Withdrawls from ecstacy...

[rnylutje]

I know someone who frequently has taken ecstacy. He decided to quit taking the drug for a healthier life style. Since he has quit (it has only been 2 days since he has taken ecstacy) he has severe headache, feels dizzy and sometimes like he is going to faint, body jerks, and very restless. His blood pressure seems fine as well as his pulse ( I am a certified medical assistant so I have trying to check on him to the best of my knowledge and ability). I wondered if this is normal when coming off of ecstacy...and if so is their anything that can help him get through it a with a little more comfort? I told him to push fluids and get plenty of rest.

[Hensley258]

On reason why his Girlfriend is not experiencing the same magnatude of withdrawl could be because she is also taking an Antidepressant medication.

Due to this fact she is not crashing as hard as him.

[rnylutje]

He seems to be doing a little better today, and he did manage to get some sleep last night. I can tell you that he has used ecstasy off and on for the last 6 months, and within the last week almost everyday. (As I said before his last day of use was Friday)  He did sleep most of those nights of use, but I believe only for a few hours some of those nights. I also know that his girlfriend used everytime he used and is not experiancing the same withdrawl effects. She is on Wellbutrin and mostly has noticed rapid mood swings as well as fatigue. I appreciate the knowledge you provided me. I will let my friend and his girlfriend know that they will just have to wait it out and hope for the best. Thanks again!

[Hensley258]

He's probably going thru some pretty bad withdrawl from the absence of the drug.

If he took Ecstacy on a regualr basis, as in more than 5 times a week, yes he will be having a rough time for a good 8 to 10 weeks.

The withdrawl from Excstacy is very much like the withdrawl symptoms one gets from SSRI and SNRI medication, except magnified 10 times.

Excstacy when taken causes a massive flood of neurotransmitters called Serotinin, Norephinepherine, and Dopamine.

When it is taken for a long time on a regular basis, the brain will adjust to this constant flood of extra Neurotransmitting chemicals.

In fact the best way to get severe Depression and anxiety dissorder is to take Excstacy on a regular basis.

Your fried may find that many weeks and months down the road that he will need to start taking an antidepressant to help level out this chemical imbalance that Excstacy has left him with.

Then again in 10 weeks he may be ok and never get depressed. Only time will tell.
In some cases with long term heavy usage of Ecstacy the dizzyness, vertiigo, and nausia do not go away. Let's hope that's not the case.

I don't know of anything he could do to reduce the withdrawl effects. They just need to run their course.

Excstacy seems harmless, and in most cases will not cause lasting symptoms, for a person that only takes it once in a blue moon. Regular users are at high risk of permanently setting their brain on a collision course with Severe Depression.

hope he feels better soon