I've read that a delay in treating acute hyponatraemia/water intoxication increases the risk of brain damage which is what I'm concerned about... But yeah, fretting isn't going to change anything. Incidentally I'm curious: do you think it's likely that I did suffer a concussion when I had the seizure, from what I've described? The fact that there was detectable minor damage on an MRI makes it seem likely but TBI/concussion was never mentioned during my hospital stay, only the seizure...
Did you read this part of my previous post? Or do you want some other kind of elaboration...
Quote:
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Anyhow. My current situation... I say with as much modesty as I can that I was of quite above-average intellect - top 10% student at an academically selective high school - prior to incurring this damage to my brain and thus am acutely aware of the fairly considerable deficits in my cognitive ability... An article called "The High IQ TBI" on the blog "Dancing Upside Down" (can't post the link) really resonated with me. My symptoms: The visual issues most likely due to HPPD: tracers, geometric/contrast-y patterns in grass/leaves/carpet/etc., occasional flashes in my peripheral vision, exacerbated visual snow (I've had it since I can recall), starbursts, after-images, light sensitivity, focusing issues... Those which are more ambiguous: anhedonia, difficulty concentrating, difficulty absorbing information, spatial memory/navigation, all forms of memory quite messed up, aphasia (language/writing/vocabulary were my greatest talents and so this is especially heartbreaking) difficulty speaking clearly, jumbled thoughts, a sensation of "head pressure", and depersonalisation/derealisation. It's hard to say if there's any "physiological" cause of the severe anxiety and depression, as naturally such a blow to cognitive capability/associated lifestyle would greatly upset anyone...
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Treatments - I was prescribed Cymbalta which obliterated the 24/7 relentless anxiety I was experiencing in February which I came off around July/August I believe... I fear it may have worsened certain symptoms/contributed to lasting anhedonia issues, but memory really doesn't serve me well enough to be confident about that, so I don't let the possibility bother me. I recently came off 200mg of Lamictal after being on it for four months due to perceiving no benefit at all.
Nutrition - I eat a vegetarian diet and do my best to keep it varied and wholesome but I could definitely be stricter and more thorough with it. Motivation, alas. I try to eat a large bowl of quinoa daily as well as a variety of vegetables, and am cutting down on junk.
Supplements:
Multivitamin
B Complex
5ml concentrated fish oil (~2g EPA, 1g DHA)
Vitamin D3, 1000IU
Zinc, 25mg
Creatine, ~5g
Magnesium, 600mg
And soon I'll be taking two tablespoons of extra-virgin unrefined coconut oil, a Vitamin E complex, phosphatidylserine, and Vitamin C.
To promote neurogenesis:
Lions Mane, ~1g BID
Tianeptine ~20mg TID
Ashwagandha, 2g (dubious quality)
I've recently added the following based on a popular stack for dopamine modulation, receptor proliferation, mood, concentration, lots of other claims (choline, DHA, uridine):
Uridine Monophosphate BID
Tonight I began taking CDP-choline, so I'll see how it goes... might swap to or add ALCAR, depending, given ALCAR's role in increasing NGF production/sensitivity
I'm particularly excited to try something called NSI-189, which I'll be receiving in just under a month if all goes to plan. It's a novel drug which has been shown to promote hippocampal growth of up to 20% and is being trialled for MDD but will undoubtedly be valuable in all disorders involving hippocampal damage/atrophy including TBI, PTSD, etc. as well as having nootropic value. As MDMA played a fairly significant role in my anxiety/depression/cognitive dysfunction prior to the seizure episode confusing the whole situation I think hippocampal injury is likely a fairly significant part of my condition and thus healing it ought to provide at least
some level of improvement. It seems far and away the most hopeful option I've come across thus far, with another compound called 7,8-dihydroxyflavone coming a close second as it's been shown to promote considerable neurogenesis specifically in the dentate gyrus, a part of the hippocampus involved in some of the processes I struggle the most with... as of yet there's no reliable, accessible source for it, though.
I'm aware I'm probably going a fair bit overboard with it all, and that there's never going to be any silver-bullet pharmacological solution... Given my current wherewithal it feels like the most productive investment of my modest means. I'm planning to channel the spending into other avenues this year though... possibly a Lumosity membership, and maybe even a gym membership.
Bleugh, again I'm just rambling on with little rhyme or reason, so I'll wrap up. I'm 18, Australian, male, endured the drug-related damage late 2012, had the seizure/head-bump/hospital stay episode in January 2013. Had a history of anxiousness/depression prior to any drug use, high academic performer/perfectionist from a dysfunctional, high-stress household... Not sure what else might be "of use".
Again, thank you so much. My best to you as well.