Ecstasy and Anxiety

[NMS169]

I have a question here.  About a year or year and a half ago i used ecstasy about 10 times.  Totaling 10 or 12 doses.  About 6 months ago I lost 80 pounds had no appetite, and had severe anxiety proplems.  I have seen a doctor about it, and they put me on paxil cr, and it has since helped.  Gaining weigt now, and eating better.  I am wondering if this will cure my problem, or will i always have to take the paxil.  Is there anything i can do to help myself.  I know this was the dumbest thing i have ever done.  Wish i would have never tried it.  Also used to be an avid pot smoker, i have also stopped this as well.  Any information you can give me on what is wrong with me and how to fix it will be greatly appreciated.

[cleo102]

hELLO

I hate to probably state an obvious but have you had a complete work up including a thyroid check??

Your post does not state whether you are male or female either.

Having run the gamut with anxiety disorders stemming from post traumatic stress disorder, I am concerned that you might have a physical ailment along with the extreme anxiety.

I figure the Doc will answer your post soon but that amount of weight loss with out trying to loose weight is not the norm.

God Bless

Cleo

[NMS169]

Sorry about that. I am a male, 23 years old.  And never had any type of anxiety or anything like that before the ecstasy.  I have seen about 50 doctors about the whole situation.  Had colonoscopys, endoscopys, and thiroid(spelling), blood work.  Aids tests, and about anything elese you can think of.  They all tell me im normal.  But im not.  If indeed the X is the problem, i wish i could turn back time.  It was fun, then its completely ruining my life.  I still talk to my friends that i used to party with, and one of them is so bad now, hes taking 10 to 15 pills at a time.  Enough to kill most anyone.  Hes not a big guy either 175 pounds.  I keep telling him to quit and get help, but he just tells me he likes it too much.  But hes completly normal when not on pills.  And others i rolled with still do it once in a while once every other month or so.  But why did i end up with the problem.  I hate it.  And would give anything to fix it.  I have a brand new baby girl, and being on the paxil drains me, and i want to be able to be a good father.  All i can say is i messed up, and if there are any X users out there, stop.  Its obviously bad stuff.  Also, to anyone that is interested, i got the pills i used from the man that made it, and we were good friends so i know it was pure.  So i know there was no forein substances causing my ailments.  Hope this is more descriptive of my situation.  Thanks for the help guys.

[vettezr1]

Dude you say the X was pure but pure what? The problem with X or any other street or club drug is they are very often made up of a combination of pretty much anything.
X is very often made up of Ephedrine and or Diet or Antihistamines or even Cold tablets.
I am not sure if you posted how long ago you say you stopped taking the X but even from my old army days and guys dropping acid I have never heard of a drug causing such long term damage as you describe I am not saying its not possible I am aware of liver damage psychosis and a bunch of other **** even weight loss and weight gain but it usually passes unless there was some type of organic damage that the doctors should be able to identify of course unless it is mental I mean no disrespect by that statement. Maybe you can shed some light on how long ago you last took it and if you were taking anything else?
You lost 80lbs in what time frame that’s a **** load of weight what is your present weight have you stabilized? Beside Paxil are you taking anything else? You are 23 right are you screwing around with steroids?

[Erika_Ann]

I'm so sorry to hear about your situation. I am too on paxil and have done pretty well on it. What mg are you on? The doc here and people who have responded to you so far are very wise. Trust me on that one. People on this board are very supportive and informative. We will all be here for you!
Erika

[NMS169]

I took my last tab, oh, about year and a half or so ago.  I lost all the weight in about 8 months, and no never done steroids.  I understand about street drugs and the imposible way to know what is in them.. But in this particular case the person who manufactured the stuff was an 8 year chemistry major, and i knew him very well.  I had been there when it was synthisized.  That should have been reason enough not to do it, knowing whats in the stuff.  Plus he had some chemical testing kit to tell if it was pure.  As well as knowing the melting point of MDMA, he could also test it that way.  It was pure.  Thats what i dont understand.  I know that there are no cases logged on the internet from when it was an FDA drug about anybody with this type of reaction.  Thats way im not for sure if its the pills or just somthing that happedned.  I really wish i could pin point it.  But i know thats nearly imposible.  Thanks for all the replys.  Talk to y'all later.

