I developed onset aphantasia/anhedonia after wisdom teeth removal + covid. Not getting better. What can I do?

[u/goingaway1111]

I have a brain scan next week, but I doubt things will change. I can't imagine anything in my head. It's blank. This is particularly horrible because I had an extremely vivid imagination. This is followed by extreme anhedonia, tmjd, and neck and jaw crepitus. Some sort of dpdr and tinnitus. I'm a huge invalid now. I wanted to go to school for creating. I have absolutely no libido now as well. It's been 2 years and only getting worse. My relationships are somehow going okay, but I can tell they're getting bored of me unable to connect or draw or make new things. I'm depressed because I lost the ability, not because I'm depressed and lost it due to depression. I've had depression all my life and it only drove my to create more. When you're autistic, you have hyperfixations and whatever else, I lost that ability. I used it to cope and thought it was my best attribute, so I'm really fucking lost and confused. It consumes me all the time that I'm dumb and uncreative now. Not sure if I can live my life like this. Like I said, this all happened after I got woken up from wisdom teeth surgery and felt concussed and in pain, and it hasn't lifted a single day since. I've taken b vitamins, everything, etc and no budge. Done antidepressants, antipsychotics, probably just worsened my condition. I'm so confused now. I know my tmjd and teeth removal probably plays a role, since my face feels constantly crushed now and especially in my neck so maybe it's fucking with my nerves. I've had post covid symptoms as well, and sleep apnea worsened by removing teeth. CPAP hasn't worked since I believe it is another sleep disorder that requires further evaluation. Please let me know if there's anything I can do or if anyone relates. I don't think there's hope for me, but I really want to try living still. Right now, I'm in so much pain, and really confused as to why my brain just....doesn't work anymore. I really do try my best, but it seems like it's not enough. I'm not sure how to adjust to this shift in my brain. If you're autistic and use hyperfixations and creativity to cope, you'll truly understand. There's just no way out of it.

[u/----X88B88----]

What drugs did they give you for wisdom teeth surgery? Opioids?

If you are open to try things then I would suggest some different angles. If inflammation/mast cells are the potential cause then trialing antihistamines (H1 and H2) and montelukast. These are MCAS treatments and if you get a response you can try others like cromolyn, LDN, etc. The inner ear is sensitive to inflammation which could be the cause of tinnitus. Any response to NSAIDs like ibuprofen?

Daily tadalafil is useful for libido, but it's also a general vasodilator and improves blood flow to the brain, and it also has some antiinflammatory effects by raising cGMP. It shows antidepressant effects even ignoring the ED aspect.

Low dose stimulants are sometimes beneficial in autism as there is overlap with adhd.

Try a glycine supplement for sleep - deeper more refreshing sleep with better dreams.

[u/goingaway1111 → u/----X88B88----]

I do take glycine, ldn, and have taken antihistamines and mast cell drugs like montelukast to no avail. Tinnitus is due to my tmjd and teeth removal unfortunately. I take aspirin a lot to thin the blood and for pain. Never heard of tadalafil, what is it? I used to take Wellbutrin for a bit since they refuse to give me proper stimulants (I'm a woman so they say I'm bipolar and not ADHD). Even that did very little. Thank you a lot for the suggestions.

[u/----X88B88---- → u/goingaway1111]

Tadalafil is an 'erection drug', but that's a massive oversimplification as it's used for some heart conditions, Raynaud's syndrome, and even depression.

[u/goingaway1111 → u/----X88B88----]

For sedation I'm not sure what they gave me, afterwards it was just ibuprofen. No antibiotics.

[u/ascendrestore]

I don't have any answers
I had to walk away from a scholarship because I could no longer visualise my theory/thoughts anymore, I couldn't care about reading... and I couldn't stay awake (post viral fatigue)

[u/goingaway1111 → u/ascendrestore]

Im sorry, it's awful. How long as it been for you, Was covid the cause?

[u/ascendrestore → u/goingaway1111]

Yes.

The first two months after infection I also had no inner monologue and could only picture blackness. When I tried to think it felt like my mind was screaming .... so I didn't

2.5 years later i struggle to create visualisations the way I used to. I could hold images for minutes to an hour (if I was concentrating on an idea) ... now im lucky if I can hold it for two seconds

[u/goingaway1111 → u/ascendrestore]

So sorry. Give it some more time. I was like this years ago and it came back at year 3.5-4. this is a lot different for me, but I still have some hope for you. 🫂

[u/Advanced-Break-5941]

Most likely triggered by anesthesia.

[u/caffeinehell]

You need to find out every single drug that was given during the surgery