Cocaine cocaine and movement issue

[Yellowfishmate]

Hey

I have never been a regular cocaine user however I overdosed on cocaine roughly 1 month ago. I just went too big. I developed a twitch roughly 1 week after...twitch has died down slightly in my legs in general but is more prominent in my arms (going into week 5). It's worse when I smoke a joint. They occur all over my body really, small muscle fasciculations in my calves opposed to twitches. My myclonic jerks at night are improving though.

For the last week I have been experiencing a reduction in movement in my fingers, especially at the finger tips. Can almost be described as numbness but not quite. A slight decrease in hand strength also.

I could put it down to just a bit of overthinking (paranoia) but it is the physical sensations that triggers my concern.

I have done some reading. Apparently the CNS is sensitive. I believe to a degree I have done permanent damage. Flooded neuron receptors in my brain from excess dopamine release. This is sending exaggerate signals down my limbs giving me the twitches and slightly exaggerated movement.

This lack of movability in my fingers/numbness the past week has made me think that I could have potentially given myself ALS/Motor neurone disease/Multiple sclerosis

I have been to the doctors about the myclonic jerks and twitches, said they were common. They were not worried, then the weakness numbness has started recently. I'm going for blood tests Wednesday off the back of my doctors appointment a while ago.

I am really worried. Please can someone help/ give advice?

(sorry for changes in text - writing off my phone and keyboard is broken)

 

[PINKoPANaTHER]

Your symptoms do not at all fit MS first of all (usually MS begins with optic neuritis symptoms or muscle spasms, not twitching). Your symptoms resemble Parkinsonism - however I am 99% sure you do not have it. If you ask virtually anyone who has binged hard on dopaminergic stimulants, they'll tell you those symptoms are very common. Parkinsonism manifests only after ~80% of your striatal dopamine neurons in an area called the pars compacta of the sub region called the substantia nigra, have died. Pro-drugs for dopamine are used to treat the symptoms early in the course of the disease. Just like serotonergic drugs cause depression and other symptoms, an OD of cocaine likely has your DAT, D2 receptors along with norepinephrine and serotonin processing proteins out of whack, resulting in twitches and glitches. The difficulty in moving you describe is referred to as freezing in parkinson's patients, as the striatal D-neurons are also responsible for initiating movement. If things get worse you may want to discuss that possibilty with your doctor, but unless you've actually been abusing stimulants for years, or are over 60, then it is likely a result of minor neurotoxicity from the large dose of cocaine that will slowly wear off over the next few weeks. (I am not a doctor but work in medical research on neurodegenerative diseases, stem cells, and potential treatments and pathological discoveries surrounding them).

If you do not inform this doctor of the OD (if he/she doesnt already know) it will complicate things greatly so if it worries you enough to keep the follow-up visit be honest for your own sake

 

[Yellowfishmate]

What are your thoughts around smoking cannabis? With twitches increase (usually a couple days after too), does this mean they are being damaged further? If so I will stop

My twitches don't normally increase off alcohol but similarly, if you advise otherwise I will stop/cut down

Your insight is appreciated