Struggling with anxiety and heart (please help)

[teadrinker1]

Hello,

I did coke a few nights ago (Tuesday and today is Saturday). Did around a gram each (my friends and I). I have only done it 3 times before, and on this occasion it's really hit me hard. I would usually have a one day comedown period, of maybe a couple hours of anxiety. The following day I was absolutely fine until about 5pm (Wednesday afternoon) I had a full blown panic attack and thought I was having a heart attack. I managed to calm myself down and haven't had one since however there is CONSTANT, and I mean constant anxiety that lingers. I can just feel my heart beating in my chest. Nothing like a pounding sensation, it's just beating in the background and I can feel it and it's driving me crazy. It's hard to explain exactly.

Anyways I went to the doc and had my heart checked out and he said all was fine, except my blood pressure was really high (160). I know this is common with coke but this was on Friday (3 days after I originally did it). He told me I needed to let me body rest and gave me a mild tranquilizer to get slow down my heart rate a bit as well as sleeping pills and I was struggling to fall into my usually deep sleeps (was sleeping VERY light).

I keep telling myself it will be gone tomorrow and it's just part of the come-down but do these comedowns really last this long? I have just been to the gym (I am a very healthy 23 year old who usually exercises 6 days a week), and after one set my heart was literally pounding through my chest and I decided to leave and not risk any further risk of damage.

My fear is that I have caused some serious permanent damage somehow and I'm now going to live with this for the rest of my life. My question is, is this normal for a coke comedown? And if so, how much longer will it last? I can honestly say this has scared me beyond anything and I will never touch the stuff again.

Any advice will be very much appreciated. I'm in a very dark place at the moment.

 

[SDone]

I have a very similar experience, though in my case caused by too much caffeine (went nuts with the vodka redbull). Some people are prone to anxiety/panic attacks when taking stimulants. I had multiple panic attacks regarding my heart in the weeks following the binge and a constant lingering anxiety, including palpitations (constantly aware of heartbeat). I also got my heart checked out (EKG and such) and it turned out to be fine, but in an anxious state, your mind will fool you into thinking there must be something wrong anyway. Just like you, I was scared to go to the gym in fear of stressing my heart too much.

It's just an imbalance in your brain, try living healthy for a few weeks (avoid alcohol and drugs, including caffeine which definitely raises anxiety). Took me about 3 weeks to feel normal with good and bad days inbetween. Slowly start excercising again, it's good for anxiety relief, just don't go all out or you will freak yourself out again. When you do feel anxious/panicky, try to control your breath by slowly breathing through your belly (3 sec in, 3 sec out), not your chest. Remember, all your symptoms are consistent with anxiety. Your body is just pumping stress hormones through your body, which is annoying but definitely not deadly or harmful.

I know exactly how fucking horrible you're feeling right now. Just keep reminding yourself that the doc cleared you, if your EKG was fine then there's really nothing wrong with your heart, especially at your age. Just lay off the cocaine in the future, because it CAN damage your heart in the long term and obviously causes anxiety for you.

Had to make an account for this as I am also a very active 23 year old who went through exactly the same a month ago.

 

[teadrinker1]

Thanks so much for the reply - it's amazing to hear from someone who went through the exact same thing. The scary part is not know how long it takes for it to subside I guess. And yeah I'm definitely not doing cocaine again after this experience. My body clearly doesn't agree with it and it's letting me know that. I'm just so angry at myself because it's affecting my lifestyle at this point (can't go to the gym etc). Struggling with motivation to work. It's tough but at the end of the day I'm the only one to blame.

If anyone else has any insight specifically from cocaine it would be greatly appreciated!

I have a very similar experience, though in my case caused by too much caffeine (went nuts with the vodka redbull). Some people are prone to anxiety/panic attacks when taking stimulants. I had multiple panic attacks regarding my heart in the weeks following the binge and a constant lingering anxiety, including palpitations (constantly aware of heartbeat). I also got my heart checked out (EKG and such) and it turned out to be fine, but in an anxious state, your mind will fool you into thinking there must be something wrong anyway. Just like you, I was scared to go to the gym in fear of stressing my heart too much.

