Strange Overdose

[superficialmuse]

This happened to a friend of mine, it was just the two of us. I'm interested in if anyone could provide some more medical insight to this, as I'm completely lost. (happened recently)

My friend has is about a 2 yr heroin user. Doesn't really have a tolerance though, cause it's on off (only weekend bingeing for the past 4 months) IV about half a bag is usually sufficient, however, can do a whole one.

Anyways, they bring over these Afghanistan (Dueling AK47's) bags from around the Pittsburgh area, and doesn't know anything about them. (There has been some mad strong shit around the burgh lately, no one knows exactly what's in it as far as i know). The stuff is china white (very slight yellow tint), has kinda of a plaster
like texture to it (weird thing is, when moved with a plastic card, it literally acted like magnetic iron shavings, just attached right to the card) and tastes really bitter (more bitter than usual).

So anyways, looked like a normal night, they had cocaine around as well. My buddy IV's a whole bag (not very smart obviously) and smokes a dirty cigarette (1/8 of a line laced in the tobacco) immediately after. Starts to feel sick, figures it's just from speedballing. Starts to feel nauseous after about 15, bends over like they are going to vomit, but don't actually throw up. after about 20 min, they feel better but still a bit sick. The high lasts much longer than usual, but subsides after about 4 hrs.

Next morning, they IV half a bag and smoke a dirty cig (this time only about 1/15 of a line). Same sick feeling, only not as bad. High lasts for about 5 hrs.

Where shit get's WEIRD

That night (8-9 hrs later) in the car, they IV 1/10th (approx) of a bag. Feeling fine for about 10 minutes, then between 10-15 minutes feeling more and more nauseous until right about 15 minutes, they start puking violently. Manage to word out "I think I'm ODing" After about 2 more minutes, the puking doesn't stop and it's a change in route to the hospital. From there on the time frame is about 30 minutes to 45 minutes, and they don't have any recollection of the following events.

0 minutes (recap - start of the OD 15 minutes after IV):
Airway constricted (Choking sensation, feels like they cant breathe)
Hyperventilation
Nausea
Violent and uncontrollable vomiting


5minutes:

Eventually the vomiting slows
Only basic speach "Yes and No"
Pull into the ER parking lot
Moved to the back seat
Still Vomiting
Very pale

7 minutes:

Moderately responsive (Will usually respond when name is called)
Limited capacity (Only "yes" "no" answers)
Raised body temp
Disoriented (No longer knows where they are)

9 minutes:

Mildly Responsive (Sometimes answers to name)
Stops vomiting
Sweating profusly
Little to no movement of body or extremities
Shallow Breathing
Very weak pulse
No rashes
Blue finger nails
Dry mouth


10 minutes:

No longer coherent (only responds "No", no more "yes")
Bloodshot eyes

12 minutes:

No longer responds to physical stimulation (does not squeeze hand when ordered to do so - no response when arm placed in awkword position)
Still Conscious (Ability to make indiscernible noise and reply to calling their name)
Breathing slows
Blood Pressure to low to measure Pulse

15 Minutes:

At this point I put them into cold shock - Strip them of their cloths and blast the AC. Cabin temp drops to about 50F, skin temp estimated at 35-40F.

Starts to stabilize after about 5-10 minutes
Ability to speak slowly returns
Able to say "help" (first new word since yes or no)
Sweating starts to subside

25 minutes:
Regains Some coherence (Still unaware of where they are)
Speaking ability strengthens (says they need to use the rest room)
Impaired motor ability (barely able to utilize basic motor functions)
Breathing deepens

30 minutes:
Still fairly incoherent (Cannot perceive time)
Motor and speaking abilities still lacking
Hyperventilation

35 minutes:
Recovers basic living functions (Realizes they are cold)
Ability to formulate coherent sentences resumes ("can u please turn up the heat")
Unable to determine any other feelings though (how they feel)

40 minutes:
They start feeling the effects of cold shock
Able to walk again
Lie down
Shivering
Dark blueish ring around iris
Bloodshot eyes

I begin to treat for cold shock (sip water - blankets - elevate feet)

60 minutes:
Pain (feel like they have been hit by a car)
No headache
No rashes of any kind
Face starts to regain pigment (still pale)
Fingernails Remain blue
Still feeling the heroin high


after 120 minutes I let them pass out, checking vitals every 5 minutes, checking physical responce every 30 minutes, and waking up every hour for 3 hours.

