DizzyMike

etardnow, This is precisely why I want to create the database. Right now, it all seems random, and I agree there are so many variables. But, if we can organize the data and account for as many variables as possible we might be able to establish trends and patterns. Say someone starts a drug: -they fill out how long they have had hppd, cause etc -what drug and dose -symptoms prior -symptoms during -symptoms after -length of treatment -rate the apparent effectiveness - have questions for general sleep diet etc and then move on If we had a signigicant number of people filling out a streamlined version of this we might actually have some figures to back-up our claims (albeit not perfect) but figures all the same. We may be able to surprise ourselves and find some trend(s) that we hadn't uncovered until we compiled the datas. It might just be how I see it, but I see millions of people in the mental health communities trying different approaches everyday, some get cured some don't. But none of that information is being stored. It's a waste.

TOPIRAMATE has been recommended as an adjunctive treatment of posttraumatic epilepsy and is also indicated for the treatment of migraine headaches, which commonly occur after concussive injury. Although the use of topiramate may be effective in treating seizures, its association with cognitive side effects may limit its use. MECHANISM OF ACTION The mechanism of action of topiramate in treating epilepsy is thought to involve (1) potentiating inhibition via the [gamma]-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter system, (2) blocking voltage-dependent sodium channels, (3) modulating high-voltage-activated calcium channels, and (4) glutamate antagonism by blocking non-NMDA receptors.1 Anti-epileptic drugs (AED) are effective because of their ability to reduce neuronal activation, and thus reduce the likelihood of excessive firing that triggers the seizure. However, the mechanism responsible for its efficacy against seizures may also be responsible for the cognitive problems because of reduced neuronal activation. Yet, not all AEDs are equally impairing to cognition, and it likely involves more than the potentiation of the GABAergic system, since gabapentin is thought to act on the GABA system but has relatively few cognitive effects2; similarly, tiagabine, which acts predominantly by inhibiting reuptake of GABA, has fewer cognitive side effects than topiramate.3 The multiple mechanisms of action of topiramate are thought to play a major role in cognition.4 Functional and anatomical correlates may also provide clues to the mechanisms for topiramate's cognitive effects. One study using functional MRI showed a neuroanatomical relationship between decreased activation of the left prefrontal cortex and cognitive language impairment with topiramate therapy in patients with epilepsy.2 Moreover, healthy volunteers who received topiramate showed changes on evoked potentials consistent with disruption of neuronal mechanisms important for maintenance of information in working memory, which may account for topiramate's adverse impact on performance speed and accuracy.5

Interesting, shows just how much of an affect altered vision has on your brain. HPPD's symptoms are more far-reaching than meets the eye...

SImilar index to Erowid, but much cleaner. Not only individual reports but the ability to compile that data and generate graphs from sizeable samples.

I want to put that information in a relational database. So that someone can search: hppd; treatment; drugs; order by effectiveness and it would return what people with hppd have found to be the most useful drug. Along with it's side effects, length of trial, and as much data as we have.

I find that when I am looking through the forum to find things (drugs, therapies, etc), I get confused and turned around. My point being that, although a forum is great for collaboration and discussion, it is less than ideal for storing information, treatments, and theories we develop. I think it is very important we have an archive for all of the drugs trialled, what our experience was, what we were hoping to treat, how long we tried it for. From there we can generate some valuable data that is otherwise lost in the forum. Is there a place that exists for things like this? If not, would anyone be interested in developing something like this? An archive of sorts. It could go beyond the scope of hppd, and encompass people from other disorders as well. A place to search by disorder, or drug or treatment, and come up with relevant results and data. Just a thought. I'd be interested in collaborating on something like this. I am currently doing my last year in software development.

I have one of those SAD lamps. I personally never used it too much, simply because sitting under the damn thing for half an hour is the same as walking for the bus. I have however considering setting it on a timer and mounting it above my bed so it lights up half an hour before my alarm goes off. The idea being that my eyes start to adjust through my eyelids, before I wake up.

I stopped lexapro in an attempt to rid myself of my chronic dizziness. It didn't work. I now fear that I will be unable to go back on as I've heard ssri's are ineffective once stopped and restarted. I'm considering starting wellbutrin. As of now I take 1mg clonazepam as needed, magnesium, b2, butterbur and a multi vitamin.

odisa, Do you have a post or a sheet somewhere of everything you have tried/taken and the effect it has had on you? All of this stuff is slowly convincing me to study neuroscience after I graduate this year :/

I don't usually post asking for anything. I try to give back to the community for all of the information it has provided me with. I speak not only of hppdonline, but of all of the other forums I have been a part of as well. That being said.. I am feeling really discouraged recently. Since stopping Lexapro, I have had a return of dp/dr, anxiety and other weirdness. I now suffer from so many symptoms, I'm not even sure what camp to set foot in. Between the chronic dizziness, bouts of vertigo, vision problems, social anxiety and dp; I feel pretty hopeless. There seems to be nothing left to enjoy that is not hampered by one or more so those symptoms. The more I research, the less sure I am of what exactly is effecting me and why. I just don't know anymore. It's been so long.

Abilify works on the d2 dopamine receptors if anyone is interested. But, I agree with most others here that your symptoms are a result of chronic stress and anxiety and not an issues with dopamine itself.

