Shadowplay

LCHF as you are describing your diet worked well for me too. It forces the body to produce it's energy from ketos instead of glucos (sugar, carbohydrates etc). This diet works as an anti-convulsant itself which is also effective when treating epilepsi. I'm not eating that diet right now, but when I did (roughly for 8 weeks with HPPD) I felt much better, and the body feels great. I think I'll start soon again. I know other HPPD-sufferers that has success with this too. Good luck!

I've only noticed this a few times, and then it goes away. It's pretty scary. Hopefully it's something that won't strike me in the future either. That's what's so scary with HPPD isn't it? You never know if you are recovering or if it's actually building up to something worse. I think that I've stableized for now. 3 months and counting.

It gets worse for me too. I believe that visual snow is significally increased in the dark or with eyes shut for most sufferes. For me my visual snow turns into patterns and create astral tunnels, takes me on it's own ride. Atleast I'll always have a light small trip before bedtime. It doesn't bother me anymore. Try to like it and I'm sure you'll be able to overcome it better. I rather see patterns and colours than plain grain boring visual daily fucking snow. If you can't stand it. Try to not focus on it, but think of something else really hard. Something that you like and focus on that part before you go to bed. It will lessen the static/patterns and hopefully you'll dream something nice. Good night pal.

Great that it's working out well for you. Sounds awesome that you moved to a new place and got yourself something to distract you as well. I got super surprised when my neurologist told me that my EEG (!) was abnormal. Does that mean that my HPPD is superior to others or what.. However, I asked her about Keppra, and she said that was the reason why she wanted to talk to me on Thursday (!). Fuck yeah, someone understands me, and it's my first neurologist, I guess I'm lucky because it seemed like that she's done some research on this one. Great stuff. So hopefully I'll be starting my trial on thursday. And I know it's not a one hit wonder, but if it just helps slightly so I could get some parts of my life back I'd be grateful. Isolation is killing me.

It just sounds that you got a mild version of HPPD. A lot of users here have more severe symptoms and every case is unique which makes it reall difficult to compare to others.

My neurologist will call me tomorrow. It's been 5 weeks since I did my EEG, and I will receive the results tomorrow probably. That's a long time from reading an EEG. I know what she's gonna say. "Everything is just fine!" I wish it was. However, I'm gonna convince her to subscribe me Keppra tomorrow because something has to happen. Wish me good luck with that!

Woah, that's really interesting. Sounds funny when you describe it like that, but I'm sure it's scary already. I just tend to accept it and enjoy, not to stress that I see these things. Maybe you always got this checkerboard thing in your vision but you don't see it unless it's pitch black. That's the weird phenomena I'm thinking about. Thanks for sharing. Good night!

So, basicly at night time, when I'm going to bed. Lights off. It's really dark and my visual snow is getting a lot more apparent. Usually I barely notice any visual snow during daytime (kind of the only symptom that isn't severe for me). When relaxing and trying to fall asleep I suddenly see my visual snow is taking shapes. There is no difference with eyes open or shut. I see my room and every detail of it with closed eyes, even though it's pitch black. It forms in a astral-like tunnel that pulls me further in. Colours are coming in, different beautiful shapes squirling around this inner circle, going deeper and deeper. And the visual snow is a total non-existance. If I'm not focusing on the CEV:s which is basicly just like a low dose of LSD, it disappears and then turns into standard visual snow again. My theory is that, visual snow is a constant pattern of fractals and tunnels and geometrical patterns but during daylight, we obviously don't see it like that. We just notice the visual snow because our brain capacity isn't able to put it all togheter as they're quite advanced but light patterns. That means that our visual snow are OEV:s, but we just see the small static, and not the real trippy patterns and fractals that are taking shapes at every awake second. Then you question yourself, since the acid is out of your body. There are no psychoactive substances in our bodies. How can we possible see these OEV:s of endless patterns? Hell, even some victims of visual snow got it from smoking weed or were simply born with it. How can they start to litteraly trip constantly visionally without even ingesting any psychadelics? Some with strong visual snow reports seeing geometrical patterns on walls and roofs etc. This is simply your visual snow taking it's true form and you are finally seeing it. Lets do some trials here, if it doesn't bother you too much. These CEV:s is the only thing that I think is positive with my HPPD as it helps me sleep and calm me down in a strange way. But don't doubt me, it's still a living hell with the rest. Got a bit of anxiety added to the mess now as well. Can't say I missed that friend.. Anyhow, back to the subject. Would you fellow victims be so kind to focus on your visual snow during bedtime? You'll have to be drug-free in order to do this, and try to find yourself relaxed. (Yes, I wrote try). To see if it goes from having visual snow to a trippy pattern basicly. Just focus on the small little static-mother-fuckers att see what they'll turn in to. These tunnels reminds me of the greatest trip I had about a year ago where traveling through time and space in a 3-dimensional space ending up in a dark void where this giant female godess made out of light was spinning slowly while hearing a phantomic buzz as she was spinning. It was the best experience in my life. I told myself I was done with psychadelics as it was the perfect trip. I wish that I'd kept that promise. So why should we do this and what would it be good for? Well, research is great and it outrules a lot of theories on the visual snow, if it actually is CEV:s or OEV:s that's constantly is apparent then maybe that could lead to clues for a better treatment. I read about a guy that feel the exact same way as me, so please do this one and get back here to give an update. Thanks!

