Keppra Trial

[VisualDude]

This post has been promoted to an article

[mgrade]

So in other words: for you, the Sinemet and the Gabapentin were the most helpful? ........Keppra the least?

SSRIs such as Effexor, Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac have some weird side effects. Celexa and Lexapro are far more "safe" and IMO much better drugs.

[Sammywalker2009]

So would you say sinemet and keppra the main two drugs people seem to have success with and obviously klonopin buy klono is more of a blocker opposed to helping the brain actually recover sorry science never was a strong subject of mine and I have trouble taking all of this in also when people take keppra and sinemet do they mix these with other drugs together if I can find a doc to help in the uk I want to persuade them to try me on something I may see benefits from

[mgrade]

lol, i don't think that is what he is saying...........Klonopin and Gabapentin are sort of shooting towards the same thing with both eventually increasing GABA/GABA-similar concentration or aiding its binding to receptors. Keppra is a calcium ion channel blocker-type. And Sinemet is basically a precursor to Dopamine (l-dopa).

Klonopin, Gabapentin and Keppra are all trying to inhibit the entire nerve circuitry (since that is one of the main roles of GABA and ----conductance with ions is [from weak to strong]: K, Na, Ca ---so blocking this channel decreases conductance and increases ohm-age <resistance>].

Sinemet is increasing dopamine, and eventually noradrenaline and adrenaline. So makes up for areas that have been affected by dementia-like disorders.

The problem with Klonopin is that it stays in your system for a long period of time [~up to 10 days].

[ludwig80]

Interesting!

Keppra is a strange beast. After a few months most side effects left for me. My memory is shot though. It was bad before but now I feel it's really bad. Other than that it has helped me. B-6 has helped a lot with the rage for me.

[VisualDude]

So in other words: for you, the Sinemet and the Gabapentin were the most helpful? ........Keppra the least?

SSRIs such as Effexor, Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac have some weird side effects. Celexa and Lexapro are far more "safe" and IMO much better drugs.

It seems that the most successful med is Klonopin - targeting benzo sites to quiet the hyperactivity (cerebral disinhibition). It doesn't seem to heal (other than normal healing that may gradually occur).

For me, Klonopin helps anxiety and sleep problems ... and that is universal. However, with one small exception, it does nothing for my visual problems.

There doesn't seem to be any tract record for Gabapentin and HPPD (i.e. it isn't known to help). For me, it helped peripheral hypersensitivity - and this remains improved. Otherwise I use it for a mild seizure disorder. Again not visual.

Sinemet targets most of my problems very well. And some issues got better - some within hours and others over the course of years.

So would you say sinemet and keppra the main two drugs people seem to have success with and obviously klonopin buy klono is more of a blocker opposed to helping the brain actually recover sorry science never was a strong subject of mine and I have trouble taking all of this in also when people take keppra and sinemet do they mix these with other drugs together if I can find a doc to help in the uk I want to persuade them to try me on something I may see benefits from

It is difficult to know the exact reasons why some meds have healed. Everyone is different.

Dr A used Sinemet and a COMT inhibitor - this is much stronger and better targets the cerebral cortex. Of the 30% responders, some have reported benefiting only a few hours whereas other for a week or more (long after these meds have left their body). But no one has reported permanent improvement from that trial. http://hppdonline.co...ial-dr-abraham/

Initially the only dopamine med I could get was Wellbutrin - and this had very positive, lasting results. Sinemet came later and is more gental (natural?).

Although I haven't seen any reports of lasting improvement with Klonopin, it makes sense that it is a tool for healing, not just 'management'. Quieting injured neurons that are overfiring is important for healing. However, the disinhibition of HPPD may not be particularly high activity for individual neurons, but rather the neural systems are over active.

Summary (IMO),

Klonopin is the most successful med but seems mostly 'management'. If anxiety and/or sleep is out of control, it becomes increasingly important in getting this back in line.

