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Cocaine .. Worried ..

Old 01-12-2018, 03:07 PM
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Cocaine .. Worried ..

First time I tried cocaine was 3 years ago. At first I would do it on occasion with friends but then I went on a binge that lasted about 6 months where I would sometimes use every day and sometimes take a few days, week or weeks off for recovery. After that binge I quit for a year and led a healthy active lifestyle. A very tiny dent on my right nostril is what caused me to quit. It probably wasn’t noticeable to anybody but myself.

About 6 months ago I relapsed and started using again. I would feel fine after every session so I felt like my nose and nasal cavity was fully recovered from my initial binge. This stint lasted about 4 months and towards the end my nose would hurt for a day or few days every time I used that caused me to quit again - this time for good.

It’s been a month and a half since I last used and when I quit first thing I did was make sure I’m eating healthy and hitting the gym to get back to feeling “right” again and hopefully speed up the process of my nose healing so it doesn’t feel dry all the time.

Since I quit, I noticed that my nose appears to be shedding skin on the exterior and this is only happening on my nose not any other part of my face. It would shed even more excessively when I exercise.

This has been happening for a few weeks now and my nose looks a lot thinner than it did a month ago. I’m extremely worried I may have done some serious damage so I decided to go see a doctor and told him exactly what I’d been up to. He used a scope to look up my nostrils and said that the nose and nasal usually have hair and some other stuff that all plays a part but mine is just completely stripped clean and very red and inflamed He also noted that my septum doesn’t appear to have any holes in it but that I should definitely never use again and begin immediate treatment.

He recommended netipot saline nasal wash daily to clean the sinuses and promote healing as well as a steroid nasal spray (Nasonex) once a day to help bring down the inflammation.

I’ve been doing this for a few days and I can say my nasal and sinuses feel better, more moist and but at the same time it’s hard to tell because I got a cold around the same time which I’m fighting and I don’t know if it’s the cold that’s causing my nose to be so runny over the past few days or if it’s a sign of the treatment brining my sinuses “back to life”.

What terrifies me is that my nose is still shedding and visibly thinner “to me” than it used to be. The dent that was on the right side is now bigger and spread down to where my nose tip meets my right nostril opening so when I smile at someone it’s quite visible.

I don’t know why the shedding is happening and whether it’s going to continue and get worse and if so, at what point it will stop? I’m terrified and worried and can barely focus at work and have been avoiding social situations because I’m embarassed someone may notice.

The doctor scheduled me to see an ENT but that’s not till Mid-February. Please if anyone knows or has had a similar experience please share.

Also, if you’ve been a heavy use and quite for 1+ years, etc, please share how your nose has recovered since then. Has it regained some of it’s fullness and/or it’s original texture?

- So worried

P.s. I’m also rubbing Vitamin E oil on the inside and outside of my nose once a day, read that somewhere and the doctor agreed that could be helpful. I’m also eating a very clean healthy diet and supplementing with vitamins, turmeric (anti-inflammatory) and avoiding any sort of inflammatory foods. I haven’t been exercising for the past week because I’m afraid my nose will shed at a faster rate or shed-away... Help please
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Old 01-12-2018, 06:37 PM
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I know my post is a little long to read but I’m hoping someone can offer some support or share something. Feeling really along right now and there’s no one I can talk to.
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Old 01-12-2018, 07:34 PM
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Hi Quit. I didn't find your post boring at all. I just have never done cocaine so don't have much experience to share....other than I've seen people withdraw and I've seen people get clean...and man, cocaine WD's and cravings are awful. They say coke isn't physically addicting, just psychologically? Talk about anxiety. Anyways, back to your poor nose. I'd be worried if I were you too. Awesome you are already seeing a Dr. for it and have another one lined up. Keep that appt. and maybe someone will cancel and you can get in sooner? What are the odds that a person could need to see a plastic surgeon if their nose is destroyed by coke? Just a thought, but I bet that's been done before. They do nose jobs all the time for appearance sakes, so why wouldn't they do it for coke damage? I'm sorry you feel so alone, but remember as we always say on this board: "You are never alone".
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Old 01-12-2018, 07:52 PM
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Do you think maybe it’s in your head and your nose is not getting thinner? Only a year of use doesn’t seem like much... I know people who have unfortunately been addicted for much much longer.
Of course, see the doctor and make sure all is good. I used to think my liver was inflamed and hurting but my doctor said there is nothing wrong with it.
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Old 01-13-2018, 10:28 AM
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Thanks for the support guys. I did think that maybe it’s just in my head but I keep looking at pics of me from a couple month ago and can see a visible difference in my nose appearance. I don’t know how this all happened so fast. And it all started after I had quit.