Good words over there. Maybe it has something to do with a depression.. Maybe not. Well, noone said that mankind is good, honest or even pure. Those who did were lying. "The fittest will survive"-mentality will always be there as the ego carries us on in life. Every man or woman is most likely doing things for themself to feel better or to gain something. Empathy always goes in second hand. That's basic knowledge. Others work for a better world, to gain a value both for themselves but also for others which will decrease the gap between evil and good easy spoken. I don't think that there's a straight line between good or bad but hell even the bible mentions that satan is ruling the world and god is just here to prevent a living hell on earth. It's a pretty redicolous comparisment coming from an atheist but you get my point. If the world gets a little better each year, noone will have HPPD in a few hundred years and that's a fact and it has nothing to do with a cure but about responsability and a healthy mind and living. So I think that's worth fighting for. Also whenever I feel down and have doubtful thoughts about the past I read about fatalism. You should check it out, criticize me or not but I actually believe in it and there is nothing within science that can prove me wrong. We got no free will guys. You didn't choose this life. You didn't choose this disorder. It picked you through the consequence of a consequence's sequence times infinity. What happends next isn't up to you either, but try to end up in a better enviroment this time.

Well from the latest visual snow syndrome study it was shown a defect when using PET-scan. So I think I'll go for that first. Then a possibly QEEG, not sure what the chances are to get that here. Next time I'll meet my neurologist I'll ask for keppra. Right now I have a 2-3 okey days and then I sink to the bottom with a lot of shitty days. It's such an unstable mood and it doesn't get better. Best of luck to you!

Do you also live in Sweden? Have you got an appointment for a PET scan or a QEEG? I'm still waiting for the EEG results here and It's been over 3 weeks since I did it. This system is so slow and ineffective. I know it won't show anything but you always gotta down down the follow up route here in Sweden. Good luck friend,

Already donated a 100 bucks, all I can afford now. It's the same foundation named Eyeonvision that presented the latest research of what is causing visual snow syndrome/HPPD. I'm looking forward to see the results of the upcoming trials.

Well, I don't think I got DR at all. Never had a bad trip. I felt heavy DP/DR when using these Ativans and after prompt quitting them I endes up numb with DP, not recognizing my hand etc. It's a common symptom. Even more of a common symptom from anxiety. I think that a bad trip can throw you into DP/DR for a longer time. if it's chemically permanent.. That's very doubtful and there are nothing to prove it. I still can't feel anxiety. Maybe that's why my DP has improve a lot lately. Yesterday I felt completely like myself exception of visuals of course. And I've been having more feelings too. Maybe I'm on a neural spike activity right now that is helping me out. 415, do you have any thoughts regarding medications and recovery? If it goes well togheter or if it could be a hinder.

Interesting Visual. Minioxidil which is the active substance in Rogaine was used to treat high blood pressue by widening blood vessels and opening potassium channels. Possibly an increased blood flow to the brain helped this guy temporarily. I want to see more trials with increasing the blood flow to the brain related to HPPD. Omega-3 is useful for this one and works on the COX-2 inhibitor which should be good for the visual snow. But something stronger should be tried. Anyone tested high doses of Ginko Biloba with Omega 3? Or even better, proper blood thinners such as Waran?

I found a study that shows that basicly all recreational drugs can cause hair loss usually inflicted by the type called "Telogen Effluvium". A normal growing hair has its period of growth between 3-4 years and then goes into resting mode for 3 months, where it usually falls off. If you would shock your brain with any drug, for example what caused my HPPD, it's possible to enter this resting state instantly, which will make you lose around 100-150 hairs a day for 3 months but that should be it. However, if you do have baldness in your family, it's possible that drugs usage will speed up the processes of a permanent hair loss which is caused by the hormone Dihysrotestorone which will fuck you up completely. I've also done a few MRI:s where the radioactive rays could cause hair loss too. What's strange about it all is that I got a pretty sensitive scalp right now, just by touching it and I'm sure its related to the hairloss. I really hope that this is a case of Telogen Effluvium and not another secret HPPD induced bullshit effect on my health. If it is, I think it would be most likely be about the blood flow or maybe dopamine levels that are too low. Does anyone else got any thoughts on this or noticed similar issues?

