Cocaine Septum Damage

[Dirk Diggler]

I fell into a 4 month binge with cocaine and I just had an eye opener.  I basically lost control.  Yesterday I felt a little hole on the inside of my nostril against the septum.  It seemed like a layer of skin had deteriorated.  After that heart stopping find, I began to do some research into the connection of cocaine and my find and learned that cocaine can eventually cause serious damage to the septum and nasal cavity.  My question is...Is there a thin layer of skin that covers the cartlidge that is the septum?  I suppose I needed this discovery to open my eyes and I realize what I have done to myself.  Right now I am more scared that what I discovered is permanent and I may need surgery.  It must have appeared recently because I have never noticed it before.  I don't feel that it is a deep hole, but more like a skin had deteriorated and left the cartilidge bare.  This was enough of a scare for me to completely stop my use.  I had not known that this could occur until I did my research. Since I am stopping my use, is there a skin that will grow over the hole or is it bare cartlidge naturally there and I caused damage directly to my septum's cartlidge.  I feel that if a skin will grow back, I will have been lucky and need to use this as an opportunity to straighten my act.  I'm not looking for sympathy or lecture, just some help in understanding what is going to happen.  The thought of all of this is deeply concerning me and I need to know if I can let it heal itself. I know cartlidge does not grow back, but is there a skin that grow back over.  I don't believe that I caused damage to the cartlidge itself.  I keep repeating myself because this is a great concern of mine.  Does anybody know what I am talking about?  Please help.

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

I'm not the doctor here and hate to invade his territory but I know you have been waiting for an answer to your problem.
When I was in drug rehab, several people who used cocaine had the same thing happen to them after snorting for long periods.  To my knowledge, they were able to heal and had no long term effects.  We've all read the stories of people having to get plastic implants, etc. but I think you would probably have to use cocaine for a longer period than four months.  You should see a doctor asap however because infection of your membranes may cause even worse problems.  It sounds like you've had quite the wake up call here with your nose!  Plastic surgery can be very painful physically and financially.  Take care of your nose and the rest of yourself as well!

[deveiated septum]

man i dont think that will heal itself, hope it does. good luck ps.you did get the wake up call? i hope??????

[russki]

Dirk,

May I ask what site you did your research on this problem of yours?

I would like to check it out.

thanks

[tom to Dirk]

just wanted to say I loved your work in Boogie Nights.

[Deja to Vicodin Girl]

The first reply to your post was pretty much righ on target.  Coke can erode away the protective membrane in your nose.  One of the first things I would be concerned about is - nosebleed.  Do you, or have you suffered nosebleeds?  I am glad this is a wake-up call and I pray you get some help right away before the damage becomes serious enough to require surgical intervention.  One thing you might try on your own while you are waiting for your appointment with a doctor... moisture, and lots of it.  Get a cold mist humidifier and put it next to your bed.  Run it all night.  Hot steam from the shower for 15-20 minutes also can help moisturize the mucosal membranes that may be dry and erroded.  Drink lots of water.  Keep yourself hydrated.  A nasal moisture product called Ocean (which is pure saline solution) and sold under many names , is cheap - and you use it like nasal spray to keep your nose hydrated.  It may help.  Any coke use though, will only hinder any good your natural attempts to get some relief are doing.  Stay Strong.  It's not easy but you can do it if you set your mind.  Get someone to look at that nose right away.

Peace,
deja

[Dirk]

Thanks for everyones input.  I really appreciate it, but please leave ridiculous and unnecessary comments out.

I currently do not have health insurance because I am in the middle of a job transistion and that is why I am using this method to possibly learn more about what is going on.  Someone had mentioned that that layer over my septum is actually a membrane.  Is that true?  Does anyone know if that portion will heal over and grow back?  Someone also suggested using a salene solution to keep the damage moist and prevent it from drying.  Would it be safe to use neosporin to help it heal by killing germs and keeping it moist as well or will it never begin to heal over naturally?  I am looking to find a doctor, but without insurance I do not know where to begin.

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

Let me say that I've never snorted cocaine so I could be wrong about your condition.  Several years ago, I worked in a plant that manufactures car batteries.  One day I was enveloped in a cloud of gas containing acid and breathed in the fumes before I could get my respirator on.  The acid ate through the membranes in my nostrils and they became a painful bloody mess.  These membranes are less than paper thick and contain many capillaries and nerve cells-very sensitive stuff.  This was a very seriuos medical problem and required weeks of treatment.  The infection was of major concern and I was treated with antibiotics.  My eyes and lungs were also involved.  I'm not a doctor but I would think that Neosporin would be helpful if you can get it in a nasal spray form.  I don't remember what was used on me but I do remember it was very expensive.  

