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Opiate induced panic attacks

Keythgreen

Greenlighter
Joined
Nov 10, 2015
Messages
1
Background. I'm a healthy , in shape 24 year old. Weigh about 160, 6ft tall. Only prior opiate experience, I had a work accident at 18 and was prescribed 30/300 codeine pills for about 6 months. No abuse, no recreational use , no addiction.

About a year and a half ago (now 22-23 years old) I started using oxycodone and/or roxicodone recreationally. Started at around 10-20mg per night , spaced out once per week (orally). Two months became 20-50mg's twice a week (oral &occasional intranasal). Six months became 20-50mg's 3-4 times a week (oral & intranasal). At a year I was doing about 20-75mg sometimes even as high as 100mg's in a day, 4-6 days a week (oral & intranasal).

This was my peak consumption level. I was starting to do other opiates when my preferred oxycodone was not available. Ex hydromorphone (diluadids) morphiene, one week was fentanyl. All oral or intranasal.

One night I had acquired six 80mg oxycodone tablets. I was not receiving the intended effect and each hour kept taking another half a pill until I had ingested 320mg's within a few hours. I suppose they were time release and it hit me all at once. It was too much, I had to walk myself (thankfully 2 blocks) to the nearest hospital as I thought I would potentially overdose, feeling all the effects of having taken just too much.

They shot me with Ativan (10 mg I think) and let me pass out. They seemed worried about my condition but it seemed to pass fine. I woke up and was discharged. No note about anything heart or otherwise related.

After a week or so I started back to oxy. I was taking 20-30 mg's a day once or twice a week. However now I would feel extremely anxious every time I took a pill and started to feel the effects. Racing , pounding heart. Flush face and legs and worry some thoughts of heart failure. I'm not sure if these panic attacks are because of the oxy use or a health problem.

My consumption slowed but didn't stop. Now every time I try and take any, even a 5mg Percocet I get nervous and feel like I'm having and anxious/panic attack with a pounding heart. Once it was so sever with very little consumption I had a friend drive me to the hospital. They didn't seem concerned about the dose or at all concerned about me , just a 'druggie' having a panic attack.

I have not consumed in a few months out of worry.

Does anyone know if the usage of this drug could have negatively affected my heart? Has something similar happened to anyone? Can I actually harm myself from as little as 10-20mg, for example if I took 10mg right now? Or is it safe and just in my head from the previous experience?

I know , a lot of filler, I just wanted to not miss anything or any possible reason I could be feeling like this.
 
When my panic attacks where really bad I would have this happen to me as well, the opiate high would trigger them. Especially if I have had caffeine earlier. You can try taking a very low dose of a benzo but since that's dangerous it could make it even worse. Nothing you can do except deal with your panic attacks I still get it sometimes. Opiates have no negative effect on your heart.
 
Wait WTF? You thought you OD on what is a huge opiate dose, go to the ER, and get injected with a benzo?!?!?!? You are lucky you did not die that day.... A half beer before the ER and that shot probably would have killed you.
 
Wait WTF? You thought you OD on what is a huge opiate dose, go to the ER, and get injected with a benzo?!?!?!? You are lucky you did not die that day.... A half beer before the ER and that shot probably would have killed you.

They have the means and the facilities to keep you alive after administering the Benzo. It's when people mix those outside of a medical setting they OD & die.
 
Are you taking any medication for the panic attacks KG?
 
I've gotten a little panicky when I feel like I dosed to much, that seems to be the case here. Your lucky to be alright, 10mg of Ativan and 320mg of oxy is quit a dose. I think if you keep your dose under control you won't have anouther panic attack.

So I don't think the opiates really caused it, I think the though of OD and possibly dying is what scared you
 
They have the means and the facilities to keep you alive after administering the Benzo. It's when people mix those outside of a medical setting they OD & die.
I understand, but it is still hugely irresponsible of a choice even for a Dr in an ER just because they can access rescue meds that would save lives if publicly available as you do not need to be a Dr to give someone life saving meds, ie narcan, and save their life. It is not like a Dr magically makes treatments work where it would be impossible without.
 
I deal with the exact same situation. I got put on opana er a almost a year ago and had a massive anxiety attack from it. Went to the hospital and they just checked my heart and I was good. Ever since then, I get anxiety when my dose exceeds 10mg. Basically the opiate high triggers it. Check out my last thread regarding 02 levels. The only thing that I've found to help is a distraction around 45 minutes after the dose, and keep the distraction up for about a half hour to a hour. Playing guitar really helps. Gets me less focused on my breathing until I've past the peak and then I'm good to go. Best of luck buddy, it's no fun
 
I take 30 mg roxicodone and 80 mg OxyContin, prescribed by my pain management doctor and I suffer anxiety sometimes when I take them. I will say to my boyfriend that I feel like my throat is closing and I can't breathe, but usually doing breathing exercises and stuff helps. I doubt it's a heart thing if you're healthy and have no past heart issues.
 
Before I started the drug sertraline for panic attacks and anxiety I used to take large doses of oxy and it did the job of calming me down and diminishing my pain issues which would feed the panic. I find opiates to have excellent anxiolytic prperties.
 
I used to get very paranoid on codeine.
And anxious on tilidine.
One time i got very paranoid on heroin, but i guess it was cut with something because that was the only time i got paranoid on heroin.
And the usual "i'm not breathing anymore" on high doses...a few times on poppy tea and one time on poppy seed tea.
Hmm...and I got a panic attack on tramadol once...i guess because of it's serotonergic properties.

Never happened to me on other opioids.
 
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I think the past experience freaked you out (and for good reason), so you must think of it when you take this med...anxiety. You could always get checked out to be sure?
 
I didnt bother reading anyones responses, sorry if this is a repeat.

Youve got the textbook psychosomatic response to a stimuli that has caused prior stress.

I dont have the time to explain this, but google it and with a few different sources you should be able to come up with a education on it.

CBT will treat you well.
 
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