Hello Argentino, I think that we're both in the same place. I'm quite comfortably numb as well. I lost everything (my job, flat, money, social life, health) but I do believe in recovery and things to get better. And since I'm that numb I don't care too much about anything. If i'd lost my arm I would be like, "Oh no not my arm too!" Too bad." And then forget about it within a week. That's quite scary. I think we both suffered enough for our brains to simply shut down the emotional system. If it wouldn't, I would be 1. Heavily medicated or 2. Dead. instead I'm sober, trying to improve my life with small steps, it's not really going into the right direction either as new problems keep coming up with my health but I'm sure that it'll turn at some point. See this as an opportunity to get better. When life is good again; that's when you'll get back into reality. And since life will be good by then, you don't have to worry about facing it either! There's a lot of sufferers around that has everything we do but anxiety on top of that, that simply needs medication or a strict schedule of exercising and still struggling because anxiety is really tough. I know it feels fake to not care when the major parts of your life right now is a mess, but isn't it better than having a general anxiety disorder, or social phobia? I'm sure it is. It's possible that we have a high level of cortisol in our blood, which is a defense mechanism from the body itself to reduce stress. So this feeling doesn't have to be linked with DP/DR. DP is rare without anxiety. That goes for depression as well. Is it a good sign or a bad sign? For me it's positive and I want you to believe that too. HPPD is enough without a constant phsyical torture such as anxiety can become. Kind Regards,

As I can see this is a quite old thread without any responses, so I'm bumping it due to my recent hair issues. I've been losing probably a 200-300 hairs a day since developing HPPD. I used to have a superthick, shoulder-long hair which is a great deal of my personality. Went to the barber and made it a bit shorter and thinned it out to relief the scalp. But the hairloss hasn't stopped and I'm about to go mental right now. It feels like I'm turning bold and I'm just 23 years old. I can actually notice my hair kind of falling apart day after day. I don't have hairloss within the family so it must be caused by something else. I'm already eating super healthy and I'm taking supplements. Has anyone of you experienced this? And what do you think is causing it? I'm not stressed out either as I can't really feel stress or anxiety anymore but damn if I'm going bold too then this story is over. I've been think about the blood flow as my arms and legs easily "fall asleep" post HPPD as well, so I'm definitely having some blood flow issues here, which may be the cause of the hairloss as well. But what exactly with HPPD downregulates the blood flow? And what can you do about it? I read something about Ginko Biloba but I need I need something stronger and a quicker fix than that. Please help out anyone, Thanks

Fuck, that's terrible. They seem to cover most things such as eating disorders, suicidal tendencies and even ADHD. I don't understand why they won't help. I'm really positive about your doing this but I think our best shot is to research and go for the "Visual Snow Syndrome" as it is the same thing basicly. Just that our symptoms was caused by drugs which at many places excludes us from healthcare. We have a total different opinion on drugs then probably 90% of the human race. For example in Sweden there are politically involved people with ministry post that belives that cannabis can kill you and it that it happens every day. That's the level we are facing. Most people hate drugs because it ruins lifes. So you fuck up your life and then you want help for it. But that's not how the war on drugs work. It works by arresting, convicting and rehabilitate the "victims" of drugs. As long as we don't distribute or use drugs anymore the government will be satisfied. Think of us that we are kind of alive walking WARNING SIGNS for drug usage which they'll probably gain something on. EyeOnVision that earlier this year proved what's causing the visuals (hypermetabolism in the lingual gyrus and how to diagnose it) with it's latest campaign is our best shot by far. http://www.gofundme.com/visual-snow Every patient seems to be unique as well since there are so many drugs that affects the brain differently but now we kind of know what the problem is. The next research will be very interesting. 53k in 3 months aint bad at all. And the Dr. Prof. Goadsby seems motivated to find a solution. Keep it up!

I think that happens to everyone and is very common amongst us all. I used to love a clear blue sky with the sun shining all day long. These days I can't be outside in the daylight anymore without sunglasses, and on a bright day I've got roughly 200 dark floaters in my vision+ some lovely BFEP. So things can be worse! Why you would feel down can also be the cause of not getting any D-vitamin from the sun. 5 minutes in the sun every day is enough to cover the RDI. This can be quite difficult depending on where you live around these seasons. A lot of people do take D3-vitamin supplies for this reason. Find something fun to do indoors on a rainy day. Video games, play guitar or watch your favourite series, whatever that will take your mind of HPPD.

