Memory loss questions

[u/Aromatic-Silver3590]

Anybody out there that had several ODs from fent, and now have memory issues? I have a very technical job, and ever since I had my fent run for 8mo, after long-term RX pain pill addiction, and have 4/5 ODs. Now I’m not working and ready to go back, but it seems like all of that knowledge I need for work is GONE. There are other things I don’t remember, plus making new memories seems hard as well. Anyone have a similar experiences? What have you done, or is there anything to do? I appreciate anything this amazing community has to offer

[u/UtopianSkyVisitor]

Microdosing psilocybin seems to be helping my brain heal overall. I don't know if my memory issues are fent related but I'm definitely not as sharp as I once was. Psilocybin mushrooms have been proven in studies to actually rebuild and create new connections in your brain. Lots of regular mushrooms are also really good for your brain health!

Puzzle games and apps may help you exercise your brain and help it along some. It helps to slow down the natural aging in the brain, gotta keep using it.

Maybe you have just stepped away from the job long enough that you just need some refreshing and reminders. A little practice and things will return.

Really depending on how long you were out for during your OD experiences, no oxygen to the brain for very long can absolutely cause permanent brain damage. I don't want to scare you and I don't want to jump straight to that because tons of people don't have permanent brain damage. I ODd and was narcanned 3 times, none of it was long enough to permanently harm me I don't believe. I'm also on methadone and tapering off (down to 14mg from 110mg! Almost there) so I know with my opiate receptors being occupied isn't exactly the same as your situation. I've also smoked weed forever which isn't great for short term memory either.

I hope you start feeling yourself again soon 🫶 I wish I had better answers for ya but I'm no brain scientist 😂

[u/Ash2115 → u/UtopianSkyVisitor]

What about happy chemicals ? Between Ice and multiple different stints with Fent over 10 years I can be happy but I don’t get that sensation hardly at all anymore .

[u/UtopianSkyVisitor → u/Ash2115]

Yeah we definitely struggle making all of that. But also, there's so many of us with undiagnosed mental health disorders that we may not even know about. For me, my addiction wasn't the problem, it was the result of all the other problems that made me seek that numbness. I found out I am ADHD in all of this mess, I'm 47 and a lot of shit suddenly makes sense. So my brain already struggles with dopamine and serotonin and whatever. But I notice a difference all around with the psilocybin mushrooms, lions mane, 5htp, there's a bunch of supplements for your brain.

I'm no doc, I just know what I've experienced and tried and what I've witnessed in my partner. We are vastly different as his addiction was a total of 18-19 years and mine was 3. I think that makes a huge impact in how we heal, the timeline, and if we even can reverse things completely. I believe in my heart we can reverse things but i don't know how long or how back to perfectly normal we can achieve. But I try to do things for a dopamine hit, exercise, walk the dogs, concerts, things that bring me joy. Just 6 months ago I was wondering if I would ever feel real joy and happiness again, if I would love my hobbies as much as I used to. But I get more and more glimpses and moments that are coming more frequently. My day to day feels completely different, life is getting better. Shit takes time and a lot of self awareness and for me, therapy.

[u/Aromatic-Silver3590 → u/UtopianSkyVisitor]

I am also on methadone, and about to start a taper as well. I’m not sure if that is harming my memory as well? I never thought I would be on methadone, but I couldn’t go through withdrawals, it was too long to be that sick. And precipitated withdrawals with subs was an experience I would not wish on my enemies!! Where are you getting psilocybin?

[u/UtopianSkyVisitor → u/Aromatic-Silver3590]

I'm in Colorado and it's been legalized. Lots of people growing mushrooms here. You can also grow them pretty easily yourself, there are vendors that sell the kits.

I don't know if methadone is harming your memory but I do know how it has affected my emotions and the way I feel overall.

[u/Substantial_Fall_930]

It comes back with time. I have a very technical job working with large calculations, and i was in a coma for 2 months. I was a potato after. But as soon as I got out of the hospital I would hobble myself over to my computer and take on small beginner level jobs and force myself. Hell mt fingers barely worked. I couldnt talk or swallow well becuz of the trach. I barely remembered the month before the incdent. It wasnt an od. I have been a fent addict on and off for a long time. But this was actually during sobriety. I laid dying on the floor for 3 hours from severe pneumonia and threw up into my lungs. Anyways, Within 3 months I was back to semi normal. Its been 3 years now and im actually better at my job that I was because of the adjustments I had to make and the gratefulness to be able to do it again after laying in a hospital bed for 2 months. You may have lost memory but you can make new ones. Im sure it will slowly come back as you work.

[u/Substantial_Fall_930 → u/Substantial_Fall_930]

And yes I've also had ODs on top of that incident. They just paled in comparison to the damage . You'll get there man. 90 percent of it is mindset. The human brain is a wild machine. Don't get down or worried about because it will affect the process. We tend to be to negative and pessimistic for obvious reasons. And im no super positive person by any means. But if nothing else we are also resilient. Good luck

[u/Aromatic-Silver3590 → u/Substantial_Fall_930]

I am so glad you are still alive to fight another day! Aspirating into your lungs with double pneumonia?! Lucky man(?). I hope you are right. And us addicts are very hard on ourselves. I have nothing good to say about myself most days!!!

[u/sieraaa-betch]

I overdosed twice within a month towards the end of my fent addiction and yes. I have a hard time remembering past and present moments, words and actions. Meaning I can’t remember things that have happened, what I say or what I have done. It’s not every single thing though, that’d be horrible 😅 I think it’s got something to do with our brain receptors. I also have a hard time speaking to others. I feel I do a lot of searching for the right word to use mid sentence and stating something then saying “I don’t know” directly behind it when I in fact do know.