NEWS: abc.net.au - 18/09/07 'Addict paralysed by nitrous oxide bulb'

Addict paralysed by nitrous oxide bulb

The Medical Journal of Australia has revealed a young woman recovering from a heroin addiction has been paralysed by sniffing nitrous oxide from whipped cream charger bulbs.

Dan Lubman from the Orygen Youth Health Centre says most users on the party scene consider the use of the bulbs, or 'nangs', to be safe.

He says it is tragic that the woman, who was on a methadone program and malnourished, was badly hurt by her 20-bulb-a-day habit.

"I think the issue is, we have different views about which drugs are dangerous and which aren't dangerous and certainly in this case, nitrous oxide is seen as relatively benign and not very problematic," he said.

"For her in fact it has caused a substantial problem."

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/18/2036519.htm

I don't think anyone in the party scene would view a 20-bulb-a-day habit to be safe, benign or non-problematic

A link to the MJA case study.

Paralysis caused by “nagging” [sic]

When you follow the link you will notice the author has described the use of bulbs as 'nagging'. 8)

Thanks lil angel - that article was quite an interesting read. She was not a well little girly to start with; she had been confined to the back seat of a car for three days and obviously hadn't been to the bathroom for a while:

"She was in urinary retention, and 1800 mL was drained through an indwelling urinary catheter."

EEEEWWWWWW

"Initial laboratory investigations showed: a raised serum creatine kinase level of 9000 U/L (reference range [RR], < 150 U/L); acute renal failure, with a creatinine level of 490 μmol/L (RR, 80–140 μmol/L) and a urea level of 41 mmol/L (RR, 2.5–7.5 mmol/L); a troponin leak of 0.7 μg/L (RR, < 0.05 μg/L); and a normocytic anaemia, with a haemoglobin level of 83 g/L (RR, 120–140 g/L) and a mean cell volume of 95 fL. Vitamin B12 levels were 124 pmol/L (RR, > 210 pmol/L)."

"A Doppler ultrasound scan of the lower limbs showed bilateral deep venous thrombosis (DVT) to the level of the common femoral arteries."

Thankfully she is recovering to some degree at least:

"She was discharged after 7 months of rehabilitation and inpatient care. She was able to walk short distances, with the aid of a walking frame, but had residual neurological deficits affecting the distal lower-limb muscle groups."

And The following is good to know (I've heard that getting vitamin B12 shots can be somewhat pleasurable):

"There is no known neurological toxicity threshold for nitrous oxide exposure. Toxicity is related not to the frequency or level of nitrous oxide exposure, but to the patient’s levels of vitamin B12. Spinal cord degeneration resulting from a single short exposure to nitrous oxide anaesthesia, in association with vitamin B12 deficiency, has been reported."

# Ilniczky S, Jelencsik I, Kenéz J, Szirmai I. MR findings in subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord caused by nitrous oxide anaesthesia — two cases. Eur J Neurol 2002; 9: 101-104. <PubMed>

# Beltramello A, Puppini G, Cerini R, et al. Subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord after nitrous oxide anaesthesia: role of magnetic resonance imaging [letter]. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1998; 64: 563-564. <PubMed>

20 bulbs is nothing? Sounds like it was the other health problems she had.
I like it how they say sniffed, maybe that explains it.. you don't sniff nitrous oxide.

I have done a lot of nitrous in my time (normally mixed with other drugs), and I'm not paralyzed, and only recently started taking supplements.

Definitely a Vitamin B12 issue? I take 1mg Vitamin B12 a day. A good brand is Natures Own B12, because the rest contain something like 5-60ug of it, as this has supposedly 1mg.

Another tip to stop spinal damage that may occur from excessive nitrous use on a speed, MDMA or whatever comedown, is try to urinate. I've found holding your breath on a big nang session after drinking lots of water on the night after pills etc. is really not good for you (although oxygen dep is never really good...) unless you urinate before nanging, even if it seems hard keep trying especially if you have been drinking a lot

Definitely a Vitamin B12 issue? I take 1mg Vitamin B12 a day. A good brand is Natures Own B12, because the rest contain something like 5-60ug of it, as this has supposedly 1mg.

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B12 is a difficult vitamin to take up. Supplemental B12 may help if use is occasional and not too intense, but it won't do much to restore depleted levels.

So it must be injected?

Just thought about it. 160 grams daily of N2O isn't that much?
Is she lying about how bad her habit really was. I know N2O is addictive, but its more of a do them all as fast as you can type of addiction. Never knew anyone to do it daily. Why not just drink a bottle of grog to ease the pain, will last longer.

For those concerned about nitrous use and it's effects, I offer a reminder of our FAQ


To the case at hand, I won't comment my thoughts on the idea of someone barely able to walk deciding to use nitrous The B12 may be of some benefit, as pointed out, but it's still not wise to put ones self in this state of health and then think doing other activities like nitrous will have no effect on your current condition.

I have mastered the art of movement on K and nitrous combined. Even in a K Hole.. It's all a bout opposite balance.
I know the obvious dangers of using a tank, even without a mask, but that FAQ is a bit outdated. Its fine to have a whole bulb in your lungs straight from a syphon, NOT a cracker though.

Your level of drug use, and experience, is probably not the 'norm' and beginners reading such things may not realize they put themselves in danger by not having the self-knowledge of what they can handle. Every person is different, and while some may push themselves to their limits, some will obviously go beyond what they should even consider (case in point, the article). Not a kick at Splatt, but a reminder for everyone to be safe, be responsible.


As to the FAQ being outdated, I would agree somewhat - though has the effect of nitrous on the human body changed that much? A lot of our FAQs could do with a revisit (another project of mine). But for now it is what we have, and it is mostly accurate - most certainly enough to help educate beginners or people considering such activities.

Definitely not the norm. I'm a master of the psychosial arts.

Heres some links on top of that FAQ:

N2O Harm Reduction Tips

Whippings, nangs, N2O FAQ

WOW I can remember having atleast [a lot of] bulbs in 2 hours ... and I could have kept going but the fact I noticed in the mirror my lips turned a blue purple then realised I had lack of oxygen but was that smashed I didnt feel bad just tired and numb ..

I only did nos for a few days until the canister I was using broke lol ..

then years later I was at the hospital when my mrs was giving birth to our daughter ... and they hooked up the nos for her to help with the pains..

the nurses wondered why I was ok one minute then when they left and came back I was sitting back in the chair out of it hahahaha .... I couldnt help myself ...

the only danger of nos would be lack of oxygen to your brain for long periods and or if you were operating machinery as well .. but nos doesnt really last that long you have to keep going with it. I love how it makes you go numb & every noise echos and you talk funny from it also .. heheh

[EDIT: Quantities removed. hoptis]