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139K views 500 replies 74 participants last post by  Doniado 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi guys

I got depersonalization disorder in summer 2011 when I was 14 years old. I'm 22 now. It was brought on by an anxiety attack after I smoked weed.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27612365

In this study 30 active military service members with combat-related PTSD were offered a stellate ganglion block as part of their treatment program. Patients reported greatest improvement in the first week after SGB for the following symptoms:

irritability or angry outbursts
difficulty concentrating
sleep disturbance

2 to 4 months later, patients reported greatest improvement in the following:

feeling distant or cut off
feeling emotionally numb
irritability or angry outbursts
difficulty concentrating

It is hypothesized that trauma leads to an increase in nerve growth factor in the stellate ganglion. This in turn leads to a sprouting of sympathetic nerves, which increases the production of a number of neurotransmitters, including adrenaline and norepinephrine, which makes people anxious. Stellate ganglion block leads to a reduction in nerve growth factor and sprouting of sympathetic nerves, which helps reverse trauma/anxiety symptoms.

Here is the mechanism explainted in detail:

http://assets.cureus.com/uploads/poster/file/717/PTSD_SGB_Poster.pdf

Here is some other stuff about stellate ganglion block and PTSD:





 
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#3 ·
amazing i wonder if this process can be performed here in sydney where i live..........i also experienced twice a huge unblocking and alertness as a shiatsu practitioner was working my neck and when an other osteopathy practitioner after relaxing massage pulled back my head as i was in horizontal position using a special belt that was garbing my hall neck chin and head. I also believe that whole blocks of nerves and muscles can become numb blocked reproducing an unnatural seance of self and triggering vicious circles of anxiety and new LEVELS OF DP DR.
 
#8 ·
I remember reading about this years ago as a treatment for PTSD, specifically war veterans. I remember in the article, the soldier felt that calmness right away. That's awesome that this helped you! I think right now, the only possible way to have this procedure in the US would be if you had PTSD or could contact the US doctor who was using this method. For some reason, I think he was up north...maybe Chicago or so.
 
#10 · (Edited by Moderator)
https://www.anxiety.org/stellate-ganglion-block-for-ptsd

turns out this is recognised in America, if I or someone can find a place in the UK i'm gonna do it

EDIT: places do this for PTSD everywhere, just found one in the UK. I'll keep you posted, just organised a phone consultation, this is so worth a punt, some of the stuff I am reading is gold, just when you think you've read it all. This sounds promising, best thread i've read, thanks OP
 
#11 ·
http://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/ptsd-trauma-and-stressor-related/stellate-ganglion-block-fails-as-possible-ptsd-treatment/article/406455/

Im taking it with a pinch of salt for now. Good for you though! If I see another miracle from someone else, I will be willing to give it a go.

Incidentally my C2 is out of place, I get neck discomfort. I dont know how related this is, but had already arranged to see an osteopath this wkend before reading this. Once I saw him and got miraculous relief that lasted a few hours.. another time though, nothing. But its giving me jip so will get it sorted and let people know what happens
 
#13 · (Edited by Moderator)
http://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/ptsd-trauma-and-stressor-related/stellate-ganglion-block-fails-as-possible-ptsd-treatment/article/406455/

Im taking it with a pinch of salt for now. Good for you though! If I see another miracle from someone else, I will be willing to give it a go.

Incidentally my C2 is out of place, I get neck discomfort. I dont know how related this is, but had already arranged to see an osteopath this wkend before reading this. Once I saw him and got miraculous relief that lasted a few hours.. another time though, nothing. But its giving me jip so will get it sorted and let people know what happens
I read that too, then I spent a while looking at the results of people on youtube and well you get that type of article on everything, Lamotrigine I read failed to beat Placebo, yet many people find it helps. Also this 3 minute video states two studies of 70-75% and how it works in just 3 minutes. (In the description and the other videos are great too, this way people might watch)



Anyway, i'll be testing it out, so you don't have to believe articles, but I very much believe the OP especially based on war vets who had the same experience with full PTSD and the fact it's actually given to victims now in America after shootings and car crashes instead of medication.
 
#16 ·
Anyway, i'll be testing it out, so you don't have to believe articles, but I very much believe the OP especially based on war vets who had the same experience with full PTSD and the fact it's actually given to victims now in America after shootings and car crashes instead of medication.
Wow. Hope it goes well, fingers crossed!
 
#17 · (Edited by Moderator)
The OP was diagnosed with PTSD. What will be interesting is how Depersonalized people without PTSD will respond to this treatment.
Totally, although so was I when I told my GP in [Redacted] I had DP, it's that same argument. He said what the internet thinks, it's a sub-type. It's actually more the symptoms that makes me so excited to try this. I defiantly don't have PTSD in the full sense, which is why I always agued against it. But it's what the OP said with the trials improvement, most are exactly what I want to improve. Anyway i'll stop talking and start organising, phone call today, i'll update this post with the date.

