ReadyToStop87

Hello everyone i am new here and Someone i know is going through something extremely scary so i am trying to gather some information for them as they are really freaking out.

This particular person has been using heroin for about 7 months, IV for 3 months (mainline). Just recently last four days or so has been feeling like they are getting flu like symptoms. Thought nothing of it. Yesterday around noon after fixing a shot, this person i know coughed up about half a pepsi cap of blood in total. Thought nothing of it. Did not cough up blood after ten mins or so after the injection. Didnt cough up blood again untill later. The person fixed another shot and did it. And sure enough right after injecting the shot the person coughed up to see if there was blood and there was.

So what we know is they are coughing up blood only after a shot and it lasts maybe five to ten mins. Its not that much blood but its bright red. NO chest pain though and really not to much difficulty breathing. I am scared for them that it is pulmonary embolism but i am not sure.

If anyone could help this would be such a big help !!!!! Please very nervous over here if anyone has idea's as to what this could be please respond.


Dont want to visit doctor because they will know he is using and try and give him him a shot to detox him etc. He does plan on quitting tomorrow with methadone. Do you think if he just quits tomorrow on methadone and no more blood comes up we are in the clear.

Sugah

Want it or not, your friend needs a doctor. STAT.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

suki44883

Please take your friend to the ER. Call an ambulance if you have to, but get him medical attention now.

Nallabelle

Not sure about this one. There are more qualifed people on this site (not to give medical advice but that may have experienced something similar). I would say that this persons LIFE COULD BE IN DANGER and I would stop using heroin immediately and get on Suboxone or go to Rehab before he dies.
Maybe if the methadone works he will be ok but I would do suboxone instead. Good luck

Impurrfect

I agree with Sugah. If you know what a pulmonary embolism is, you know it's nothing to play with. If he keeps injecting, and there is a CHANCE of pulmonary embolism, he could be dead before you get to the ER. I was an ER nurse for 12 years, and I would be very concerned.

He needs to get to a dr.

Hugs and prayers!

Amy

tbeit

I hope your friend doesnt die because they are embarist to admit they have a problem

ReadyToStop87

But the thing is he is not expiercing the chest pains that is the most common sign of Pulmonary. He really is trying to figure out if this is some minor problem that he can just STOP using and get on a detox program. or does he relaly need to go to the hospital. He doesn't feel to sick.

Latte

This is what doctors are for and an ER would be able to get your friend stable and find some treatment for them. Coughing up blood is ER worthy.

suki44883

Please stop arguing and get your friend medical attention NOW!

Impurrfect

Regardless of whether he's having chest pain (maybe because he's high on heroin?), he's coughing up bright red blood...this is abnormal and needs to be checked out.

Just a little FYI...In the ER, to treat chest pain, they give you morphine....heroin breaks down into morphine....so he's already taking something similar to what they would give him for chest pain.

PLEASE get him to a dr, and let them figure out if it's something or not.

Hugs and prayers!

Amy

Shellslove

You are trying to diagnose your 'friend.' Not only that, but you've come to this forum in an effort to have someone here diagnose your 'friend.' (people who certainly have experience w/drugs and recovery, and may or may not have medical experience but have never examined your 'friend' and have no medical history/background on s/he whatsoever) Yes, I say 'friend' b/c whether or not you are ashamed to admit this is you or you are actually trying to help someone else out...I'll tell you EXACTLY what you need to do (and I say that w/confidence though I'd never usually outright bark demands.) Get this person to a dr NOW - do not pass go, do not collect $200. We can only give you opinions, and all we know is that he uses heroin via IV and he's coughing up blood. No one here is going to give you advice other than get this person medical attention now. Screw embarassment, screw possible pain from w/d if they try to inject this person with meds to detox...I know you are scared...but your first stop should not have been this forum...it should have been the HOSPITAL...so please make it your next. Then, once resolved, if you or your 'friend' have questions, need to talk, would like some help recovering, come back to SR....b/c everyone is welcome!

Nallabelle

I mean the thing is he is on IV HEROIN. Its not like he is a sober person with bronchitis coughing up blood. No offense. Why doesnt he start the methadone today instead of tomorrow and then see if it clears up. Still though like I said getting to a doctor is obviously your best bet no question. Maybe go to webmd.

Impurrfect

BTW...just in case anyone, still using, gets the brilliant idea to go to an ER and complain of chest pain JUST to get morphine, after my post....don't bother. You'd have to have some pretty impressive symptoms, including an EKG showing heart rhythm changes to get it, and the dosage is very, very low.

Hugs and prayers!

Amy

Nallabelle

lol impurfect

ex D-Boy

impurrfect is right. the reason he may not have chest pains is because heroin is one of the most potent pain killers known to man. He may very well actually have severe chest pain but just not know it because he is shooting so much dope that he just cannot feel the pain, but that doesnt mean its not there....

get him to a hospital NOWWWWWWWWWWW

Shellslove

I just wanted to reiterate my point here....frankly, no doctor...not even one who has tx'ed this person for yrs...is going to diagnose your friend w/o a full physical examination.

Honestly, anonymously call any dr you know, or a hotline...someone w/credentials or a license to back up their medical advice...

i guarantee they'd say the same thing.....get your friend in person medical assistance ASAP!

i don't mean to scare you...the kid could just have a nasty chest infection (tho heroin isn't helping matters)...but you're not going to know until you see a doctor. end of discussion.

idontwanttodie

Hospital.

Now.

Go.

An old friend of mine had the same symptoms. You know what happened to him?

Dead.

smacked

Blood coming out of most orifices is bad. Hospital, ASAP.

ReadyToStop87

He just called me from the ER , the doctor examined his throat first and foremost, he has irration/swelling/cuts from coughing so much. that is where the blood was coming from THANK god. !! it was irony that he notcied it most when after shooting. After shooting he would get nervous so HACK on purpose to see if there was blood causing the irattaion and cuts to open up! thanks guys without your concern he would have neverl istened.

Nallabelle

Glad he went. I know its daunting to go to the hospital as a drug user. I hope he gets clean. IV Heroin is no way to live. Its only a way to die.