[vettezr1]

Sorry dude you did answer most of the questions in your post that I asked I was stuffing my face with pizza my apologies, I have a good friend that works at NYU he does a lot of research torturing rats on crack, no that’s just my sick sense of humor actually they do a lot of AIDS research but we hooked up on an AI research grant and I shot him over a copy no names of your post. Hope you don’t mind. I am especially interested since my pain docs are trying to help me with out Narc’s and are pursuing the MDMA’s and some other experimental stuff. If you want to email me directly ***@****
The research team knows of no particulars in X at such a short time small dose your friends as controls that can cause such a marked response in just you. You stated you had medical tests and the are willing to help the best they can to figure it out and I can tell you honestly they are totally cool for geeks or I would not hang out with them.  
Hope you are doing better. Didn’t mean to offend you about the steroids when I took them I lost a ton of weight instead of gaining it like I was suppose to that’s why I asked.
Plus it made my nads shrink

[NMS169]

No offence taken at all.  I know everone is just tring to get all the facts.  And one thing i did not answere is the paxil dose, 12.5 Mg controled release.  (Paxil CR 12.5)  And if there is anyone interested in any more information feel free to email me at ***@****.  Thanks to all.

[AmberHunter]

i too have done more than my share of MDMA. the last time i used it was two years ago. i used it for treatment of PTSD. the other times was just b/c i liked it alot! i went on a binge of doing K every friday night and then X every saturday night for about six weeks. those sundays following my drug orgy were awful, i ached in my bones (the K) and was depressed from the X... after six weeks i looked at what i was doing and stopped doing it as often, pretty much quit.

i worked in clinical research, i did phase three clinical drug trials, usually psych. studies. i remember a patient of mine who had been taking X like ALL the time, was taking i think 6 to 8 hits to get off... he wanted to participate in a depression study but after i got his medical history i realized he would be disqualified anyhow b/c of his drug use. i told him that he was going to be depressed for some time to come b/c of the way he was abusing X. but he didn't have the anxiety issues you are having.

i honestly don't know what is causing your anxiety, but i think it is a pretty safe bet that the MDMA had something to do with it... it can really disrupt your brain chemistry... why it is possibly doing this to you after not using i just don't have a clue.

check out this site: erowid.org and do some research... and beware of paxil (i worked on one of the paxil studies in 1991) there are alot of side-effects, it can help anxiety but it can also cause anxiety in some unfortunate folks. and it is a ***** to get off of... not meaning to scare you but you can check out another site: quitpaxil.org. just so that you can make very informed decisions about what meds to put in your body.

everyone has a different metabolism, we all experience drugs differently. do you have a doctor that can prescribe an anxiety drug like klonopin? klonopin is longer acting than say, xanax or valium...

and would you consider talk therapy with a therapist? that might prove to be very helpful too...

let us know how you are doing, you can email me at ***@**** if you would like to... i have a few email buds from different boards and it is a nice way to get additional support other than med boards like this, but this is my FAVORITE med board, lol!!!

good luck,

amber rae

[vettezr1]

. I would have to agree with a lot of what you say but this poor guy has lost 80 lbs in a short time frame, that tells me he has a lot more going on than being anxious. Paxil
Would be indicated and at his does fairly low would help him gain some of the weight back of course I am presuming that’s what he wants to gain some weight back.
I have seen some really messed up poor bastards at NYU from X, Crank or whatever the **** they think they bought who knows what they were really taking rat poison for all I know but this guy swears he only took low doses and for a short time and his friends took the same and still take it if I am correct and are suffering no ill effects? Correct me if I am wrong, he had thyroid uptake? GH? Tests? 80 lbs if you have not stabilized I would be concerned.

[dienikad]

I'd recomned Xanax .. for a short peroid of time.

[crackizbad]

hey we need to talk. I am in the same boat as you, similar story.
email me at ***@****.

[freezing]

For what it's worth, I've done tons of X over many years and never had any anxiety from it.

[Jay2k]

Yeah I suffer from severe anxiety as well, and have been doing so for the past 8/10 months and it's getting worse. We also need to talk, you can both contact me at thegallaghers_6***@****

[Jay2k]

Yeah I suffer from severe anxiety as well, and have been doing so for the past 8/10 months and it's getting worse. We also need to talk, you can both contact me at thegallaghers_6***@****

[Yeoyo]

I too have done extacy. A little more than you though. I did probably between 700-1000 pills over a 6th month time frame back in 2005. Around my 5th month I was no longer getting as high and I was starting to have anxiety while on it. I was always checking my heart beat and my breathing and my head always felt like a brain anyersm had popped or something. I still did extacy for about another 2 months though, taking between 10 and 20 pills a night. Well over a 24 hour spand. I went from taking a pill every 2 hours to 1 1/2 every 2 hours. The more i did the more paranoid i would get. My friends though were not like this. They were still getting the high they were getting before. So i finally decided to do no more. No I am left with panic disorder. Im stress about all the symptoms that are happening in my head. And then i have panic attacks. I am now on 10mg a day of Paxil and it is doing me no good.  I feel a little better but the anxiety is still there. So, yes it does happen and No not to everybody. I have friends that are still doing E that ws doing it with me, at the same doses as me and are still doing it. No axiety at all. Ive read many things on the net and there are people out there like us whose heads get ****** up on E but i believe it is just a small percentage. Sorry to hear about your condition but believe me your not alone.