Sinemet with Tolcapone had visual improvement with 30% of those tried (however only 20 people did the drug trial). Sinemet by itself would logically be less successful than the reported 30%

Keppra has some good reports, but we don't have any polling or other statistics.

Opiods have various reports as well, not sure how much visuals.

Then there are miscellaneous meds.

The best tool for healing is time and healthy living (food, sleep, attitude, activity - exercise and social, limit drinking and no drugs)

It would be useful if there was a section in the forum to assemble statistics of meds, symptoms, etc. However it would be a lot of work for the moderators. Are there other HPPD forums that have this info?

[Sammywalker2009]

I would describe my hppd as 90% visual and maybe 10% anxiety dr most of the time I do have my days where my head feels all over the place due to lack of sleep or say if I've had a drink I feel it more in the following days (been sober for about 7 months now though) I really want to just find something that will help decrease the VS and light sensitivity have you had any light sensitivity visual if so have you found anything to help? Also I did read quite a bit of the comt study but saw that there is quite a few long term side effects which may outweigh out the possible benefits I'm interested about the opioid effects as ill be put on some strong opiates soon due to an operation

[VisualDude]

The opiates probably won't give you any trouble. And if they temporally change your symptoms, please let us know. They are good for anxiety.

I really haven't had to deal with visual snow, so don't know what meds affect it.

When you say "light sensitivity", do you mean bright light hurts? Are there other affects from light?

[Sammywalker2009]

Yeah anxiety isn't a huge problem for me but when I do get anxious ie if I have an interview or if I were to go on a first date lol I would then get the derealization can't say I have ever experienced the dp though so have never worried about going to the docs and asking for an anxiety med but obviously if it helps with the visuals at all I'll definitely be trying it when I have taken codeine before if anything it probably made my visuals a little worse for the period I was on them however it also makes me feel kinda good so It doesn't bother me at the time not sure what stronger meds will do but I'll be sure to let you know and yes by light sensitivity I mean it hurts to look at bright lights which is a pain If I'm wearing sunglasses and take them off it affects my eyes even more I'll often get after images of light blobs when looking at something bright that linger around for a few minutes

[Sammywalker2009]

Yeah anxiety isn't a huge problem for me but when I do get anxious ie if I have an interview or if I were to go on a first date lol I would then get the derealization can't say I have ever experienced the dp though so have never worried about going to the docs and asking for an anxiety med but obviously if it helps with the visuals at all I'll definitely be trying it when I have taken codeine before if anything it probably made my visuals a little worse for the period I was on them however it also makes me feel kinda good so It doesn't bother me at the time not sure what stronger meds will do but I'll be sure to let you know and yes by light sensitivity I mean it hurts to look at bright lights which is a pain If I'm wearing sunglasses and take them off it affects my eyes even more I'll often get after images of light blobs when looking at something bright that linger around for a few minutes

[VisualDude]

It seems that a lot of members have symptoms worsen with anxiety. For some reason I don't.

[VisualDude]

Well, for ha ha's, 2 days ago tried 1/4 pill (~94mg) before bed. Slept well. Got up somewhat groggy. Increased anxiety. Less productive during the day. Now have very mild nerve pain in arms and legs (sciatica stuff).

[ludwig80]

Keppra has not been easy on you visual!

[mgrade]

Sinemet came later and is more gental (natural?).

[shaolinbomber]

I would describe my hppd as 90% visual and maybe 10% anxiety dr most of the time I do have my days where my head feels all over the place due to lack of sleep or say if I've had a drink I feel it more in the following days (been sober for about 7 months now though) I really want to just find something that will help decrease the VS and light sensitivity have you had any light sensitivity visual if so have you found anything to help? Also I did read quite a bit of the comt study but saw that there is quite a few long term side effects which may outweigh out the possible benefits I'm interested about the opioid effects as ill be put on some strong opiates soon due to an operation

Depending on what kind of surgery you're having you'll probably get some strong meds like oxycodone or 10mg hydrocodone or they might hook you up with morphine or hydromorphone if you're lucky.