I saw a doctor but he just looked up my nose, prescribed the meds and set me up with an ENT next month. Should I go see a dermatologist? Or is this more of an ENT issue?
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Old 01-13-2018, 12:32 PM
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Ask the ENT if he would suggest a dermatologist.

If you have stopped cocaine use and are rinsing with saline I’d imagine you are not making the problem worse.

I have friends that basically have no septum left and who have visibly caved noses...but they continued to use after they were showing clear signs of nasal erosion.

Makes you wonder how smoking rock affects the lungs. Shudder.
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Old 01-14-2018, 07:04 PM
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Thank you MindfulMan. I am going to see the doctor again tomorrow and will ask if he suggests a dermatologist. My first ENT appointment is on Feb 12 and I have second appointment with a different ENT on Mar 2 (second opinion).

I’m sorry to hear about your friends and hope that they can make a change.

The last time I used cocaine was on Nov 23, 2017. I don’t EVER plan to use again. If you are reading this and you want to stop but can’t, PLEASE stop now!

It is such a powerful drug that gets you hooked and craving more even though you are consciously aware of the damage you are doing to your body. But because the damage is on the inside, you lie to yourself “one last line” “one last time”.

I have stopped hanging out with friends who use but I know I can’t avoid them forever so I’ve made the decision to not drink when I’m around them. I find that every time I’ve quit for months, I relapsed while I was drinking and someone offered me.

I thought that after quitting in November and eating healthy and working out my body would just “fix itself” like it always does coming off a binge. But this time it’s been different, my nose doesn’t feel right it’s very dry and to me almost looks infected and caving in on one side. No one has asked me about it or made a comment yet but I know it’s only a matter of time. What scares me is I don’t know if it will get worse since this started happening after I stopped using. Maybe it’s part of the healing process? Hopefully the ENT can provide some answers and of course time will tell.

I was drinking and smoking more heavily after I stopped on Nov 23 and I think that was slowing down any potential nasal recovery so on Jan 2 I quit smoking and drinking as well. I felt like that was further drying out my sinuses.

When I saw the doctor last week and he told me that my sinuses were extremely inflamed and completely stripped, it made the decision of quitting smoking and drinking almost a no brainer.

As his suggestion I started using Netipot nasal wash every night and a steroid nasal spray every morning.

I also apply some vitamin E oil using a q-tip to the inside of my nostrils every night before bed and sleep with a humidifier in my room.

I can’t say that I feel better or worse but there are times of the day where I can feel that I look and am getting better and there are times where I feel so depressed, angry and disappppointed in myself that I let it come to this.

I’ve cried at least once a day and have had thoughts of suicide and taking a sabbatical from work for a year (I’m self employed so this would be a very financially devastating decision). I’m having anxiety attacks several times a day and am not able to focus on anything for longer than 20 minutes.

I don’t think these feelings are withdrawal symptoms as I didn’t feel this way 2 weeks ago. It’s more of a reaction to the way I can see my nose appearance slowly changing in front of me even though I’ve stopped using a month and a half ago.

It’s a crazy feeling and I pray for everyone going through something similar.