[bigjames]

   Hi im james im currently 18 years of age and i used to take extacy and cocaine.
Wen i was 17 i started taking the drug XTC in nightclubs and enjoyed it so much i could even take it wilst sitting in my own living room.
The last time i remember taking it i had a really terrible (come down) the next day, i sort nothing of it and got on with my day.I decided to go for a run (i like to keep fit i do alot of sports,rugby,boxing,weights) when i stopped , got to my house i felt out of breath as you should , but i felt i coudnt catch my breath several hours later !
I have been to doctors , even hospital on ocasions and they have all told me there is nothing wrong with me ! so im thinking hang on a minute there is somthing wrong with me ! evry second of my life is pain and misrary after taking thous little tablets, i feel out of breath evry second of my life , scared to do anything ! i cant even handle drinking a pint!
I am 18 years of age i should be enjoying myself! im pretty sure if i do not get help i will indeed top myself....
some other symptons i feel:
shortness of breath (all the time)
constant swallowing(if im in a situation)
horrible thoughts of dying

IS THERE A CURE IM DESPERATE

=(

[kyjobr]

guys, you've responded to a post from 2003.  

[KlynnP]

I have also been diagnosed with social-anxiety disorder and i am pretty sure it was my history with heavy X use. I took it almost every weekend for a year and have rolled almost over 100 times. It got to the point where i was taking over 10 pills in a few hours just to feel as good as i did the first 20 times i rolled. Before i started taking it at 16 years old, i was a little depressed and had a mild case of anxiety but i was very outgoing and loved going out and meeting people. Now i am 20 and i have not taken the drug in almost a year because i think it caused so much depression and shame into my life. The last time i came down of pills i was with a group of friends. I started freaking out and i was scared to talk to anybody. since then that feeling has not gone away completly. I have panic attacks while im driving, and i am scared to go out or be around people. Sometimes i sleep for 15 hours because i dont know what to do with myself when i get out of bed. I have trouble making up my mind about anything and i feel so confused and disconnected with the the world around me. I can be with my family or a group of friends and still feel completly alone and uncomfertable. Iv walked out on new jobs because of panic attacks. I hide it well but its destroying my life.
I think maybe people who already have symptoms of depression or anxiety are more likely to develop problems with the drug then people who dont have psycological problems. maybe i am wrong but if anyone can PLEASE offer me some advice PLEASE do so!!

[samsu]

I feel the same way. I never realized I had any anxiety until a couple of years ago. I did extacy in high school, almost seven years ago. I don't know if it was the drugs or just me. But the anxiety has been getting worse and worse. I don't want to be on any medication because I know I will have to be on it for the rest of my life  and I can't see being altered the rest of my life. I don't have public panic attacks but it does affect my everyday life. It affects the relaionships I make and the way I see myself. I am always thinking in my head and discourageing myself. I think everyone has a negative opiion of me. I know it is not reasonable but I can't stop the way I feel.It has turned my outlook negative. I put on a front for everyone because no matter who it is friends/ family I am still scared of what they may think of me, I don't how to deal with it, it amkes me numb.

[Bluedot]

My psychology teacher from college once told me that people with generic psychological problems in their family will likely to develop problem after using drugs,,,THC, MADA even though they might be healthy at the time.

[theman28]

I have anxiety and made the foolish mistake of taking amphetamines for a period of time which multiplies any exsisting anxiety into severe panic attacks and can turn you into a schizophrenic when you are coming down. I've also smoked pot and tried cocain. I've never tried extacy, but since it is synthasized from amphetamines I'm not surprised it could cause anxiety. Also, it affects serotonin levels and if serotonin receptors are permanatley affected this could cause anxiety. Also, not only are ecstacy tablets produced from amphetamines, the tablets can contain MDMA and other substances such as amphetamines or Dissociatives like DXM or ephedra or antihistamines all of which can cause anxiety, especially amphetamines and DXM, and DXM resembles symptoms of schizophrenia and causes anxiety.  

[theman28]

And I would definatley reccomend any perscription benzodiazepine to anyone with anxiety if SSRI's are not working or are causing side effects. Xanax and kolodopin WILL diminsh anxiety if not completley reduce it while active in your body.