To this day I still have problems with my nasal passages and suffer infection and nose bleeds during the dry winter months.  I've used Ocean Spray and it works pretty well in that it seems to flush all the junk out of my nose.  Whatever you use, it has to be sterile.  Hope this helps you out somehow.

[Dirk]

I would like to begin by saying thank you J.B., your input has been very helpful and informative.  I'm sorry to hear about your experience.  I hope all has gotten better.

So is it my understanding that this membrane should begin to grow back since I AM STOPPING my use?  I began putting neosporin on it last, but the thought of what I was putting the cream on made me cringe.  Last night I remembered that there is a neosporin spray, so I will be getting that today.  Does anybody have any more feedback on this whole topic?  Please....

Russki, as to where I did my research.....I just did massive search on all the major search engines (i.e. yahoo, lycos, hot bot, alta vista, etc.) for cocaine, cocaine nasal damage, nostril damage, etc. I've searched for online medical forums like this one relative to drug abuse and addiction and places to search for answers related to these questions I have.

[Dirk]

If anyone would like to help me out on this through email, my email is ***@****.

Thanks

[To Trish from Kate]

Did you try mayoclinic.com ? You can E-mail them with your question.

[Dirk]

Thank you Kate, but the portion where you can ask questions won't help with individual medical cases unless they are of broad interest and educational value to the general public.  They wouldn't handle my question, especially since they get thousands of emails a week.  Do you have any other recommendations?

Thanks

[To Trish from Kate]

You may have a hospital in your area that has a "Ask A Nurse" hotline number. Or do a search under "Ask A Nurse", but sometimes the online services ask for a fee.

[BadBob]

Dirk my man you should be O.K.  The condition which you describe does not sound like a full blown deviated septum.  Keep the area moist and put an antibiotic cream like Bacitacin or Triple Antibiotic on the area four times a day.  Don't pick your nose.  Don't blow your nose.  Don't do coke in your nose (or anything else)  The area should heal quickly but if it does not then you will need medical attention.  Good Luck.    BOB
P.S. With a handle like Dirk Digler do you get alot of flack?

[Dirk]

Bob, thanks for your opinion.  That was some of the feedback that I was hoping.  Maybe because it was somewhat reassuring that everything will be fine and perhaps I got lucky.  I'm still deeply concerned, so I'd still like some more feedback and other peoples opinions, so please keep this going. Thanks a lot!

You are probably wondering why I don't just go see a doctor, but without insurance it can get pretty costly especially if it is something that I can address on my own for a few days, but if I feel it is not getting better then I will be going to see one.  Plus, it's not that easy to approach a doctors office stating the reason why I think that this has happened.

P.S. Sure I get a lot of flap for that, but it's too late to change that handle.

[From Aunt Lindy to Mariah]

That is the Ear, Nose and Throat area of medicine.  I have terrible sinus trouble and I see an Otolaryngologist.  I did not know if you surfed and searched under that name if you might hit a case study or find some Q and A stuff.  Good luck to you.
Sincerely,
Shelly

[RPC]

Dirk,
You may have been very lucky.  I am a retired ENT and Facial surgeon and will be glad to provide you with info re the nose and septum.  Some of the posts are good, but some are giving good and bad info.  Drop me a line at ***@**** and I'll tell you the best I can without a live nose....for Christmas.
rpc

[tom to Dirk Diggler]

sorry to offend you with my ridiculous and unnecessary comment. I'm sure you're quite anxious about your condition and dealing with it coming down from coke must not be a day at the beach. If I had any experience in coke-related matters, I would have offered you what I knew. Good luck in your recovery. (still liked the movie, though)

[Beanie]

Dirk,
I'm not a doctor and have never tried cocaine,,but I would think it might be wise to put some neosporin on it and keep it moist,,ask the pharmacist if you can put neosporin in your nose,,its probably okay but ask,,tell him you have sore in your nose from a cold if you don't want to tell him the truth,,
but if you do get an infection, don't hesitate to see a doctor asap..go to the emergency room if you have to because they have to treat you even without insurance..because i would imagine an infection spreadin to the cartilege could be very serious, that and the close proximity the inside of you nose has with the brain and even the eyes,,you wouldn't want an infection to spread....but it will probably be okay.....
one thing for sure is quitting, won't make it any worse and can't hurt.., now that you know it is there, try to not to pick at it and irritate it more....also i think someone mentioned a humidifier,,a cold humidifier would probably be a good idea for when you sleep, unless you are already in an incredibly humid climate, but lots of states in the winter dry out,,one word of advice,,we used to have paneled walls in our bedroom and always used a humidifier(i liked the noise to sleep with among other things) well always use distilled water in them, not tap water,,our walls were soon covered with a white layer from all the hard water mineral deposits from using tap water....
beanie

[Dirk's update after Doctor's visit.]

