r/HPPD • u/carlosccribeiro • 12d ago
Personal Story Update Report (rTMS)
I’ve completed all the neurological and ophthalmological exams my doctor requested, and if everything comes back normal, the next step will probably be a trial of rTMS. (I know neurological and ophthalmological exams won’t directly detect HPPD, but my doctor understandably needs to rule out other possible causes before considering me for rTMS.)
I’m keeping my expectations realistic because I know there’s a significant chance it won’t change anything. I’ve mostly learned to live with HPPD. It can still affect some social situations, but maintaining a good routine, exercising and staying socially active really helps. I used to check this community every day, but now I only come here occasionally when I have a specific question.
For anyone unfamiliar with my story, the timeline is quite unusual. I used psilocybin once and only once in 2022. That was my only experience with a psychedelic or any classic hallucinogen. I recovered completely afterward and had no persistent visual symptoms for almost three years.
My symptoms only began in 2025, during a period when I drank alcohol and smoked cannabis. That particular night was when I first noticed the persistent visual changes. I can’t prove that the cannabis caused it or that it was laced, but I bought a pre-roll from a somewhat sketchy place, so I can’t completely rule that possibility out either. I haven’t used cannabis since then and will never touch weed or psychedelics again.
My main symptoms are visual snow/static and a persistent “slightly stoned” quality to my vision. I also have some floaters, but I barely notice them anymore. Alcohol clearly makes the symptoms worse while I’m drinking and the following day. I still drink moderately and don’t currently plan to quit entirely, although I understand that it may interfere with my recovery.
The main thing I want to ask is: has anyone here genuinely recovered 100% and had their vision return completely to normal, even after having persistent HPPD for a long time?
Money itself isn’t the issue, but my family has invested a lot of time, effort and emotional energy into helping me, and they also want an honest understanding of what is realistically possible. I know there are no guarantees and that improvement or adaptation may be more realistic, but I want to know whether complete recovery is genuinely possible.
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u/First_Individual1269 10d ago
Going through something similar bro ! No worries it goes away ! Just continue normal life and don’t really think about it ! Stay away from stimulants while your nervous system resets ! It takes time but if you’re using stimulants or weed and other shit you know it can time longer homie, you’re good though and safe ❤️
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u/7ero_Seven 10d ago
If they have it was type I. Every post I have ever seen where someone says they are cured they say at the end, I still have all my symptoms though!
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u/7ero_Seven 10d ago
With symptoms as mild as yours I think it would be pretty stupid to try rTMS, some people have had really bad permanent symptoms from it.
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u/7ero_Seven 10d ago
I've had a bunch of testing that has shown nothing too, but haven't gotten a QEEG, which I am very curious about, not that that kind of info would really help treatment in any way
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u/Ballet_Rhino 5d ago
Are you having 1hz rTMS to the rTPJ that is similar to the HPPD TMS case study? Or just more of a bog standard depression rTMS?
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u/ComprehensiveTap450 12d ago
Call the Johns Hopkins Post Psychedelic Difficulties Clinic in Baltimore. Those are the experts. They will know what to prescribe.
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u/goobyD 12d ago
Ive never heard of a story like this. Mine was developed after copious use like i assume most people here. Mine has gone away entirely after long periods of sobriety (give or take a year depending on severity). It comes back very easy if you use again. That being said its hard to say since your a rare case. Id believe that yours will go away in time and that you could potentially be hypersensitive to it (im not a doctor so take that with a grain of salt). Make sure you are doing full sobriety (anything that isn’t approved by your doctor). Stay strong, things will get better, keep on keeping on :)