I think all of those theories sound equally plausible. In my own case I had anxiety, dp/dr, and hppd at the same time right after MDMA. First the anxiety went, and now the dp/dr is much more transient but the visuals have remained. I am left thinking that the anxiety and dp/dr are related but the visual symptoms are not. The more and more research I do into these symptoms the more confused I become. Everything overlaps, nothing is concrete and it is all exceedingly hard to diagnose. However, I really don't think dp/dr and hppd are related other than having common triggers.

sytheso, how is your vision as far as 20/20 stuff goes? Mine is quite bad now, and I did poorly on almost every visual test. I think having hppd for so long may have wreaked havoc on my visual system. Do you have prisms in your lenses? Do you wear the glasses all of the time? All in all, it sounds promising and I hope we both see some markable changes!

Thanks to JapaNese's cunning salesmanship I've decided to stop vision therapy and invest my resources in zithromax.... Anyway, I now have my glasses and am wearing them to type this. I think that they stabilize my vision a fair bit and hopefully over time I will see some other benefits.

Just to add to the sleep deprivation bit... Dopamine levels go through the roof when you haven't slept. If you feel relief after not sleeping well, or at all, I would suggest looking into something that increases dopamine. I believe Visual is a big advocate of dopamine and it's impact on hppd.

He's an Advanced Member now... :/

Glasses should arrive next week.

Syntheso, I really hope we are onto something and it does appear promising. Please keeps us updated on your experience and progress as well.

As of right now, I am pretty much just practicing focusing close and than far. One eye, other eye, then both. Unfortunately, I came off of lexapro a month ago after 4 years of taking it, this seems to be affecting me. For the first time in about 2 years I feel symptoms of dp/dr that are really freaking me out. I will try to separate the eye issues from the DR.

I'll only be wearing the glasses for close-work. Reading, computer, etc. The shape of the lens(prism) makes them less than pleasant for walking around, so I am not supposed to wear them while out and about.

Sorry qaiphyx, I meant no offence. I am not exactly sure what you mean by the brain being a "vibromimetic resonator" But I think you are referring to this: http://pondscienceinstitute.on-rev.com/svpwiki/tiki-index.php?page=Volumetric+Resonator Which goes onto talk about homeostatis and the like. Which is what I was implying in my earlier response. It is well known that the brain can and WILL heal itself. This is well established and documented; see any stroke victim or the like. The comparison between scars on your skin and hppd is completely irrelevant. If you have ever taken any drug, and had it wear off, you will have noticed that your brain returned to it's normal state. I don't think you understand what constitutes "amateur research." Just because something is true does not mean it is not amateur. Your last quip about Einstein is just completely incorrect. He was well schooled and attended university. I don't mean to crap on your thread but I think it's pretty rude to call me a dreamer and tell me to "hit the books." I've been to college, suffered with this for 5 years, and seen every professional you can think of. *Edit

I had my initial appointment today and it seems promising. I was fit with some special lenses to help with my eye streaking, blurriness, and overall weirdness. They actually worked! I am now able to look at a pattern and it seems mostly stationary. In combination with these training lenses I will be embarking on 30 weeks of therapy(eye training). This is the first concrete change in my condition in 5 years. He describes what's I'm experiencing as a "bug in my eye software" and believes we can fix it. I'll keep you guys updated.

I think you guys are oversimplifying the brain, and the way it's chemicals interact with each other. The deeper you dig the less simple it becomes. Even companies that produce drugs for the brain (read: SSRIs) are unsure of how these work. Hell, they can't even measure the levels of seretonin in the brain; only the gut. I don't mean to discourage amateur research, but I think the premise of this thread "push/pull, north south," is taking a complex problem and pairing it with a simple solution. I doubt there is a way to reverse what we have done, but there is possibly a crutch that exists to help us. The brain wants to return to homeostasis, as does everything else in nature. I truly believe that brain reconditioning and "la la la, if I don't acknowledge the symptoms they will go away" will heal us. You're body was intelligent enough to create you from a fetus, and it knows that something is wrong now. If you give it the time, vitamins, and environment it needs, it will heal. Thinks about the idea of brain plasticity. Anything from, exercise to diet will change your brain. Now, compare your lifestyle (thought pattern, activity level, nutrition, stress) of yourself now to how you were before hppd. A lot different, hey? Your reactions to your symptoms now could be perpetuating them, leading to some horrible hppd cycle. My point being, I doubt a chemical will "push" your brain back to where it was. However, it will find it's way back if you let it. Just my 2 cents

Hi, I'm new to this site, but a veteran of hppd and it's associated symptoms. Anyways, I've been down the traditional routes with little relief; I am now trying a different approach. At the request of my neurologist (a smart guy in his own right) I am going into vision therapy. After reviewing the site -- http://drmccrodan.com/brain-injury/ -- I am fairly confident that this will have an impact. The overlap between hppd symptoms and traditional brain injury symptoms cannot be ignored. If you read that webpage you will see that he is talking about exactly what we are dealing with and I hope that his treatment is effective. Here are the symptoms of a brain injury (chemical imbalances are brain injuries in their own right) Sensitivity to light Sensitivity to patterns Double vision Swimming sensations or moving backgrounds Moving objects appearing to have a trail behind them Not being able to focus for periods of time Difficulty changing point of focus Headaches or Migraines Poor hand-eye coordination Reduced peripheral vision Dizziness/nausea Poor depth perception For me this is very exciting after being static for so long. In my opinion I think the "cure" for what we have will come from retraining of the brain, not retaking of a pill. I will update this thread as the therapy progresses. Wish me luck - Mike ps. A link for the users who wish to read studies on the effectiveness of such treatment http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18156092

I'm new here, but far from new to the pain hppd can wreck on your life. Trust me when I say that the depersonalization and mood swings will pass. These are not a symptoms of hppd but rather symptoms of the mental stress associated with it. Once you are able to overcome the stress and anxiety, you will be left with just the visuals. Which will decrease on their own. And as you let those slide to the back of your mind. Then you will be a whole lot better.