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Nasal problems after high cocaine dosage

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Nasal problems after high dosage cocaine

A while ago I insufflated about 500 mg cocaine in the coarse of an evening, it was the first time I used coke. So nearing the end of the evening I had an constant runny nose which was pretty annoying. I cleaned my nose with saline, but nevertheless by the time I went to bed my nose was totally clogged up.

The next morning when I blew my nose, all of the mucus was red coloured. For about a week afterwards there I had blood in my mucus, it became less and less till finally no blood at all after a week and the mucus was colourless again.

Clearly this is a sign that my nose didn’t like what I put up there, but I’m not sure how harmfull it is. Is such a reaction ‘normal’ for coke use? Could another coke experiment be conducted without a risk on permanent damage, or is coke a nono for my nose?

Originally posted in SR 2.0 15/10/2013. Reviewed 20/2/22

Intranasal damage is a common problem with drugs used by this route of administration.

Dosage, frequency and technique of use are important factors that influence the frequency, severity and likelihood of problems.

Cocaine itself (and associated impurities) can irritate nasal tissues and cause them to bleed. Cocaine has a vasoconstrictor effect (reduces blood flow to the area).In your case the problem seems to have solved itself spontaneously. But an acute sinusitis (nasal congestion, pressure pain in the face, headache, green and smelly mucus) is a possible complication that should be treated with antibiotics.

Half a gram seems like a fairly high dose for an inexperienced person. If that amount of any substance is administered intranasally over a short period of time, it is easy for problems to occur.

Some tips for intranasal administration are:

  • It is advisable to pulverize the substance to a very fine powder before snorting it.
  • Do not always use the same nostril for snorting, but alternate between the two.
  • The sniffing straw should not be pointed at the nasal septum, but at the nasal turbinates (lateral), where vascularization is greater and absorption is better.
  • It is recommended to clean the nostrils well a few hours after the last dose of cocaine. Physiological saline (or slightly salty clean water) can be used. Saline irrigation can be used for several days (best with a syringe).

If you experiment with cocaine again I suggest you follow these tips. Also decrease the total dose.

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Cocaine and topical anesthetics

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I’ve recently used Cocaine and found it to only give me a numbing sensation in the nose (becomes a little runny as expected) and throat (after it settles in). But there isn’t a strong stimulate feeling whatsoever. I’ve had more of a buzz from large doses of coffee even. Is this normal or would higher purity coke cause a lack of speediness?
I was a regular user of Ritalin as a child (about 5 years or so) if that matters.

Originally posted in SR 2.0 . Reviewed

There is no cross-tolerance between caffeine and cocaine. Drinking large doses of coffee does not affect the effects of cocaine.

Previous consumption of methylphenidate does not cause chronic cross-tolerance with other stimulants.

Numbing sensations are often thought to be indicative of cocaine purity. Cocaine is a skin and mucosal anaesthetic but so are other local anaesthetics (lidocaine, tetracaine, benzocaine…) which have no mental effects.

In fact, this group of drugs is among the usual adulterants of cocaine. They are used precisely to produce these sensations.

From the information you provide, low-quality cocaine adulterated with other local anaesthetics seems a likely cause of these «numbing sensations» without mental stimulation.

By the way, this is the correct way to make a coke line.

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Oral contraceptive and drugs interactions

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Hi Doc,

My girlfriend has been in a panic lately about her contraceptive pill (mercilon). Previously she has always had a bar in her arm but switched 2 months ago to the pill. Do any of the following affect how well the pill works: Mephedrone, methylone, cocaine, mdma, alcohol or in any combination of the above?

Originally posted in SR 2.0 7/4/14 . Reviewed 8/2/23

There are no  significant pharmacological interactions between common  drugs and birth control pills. The use of substances you mention does not alter efficacy of birth control pills. Neither any other hormone-based method: patches, transdermal implants, vaginal rings …

Equally important, contraceptive efficacy of the «morning-after pill» is also not affected

There are some studies that suggest  pharmacological interactions between cannabinoids and some contraceptives . But these are experiments «in vitro» and do not seem to have any practical relevance in humans.

And the same goes for combinations. We will consider «combination» the use of moderate doses and reasonable frequencies of a few substances. «Drug salads» ( taking whatever anyone offers to you without  criteria) often have unpredictable effects, regardless of the use of contraceptives or any other medication.

