Have I damaged my heart? Need HELP

[TheCuriousOne]

Hello bluelighters,
I want to talk about what happened to me yesterday.

So, I am really very familiar with cannabis. I've smoked it for years, also without any negative side effects. I never really had any anxiety driven highs or anything anxiety related complications from the use of Cannabis. I had also tried many stimulants and psychedelics and never had anxiety attacks before.

Yesterday I had decided to smoke weed after a looong tolerance break again. The thing is, I was not physically feeling well at this point. I was very tired, exhausted and feeling terrible and wanted to toke up, so that I would be able to sleep after 3-4 hours.
Yesterday morning, I had eaten too much food at once and I had breathing difficulties and stabbing chest/heart pains for 2 minutes afterwards whatsoever. Not a big thing but it left me a little bit worried.


So in the afternoon I take one big bong rip and immediately the stabbing chest pains return, but in full action this time. I get difficulties breathing, dizzyness, tight chest, numb arms. I thought I am having a heart attack/heart failure this day.
I tried deep breathing and relaxing my body but nothing helped. My heart just felt like it was EXPLODING, it never felt that bad in my life. Before this I had always elevated bpm when high on a substance but it was somewhat manageable. But this time I counted 190bpm, It really felt as if I was dying this very second. I also never had chest pain this severe.

This went on for 2-3 hours in full panic, eventually the bpm rate was lowered and I could get to sleep.
I've visited my doctor and told him what happened. Basically we did ECG tests and the results were all fine.

The day after I still have chest tightness and stabbing pains in my chest/heart area. Breathing causes most of the pains.
Have I damaged my heart somehow?
Can I ever do weed or stims again, without having this bad chest pain? What to do to make it go away?

One note aside, my resting bpm rate today is about 55. It's much lower than my resting bpm before this incident.
Is that an indication of a heart disease?


am thankful for every response

 

[noone1]

Hello bluelighters,
I want to talk about what happened to me yesterday.

So, I am really very familiar with cannabis. I've smoked it for years, also without any negative side effects. I never really had any anxiety driven highs or anything anxiety related complications from the use of Cannabis. I had also tried many stimulants and psychedelics and never had anxiety attacks before.

Yesterday I had decided to smoke weed after a looong tolerance break again. The thing is, I was not physically feeling well at this point. I was very tired, exhausted and feeling terrible and wonted to toke up, so that I would be able to sleep after 3-4 hours.
Yesterday morning, I had eaten too much food at once and I had breathing difficulties and stabbing chest/heart pains for 2 minutes afterwards whatsoever. Not a big thing but it left me a little bit worried.


So in the afternoon I take one big bong rip and immediately the stabbing chest pains return, but in full action this time. I get difficulties breathing, dizzyness, tight chest, numb arms. I thought I am having a heart attack/heart failure this day.
I tried deep breathing and relaxing my body but nothing helped. My heart just felt like it was EXPLODING, it never felt that bad in my life. Before this I had always elevated bpm when high on a substance but it was somewhat manageable. But this time I counted 190bpm, It really felt as if I was dying this very second. I also never had chest pain this severe.

This went on for 2-3 hours in full panic, eventually the bpm rate was lowered and I could get to sleep.
I've visited my doctor and told him what happened. Basically we did EKG tests and the results were all fine.

The day after I still have chest tightness and stabbing pains in my chest/heart area. Breathing causes most of the pains.
Have I damaged my heart somehow?
What could cause these pains in my heart area?
Can I ever do weed or stims again, without having this bad chest pain? What to do to make it go away?

One note aside, my resting bpm rate today is about 55. It's much lower than my resting bpm before this incident.
Is that an indication of a heart disease?


am thankful for every response

Sounds like a classic panic attack and maybe acid reflux, I get the same thing. They say a panic attack is only supposed to last for half and hour max but that's bullshit I've had panic attacks last for hours. See if a zantac or tums clears it up when you get the stabbing pain in your chest.

Of course if you want to be really sure you'll need to wear one of those monitor bracelets and do the other kind of heart tests (can't remember the name but I think it's ECG?) unless you are older and have a history of heart disease in your family doctors will be loathe to do this, be prepared to shell out a lot of money for these tests unless you have really good insurance.