I am praying that my nose stabilizes, my nasal passages heal, the ENT comes back with a “no serious damage - but don’t ever use again” type of report and I promise god and myself that for this second chance I will never use, drink or smoke again.
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Old 01-14-2018, 07:07 PM
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I will do my best to update on my road to recovery to offer some hope for others going through the same. If you or someone else you know has gone through a similar experience, please share.

Cocaine is a big problem in Toronto. I’ve noticed over the past couple of years that every single public restroom at a club or bar has cocaine residue on the counters or toilet paper holders.
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Old 01-19-2018, 10:41 PM
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Mentally and physically I feel a lot better since my last post.

I’ve been to a few different doctors and this is how it went:

1st doctor - “sorry to hear about your cocaine addiction but there’s nothing we can do, you’ve already quit so that’s good, just don’t do drugs again”. She didn’t even look at my nose or in my nostrils, which was my primary complaint and sort of looked down on me like I’m a junkie and rushed me out. I asked for an ENT referral and she said OK. My appointment is next month.

2nd doctor - was the best. He was very empathetic, asked a lot of questions, gave me a lot of information about how the body reacts to cocaine abuse, etc and what I can do to help speed up the body’s natural healing process. He seemed like he’s dealt with similar cases before. I picked this walk-in clinic based on their Google reviews and the fact they’re located near the financial and entertainment districts - tons of cocaine in those areas. He looked up my nostrils and said they’re severely inflamed, completely stripped of hair, etc but that it should recover if I do what he suggests. Netipot saline rinse and a prescription steroid nasal spray every night, rest, no drugs obviously and patience. He said that it takes the body and nasal passages about 1 year to recover from my type of cocaine use (moderate use with breaks and some pro-longed heavy heavy binges). Also the recovery time depends on what the cocaine was cut with, which only god knows. He also recommended a naturopath. I met with the naturopath who gave me diet suggestions and a multivitamin/fish oil/supplementation plan. I’m so happy I found this doctor. He was the only one that didn’t look at me like I’m a worthless piece of ****.

3rd doctor - He seemed like he was expecting me to say I have a cold or something and was kind of taken back when I told him about the cocaine and my concerns. He was empathetic and immediately referred me to an ENT and ordered a complete blood test. Blood test came back normal thank god, there was no damage to any of my organs. But he didn’t look inside my nostrils like the 2nd doctor did, which was my main complaint. I mean if I was a doctor and a patient said they’re worried about their nose because of cocaine abuse I would at least take a look and see if there’s anything that can be done while waiting a month for an ENT.

Morale of the story. If you’re seeking medical help, see more than 1 doctor and read their reviews online. If I didn’t find that second doctor I don’t know what I would have done. I even went back to see him a second time to ask some questions and again he was very comforting and patient when doing his best to answer my questions, unlike most doctors who just want to rush you out as soon as possible.

So, it’s been about 10 days since I first visited the second doctor. I’ve followed his instructions religiously and I notice that my breathing is improving. My nostrils were consistently dry for the last few months and now they feel moist at times of the day and dry at times. My nose is still peeling but not as much. It’s definitely no where near looking like it did a couple months ago but I’m hoping that within a year it will look normal again or almost.

I’m constantly dehydrated, I’ve been drinking soooo much water and I think that’s because of all the tissue damage in my nasal passages. Time will tell.

I’ve completely changed up my lifestyle. No drinking or smoking or anything that can be addictive. I even quit coffee and sugar (my weakness).

I’ve been eating super healthy and started juicing as well. Trying to maintain a positive mindset and hope for the best.

2 appointments with ENTs next month will give me a complete picture of what’s going on on the inside. Hopefully I haven’t done any serious damage.

It started off with a key bump at a friends wedding 3 years ago. That turned into recreational use during parties and stuff and then I grew to love cocaine and was doing it almost every day (1/4 or 1/2 gram) at work, at home, on dates, so many times I was high out of my mind and no one had any idea. Wasted so much money and so much time I could’ve put towards work, relationships, life.