I feel the same thing. I have no fears or anxiety which can be reliefing but on the other side joy or happiness is extremly hard to reach. I can get angry and upset, feeling down but that's about it. To answer your question your body is basicly protecting itself from any harm since the bad trip experience. It can be linked to depersonalisation but it dosen' have to. Both conditions are treatable where time is your best friend. Some have success with anti-depressants and therapy others by living a healthy and active life. Just don't try to fight it but accept it and it will eventually pass. Also refrain from any drugs. Best luck,

Thanks for this detailed input 415! I appreciate it greatly. When HPPD first occured I might had a slight of DP/DR but it wasn't that noticable and I didn't had any detached feelings. I mainly panicked and had a lot of anxiety so that's why I turned to the doctor in the first place. Took me 10 mins of complaining about my condition to get 25x Ativans. Spain is crazy when it comes to that! Maybe their brains are less affected or more naturally tolerant.. But I still had feelings, I still felt alive and human. It was first after the abrupt withdrawal where I got completely numb. I wonder how long the affects off the benzos was because I still didn't feel anxious. It's like they rewired my brain and it got stuck for some reason, so It feels like I'm constantly on some calming effect. I did had a 1/4 of these a few times afterwards and then I got back my feelings again basicly. So maybe they affected my GABA production and it'll have to recover. I won't touch any of these pills in the further and if anyone actually wants to ever get better from their DP/DR which is completely possible then you should refrain from taking them. Simply Google depersonalizaton and bensodiazepines and you got a good damn reason not to. 415, do you have any idea if usage of Keppra or Wellbutrin, maybe Sinemet will cause an effect on the brain to recover or rewire its function again? From what I've read is that the guys that got recovered mainly didn't touch any medical drug or alcohol, and just got better within a few years. Where there are plenty who just keep themself on strong medication years after years and never improve except for coping with it, maybe because of that the drugs such as Clonazepam "tricks" the brain to be alright and it won't force itself into recovery mode. I'd prefer 3 years of hell but getting better instead of medicated for all my life. Do you have any thoughts on this?

-MG, I've tried chewing a leaf of these ones as they contain more of the substance that'll make you trip. Did spit it out after a few seconds though. I got slightly trippy feelings, mood enhancement and more vivid colours. But nothing more then that. However, what I've heard and read about Jimson Weed (Datura) is that It's one of the strongest most bad tripped related hallucinogen out there and it's extremly hard to dosage. If anyones believe in the reverse effect then go ahead try it. The thought has struck me that a limited of a hallucinogenic intake, for example small doses of psilocybin daily could be the proper medicin for us. As our brains are missing out what the hallucinogenic gave us. When my pupilled were heavily dilated from an eye exam, I had no floaters, less after-images etc from the anticholinergics. Noone will dare to try it I guess but I've heard that if you trip with HPPD you basicly lose all visuals and DP/DR and later on they comes back, worsened or not.

That's great to hear DoneDoof. then HPPD must be very common around your friends as it seems quite rare. According to some researchers 1/50000 of hallucinogenic users gets it, others says less then 1%, while it's more common to have visual disturbances which isn't exactly the same thing. It only becomes a disorder when it interrupts with your daily life. Do you know what kind of symptoms they were reffering to? On some forums it seems like everyone who ever tripped had some kind of HPPD where they sometimes "like" it or think it's cool, something to brag about if you know what I mean.

Regarding of having chemical imbalances, isn't that a theory? I would more likely to believe that the imbalance is caused by the DP/DR that some experience which would be a reaction of heavy anxiety or a shock to the body. All we know for sure is that the visual cortex is working too hard right, which can lead to that it takes energy from other parts of the brain, yes. But I doubt that our complete serotonin or dopamin receptors are that messed up in a way where they can't recover. Even with tissue brain damage such as MS the brain does heal, but it's not fast enough to make a significant difference. I mean if you'd lessen the visuals to some extent using medication and then goes for a CBT with a psychologist toghether with some kind of anti-depressive (if it's goes along) to cure or improve DP/DR. Do you still think that you'd be messed up? Except for the bi-effects of the meds that is. There is also a connection between anxiety or DP/DR with visual distortions suchs as visual snow, floaters and light sensitivity. So getting rid of that with either medication or a psychiatrist would be great for the visuals as well. I think a combination would be best to be able to cope with it and move on. Dr. Abraham have said several times that HPPD usually comes with depression, anxiety, depersonalization which all is curable according to him. It's harder with the visuals. Well if you only got the visuals left, I doubt our brain structure would be that different from a normal brain. It all depends of course if you were a heavy user of drugs, alcohol, psyhcological issues or symptoms such as ADD etc that can interfere with the brain. I'm sure that every case is unique.

Hello Argentino, Great to know I'm not alone about that. I wonder whether it's good or not though. I mean anxiety is damn frustrating but it feels like both of us feel quite numb inside. I think that if you have anxiety then maybe you can have happier moments as well and isn't totally turned off emotionally. Skip the anti-psychotics and weed I would say. I've got a lot of your symptoms as well and nothing is improving so far. Hang in there!