Side effects - Exploding Head Syndrome

[Phungushead]

Just curious on others' knowledge, opinions, or experience on this.

Labrat is a user of marijuana, psychedelics, and occasionally dissociatives
and various other types of drugs who experiences what I am almost certain
are symptoms of exploding head syndrome (added a document on it below
for anyone interested) - to put it simply, Labrat occasionally hears popping
sounds that originate from inside the head...

This is what Labrat experiences:

• The episodes are more common right before falling asleep (and they will cause Labrat to suddenly be wide awake), although they do occasionally happen during the day as well.
• The noises heard are always in the form of a popping sound - kind of sounds like popcorn actually.
• These pops can occur singly, or in clusters of 5 or so in rapid succession.
• The popping sound ranges between barely audible to startlingly loud.
• Experiencing the sounds, Labrat is pretty sure that they are originating inside the head/brain (or mind, I guess), and not from the ears (like tinnitus) or jaw (such as TMJ)... when it happens, the best description Labrat can give is that "it sorta feels like brain cells are popping".
• Although sometimes alarming, it is entirely painless.
• Episodes occur on average around once a week, although sometimes there are breaks of a few weeks or so in between.
• Frequency of drug use, whether moderate or abstinent, seems to have no effect
• There is a definite slight shift of consciousness that goes along with this, although it is only momentary it is very noticable.

Unfortunately, Labrat cannot pinpoint exactly when these symptoms began
(its been going on for a few years at least - Labrat only recently started
really paying attention and giving actual interest to the episodes though).
Labrat has no known/diagnosed mental health issues.

Not really too worried about how to stop the episodes, as it seems to be
a psychosomatic thing and doesn't seem to be dangerous as well... Labrat
is more curious as to:

1. If any SWIMmers experience this,
2. If, for them, they believe drugs were a factor in triggering the onset of
the syndrome itself or the individual episodes,
3. How episodes are experienced, and
4. Any other thoughts.

Mainly thinking aloud (or a-text, hehe) here... Thanks for reading!

Exploding Head Syndrome

What is it?

Exploding head syndrome is a parasomnia. A parasomnia involves undesired
events that come along with sleep. Exploding head consists of a loud noise
that you suddenly imagine just before you fall asleep. It can seem like a
violent explosion has gone off in your head. It can also occur as you wake
up in the night.

It has also been described in the following ways:

* A painless loud bang
* A clash of cymbals
* A bomb exploding

At times it may seem like a less alarming sound. Episodes can cause a high
level of distress and fear. Many people think that they are having a stroke.
The number of attacks varies. They can happen very rarely. They can also
occur many times in one night. Having many episodes can greatly disturb
your sleep. Some people report having a cluster of attacks over several
nights. Then a few weeks or months will pass before it occurs again.

A flash of light may come along with the sound. A muscle twitch or jerk
may also occur. The event is normally painless. A sudden stab of pain in
the head has at times been reported.

The cause of exploding head is not known. It may occur more often when
you are very tired or under stress. In many people the episodes occur less
often over a period of years.

Exploding head syndrome can be confused with other headache syndromes.
But exploding head is normally painless. Headache syndromes can cause
great pain.


Who gets it?

It is not known how many people have exploding head syndrome. It may be
more common in women than in men. It can begin at all ages. It has even
been reported as early as less than 10 years of age. The average age
when it first appears is 58 years.


How do I know if I have it?

1. Do you imagine a sudden loud noise or explosion in your head just
before falling asleep or just after waking up in the night?
2. Are these sounds normally free of any sense of pain?
3. Do these events wake you suddenly with a sense of fright?

If you answered yes to these questions, then you might have exploding
head syndrome.

It is also important to know if there is something else that is causing the
imagined sound. Instead of being exploding head syndrome, it may be a
result of one of the following:

* Another sleep disorder
* A medical condition
* Medication use
* A mental health disorder
* Substance abuse


Do I need to see a sleep specialist?

You should see a sleep specialist if exploding head causes you great
anxiety or often disrupts your sleep.


What will the doctor need to know?

The doctor will need to know when the imagined sounds began. He or she
will want to know how often they occur and how long they last. The doctor
will need to know your complete medical history. Be sure to inform him or
her of any past or present drug and medication use.

Also tell your doctor if you have ever had any other sleep disorder. Find out
if you have any family members with sleep problems. It will also be helpful if
you fill out a sleep diary for two weeks. The sleep diary will help the doctor
see your sleeping patterns. This data gives the doctor clues about what is
causing your problem and how to correct it.


Will I need to take any tests?

Tests are not normally needed for someone who has exploding head
syndrome. Your doctor may have you do an overnight sleep study if your
problem is severely disturbing your sleep. This study is called a
polysomnogram. It charts your brain waves, heart beat, and breathing as
you sleep. It also records how your arms and legs move. This study will
help reveal if the imagined sounds are related to any other sleep disorder.