I was lying to myself. I exercised and had a nice physique, business was good I was making decent money (blowing some of it on cocaine ) had a nice house, nice car so I felt like you know I work hard I’m gonna have a little fun. Never again. Not worth it. It can all look good on the outside but dying and falling apart inside. That was me. But never playing with my health again. Health is wealth is an understatement.
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Old 01-20-2018, 01:50 PM
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I'm glad things are looking a little better for you Quit

D
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Old 01-21-2018, 05:46 PM
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you know, i'm an artist and one of the classes i took in school was in forensics. It taught me how to landmark certain features of the face and I can tell you a very easy way to tell you if it's all in your head or not. Get a digital caliper that measures up to a thousandth of a millimeter and take a measurement. just make sure you do it in exactly the same place or you won't get consistent results....i have very little doubt that the differences that you see visually are all in your head.
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Old 01-22-2018, 03:14 PM
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Thanks guys. It might all be in my head but I know my body and I know something’s not right. My nose has been dry on the inside for the past few months going back to when I was still using.

For the past 2 months it’s been dry and flaking on the outside as well. I do my best to keep it moisturized and drink a lot of water but the flaking just won’t stop.

It’s almost like every time a dead layer of skin sheds and a new layer of skin appears, the nose starts to flake again within a day or two.

I don’t know how much damage I’ve done to my nose. I’m just praying it’s not serious or permanent.

I hope the ENTs can really shed some light on what’s going on with me. 3 weeks till my appointment can’t come around soon enough.

Usually when I come off a coke binge, I feel 100% within 1-2 weeks. This is the first time it’s been this bad and this long. Definitely not using again because I don’t wanna have to go through this ever again.

Some good days and some bad days. Today’s not one of the best.
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Old 01-26-2018, 08:49 AM
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Stressed beyond belief

For the past few days I’ve noticed a few specks of blood when I blow my nose after using the netipot saline rinse.

Yesterday, there was quite a bit of blood and it’s got me so scared. I don’t know if I should stop the netipot or if the blood is a sign of healing and I should keep going.

I’ve seen 5 doctors. 3 looked up my nose and told me they don’t see any perforations but at the same time they were all like this is not really our field of specialty, you have to see an ENT.

My septum, near the tip of my nose is dry and white almost. I asked one of the docs about that and he said it’s normal and it’s more concerning when it’s red and inflamed. I don’t know if the white means dead tissue that will only flake off with time and create a hole.

I’ve scheduled an appointment with a few different ENTs. First one is on Feb 7. Unfortunately that ENT doesn’t have very good reviews online.

I have another one scheduled on Feb 12 with a better rated ENT and I’ve scheduled one with one of the best ENTs in the city but that probably won’t be till April.

I’m terrified, depressed, sad, remorseful. Definitely the lowest point in my life. I hate cocaine.
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Old 01-26-2018, 07:22 PM
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i just saw an ENT and it turned out there wasn't damage, but it was inflamed or swollen from chronic dryness. I used some nasal stuff and it got better. I dont know the extent of your problem but that's what happened with me
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Old 01-26-2018, 09:07 PM
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Thanks Trikuza. If you don’t mind sharing, how long had you been using and how much do you normally use? Also, how long did it take for the dryness to get better?
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Old 01-26-2018, 09:59 PM
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I also noticed that my left nostril is now a little shorter and as a result more wide open than my right nostril from all the dead skin that’s been peeling off. Man this is so bad. I cant’t barely get a full nights sleep. I haven’t worked in a couple of weeks. And I can’t believe the type of suicidal and ridiculous thoughts going through my head. It’s a nightmare that just keeps getting worse.
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Old 01-28-2018, 11:57 AM
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I think you have a case of anxiety. I'm not suggesting you use again but I also know many people who used way more and way longer and healed fine. I dont want to give you something else to obsess on but if I was you I would be more afraid of blood pressure issues than whats going on in your nose. The blood is probably from the steroids or neddie pot use.

