Neuropsychology Central

[Just visiting]

Hello all, I am not a doctor but someone who is having some problems and want to know what kind of test would help me. I am a 23 year old with severe depression anxiety, and used to take medication successfully till about last year. Sadly I continued to use ecstasy at high doses and am pretty sure I did something extremely damaging to my brain, thats the only thing I can think of that caused the problem I am about to describe. I started getting very strange burning sensations about a year ago, which forced me to discontinue my medication and the headaches subsided. However any attempt to treat my depression makes my brain sting extremely in the dead center and send shooting pains all thruought my body. I have tried switching to many different medications and even natural alternatives such as 5-htp and tryptophan. Even doses of 50mg cause awful pain in my brain and I am unable to treat my illness. I am very mentally unstable now with no way to treat my illness I am wondering what damage I couldve caused to my brain to make it reject everything i put into my body to try and help it. I even tried a vitamin approach but it contained ginkgo biloba, and it gave me excruciating pains in the same area. When the pain shoots I can feel it behind my thorat, and it gets especially bad the second I am about to fall asleep the pain shoots making me unable to sleep until whatever it is has worn off. I am in dyer staights here plz reccomend some kind of test that you would do on someone like me I would appreciate it so much.

[Guest]

Dear guest,

See a neurologist. Neuropsychologists can test for cognitive difficulties, but we can't do much professionally for medication side effects, since we tend not to be medical doctors. The pain itself, incidentally, isn't actually "in your brain," although it may feel like that. It's still an important observation to tell a neurologist when you see one, though. Best of luck.

[Hmark]

[NeuronSally]

First and foremost, I want to express my deepest sympathy for you, "just visiting." It must be awful having to experience such confusion and pain. Secondly, I'd like to graciously thank everyone on here for their sound advice. It's very much appreciated! I, myself am going through a very similar situation. While I've never taken any legal or illegal narcotics whatsoever, I experienced a really bad fall about 6 months ago that rendered me with vertigo-like symptoms. I'm fairly certain that I have SOME brain damage, but that can't be clarified because I haven't seen a doctor yet.
Anyway, I've since had to discontinue my regime of antidepressants (for OCD/Anxiety) because of extreme migraines. I mean, I did slowly ween myself off the medication, but my anxiety has only continued to become worse because I'm NOT on my medication any longer. I guess I feel a little lost at this point and I'm so glad to have found someone experiencing something very similar.
I've considered seeing my general practitioner, but I think you guys are on point -- I should see a neurologist! However, I'm just not sure where I should go. Has anyone ever been to iu health? The reason I ask is because I'm an Indiana resident and one of their medical services is neuroscience. Thanks, folks -- and good luck to "just." =)
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Sally