Cocaine Please Help!! Tightness in my chest and stomach from Crack

[4meSM]

From what I understand crack lung is caused by prolonged narrowing of the blood vessels in the lung, the restricted blood flow can weaken tissue which can cause all kinds of things. Im sure inhaling little bits if brillo is also a possibility.

Yeah most lung problems are caused by vasoconstriction and inflammation. Cocaine is also particularly toxic to lung cells and it can really mess up their metabolism and overactivate certain genes which end up causing havock down there.



Crack doesn't crystallize in the lungs despite not being particularly water soluble. The lungs have a HUGE surface area and are extremely efficient at absorbing small molecules (at least in vapor form).

Stuff that doesn't get absorbed includes talc, silicon and a bunch of binders commonly found in pills. So snorting pills or IVing them without a micron filter is a sure way to fill up your lungs with a bunch of shit that might stay there for a very long time.

 

[Fiori di Bella]

When I was addicted to blow (for about 10 years), I definitely had issues with my lungs. My PCP thought I had asthma, based on the fact that I look so innocent and likely my failure to mention that I enjoyed lanes of candycaine on a regular basis.

Chest tightness and the feeling that someone was sitting on my chest were the main symptoms that I suffered. Asthma drugs and inhalers (Albuteral) helped.

I lost a ton of weight after leaving blow, plus the 250lbs I lost by ditching my SOB of an ex-husband. Since then, and the cessation of blow, I honestly have no breathing issues.

 

[Xorkoth]

I don’t know where you live but in the US, no ER will turn you away due to lack of insurance. Most hospitals will apply for Medicaid on your behalf. If you don’t qualify due to your income or assets exceeding the threshold for Medicaid, hospitals are required to provide care as needed and they may then elect to put you on a payment plan. Never avoid medical care due to lack of insurance; unfortunately dental care does not work this way. They’re not legally required to treat you and/or set up any kind of payment arrangements for care necessary.

Yes this is true. Sadly you will get saddled with a lot of debt, but people don't always realize that they can't do anything to you except destroy your credit score if you don't pay... and a chapter 7 bankruptcy is pretty cheap to file and discharges all of your unsecured debt, including medical bills. It also ruins your credit but you can build it back pretty fast. Of course it's best to not have to do this, but no one should ever fail to seek medical help for a medical emergency because they're worried about being in debt forever, there is a way out that is FAR preferable to long-term injury or death.

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

You shouldn't be holding in crack, or meth, or other chemicals. They start to crystallize, like they do in the pipe.

What about pot or hashish smoke? I never did what we would call 'ghost hits' where someone takes a small hit from a one hitter, pipe, or bong and holds the smoke in their lungs until nothing comes out when they exhale.

 

[bmf666]

its seriously pisses me off how many people feel entitled to healthcare. i seriously believe if someone doesnt care enough about there health why should everyone else foot the bill... someones paying for it

 

[Zephyn]

its seriously pisses me off how many people feel entitled to healthcare. i seriously believe if someone doesnt care enough about there health why should everyone else foot the bill... someones paying for it

Because, we are humans. We live in civilizations, villages. Healthcare is a right. Obviously @bmf666 has never not been able to afford essential medicine.

 

[bmf666]

I don’t know where you live but in the US, no ER will turn you away due to lack of insurance. Most hospitals will apply for Medicaid on your behalf. If you don’t qualify due to your income or assets exceeding the threshold for Medicaid, hospitals are required to provide care as needed and they may then elect to put you on a payment plan. Never avoid medical care due to lack of insurance; unfortunately dental care does not work this way. They’re not legally required to treat you and/or set up any kind of payment arrangements for care necessar

Because, we are humans. We live in civilizations, villages. Healthcare is a right. Obviously @bmf666 has never not been able to afford essential medicine.

yeah your right, i've always made sure i had health insurance since it is important to me. so you think its more fair for people that do the right thing to take care of the people that don't give a crap? Insurance would be a lot more affordable for everyone if people would stop leeching off the rest of society.

 

[Zephyn]

yeah your right, i've always made sure i had health insurance since it is important to me. so you think its more fair for people that do the right thing to take care of the people that don't give a crap? Insurance would be a lot more affordable for everyone if people would stop leeching off the rest of society.

What about people who can't work or find work? Unless you are seriously rich, i wouldn't get too cocky as you could find yourself in a similar boat at some point quite easily, even if things have been okay for you thusfar

 

[Zephyn]

Hey heads up to anyone who needs medical treatment but doesn't want to go into debt. Use a fake name at the hospital and say you lost your ID, they can't turn you away even then.

 

[Burnt Offerings]

yeah your right, i've always made sure i had health insurance since it is important to me. so you think its more fair for people that do the right thing to take care of the people that don't give a crap? Insurance would be a lot more affordable for everyone if people would stop leeching off the rest of society.

^ Who are you talking about? Who are the people who "don't give a crap"?

Right now there's about 30 million people in the country who are uninsured. I'm pretty sure that most of them probably desire coverage.

 

[bmf666]

yeah just not enough to pay for it. i bet that number would go way down if they where cut off. since people know they can abuse the system and get it for free why pay for it. i'm an electrician and theres tons of people here on work visas or illegal in the field making good money since they can't find amaricans willing to do the work. i bet there's a way for every single one of you to get health insurance but it's just easier being leeches. hell work full time at starbucks or lowes and you'll get health insurance

 

[bmf666]

guess i should expect this from a drug board, most drug users are selfish and forever victims.

