to die every day for almost 4 years. it is astounding that doctors do not know about dysbiosis and how to help. such a huge gap between standard medical care and what some of us must have to get better. Good luck to everyone this has been a nightmare trying to figure out how to get better.
shah4 Recoverandheal
Posted
Hi Sorry to hear about your experiences. I just wondered if you have had your vitamin D level checked. it can give a wide range of seemingly unrelated symptoms .
I hope you find the cause and feel better soon. Best wishes
manar58856 Recoverandheal
Posted
hello, i have the exact the same things you described, so did you solved it, if yes , how and what was the problem