I would go with the second dr and cut the other 4 out. The last thing you need is a bunch of judgement from unhelpful people in the medical field.

I dont see how old you are. Maybe a therapist with an addiction specialty is in order. Good luck to you. Remember the first couple of months in recovery our minds can make mountains out of molehills. Have you been to a NA meeting? that might be helpful
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Old 01-29-2018, 06:57 PM
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Quit. First of all...you should proud of your clean time. And, remember that coming off coke and early clean time is a time of great anxiety. They say coke is not physically addictive, but does cause anxiety when the person stops using. Stevie Nicks is a good example of this. But, in her case she was SO anxious going without coke her Dr. put her on Clonazepam, a tranquilizer...then she got very addicted to Clonazepam, which is a controlled substance...then she finally got in rehab and came clean from the Clonazepam and she is an inspiring example....she has been clean and sober for years now.

Anyways: Don't know what my point is, but don't give up looking for answers. And, you cannot always tell how good a Dr. is just based on reveiws. Some Dr,;s deal with really really really complicated cases, which may have some effect on how "successful" their treatment is. Just something to think about. Stay close to SR in the meantime. We're here for you and care.
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Old 01-30-2018, 10:50 PM
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Thanks Tbeit for the advice. Thanks Teatreeoil007 for the advice and kind words as always. I definitely have anxiety and am doing my best to keep it under control. Blood pressure and blood tests all came back normal. Blood pressure was a little high but doc said it’s probably because of how stressed I was about the situation. I agree, I’m going to see only 1 (maybe 2 ENTs) and cancel the rest). Feeling better over the past couple days - mentally and physically. Nose looks and feels a little better after 3 weeks of Netipot. The bleeding was only that 1 day and hasn’t happened since. I’m 33.

I quit cocaine 2+ months ago but started drinking and smoking more heavily (tobacco and marijuana) right after. I quit smoking and drinking for almost a month now and maybe I’m feelin this way because my body is going through serious withdrawals.

The urge to use, drink or smoke is not there anymore so maybe my mind is just not used to this total and complete sobriety and needs time to adjust.

Looking forward to meeting the ENT in a couple weeks. Praying all goes well so I can put all the anxiety behind me and move forward with life.
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Old 02-07-2018, 08:37 PM
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It’s been 11 weeks now clean from cocaine and 5 weeks clean from smoking and alcohol.

I’ve gone through a lot of anxiety over the past month because I’ve been worried about my nose and also I’m assuming withdrawal symptoms playing a part.

About a week and a half ago I started using Vaseline on my nose externally to deal with dryness and peeling. It’s been working great other than making my nose look a little wet/greasy when I’m out in public but hey whatever works.

Anxiety has gone down a lot. I’ve pretty much succumbed to the fact that if there’s damage I just have to deal with it. Treatment, surgery, etc.

I’m seeing an ENT next week and praying he finds no damage, although I’m not very hopeful.

My nose is really dry on the inside, especially the right nasal passage. I’ve been using netipot daily for the last month and this week started using twice a day. It helps, but the dryness is still there. It’s most severe when I wake up and if I’m in an area with low humidity.

I’m hoping this is not a life long dry nose thing I have to deal with and that it will heal with time.

The right nasal passage bothers me the most. It feels dryer and more irritated and almost like there’s something there, like a cut or a blockage of some sorts. There’s usually some trace blood and extra mucus that comes out of that side when I nasal rinse. There’s also a faint whistling sound that comes and goes out of that nostril. It’s only from that nostril though, when I close it and inhale form the other nostril, there’s no sound.

Hope everyone out there is taking steps everyday to deal with their recovery and be sober. I’m loving everything about complete sobriety except the worry about my nose. Within a few days I should have some peace of mind.

Anyone dealt with similar nasal dryness that went away after qutting cocaine? How does your body and nose feel after quitting for 1+ years?
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