 

[Burnt Offerings]

lol OK dude. The fact of the matter is that most of these people can't be leeches because they can't even access the system they're supposed to be leeching off of! Many Americans can't even afford a 500 dollar emergency, so they're not going to access the medical system and risk putting themselves in debt, if they can avoid it...and the kind of preventative, non-emergency related care that is necessary for public health isn't being addressed by the system either, leading to the USA's low ranking (among comparably developed nations) when it comes to metrics like life expectancy, rates of morbidity due to preventable or treatable diseases, healthcare system efficacy etc.

Nearly 1 in 4 Americans are skipping medical care because of the cost

Over the past year, 22% of Americans say they have steered clear of some sort of medical care because of the expense, according to a new survey.

www.cnbc.com

Also, the idea of your employment being linked to your healthcare has been shown to be, how shall we say, "problematic" during a situation like the covid19 pandemic and the resulting employment trends that we've seen since.

I don't see how it's a good or positive thing to refer to uninsured or underinsured people as "leeches". They are human beings and yes, many of them are at a disadvantage due to no fault of their own.

 

[MDPV_Psychosis]

I think most of us, despite our addictions, still tend to care deep down about our health even though from an outside perspective It probably doesn't seem like it. Just because I'm struggling with a vicious addiction that is destroying both my mind and body doesn't mean I don't want to live better, it just means I'm struggling with how to live. I don't think it would be fair to deny someone like me treatment just because it may seem like I don't care about myself, I most certainly do.

Ive had periods of time where I completely gave up and was actually trying to kill myself slowly via my addiction. But this luckily was just a phase and an unfortunate result of my deepening problems, I still don't think it would have been fair at the time to pass over me for somebody "more deserving" of care. Eventually I got better, partly because I got care when needed and I am sure glad I am still here today, still struggling to get better and definitely getting better at being better. I'm glad somebody still cared for me and about me, and so are all my loved ones.

 

[bmf666]

for the record and i'm an addict also but know first hand some people the more you help the more they're just going to be screw ups. i just don't understand why healthcare with as expensive as it is is a right. someones paying for the crap and seems pretty obvouis that if someone doesnt care then that's on them. there is zero reason in america why someone shouldn't beable to take care of themselves other then laziness. as i said theres people on my jobsite making $30 an hour as an illegal because they cant find americans that will work. emergencies fine and temporary coverage for people that fell on hard times but no one should be living with free healthcare or on benifits. if we make healthcare free for everyone the systems going to be swamped with dirtbags drug hunting and trying to get disability. i bet you way more people would be covered if the 70% of people doing the right thing didnt have to pay higher costs to cover the people that don't think there healths worth paying for. also i bet you i huge percent of that 30% could afford it yet chose to spend there money on other bs

 

[Freudzilla]

for the record and i'm an addict also but know first hand some people the more you help the more they're just going to be screw ups. i just don't understand why healthcare with as expensive as it is is a right. someones paying for the crap and seems pretty obvouis that if someone doesnt care then that's on them. there is zero reason in america why someone shouldn't beable to take care of themselves other then laziness. as i said theres people on my jobsite making $30 an hour as an illegal because they cant find americans that will work. emergencies fine and temporary coverage for people that fell on hard times but no one should be living with free healthcare or on benifits. if we make healthcare free for everyone the systems going to be swamped with dirtbags drug hunting and trying to get disability. i bet you way more people would be covered if the 70% of people doing the right thing didnt have to pay higher costs to cover the people that don't think there healths worth paying for. also i bet you i huge percent of that 30% could afford it yet chose to spend there money on other bs

Get off of your soapbox the system is already swamped with people trying To go on disability and score drugs so since according to you not much will change let’s go for universal healthcare.. it’s gonn be a hard concept to figure out though since the majority of first world nations have it figured out already.

 

[Zephyn]

for the record and i'm an addict also but know first hand some people the more you help the more they're just going to be screw ups. i just don't understand why healthcare with as expensive as it is is a right. someones paying for the crap and seems pretty obvouis that if someone doesnt care then that's on them. there is zero reason in america why someone shouldn't beable to take care of themselves other then laziness. as i said theres people on my jobsite making $30 an hour as an illegal because they cant find americans that will work. emergencies fine and temporary coverage for people that fell on hard times but no one should be living with free healthcare or on benifits. if we make healthcare free for everyone the systems going to be swamped with dirtbags drug hunting and trying to get disability. i bet you way more people would be covered if the 70% of people doing the right thing didnt have to pay higher costs to cover the people that don't think there healths worth paying for. also i bet you i huge percent of that 30% could afford it yet chose to spend there money on other bs

You are delusional and must either be young or extremely sheltered

 

[bmf666]

Also I went though a 2 year period after the military where I did a lot of drugs and got a bs job at Lowe’s just for a little extra money and have health coverage. What I saw was a bunch of people that didn’t want to work full time since they’d lose there state insurance and benifits. So they could easily do what I was doing but didn’t feel like it, honestly zero sympathy for them but I guess I’m the real sucker trying to do crap the right way

 

[MDPV_Psychosis]

there is zero reason in america why someone shouldn't beable to take care of themselves other then laziness.

i disagree. The mental health problems intertwined with drug addiction often include issues that result in problems with taking care of oneself. Sure some people may be a completely lost cause (still should they given up on completely? I don't think so) but a good portion of people just need some help. Sometimes the help doesn't do much, sure, but maybe it will buy them some time and perhaps next time it will stick. Addicts often struggle for the rest of their lives but often - especially with help - they can gain some semblance of better control if not outright 'remission' for a time.

 

[bmf666]

nope 36 years old and always held myself accountable. Nothing like a bunch of spoiled amaricans crying about what they don’t have while most of the world is trying to come here for a fraction of the opportunities we have.