Coke Stroke

[roadie58]

Did you know that you can have a stroke from too much cocaine? My little brother aged 44 didn't. He felt sick last Sunday night after some partying but went to bed after throwing up. Got up in middle of night and slid down the hallway to the bathroom and was sick again. Felt funny and confused. Went back to bed, got up later and side of face was numb. He knew what it was. He said to gf 'I've just had a stroke'.

He's ok, he was damned lucky. If he'd done more it could have been worse, if he'd been too sick, he might have passed out and had more strokes. As it was he lost no function, no memory, just a bit of damage in the are of the brain that controls balance.

I hope he takes this as a wake up call. They did MRI, CAT, checked his heart. He's been a vegetarian for 20 years but otherwise bad diet has left him with cholesterol of 280. His BP was about 160/110 when he hit the hospital. After two days they have it down to a borderline 140/93. Dr. said there was not a thing wrong with him physically except being a drug addict.

I'll take the day off to bring him home from the hospital and hang out. I wonder if he'll go to my noon group meeting? Bet not. But I'll at least be there when Dr. gives discharge orders and specifically tells him that COCAINE ADDICTION IS KILLING HIM.

[windysan]

cocaine is icky

[Eqlibrium]

devils dandruff

[Impurrfect]

It can also cause a heart attack. When I was a nurse, I watched a 23-year-old die of a stroke after smoking crack, and a 26-year-old have a major heart attack from coke (he survived, but his brother had died at 24 of the same thing). You would THINK that would have kept me from ever trying crack, but it didn't....I didn't stop until the consequences got too bad.

I hope this is your brother's wake up call. A lot of people don't realize that this stuff really can kill you, or they think "it won't happen to me".

Hugs and prayers!

Amy

[TiredMama]

Oh my how scary!

When I was 15, my dad had a heart attack and it was because of alcohol and cocaine usage. He used a lot.

I hope he realizes he has a problem and does something about it soon.

[Done-With-It]

I'm glad your bro is okay Roadster.

Being 'afraid' of a stroke and/or heart attack is one thing
that got me off meth..

I hope he goes to that meeting w/you..
{{{{Roadster}}}}

[Sugah]

Prayers for him, roadie.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

[ksplash5]

my friend (co-worker) had an aneurysm two nights ago. we had talked about using but never used together. he died.

i'm left wondering if he had been using. he was a big drinker mostly, but smoked crack every few weeks. he was 50. I'm not much younger.

it got my attention, but it's moving farther away. death simply has not been a deterrant for me. when I've "gone out" I don't think, or care, about health and I figure that I'll be careful about not getting in trouble. I do seem to be thinking about my health more as I get older, but I still got reservations inside of me.

I got some kind of pain, uncomfortablness, fears, etc. inside of me that need to be rectified. the fourth steps and retreats and therapy have opened the door but it's been a long process for me.

I do WANT to work harder, to try with complete commitment, and stay clean. but when the knawing in my gut sets in it has seemed like the only thing that would relieve it is another hit.

anyway....I'm feeling some of that pain now and I think I will just be with that right now. I'm going to try hard (after years of not using the word "try", I am using that word again because I know I simply need to try harder and I can get completely clean again)

anyway perhaps you can see why the title of this thread got my attention. thanks...

[Leo_the_Cat]

Last time I used in about the 10th hour I couldn't stop smoking more and more trying to get high even though it wasn't working anymore. Ended up with a horrible headache and the left side of my face numb.

I want to keep that memory fresh to counter the lie that pops into my head every once in a while of how much fun it would be to get high.

Thanks for posting. I hope you brother finds sobriety.

[ccgirl2]

I hope your brother's OK Roadie.


One of my earliest memories of hearing about Coke was when the Celtics drafted that first round draft pick in 86 or so. He had the world by the tail. He was starting pro ball in the fall. He died of a coke related heart attack before any of that could happen. He was only in his twenties. I never forgot that.

[chiynita]

Cocaine can also give you brain seizures years after stopping.
Cocaine is bad as is all drugs,

[Gmoney]

Yeah...I knew it could cause a stroke or heart attack. But back then, I didn't care. Actually, in the end, I used so much that I hoped for either. I'm grateful I didn't.

[roadie58]

Well, brother is ok one week later. I invited him to an AA workshop and to a CA meeting where a buddy was giving his lead. No to both 'everything's cool' the response. Well, everything is damned NOT cool. The kid successfully his cocaine addiction from his gf of 3 months. She knew he drank but had no idea about the coke.

Thanks for all the good thoughts gang. I, too, was just trying to end it at the end. I remember taking the butt end of a BIC lighter and using it to crush the rocks in a 1/2 oz bag and just sticking a straw in and snorting for all I was worth. I couldn't finish the whole bag but woke up gasping for breath. I was in respiratory failure mode and didn't care. I remember being barely able to speak when I called a friend, left a message saying goodbye, and lay down to die.

It wasn't in the cards. I may not get another chance. To use is to die.