Trial said straight away improvement

difficulty concentrating

sleep disturbance

2 to 4 months later, patients reported greatest improvement in the following:

feeling distant or cut off
feeling emotionally numb <--- when i read that, i was sold
irritability or angry outbursts
difficulty concentrating

ps, the author guy on the youtube video said he went from using clonazepam and other drugs daily to not needing them for anxiety... (or AD's at all for depression)
 
#18 · (Edited by Moderator)
Well, they(us military guys) say dp is a dissociative sub-type of PTSD (a version of ptsd with numbness, derealization and without flashbacks) . In most of the cases dp starts with a terrifying experience/panic attacks.

and what is interesting is that sympathetic nervous system is always working full force with dp. i have not seen any dp sufferer who is 100% calm and enjoying all the moments of his life. That's hardly fuckin possible because The sympathetic nervous system is controlling the body automatically 24/7; without you realizing it. That's why it's so fuckin hard to stop the feeling. to let it go. because it is being done subconsciously. the tightness most of us feel in our body is probably caused by the over activity of the sympathetic nervous system.

The ganglion shot seems to disable this freezing response and enable the parasympathetic nervous system to take care of the body and produce calming effects. i remember reading recovery story of a guy who snapped out of his dp by meditating for 7 days with a Buddhist group after years of suffering. deep breathing actually activates the parasympathetic nervous system; what we generally do in meditation. While the sympathetic nervous system is responsible for producing adrenaline, Norepinephrine , cortiol, ... the parasympathetic nervous system produces all the calming and happy neurotransmitters like serotonin and helps create an Alpha brain wave pattern.

also, there are articles mirroring dp with Complex ptsd or accumulated trauma.

so generally i think we're dealing with the nervous system here. As i remember after smoking weed, i had something like a nervous overload sometimes like my nervous system was not that tough to handle massive amounts of thc/marijuana.

anyways, that was my view on this that i liked to share. hope we get positive results from this treatment.

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/PTSD-overview/Dissociative_Subtype_of_PTSD.asp
 
#19 ·
This is remarkable. I wish there was a way to check to see if you have excess ganglia buildup that causes this.. to know if the shot actually will help. There are some complications to the injection

The risks of the procedure, though infrequent, may include seizure - if the medication is injected into a blood vessel - bleeding, pneumothorax (collapsed lung), brachial plexus block (temporary numb arm that lasts for a few hours), spinal or epidural block (temporary weakness or numbness from the neck down), allergic reaction to medication, nerve damage, and bruising at the injection site.
http://umrehabortho.org/programs/pain/health/faqs/stellate-ganglion-blocks

which is why I am also nervous to even ask for this treatment.

Secondly, how do those that recover naturally compare to those who use this treatment. If the anesthesia is literally killing the bad nerves, then how are the ones who recover without anything losing those nerves?

I myself have gone through a really bad car accident (https://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/779c63a299bd9eabb7f982feaf7fc022f182ecfb/c=0-24-800-476&r=x324&c=600x321/local/-/media/Rochester/NG/2013/09/20/rocjumpbrighton.jpg) and before you ask, no I wasnt the driver or in the passenger seat thankfully.

Though DP has surfaced 4.25 years after the accident, but I think it was mostly weed and stress induced.

AKA I just want to know how I can truly qualify for this shot because I dont want to get it if I dont need it. Also, I have been seeing general improvements to the DPDR, especially regarding the DR itself. I have anxiety, fog, floaters, concentration issues mostly.

This is revolutionary though. And I pray to god this is the missing link for many long term sufferers both on and of the forums/reddit.
 
#20 ·
Totally agree Heylow

I've been on the ball. Emailed loads of companies, good news is one company has said yes, two week waiting list and that's all there is really to it, bad news is, unlike the centres here that do it for pain costing around £400 including consultation....

This company for consultation and treatment same day is £1,050 and is based in Bristol (so for me a flight, hotel). I am waiting on other emails and trying to find other places but it seems that there are very few licensed in UK for PTSD, anyway if I can't find an alternative I will be saving up and doing this in August or September. £1,000 took me back for about 20minutes, then I got the 'whatever it takes' attitude back
 
#22 ·
I think for PTSD it's all private.

One thing I am really confused about, is it's a standard procedure from what I can work out. A Stellate Ganglion Block is the same thing for 40 conditions, so why is it difficult to get for PTSD when it's easy to get for say 'hot flashes' or 'Nerve pain' and why is it then so much more expensive? i can't find where it is any different than what the OP had for instance for the shoulder.

I had to do a lot of research and only found 1. I am sure places do a Stellate Ganglion Block in Iran, have a look, also can someone answer if there is any difference, know we are all learning here
 
#23 ·
Hey guys unfortunatley i still have moments where my depersonalization comes back but in a very controllable way; so it's not a MIRACLE CURE! Maybe I will do the procedure again haha. At least im still calm and didn't have panic attacks, nightmares, thinking im going crazy and depression since the first injection.

I also read that many patients with ptsd needed two injectionts in the neck at the same time to get the best result.

I would only recommend this procedure if your depersonalization is combinated with extreme anxiety.

Here is the newest video:

 
#25 ·
Double post, but this is easily the most interesting thread....i'm obsessed with this now.

Okay so articles are hit and miss but if you are bored, want some gossip and some people telling you how it went

https://www.myptsd.com/c/threads/sgb-ptsd-treatment-article.11417/page-10

every so often you get some bitching when it starts saying the words "Chemical, Brain, Problem" time to skip.

I'll not spoil the tread but some girly gossip in it too.
 
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