I went to the doctors office a little while and thought that I would fill in everyone who has tried to help me on this situation I got myself into.  I was right about a hole starting to form along my septum.  The doctor gave me a prescription for an antibiotic cream to put on the area.  It is stronger than neosporin type antibiotic ointments.  It's to be applied with a cotton swab.  She said that it will begin to heal with the cream and time.  She also suggested that I visit an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) Doctor.  I'm telling you this because I was never really informed of the complications my use could cause besides the financial burden and possible heart damage prolonged use would cause.  I never thought this could happen to me, but it did.  What a wake up call!  I'm going to continue reading this forum for other postings of peoples opinions and real life experiences related to this for some reassurance, etc.  Please keep out negative and discouraging feedback.  Thanks for everyone's input and help.

[Frankinscense]

Thank God that's all that happened. Like you mentioned you could have had a heart attack or stroke. Plus the addictive part of the drug is what makes cocaine a horrible drug. Media glamourised this drug for the longest time. It's a drug for losers. What I do not understand is why the fact that it can cause a heart attack or stroke or that it kills and addicts many people didn't scare you. IMO you should still have treatment for relapse prevention. The people here will help, but we are not a substitute for treatment. BESt of Luck To You Dirk!
Sincerely,
Dan..
ps: treatment is necessary so that you you won't go right back to using after your nose has healed. Next time you may not be so lucky!

[Dirk's update after Doctor's visit.]

Believe me Dan, I will not relapse!  Maybe this scare is covering the withdrawls, but there is no way I will go back to that or even other drugs.  I keep wishing I could go back in time to when I was a kid and didn't even encounter stupid problems like I have.  Thanks for your concern!  The reason why the obvious didn't scare me in the first place is because of the whole mentatility of..."That stuff can't happen to me".  Obviously I was wrong.  You never really hear about many people high up in the career chain who use it to really suffer and reprecutions.  You always here about the addicts who live in the ghettos...hookers, dealers, and more or less people who lost focus of life that things like that happen to.  I admit I was ignorant.  Now I'll have a constant reminder to stay away from everything.  It's sad that it came to this.

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

You gave Dirk some very good advice concerning cocaine.  But Dirk made a good point too in his reply.  The "it'll never happen to me" mentality most of us have.  Fear simply does not deter many of us from smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, gambling, sky diving, bungee jumping and what have you.  For some of us, a wake up call is all that is needed.  For others, it's literally hitting bottom that does the trick. Step three is the worst way to stop but it happens, as we well know.

Dirk, I wish you the best!  We do hear about a lot of "higher ups" getting into trouble with drugs, they are not exempt either.  Remember people like Richard Prior, Robert Downey Jr., River Pheonix, Janis Joplin and the list goes on and on.

[moft]

     I'm a 19 year old male, I've been using freebase (or crack) cocaine for about a year and a half.  I used to exhale the smoke through my nose and I remember about a year ago I heard a strange clicking noise in my upper nasal area between my eyes.  Now, the thing that got me to quit coke was when I noticed my facial structure had changed.  The top of my nose began to sink inwards a little bit, the bottom got broader.  Also the cartilage almost down to the base of my nose came out.  The rest of the remaining cartilage became lodged behind my eyes and in my sinuses.  When I cry the tears run from the tear ducts down under my skin, all the dirt and junk inhaled into my nose is washed out with mucus that travels under my skin instead of out my nose since there is not barrier in my nose.  This causes a steal look on my skin under my eyes (bluish tint).  Also, it causes red soars that look like pimples where particles get lodged into my skin.  What do I do?? if you look up into my nose it looks like a black hole.  I stoped coke after this but i'm worried.  Theres a small dent in the roof of my mouth where my septum receaded.  What do I do??????

[Karone Roger]

i have just stumbled across your web page and it's now febuary 22, 2001. i just wanted to write in hope that you did not fall off the wagon! so please e-mail me as soon as you can at babykakes_84***@**** Good luck!!!!!!!