Deviated Septum

[Natural0Mystic]

Alright, here's my situation.....

My last post on Cannabis.com was back in January of this year, on a different handle (couldn't remember my other one). At that time, I was at a community college, still living at home, still a virgin, and overall not very happy. Then Spring emerged out of the darkness of winter and my fortunes began to look up. I found out in late March I had finally gotten into a 4 year university. I had a lease signed for an apartment and I got laid (YEAH!).

Anyways, the Spring before that, I was taking bong rips of resin in my bedroom late at night, the night before I was to get all 4 of my wisdom teeth out. I took a large pull, and couldn't regain my breath, I freaked out. I went through with the surgery. That weekend I began to freak out. I experienced intense anxiety and shortness of breath. I wanted to go to the doctor immediately but tt was on Memorial Day weekend, so I had to wait till that Tuesday. So on Tuesday, I tried to make an appointment with the family doctor, but because I hadn't been to that doctor yet, they wouldn't accept me. So I went to a community doctor of sorts where the conducted tests on my lungs and even took x-rays of my lungs. Everything was normal, so they prescribed my some Kolonapin(sp?) and sent me on my way

While at the community doctor, my dad called the family doctor and bitched them out for not accepting me. So he got me an appointment and I went and saw them. They did a few tests, including an EKG. They said my blood pressure was super high, so the Doc sent me to the ER to make sure it wasn't a Pulmonary Emobolism (it would've been thousands of dollars to do at the fam. doc.) So at this point, I'm going to see my 3rd doctor of the day for the same problem.

At the ER, they took x-rays again, took blood tests, and did lung capacity tests. All came out fine, so the final verdict was Anxiety.


Since that fateful night of taking resin bong rips, I haven't been able to get high like I used to. Whenever I smoke, my heart begins to beat rapidly, I feel like I can't breath, palms get sweaty, and I get incredibly anxious.

Several months after the incident, it occured to me that I had a deviated septum. I wasn't able to breath out of my left nostril, it is almost completely blocked.

Since then, I've been planning to have surgery this winter break (I'll have a month off from school) and I'm hoping and praying that I'll be able to enjoy herb again after I get my nose fixed. My theory is that when I get high, my body feels like I'm not getting enough oxygen, so it goes into the whole flight or fight scenario, causing my heart to beat rapidly, my palms to sweat, ect.

I used to be able to take bong rips with the best of them, but I'm affraid I'll go into cardiac arrest or something If I took one now.


So I guess, I'm looking for any input on my situation, if anyone has a deviated septum and they feel it affects them too. Any input at all.

Thanks-
Mystic

[halfassedjedi]

IMO, this sounds like a classic case of panic/anxiety disorder. And especially the fact that it happens during one routine or 'ritual', i.e. getting stoned.

usually when people have anxiety, there is a certain act or thing that will trigger an attack. in your case, it sounds like taking bong hits. then again, sometimes when i take big bong rips i find it hard to catch my breath. if this is happening you to, maybe your lack of ability to catch your breath after a big bong rip is triggering a panic/anxiety attack.

ps, get off of the klonopin asap. you have to ween yourself off, or you could have seizures from withdrawal. that drug is so barbaric. what it does is shuts off your gaba production, which is a substance that helps you process thoughts. basically it lobotomizes you for the day. if you end up taking it over a long period of time, youll be lucky to ever stop taking it due to dependence.

[JaySin]

ps, get off of the klonopin asap. you have to ween yourself off, or you could have seizures from withdrawal. that drug is so barbaric. what it does is shuts off your gaba production, which is a substance that helps you process thoughts. basically it lobotomizes you for the day. if you end up taking it over a long period of time, youll be lucky to ever stop taking it due to dependence.

The wonders of modern medicine, doesn't it just make you feel safe?

I would say just make sure you're nice and chill before you do any more bong rips. Something must have happened to make you feel like something was wrong. Being high and thinking something is going wrong are two very bad things to put together. Especially if you can't chill yourself out by knowing that everything will be fine. Back in my early smoking days I had a few bad trips. Now I just ride the trip. I know weed wont hurt me, so I just relax as much as I can and I seem to be fine after about 10 or 15 minutes.