They survived. Any one have any idea of just what the hell was in this and why cocaine acted like a Narcon agent?

*They tried to iv a bit a few days later (I wasn't around) after doing a line of coke, and missed a few times. Immediate rash and swelling at the miss hits. i walked in, saw the rashes, and told them to squirt it out under the tongue. As far as blowing it goes, they were able to blow small amounts (1/4 to 1/5 of a bag) and be ok. (Occasional mild temporary nausea)


Anyone have any insight??

 

[superficialmuse]

alright, im just going to assume everyone here is as lost as i was on this thread, but I have a simpler question.

Could Cocaine possibly act as a niacin agent? I understand it releases adrenaline, and would that perhaps prevent an OD from happening?

 

[paranoid android]

No if anything the coke will help the OD along. Ive done many a speedball in my time and opiates always hit me harder with coke.

Im going to have to go with some weird ass cut here. I have never heard of a OD happening that way before to be honest. Ive seen people puke then OD but it's nothing like you described there. Also the raised body temp that your describing sounds more like a dissociative or deleriant then a opiate. Though it can happen with stimulants too i think.

So my best guess is weird ass cut. Id highely recomend anyone who shoots dope in your area not to use that kinda stamp.

 

[superficialmuse]

yeah, I was looking at amphetamine poisoning, but that didn't make too much sense with the whole coke preventing the OD thing...

 

[paranoid android]

yeah, I was looking at amphetamine poisoning, but that didn't make too much sense with the whole coke preventing the OD thing...

I doubt the coke did anything other then make matters worse. Ive seen plenty of people puke from snorting coke or smoking crack or shooting coke after doing a shot of morphine or whatever. Granted ive seen people puke on too much coke alone but thats on enough to OD. It doesent sound like amphetamine poisoning either to be honest.

 

[ben2990]

I doubt the coke did anything other then make matters worse. Ive seen plenty of people puke from snorting coke or smoking crack or shooting coke after doing a shot of morphine or whatever. Granted ive seen people puke on too much coke alone but thats on enough to OD. It doesent sound like amphetamine poisoning either to be honest.

how much does it take to od?

 

[paranoid android]

I believe (and do not quote me on this) that it takes about 1 gram of cocaine to OD. This is pure cocaine we are talking about and unless you get some cocaine used for medical use or go to columbia your chances of getting pure coke are basically none. But ive seen people puke from a half gram of crack which is quite abit for someone not used to the stuff. A .5 all in one hit would have me reeling let alone someone who has never touched the stuff before.

Regarding the OP's friends OD i highely doubt it was amphetamine poisoning. A aquintence of mine suffered acute amphetamine poising and was admitted to hospital because of it. Her blood pressure was through the roof and after a shitload of IV lorazepam she still was psychotic for days after. If i recall correctly she had amphetamine psychosis for almost a week following the OD.

My own memories of this incident are somewhat sketchy due to my own drug use at the time. Such as taking up drinking again, popping dextroamphetamine pills, overdoing it on my opiate script and doing the ocasional bit of coke. So yeah memory loss is convienant at times but it's a bitch when you actually want to remember specific events

I would add that if you are interested in trying coke for some reason that you don't do it. Yeah everyone says that i know. But really it's a shit drug and the high basically consists of wanting more coke. That and if you are like me you rant about alot of shit that would not make any sense when sober. If your one of the many who like it enough to get addicted you might as well hand all your debit and credit cards over to your dealer because thats where all your cash will be going.

 

[superficialmuse]

I would add that if you are interested in trying coke for some reason that you don't do it. Yeah everyone says that i know. But really it's a shit drug and the high basically consists of wanting more coke. That and if you are like me you rant about alot of shit that would not make any sense when sober. If your one of the many who like it enough to get addicted you might as well hand all your debit and credit cards over to your dealer because thats where all your cash will be going.

Meh... I actually bought about 2.5 g, and i've had the rest of it lying around for about 2 weeks now. I'll do a line every now and then just to try and get rid of the stuff, might try doing a huge line (.5g ish) and see what happens. Right now my lines are about .2g give or take.. been working my way up i guess, seems like the tolerance for coke builds rather quickly?