But ya i'm on Methadone Maintenance Treatment because opiates/oids help so much with my visuals and DP/DR. For me it decreases ghosting, trails, afterimages, light sensitivity, halos and starbursts.

[Sammywalker2009]

Depending on what kind of surgery you're having you'll probably get some strong meds like oxycodone or 10mg hydrocodone or they might hook you up with morphine or hydromorphone if you're lucky.

But ya i'm on Methadone Maintenance Treatment because opiates/oids help so much with my visuals and DP/DR. For me it decreases ghosting, trails, afterimages, light sensitivity, halos and starbursts.

Yeah I'm having a stomach operation due to constant heartburn and acid reflux so think they'll give me morphine as it's laprascopic surgery and I've heard the pain can me terrible after this type of surgery due to trapped air so hopefully it doesn't aggrivate my symptoms and helps I've heard mixed reviews whenever I've had codeine it hasn't really effected my symptoms greatly

[shaolinbomber]

Yeah I'm having a stomach operation due to constant heartburn and acid reflux so think they'll give me morphine as it's laprascopic surgery and I've heard the pain can me terrible after this type of surgery due to trapped air so hopefully it doesn't aggrivate my symptoms and helps I've heard mixed reviews whenever I've had codeine it hasn't really effected my symptoms greatly

If your visuals are real bad like mine then you should see quite a bit of improvement due to the effect of opiates on the pupil. They constrict them a lot and make them pinned so a lot less light gets through. In normal people this would usually give them tunnel vision but for me it just makes my eye sight normal again.

[Sammywalker2009]

Well when I finally get it done (the nhs is a joke waiting times are ridiculous) I'll be sure to let people know what effect it had on my symptoms

[VisualDude]

Sinemet constricted Merkan's pupils. Beforehand, not only were his eyes dialated (after HPPD) but his vision fuzzy (couldn't read names on ships in the harbor, but now they are clear and sharp).

Sinemet didn't make any noticable change in my pupil size, but it definately made vision clearer and sharper.

Shaolinbomer,

You posted "Another thing that i've noticed is that my pupils aren't as big as they normally were before I started taking Sinemet" http://hppdonline.co...bomber-sinemet/

Is this still the case? Are you still using Sinemet? [ Please update us ]

[shaolinbomber]

Sinemet constricted Merkan's pupils. Beforehand, not only were his eyes dialated (after HPPD) but his vision fuzzy (couldn't read names on ships in the harbor, but now they are clear and sharp).

Sinemet didn't make any noticable change in my pupil size, but it definately made vision clearer and sharper.

Shaolinbomer,

You posted "Another thing that i've noticed is that my pupils aren't as big as they normally were before I started taking Sinemet" http://hppdonline.co...bomber-sinemet/

Is this still the case? Are you still using Sinemet? [ Please update us ]

I havn't been on Sinemet in about a year. I think my comment on my pupil size being smaller whist on it was wishful thinking. However I do want to try Sinemet again with Tolcapone and see if it goes a little better.

[mgrade]

Hey boys and girls. Try Sinemet.

[Ghormeh Sabzi]

Well, for ha ha's, 2 days ago tried 1/4 pill (~94mg) before bed. Slept well. Got up somewhat groggy. Increased anxiety. Less productive during the day. Now have very mild nerve pain in arms and legs (sciatica stuff).

That's interesting. Has your nerve pain resolved?

[VisualDude]

That's interesting. Has your nerve pain resolved?

Yes, it took a few days. The pain was greatest by the 3rd day off.

It is curious that Keppra can be used for treating neuropathic pain.

Also, the dosages for Sinemet and Gabapentin have gradually returned to what they were before this last trial - so the benefit doesn't seem to have lasted. Still, this med may be useful for some.