Pituitary, ACTH, Adrenal Cortex, Cortisol, and Cathinone

[mgrade]

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[zukov]

really interesting post dude!! there's a lot of good info in dpselfhelp.

Thanks for sharing this

[mgrade]

I think this is kind of an important post--that is why i am bringing it back up. Often it is not talked about: the hormonal aspect of HPPD. Stemming from habitual fight-or-flight survival-mode, fear of losing soul, self, mind etc., and paranoia, it makes it easy to relive these already-established nervous "pathways". While hormone levels may seem relatively normal, a minute change within "normal" ranges i believe could reek havoc on you (also considering the idea of neuro-plasticity). These cortisol levels can be hard to measure (for instance, i believe that your cortisols levels would appear to be somewhat higher after a long car ride than if you where measured relaxing on the couch). Changes in the levels can cause perceived or real progression of aging and stress.

[mgrade]

I did a lot of research and was interested in what the (this may sound a little weird) abortion drug (i believe it's:) Mifepristone: will do for HPPD patients. --------------------------(also i received some relief when i took mebendazole <---deworming medicine, that supposedly helped adrenocortical carcinoma and lung cancer).

[mgrade]

Maybe an initial short treatment of dexamethasone and additional Lexapro, then with a 2 week rest of no dexamethasone but continuation of 5mg Lexapro. Then, I was thinking if taken in homeopathic doses: 100mg of Vicodin, 5mg of Lexapro, 0.15 mg of Klonopin, and Mifepristone [at some found, proper low dose]. I have found with such profound alterations of the normal reward system of the body with HPPD, that low dose opioids seem to be somewhat beneficial. ---Also look at PTSD meds: minipress and/or propranolol

[zukov]

I check the links you left. I pay attention to the post about HPA dysfunction in dpselfhelp.com. While one of the sources is of dubious character, several users say find a marked improvement in his dp-dr taking certain supplements. Unfortunately some of thats supplements arent available in my country so I am researching how to get something equivalent. I have read that certain adaptogenic herbs can regulate the HPA axis imbalances.

Have checked your levels of cortisol?

[mgrade]

No but.....i know that people pump up cortisol levels in racehorses for peak performance and it is often either very hard to prove that something has been administered and very expensive to test ......so owners and trainer almost never get caught doping their animals because of these reasons. But i know from experience, that the animals do not enjoy the extra cortisol much. I believe in horses and humans too much cortisol is called cushing's disease. I think the normal range covers a large area so it is hard to prove that there are any aberrations.

[mgrade]

Anyway, i just did a little research on some of the medicines i'm on. Weirdly enough, the Wellbutrin I'm on is a cathinone-derivative (essentially derived from chemicals similar to ones found in the Khat plant). So i am thinking large-doses of these substitutive amphetamines, can cause HPPD. But this brings my attention to RC chemicals, dissociatives, deliriants, hallucinogens, gov't chems (such as BZ), etc., even in relatively normal dosages could cause HPPD. RC chemicals and their effects are not well known, esp. in the long term. Drugs like PCP and LSD have been more widely used and for a longer time available to more people. PCP has been the cause of many mental breakdowns, i guess dating back to the early '70's. PCP can cause long term DP/DR. LSD is known to cause visual disturbances and agitation in people who take very large doses, even long after taking the drug. I know in the last 20 years, LSD has been substituted with Bromo-Dragonfly <?>, a RC chemical, i think esp. on blotter paper.

With ecstasy, within the last 10 years there has been a decline in the purity of the drug, .......and pcp, meth, cocaine, heroin, etc. have been used in the past,..... the street drug seems to be moving further and further away from actual MDMA. XTC abuse has been shown to kill brains cells and i have seen CAT scans or MRIs that showed a woman's brain like swiss cheese. But who knows for sure what the drugs were of every pill she had ever taken?? Street drugs do not exist in a controlled environment.

In the early '80's, designer drugs, as well as cocaine, became all the rage. People began synthesizing opioids. People started making analogues of Demerol, such as MPPP. Sometimes, because these drugs were not made in total controlled environments, molecules did not bind properly since they were not subject to the right environments (e.x: temperature, ratios, whatever). They ended up making MPTP instead of MPPP and it caused everybody who took the drug to end up with irreversible Parkinson's Disease. This i believe is the reason for Michael J. Fox and his disorder.

So your life can be changed in an instant and street drugs are sometimes not of good quality or representative of what they actually are.

This is kind of a tangent but i feel like it is something i have to express now. Thanx.