[theman28]

You cant worry about what your family will think of you. Just confront them and get it over with. The fact that you're scared to tell them is only in your head, and you shouldnt be anxious about that. Good luck

[steeev]

I feel exactly the same. I have taken Ecastacy in the past and had no mental problems with it although i once had some weird spotted bruising on my legs and arms and my tounge would go huge with cuts all over it. However i did foolishly use it again in the form of pills and MDMA and never experienced that problem again. However i had been using it more frequently recently along with LSD (acid) and coke. My main problems have been since taking my only 2 tabs of acid. I was genrally ok for a week after that then i went on a heavy drinking session and since then i've been extremely shaky / nervous and paranoid. I've had to walk out of work after feeling under so much pressure and shaking so much. I've always been a little anxious and paranoid but nothing like on this scale. I always feel so weak now and always have a very minor shake that amplifies when under any stress. As you can imagine i then become paranoid about that and it's turning me into a nervous wreck. When i sleep i can't get up because i'm so tired and it feels like i have no thoughts at all going through my head like i'm just totaly brain dead. I've also had sleep paralysis after taking MDMA where i have been unable to move although realising i have been awake. I don't know whether it's from the drugs or just extreme anxiety. I really don't know what to do

[ChadR0ck]

I did XTC when I was 18 years old about 3 times. I never experienced any side effects from it.  I am now 26 years old. For some stupid reason which I greatly regret. I took an XTC pill September 28th. I had a great time on it. The next day I felt fine but about 2 weeks later I was feeling very high anxiety & I am suffering from depression. I also was having mood swings.  I am also having problems with sleeping where I have these thoughts running though my head all night long, and my heart is beating fast. & I pace back and forth in my apartment. I thought I was getting better last week. Since I was able to get a full night sleep & the anxiety was getting better. But today I feel like I have regressed. I have not gotten any sleep tonight, & I have work in an hour. I know I can not reverse what I did. I just hope that this will go away & I will get that "glow" back. I have tried to do research & many people say that it is going to take time to feel better.  I hope I did not do permanent damaged to the brain.  I wish I never took that pill…  I just want to go back to the way I was before!  I just do not understand that I am having these effects after 1 pill? 3 weeks later? Any advise?

[ChadR0ck]

It is now november 4th, I have still having anxiety, & I am depressed. My doctor has upped my dose of Effexor to 75mg. I am still having problems sleeping. I need to take sleeping medication & xannx to go to sleep, becasue I have vidid thoughts while sleeping, and wake up in a pannic. I just can not believe that of these side effects are from taking one pill, & that my life is going to be forver changed. I hope it gets better... I promise I will never do this again. Has anybody ever experienced these side effects? & have felt better over time? I just hope their is light at the end of the tunnel.  Or is this the way I am going to have to be now for the rest of my life?  I am very scared.  I don't want to loose everything that I have worked very hard for. I am scared....

[lostdreams]

ChadR0ck:
You have posted on an old thread. This may be lost within the rest of the posts. You should try copying your question onto a new thread. At the top of the page you will see a 'Post a question' 'button'. Click on that and re-post. More people may be able to help you.

[instantRehab]

Im an 18 year old female i tock xtc for the first time when
i was 16 then since then i spiraled down to doing 5 hits one
night then the following night 17 (im 130 pounds now so it was
alot not to mention my size) i started using cocaine almost
every weekend aswell i had nights where i used both and took
mushrooms ive been heavily smoking weed for the past 3 years
and it was not till one year ago i started experiencing social anxiety
and then i had a huge binge one weeekend and then the next day my anxiety was so bad i couldnt look someone in the eye without shaking
head to toe and sweating my heart would race. so thats when i made the connection of the drugs to the anxiety and then i did a small amount one weekend and felt a small relief from the anxiety the following week
so i did my research and self diagnosed myself with some type of serintonin (sorry spelling) problem sadly i tryed to self medicate. anxiety was so bad i couldnt go out with friends unless i was drinking and i had to force myself to go to school and i would sit there and shake i was so anxious. then i graduated and that when i began to drink
i had to get a job and i would buy booze on my way to work because its the only was i was able to go without feeling anxious. and then a miracle. i went to a random walk in clinic and talked to a doctor about this and how i dont want to drink and how i have been on 2 different types of pills with no results so she started me on 37.5 mg of effexor to see how i would react and i had barley any sypmtoms so she uped it to 75 and im now at 150 mg and i feel no anxiety i have not had a panic attack since. the only problem is my heavy drinking before i was releaved from the anxiety has left me needing the alcohol to cope with problems but it just creates more and i also dont like getting close to people because they are ushally repulsed by my habits
anyways what im trying to get at is i was such an extreme case and i did find 100% cure (for the time now anyways)
good luck!