I would probably smoke pipes or joints until you feel you can handle the bong rips again. That is, if you feel like you are ready to be smoking again.

[Natural0Mystic]

I should clarify, it happens ANY time I smoke. Also, I'm not on Klonopin. I took it for a week and my mom took it away from me, haven't taken any in over a year and a half.

Anyways, I just bought some nasal strips that open the nasal airways and I feel SO much better as far as breathing through my nose. Now I'm gonna take a hit or two and see how I feel...


-Mystic

[halfassedjedi]

I should clarify, it happens ANY time I smoke. Also, I'm not on Klonopin. I took it for a week and my mom took it away from me, haven't taken any in over a year and a half.

Anyways, I just bought some nasal strips that open the nasal airways and I feel SO much better as far as breathing through my nose. Now I'm gonna take a hit or two and see how I feel...


-Mystic

Its funny you mention a deviated septum, as I suffer from one as well! I got hit in the nose with a big wall unit while I was moving and I got knocked out. I woke up with a clogged left nostril and its been clogged ever since. also, if I look up my nose, my septum is clearly crooked. :(

so those nasal strips work pretty good huh? ill have to try them out.

PS im glad your mom took that stuff from you, it isnt worth it. youll be a vegetable most of your natural life on that stuff.

[FakeBoobsRule]

ps, get off of the klonopin asap. you have to ween yourself off, or you could have seizures from withdrawal. that drug is so barbaric. what it does is shuts off your gaba production, which is a substance that helps you process thoughts. basically it lobotomizes you for the day. if you end up taking it over a long period of time, youll be lucky to ever stop taking it due to dependence.

Halfassedjedi, please read the rules. Talk of other drugs legal or not is usually not allowed. In the medical forums we like to limit it to prescription drugs and how that may affect your marijuana use. For instance can I smoke and take this antibiotic or what will happen if I smoke and I just was prescribed Prozac. In this instance, the OP put out that he was on Klonopin and he was diagnosed with anxiety. That's fine but a rant about Klonopin is not. Plus the only thing you got right was it has something to do with GABA. Now we have to talk more about it because others have read it.

Benzos potentiate the effects of GABA by binding to specific benzo receptor sites which changes cell membrane permeability and the receptor's affinity for GABA which then (in layman terms) opens the channel wide open. This slows the conduction of nerve signals through the CNS. GABA is not involved in the thought process in the way you say it makes you a zombie for a day.

To make benzos out like an evil drug is just the same thing the government does when they call marijuana the gateway drug and it makes you go crazy and stupid and burnt out. Benzos have their place in medical use. Just ask anyone with panic attacks, anxiety, stress from anything from school, family, children, job etc., though having surgery, some who suffer from seizures, back or leg pain, trouble sleeping etc etc etc etc.

By the way, benzos have a tremendous therapeutic window. In other words, the dose to cause the medical effect is rather small and the amount needed to be lethal is incredibly high, similar to marijuana. Yes it can cause physical dependency and those on higher doses should be tampered off to avoid adverse reactions but that doesn't preclude it from being a useful drug under proper doctor's care.

Back to Mystic's problem. I don't think your septum is deviated enough to cause oxygen deprivation. Your body wants oxygen and can get it through your mouth or the other side. I think your problem could be that you get high and your mind is going back to the events of that day and associating it all together with being high and causing your anxiety.

[imagoober]

It really sounds like its in your head! Its not you deviated septum, your alive and breath now and you smoked before you noticed it! I have one and im fine, i smoke and i use the nasal strips, they help me sleep! I also had the surgery a few months back and it didnt fix the problem and thats the case most of the time it takes 2 surgeries, so ill be getting another one soon! The surgery sucks!!! ask your doc lots of questions and ask what will happen if it doesnt work and what are your options. Anyways if smoking is a problem make some brownies. Then once your past that try smoking again.