In relation to drugs and hormonal contraceptives, one important exception is tobacco. Women who smoke tobacco are at increased risk of certain adverse effects.  Smoking increases hormone levels in the blood, which can lead to an increased risk of blood clots, myocardial infarction and stroke.

In addition, smoking is associated with a decrease in good (HDL) cholesterol levels and an increase in bad (LDL) cholesterol levels. This contributes also to cardiovascular problems.

It is therefore recommended that women using oral contraceptives do not smoke (especially women over 35 years of age). If a woman is unwilling or unable to quit smoking, it is reasonable to consider another method of contraception.

Like many other drugs, oral contraceptives are used on a daily basis.So, it is important not to forget doses in order to maintain their effectiveness. This can be significant in the context of a rave or party lasting several days. In any case, weekly or monthly contraceptives are available for people who have a tendency to forget to take a drug every day.

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Cocaine dependence potential

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Just out of curiosity.

How often a week doing coke up the nose will be heading for a serious habit?

I’ve found my cola usage is going up a bit now I have found some decent quality gear & I’ve been using 1mg Xanax to ease the comedown & help me fall asleep which it does perfectly.

I understand that everybody’s different with regards addiction & tolerance levels but any imput from you would be really appreciated

I’m going through about a gram per week, spread out from the weekend & a session midweek sometimes, would it be a good idea to slow down for a while as I find coke very moorish just lately which has got me thinking…

Thanks Doctor X, your a very worth while addition to the forum

Originally posted in SR 17/5/11 . Reviewed 9/2/23

The question is very difficult to answer…. How much sex is too much sex? How many drugs are too many drugs? In some situations there are objective parameters to measure normality versus disease (from obesity to hypertension). But in drugs things don’t work like that…..

In my opinion, it is not always the professional (doctor or whatever) who has the final say on whether someone is using or abusing drugs. There are scales and classifications that change every few years that can serve as a guide.

But at the end of the day, it is up to the user to measure whether his or her own drug use is appropriate for the personal, social, work or family activities he or she wants to pursue. It is also important to do the exercise of not using for a period of time and to see to what extent one feels (or not) the need to use substances in those circumstances where use is habitual.

In general, routine or cyclical patterns of use of substances with high addiction potential (in the case you mention, cocaine and benzodiazepines) end up causing problems of abuse or dependence (or «use disorder» according to the latest fashions). In my opinion, «a gram of cocaine every week» can cause problems in the medium term if it becomes routine. In your message you suggest that you think/feel you need to curb your pattern of use, follow your instinct….

By the way, this is the correct way to make a coke line.

Cocaine snorting technique

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What is the correct cocaine snorting technique?

I wanted to ask if I should be worried about itchy nose after using cocaine.

At the time of snorting I had some nose bleed. It stopped fairly quickly within half an hour. Since then only once I had some blood coming out on a tissue but just once, two days after my first cocaine intake. Then, 5 days after the first intake I snorted again the same shit. But this time I didn’t have any nose bleeding.

However, since then I have felt my nose fragile and sort of itchy. In the last few days it has become increasingly itchy and I would say it even hurts a tiny bit. No bleeding, however. I have also been sneezing a lot and having runny nose for the last two days, sort of flu symptoms.

Timespan:
1st snort 14th of Feb (with bleeding). Second bleeding 16 Feb.
2nd snort 18th Feb (no bleeding)
27th Feb until now – increased itchy-ness and flu sympthoms like sneezing, feeling down, runny nose (not sure if actual flu or just the nose)

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the purest of cocaine… Do you think I should be worried?

Originally posted in SR 2.0 7/6/14 . Reviewed 4/2/23

It is uncommon for snorting occasional moderate amounts of cocaine to result in severe-chronic health problems.  To help recover, it is recommended to wash your nostrils with a warm saline solution twice a day for 7 to 10 days using a syringe.

So, in terms of the snorting technique, you should crush the substance into a fine powder before sniffing it. To avoid irritation in the same nostril, it is recommended both for snorting.

When using a snorting straw, it is important to direct the straw towards the lateral part of the nasal turbinates instead of the nasal septum. This is because the nasal turbinates have better blood flow and therefore better absorption.

Some symptoms that may indicate a complication and suggest medical evaluation are:

  • persistent bleeding, continuous and persistent nasal congestion,
  • thick white and foul-smelling nasal discharge
  • intense pain in your cheeks or forehead
  • fever

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