 

[Nicholai]

Big bong rips can cause you to experience pleurisy, which can easily precipitate panic attacks. Used to happen to me ALL the time.

If you're really concerned feel free to see a cardiologist to set your mind at ease. But I don't think this is too terribly uncommon. I've seen one study, ever, that, while having many correlates, never established causality between cannabis use and heart disease.

Perhaps try a vape?

 

[TheCuriousOne]

Hi,
I did the ECG tests and the other tests, I was told my heart was in perfect condition (but note, that I was tested after having these anxiety attacks/when having lower bpm).
My dad used to have valvular heart disease, but he has gotten it in his sixties I guess... so nothing genetically.

I really don't know, I don't trust these doctors that much. It always seems to me as if they don't really care and just talk me into believing I was fine so the next patient can come in and they can keep earning their precious money. Douches.

Pleurisy, this could be it !!
The stabbing chest pains are induced by my breathing, so there could be something with my lungs rather than my heart.
Thank you very much.

I'm thinking vape next time but I am worrying about my occasional stimulant use. Now this panic attack was horrible, I don't want it to happen to me ever again. I was planning in using stimulants this week-end but I'm worrying if this anxiety will creep up on me again after the use of it.

I did ECG and my heart seems to be allright. Now how could I avoid having hypochondriac thoughts of having heart attacks the next time I'm getting high?

 

[Nicholai]

If it's pleurisy it's pleurisy and not cardiac related. Thus no worries to be had

Most stimulants aren't cardiotoxic either, there isn't much to worry about there. Subjectively, I know that's difficult, but if the uses of these two drugs induce panic attacks in you it may be time to give them a break....

 

[RDP89]

I am not a cardiologist(and maybe you should see one) so I can't comment on a possible heart issue. I have however expereinced passing out off of cannabis smoking after a long tolerance break. so maybe that had something to do with it. But seriously, if you have any lingering symptoms with your heart, go to the doctor. It's nothing to play around with.

 

[noone1]

Hi,
I did the ECG tests and the other tests, I was told my heart was in perfect condition (but note, that I was tested after having these anxiety attacks/when having lower bpm).
My dad used to have valvular heart disease, but he has gotten it in his sixties I guess... so nothing genetically.

I really don't know, I don't trust these doctors that much. It always seems to me as if they don't really care and just talk me into believing I was fine so the next patient can come in and they can keep earning their precious money. Douches.

Pleurisy, this could be it !!
The stabbing chest pains are induced by my breathing, so there could be something with my lungs rather than my heart.
Thank you very much.

I'm thinking vape next time but I am worrying about my occasional stimulant use. Now this panic attack was horrible, I don't want it to happen to me ever again. I was planning in using stimulants this week-end but I'm worrying if this anxiety will creep up on me again after the use of it.

I did ECG and my heart seems to be allright. Now how could I avoid having hypochondriac thoughts of having heart attacks the next time I'm getting high?

Sorry not ECG/EKG don't know what the test is called but it's a more extensive exam where they do a stress test on a treadmill and they also have you wear a monitor for a couple of days. Like I said unless you have a history of heart disease in your family or are really old I wouldn't bother (or unless you have the cash to burn and want peace of mind)

Heh you might want to look into benzos. I can't even be in the same room as pot anymore without starting to have a panic attack.

 

[TheCuriousOne]

Thanks for the replies. I don't think I have any heart problems, but just having a racing heart in full action over 180bpm is fucking unpleasant. This is the main trigger for my anxiety attacks.
Is there any way to avoid this?

Sure, taking drugs will increase my heartrate... but is there some way to make it manageable, e.g. not exceeding 120bpm?
I tried slow breathing and relaxing, but my heart still did not stop racing.


Now I have another very important question:
Is taking drugs when you are sleep deprived harder on your heart, then taking drugs when you are well rested?

I noticed that my bpm was much higher when I was tripping once when sleep deprived and it also induced an anxiety attack.
Is that correct when someone is awake for a long time without any sleep that his heart is undergoing additional stress because of THE lack of energy, which is regained by sleep?

 

[ImagineBetter]

Since your body is already stressed from lack of sleep it will definitely cause your heart to beat faster even without drugs in the equation.