How is it treated?

If you notice exploding head symptoms while you are sleep deprived, then
try to get more sleep every night. Most people need between six and eight
hours of sleep per night.

If stress triggers exploding head symptoms, then you should consider some
form of relaxation. This will help prevent stress and exploding head events.
Stress relief could include short walks, reading before bed, yoga, or
whatever works for you. Alcohol is a poor form of stress relief and causes
sleep disruptions.

There is some evidence that the medicine clomipramine may help in treating
exploding head symptoms. If you feel you need medications, then it is best
to see a sleep specialist or your doctor.

Updated October 21, 2005
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
http://www.sleepeducation.com/Disorder.aspx?id=33

Reputation Comments on this post:

I have had these for a while and never knew what they were!

[Ilsa]

i have read about this regarding antidepressant withdrawal, often accompanied by brain zaps, which involve electric-shock like sensations, dizziness, etc.

since many of the substances that labrat mentioned have serotonin-increasing (as well as dopamine, norepinephrine and other catecholamines) properties, the comedown from which would likely mimic that of ssri/snri withdrawal. it makes sense.

good topic

[chibi curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Ilsa

i have read about this regarding antidepressant withdrawal, often accompanied by brain zaps, which involve electric-shock like sensations, dizziness, etc.

since many of the substances that labrat mentioned have serotonin-increasing (as well as dopamine, norepinephrine and other catecholamines) properties, the comedown from which would likely mimic that of ssri/snri withdrawal. it makes sense.

good topic

My roommate has had the "brain zaps," which are myoclonus. They're definitely not accompanied by any actual noises, it's only a sudden, twitching or jerking sensation, a bit similar to when you're in a car that stops suddenly, but faster and not in any specific direction. Even when very strong, there's no sound, only the muscle contraction and a feeling in one's head that's really only describable as a shock. No loss of consciousness or any specific psychological or physiological things like dizziness.

[Ilsa]

^^ exactly, and when i say dizziness, i mean that if one turns one's head to one side, it takes everything else a minute to catch up, whcich feels dizzy, but is much more strange.

[SullyGuy]

Effexor withdraws gave SWIM these all the time for about six months.

[Ilsa]

kitten has also experienced extended periods of said symptoms as well when she came off of effexor (venlafaxine). *shudder* they're pretty disorientingnad make one feel just "off" enough to make daily tasks difficult.

wonder how this could relate physiologically to exploding head syndrome...

[Oxymorphone]

SWIM doesn't know anything about this, but could it have something to do with the inner ear? Similar to your ears popping when there's a pressure difference? SWIM's mother experiences a lot of loud noises from time to time in her ears, sometimes soft rapid pops and other times she has described it as someone popping a balloon, and she's been told it's related to her hearing degradation. Most often happens when she's going to sleep / waking up to use the restroom. She does take a amitriptyline, which I believe is a tricyclic antidepressant (?). If SWIM wasn't in codeine land he'd be less lazy and look it up for me.

SWIM isn't entirely sure as it hasn't happened much but he may have experienced this when he was on Wellbutrin XL, sometimes he'd wake up because he thought he heard some loud bang, and would be panic stricken and looking out the window, checking on his car and stuff. Sometimes he'd go upstairs and ask his father or mother if they "heard that", which they never did. That was a long time ago and he barely remembers it, only in this moment did he think maybe his old wellbutrin prescription had something to do with it.

[vantranist]

Back when SWIM was an avid 4-ACO-DMT user right before he would fall asleep he would get this LOUD BAng in his head, that sounded like a gunshot or something, IT WAS SUPER loud and caused SWIM to shoot straight up into the air!

I don't know if this is the same as Exploding head Syndrome but it scared the shit outa swim!

[staples]

From all the research I've been reading about sleep, I was under the impression that exploding head syndrome was related to hypnagogia. It is definitely something I will experience if I haven't been able to sleep for a long enough time. I can't seem to locate the exact research paper that talked about it, but I'll be sure to report back when I find it.

Edit: Not the paper I was thinking, but I found this which mentions that the symptoms most often (though not always) occur during hypnagogia:

Originally Posted by The Exploding Head Syndrome

The spells tend to occur during the transition from wakefulness to sleep, although some have noted attacks after awakening at night and then resuming sleep. Patients have been reported to have attacks during the day. Sachs and Svanborg [7] did polysomnograms on nine patients with this syndrome. In all recorded cases, attacks occurred while the subjects were awake and relaxed. In two of the cases, the polysomnograms suggest increased alertness during the attacks. In three patients, there was no electroencephalographic changes recorded during attacks. Other attacks have been reported during wakefulness as well as during REM sleep. Another entity, known as "sleep starts" or "hynpic jerks," also occurs during the twilight period of sleep. Sudden jerking of body parts may awaken the individual or bed partner and these motor symptoms are common in the population. Sensory sleep starts, which include visual and auditory hallucinations or even the sensation of pain, are less common [8]. It has been suggested that the exploding head syndrome is a manifestation of this problem.