It's just an imbalance in your brain, try living healthy for a few weeks (avoid alcohol and drugs, including caffeine which definitely raises anxiety). Took me about 3 weeks to feel normal with good and bad days inbetween. Slowly start excercising again, it's good for anxiety relief, just don't go all out or you will freak yourself out again. When you do feel anxious/panicky, try to control your breath by slowly breathing through your belly (3 sec in, 3 sec out), not your chest. Remember, all your symptoms are consistent with anxiety. Your body is just pumping stress hormones through your body, which is annoying but definitely not deadly or harmful.

I know exactly how fucking horrible you're feeling right now. Just keep reminding yourself that the doc cleared you, if your EKG was fine then there's really nothing wrong with your heart, especially at your age. Just lay off the cocaine in the future, because it CAN damage your heart in the long term and obviously causes anxiety for you.

Had to make an account for this as I am also a very active 23 year old who went through exactly the same a month ago.

 

[SDone]

Ah yes, forgot to mention, in regards to cocaine specifically: have taken it occasionally in the past but also quit due to some anxiety in the form of heart palpitations and bad nightmares in the week following use. I don't doubt I would also have had a panic attack had I taken a gram of it. Googling "cocaine anxiety" shows quite a few people suffering from anxiety after cocaine use, might put your mind to rest.

No doubt you will feel absolutely fine within a few weeks, once your brain has rebalanced.

 

[THECATINTHEHAT]

In all likelihood, you are absolutely fine and it's a psychosomatic response. It's possible you have a weak heart and have had an adverse reaction, but it's impossible for anyone here to tell you whether that is the case, and it is pretty unlikely. If you are really worried you should go to a doctor.

 

[juztneedhelp91]

Great perspective, and insight from @SDone ...
...I would advise that you @teadrinker1 , please bear in mind that cocaine is not a prescription drug(unfortunately, jk.lol). Therefore, it is not regulated by anyone but the dealer. Regardless of who you are, your cocaine is cut! & you will not always be so lucky as to have a cut like baby laxative! I have definitely been through what you are experiencing, more than once. ONLY; I have found out the hard way.. Cocaine is commonly cut with Methamphetamine.. Causing a longer state of euphoria, and an explosive heart rate!! The effects are so similar, to what we all have experienced.
@SDone- your right man.. Layoff that dust for a while and take it easy.. its one hell of a drug!

 

[teadrinker1]

Ah yes, forgot to mention, in regards to cocaine specifically: have taken it occasionally in the past but also quit due to some anxiety in the form of heart palpitations and bad nightmares in the week following use. I don't doubt I would also have had a panic attack had I taken a gram of it. Googling "cocaine anxiety" shows quite a few people suffering from anxiety after cocaine use, might put your mind to rest.

No doubt you will feel absolutely fine within a few weeks, once your brain has rebalanced.

Thanks again Great community here.

In all likelihood, you are absolutely fine and it's a psychosomatic response. It's possible you have a weak heart and have had an adverse reaction, but it's impossible for anyone here to tell you whether that is the case, and it is pretty unlikely. If you are really worried you should go to a doctor.

Like I mentioned in my post I have been to the doc and he said my heart was fine but my blood pressure was really high (probably due to the anxiety).

Great perspective, and insight from @SDone ...
...I would advise that you @teadrinker1 , please bear in mind that cocaine is not a prescription drug(unfortunately, jk.lol). Therefore, it is not regulated by anyone but the dealer. Regardless of who you are, your cocaine is cut! & you will not always be so lucky as to have a cut like baby laxative! I have definitely been through what you are experiencing, more than once. ONLY; I have found out the hard way.. Cocaine is commonly cut with Methamphetamine.. Causing a longer state of euphoria, and an explosive heart rate!! The effects are so similar, to what we all have experienced.
@SDone- your right man.. Layoff that dust for a while and take it easy.. its one hell of a drug!

Thanks @juztneedhelp91... Haha nope didn't have a friend saying it was pure. I'm sure it was cut with something as coke I have done in the past had nothing close to this comedown. Will lay off it (forever). I can respect people who want to do it, but for me personally, and from what I have been through the past few days, whether it was the coke or the cutting agent, it's just not worth it.

All I can think is "I just want to feel normal again". Hoping in a couple days I'll be back to my normal self. Also feeling unusually depressed but I suppose that's also just a chemical depletion.

 

[THECATINTHEHAT]

Sorry, seemed to skip over that bit when I read. If he said you are fine, then it's very very likely you are fine. What you are experiencing is not normal, but it is totally within the bounds of what can be expected from a psychosomatic response.

Easier said than done, but you need to just forget about it and you will be fine.