[LovesYou2You]

to everyone who is scared in this section, there is hope. This problem WILL go away! I've had the same problems where i pace around the house crying and praying, promising to never sin again if i can just find my way out of anxiety and hell. IT GETS BETTER. One thing you must do though, is stand up to your fears, if you need xanex to sleep, you HAVE TO take those few nights of panics and terror so that you can get the **** off of it and have your mind know that you do not NEED it to sleep, because you DO NOT. None of these terrors will kill you, you just need to have the strength to stand up to them. I kept completly clean for a month [not even caffiene or alchohal] and just let my brain unencumber the burden of substances and addiction, and starting going to places i feard [school, events, whatever it may be] and trust me, there is a cure for you all. Please get better and believe. you all have my blessings.

[jakegorzen]

X depletes the Brain of serotonin, and Norepinephrine.
This is what causes a person to feel "bad" after they come down.
I put my buck on you burning out those chemicals, thats why the paxils working.
but what also could work would be Saint Johns Wort, and lots of amino acids.
Paxil does not rebuild your chemical structure, its just makes the cells more sensitive.
SJW and Amino acids create more of the chemicals that will heal you with time.
But if you were going to try the SJW you would have to stop taking your paxil, and let it get out of your system for a few weeks before the other treatment, because it would risk you for getting serotnin syndrome.
Always talk to a Doc first before switching meds, better yet talk to your Pharm, because they usually know allot more about interactions.

[morganave]

Question, how come when you want to leave your email address here on this post, it does not show up?   I have noticed that when others leave their addresses for those who need support, it shows up with ******@*****.  Where would we find the true address if we would like to talk to members here?
morganave

[djai]

Hello,

Im 23 years old...I also have the same problem as u guys are. I hate waking up in the morning feeling there's something wrong with me. I have fears of drinking any coffee, eating high in cholesterol foods or just anything that will affect  my hearts normal rhythm. @ night sometimes I over think and gives my the flushing sensation behind my neck up my head and its really uncomfortable. I feel like I'm going crazy having this problems. But I told myself I can handle this. I can manipulate everything and that its all in my head. I'm not taking any medicines because I'm afraid of relying on them all the time! I just wanted to share my experience! I also hope that there's a cure for what im feeling even if it takes time as long its going to take em away.

[djai]

Hello,

Im 23 years old...I also have the same problem as u guys are. I hate waking up in the morning feeling there's something wrong with me. I have fears of drinking any coffee, eating high in cholesterol foods or just anything that will affect  my hearts normal rhythm. @ night sometimes I over think and gives my the flushing sensation behind my neck up my head and its really uncomfortable. I feel like I'm going crazy having this problems. But I told myself I can handle this. I can manipulate everything and that its all in my head. I'm not taking any medicines because I'm afraid of relying on them all the time! I just wanted to share my experience! I also hope that there's a cure for what im feeling even if it takes time as long its going to take em away.

[dreambigg]

The exact same thing happend to me. i'm now 18 and I took it about 2 years ago and a total of 10 times. i now have panic dissorder and i know what you mean by no other people that roll having the problem. it's like you think theres something wrong with just you. i still have frequent panic attacks and i'm not nearly cured but it takes time. for me, it's really a social anxiety and a fear of death. i let it get so bad that i've barely left the house in about 8 months.. i hope it isn't like that for you. I think the key is to accept what we've done and understand that we're fine now. if something was to happen to us because of the drugs, it would've already happened. i really hope everything works out for you.

[scottusa68]

i havehad the same issues as most. but what happened to me was i lived a party life style and one night i took E. i felt like i was having a stroke and could not get out of bed for like 2 days. now i have anxiety. symptoms include dizziness i feel like the room is tilted sometimes and that im going crazy or havinga heart attack. now my doctor perscribed lexapro and it just made me gain alot of weight which i cant loose. i stopped taking it and symptoms of anxiety are getting better but i feel as if i only have panic attaks if i dont eat which causes me to eat alot and still not loose this weight. it really ***** though because i feel like my panic attcks cause vertigo. the room will seriously look as if it is tilted . i really wish i could take that night back and go back to my normal life. i cant believe that i cannot find an answer to these issues and feel like i will be stuck like this forever. i will try the amino acid thing and remain substance free. but i would still like the vertigo to stop and loose some weight.