Attacks are always benign and haven not been associated with any structural pathology. Three patients in Pearce's series [2] described a positive family history of the syndrome. Similar symptoms as a manifestation of a seizure have been reported [9]. The cause of the disorder, including the noise, is elusive.

Green, M. W. (2001). The exploding head syndrome. Current Pain and Headache Reports, 5(3), 279–280.

pdf attached

I think the SS(N)RI withdrawal effects people have been mentioning are a little different from exploding head syndrome, but I'm not certain about that.

[thebige]

Ahhhh..swim does not really want to admit it but he has suffered from this in the past.He has had brain zaps from effexor withdrawl.....and this is totally diffrent then brain zaps.....

Thankfully it hasn't happened in a number of years.....
So he would just as soon leave it alone.......

Reputation Comments on this post:

for clarifying exploding head vs effexor wd

[g666d]

swim has experienced this a few times, mainly when sleeping but once just after waking up. Remember the first time was dreaming about walking through town, bent over to pick up a lighter and *SILENT BANG* the lighter exploded, woke up instantly - was quite a shock. That was the loudest of the silent explosions, the other times has been more like pops... once just after getting out of bed. Scary, but no pain or anything.

Swim had experienced a few head injuries (concussion) around the time of the first Exploding Head Incident, as well as an epeleptic fit brought on from injestion of the wrong type of poppies. The last one he had was after bending mind with seroquel, unknown eccy pills (supposedly MDMA but more like speed), MJ and H. And some speed. At least, those were the drugs taken around the time of the poppings. Swim actually thinks the seroquel had the most to do with it, and also the mystery pills.

That first one happened about 8 years ago, so details sketchy in mind. Still remember the dream though. The last one swim didn't take too much notice, and so can't remember the exact drugs in system or any remarkable circumstances that would initiate an EHI. Swim has experienced others, but can't remember then when n hows.

seroquel = Quetiapine

[WTF O_o]

SWIM thinks he may have this

When he lay in bed at night sometimes it feels like he gets a small electric shock in his brain which wakes him up. it feels very weird and he can't explain it

It's rather intense and scares him most times as he doesn't know what it is

No loud noises though, just feels as though someone has zapped him in the brain

Could this be Exploding Head Syndrome?

[Scarface88]

SWIM had this after smoking weed,

went to bed, had a very lucid dream about being on a runaway bus with loved ones, been kidnapped by the driver, the police were trying to stop him,

they failed, so SWIM decided to save his loved ones and try and kick the driver in the head,

as SWIM approached the driver, he pulled out the biggest, shiniest, longest revolver SWIM has ever seen, and shot SWIM in the head with it,

SWIM felt a hole in his head and warm blood trickling down his face, and heard his girlfriend crying behind him, and then realised he was awake in bed.

The gunshot sound had woke him up, but he was still delerious and felt the blood and heard the crying. It felt and sounded like he had really been shot - the pressure on the head, the ringing in the ears, the resonance, everything. It was a terrifying ordeal until SWIM realised where he was.

[pillls]

SWIM has had these strange episodes since he was 12 years old. When he was on the verge of sleep he would see someone suddenly kicking him/coming at him in a dream and wake up instantly. It seemed he would get these episodes much more often when he was frightened about something/saw a scary movie before he went to sleep. SWIM's brain zaps stopped by the time he turned 16, and has never had them since then. For SWIM they do not seem to be substance related.

[Akashik]

Swim too experienced this when he was small, around 15 years old maybe younger.
He was on vacation with his family living in the country side on some farm. It would get really really hot so everyone would go to sleep around noon.

Swim went to sleep, and he started having the weirdest dream. He was in some market place of a middle eastern country, dressed up in the traditional clothes of the natives in the area. It was sunny , hot and dry. Kinda noisy. Swim was waiting in some line and then outta nowere he felt some kind of "spidy sense" lol ( an awareness of something dangerous bout to happen ) , he turns around and BOOOM!! this huge fuckin blast outta nowere explodes. It was so fuckin real and loud he jumped litteraly outta his bed and fell on the floor.

It was crazy intense.
So real, he actually thought he was injured.. ( from a dream lol )

Anyways yea that was the only time he experienced anything like that.
Swim doesnt know what could have provoked it. Heat, stress, environment? no idea.

[[tanarilla.]]

wtf, my bunny didn't even know this was a condition.
Sometimes when she is just about to fall asleep there is this loud shattering noise and her leg jerks and wakes her up making her more alert than before falling asleep.

weird.

[Akashik]

^^^^ Swim calls that " Trippin Stair Syndrome" lol. When he's imaginin walkin and he trips or falls, just jerks him up in bed lol.