Cocane Septum Damage-Update. Help....

[Dirk]

Well, I'm back again looking for some more help.  I had a bulletin up here in the beginning of December.  If you don't remember, then her is what I originally posted: (The string is still shown on this section)

"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."

Well, It's been 5 weeks since I went to the doctor and the other day I finally felt to see if it had gone away.  I really can't tell if it has or hasn't, at least, started to heal.  I still feeling a little irregularity to the area.  My question is...is it something that normally takes a while to heal because of it's location and the type of tissue that is there?  My insurance doesn't kick in until the first of Feb, so I can't go to another doctor.  Besides, they just tell me to see an ENT, but I can't afford to do that until my insurance kicks in. I'm just looking for some peace of mine until then, but I need true answers.  The last string I posted got a lot of great advice and input, but nobody really gave a confident answer as to whether it normally does heal with time or it doesn't. Or if I should prepare myself for a surgery or other scary situations.  I don't pick at it and I carefully blow that one side of my nose about once a week.  PLEASE HELP!  I'm getting seriously nervous again about it and I need to know what has or will happen, permanently or temporarily, until I get to the ENT.

Thanks,
Jay

[Cokenose]

I have a very similar situation. I've been trying to kick the habit for a few months. Ive never had a nose bleed but did notice some red color on q tissue I used today to clear out some mucus. I used a flashlight to look inside and I too have bloody thin tissue throughout my nose. I noticed what I'm assuming in a piece of cartilage not covered by skin. This frightens me very deeply and has given me the determination to quit cold turkey. But I now need to know how to treat it at home what it means and if that skin will grow back.

[synister2004]

if you have a hole does it not go thru your nasiol cavity? I recently found a hole not know what it was I used again and it didn seem to do any thing.is it still supposed to work?

[GoingToMakeIt]

See an ENT Dr.
If you need any more help. Start your question on a new post. This one is old.

[JOJO136]

I detested coke , but one day went to 6 months. yes there is a hole. I see it with a flashlight. do i or dont i need surgery. HELP,  

[dave]

please can someone tell me how long cocaine and ecstasy stays in the blood stream for. I REALLY need to know! - Somebody already asked about cocaine and one of the docs said it was 24-48 hours - I find this very hard to believe! - I have heard it can stay in the blood stream for a while (months infact). I have`nt had anything in a week and don`t want anything again! - I just want to know when it will be out of my body! I have to have a drugs test next week for my new job and I am concerned that I will fail it and then be jobless!  -  PLEASE HELP!

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

I know how hard it is to stop, believe me.  I don't think there is anything anybody could have said or done for me to quit.  My friends grea concerned, but I would have taken a little white bag over my friends at that time.  One thing that I can say is that I didn't realize how shitty I felt about myself in my head until I stopped.  I've been clean from coke for two months and I feel so much better.  Everybody is different, I'm just trying to give you a light at the end of the tunnel.  Maybe you will grow so curious about what you would feel like when you are better that it will help you stop.  It took a horrible scare for me to stop, I just wish it didn't.  About the loss of smell and tast...I smoke cigarettes and that screws with your smell and taste anyways, so I couldn't give you a factual answer.  I do think though that my smell and taste has improved since I've stopped, but I don't know for sure.  It could be just because my head, in general, has cleared up.  Dana, a hole in your nose should be scary enough thought, but you really can't see that until it happens to you.  If you need someone to talk with or if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at ***@****.  I just wish that I had someone to help me out like that when I was going through with it, so I made a point of mine to become that person I wish I could ask and get real feedback with.  At least someone who really knows what's it's like.  Good luck

[Dana]

I am currently trying to kick this evil habit........
I have been concerned about the effects of cocaine on my nose.  I have completely lost my sense of smell(and taste) and was wondering if you had this problem as well.  Did your Dr. ever mention this symptom to you?  I am hoping that eventually I will regain these senses!  Any idea?  Thank you!!

[Dana]

I am currently trying to kick this evil habit........
I have been concerned about the effects of cocaine on my nose.  I have completely lost my sense of smell(and taste) and was wondering if you had this problem as well.  Did your Dr. ever mention this symptom to you?  I am hoping that eventually I will regain these senses!  Any idea?  Thank you!!

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

I went to an ENT yesterday finally.  He said that I have an ulcer on my septum.  He also said that I have some scarring because of the cocaine use.  He said that it looked like everything will be alright and recommended that I stop putting the cream on it because it is a strong antibiotic.  He also suggested to put some vaseline on it to prevent it from crusting.  I haven't done any long term damage fortunately.  I do have a nasal adhesion though, which the ENT said wasn't serious or wouldn't cause any long term complications.  He said that I would be able to get it cut at a later date and that they could do that in the office.  It turns out there wasn't actually a hole like I thought there was.  I'm still rather nervous about the whole thing, but it's good to know that I am safe.  I probably won't feel a whole lot better until the ulcer has completely gone away and I don't feel anything to the touch.  If anybody has any feedback, comments, or views, please keep posting them.  I will be continue reading the forum for months to come, hoping that I can help out others and understand a little more what could have or will happen in relation to this forum.

Thanks

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

I'm happy to hear about your appointment with the ENT specialist.  I was wondering if you are a smoker.  If so, the healing time may be prolonged.  I also get an annoying burning sensation in both nostrils when I go outside on cold days or spend time in smoke filled rooms.  The nasal area is very sensative to begin with and when it is damaged, it even more so. I'm sure the ENT will answer all of your questions.  I always write all my questions down on a piece of paper and hand it to the doctor at the start of the visit.  That way, I don't forget anything.  Good luck!

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

I finally made an appointment at an ENT for tomorrow (Tuesday).  I have some questions though that I was hoping someone could answer before my appointment.  When ever I've been applying the cream to the area, it seems like it swells a little bit.  It kind of feels like a bump on the inside of my nose against the septum.  Is this a good sign or not?  I figured that if it was swelling that it meant that tissue has healed over the area and that is just the scar tissue.  Is that right?  Also, it feels like it burns a little when I inhale through my the nostril with the damage.  I don't know if it is in my head because I am so scared about this and I keep thinking of the worse scenario or if it is actually there.  J.B., do you have problems similiar to these because of your accident?  I'm just trying to cope until the appointment by anticipating helpful answers to these questions.  I'm terrified that I will need to get some serious surgery or that my septum is going to have problems.  Does anyone have any insight or real life scenarios that could enlighten me on all this?  Like I said earlier, I haven't had any bleeding, is that good?  By the way it sounds so far, am I going to have prolonged damage to the area or will I have to get some horrific surgery that will cause a permanent irregularity to my nose that will be hard for me to grasp?  Please respond.  Thanks so much!  Email me at ***@**** if you would like.

Dirk

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

It does sound a bit scary but I am not a doctor.  The insides of my nostrils are at this time very raw and I don't dare touch them.  In my case it's like having chapped lips except that it's in my nose.  Can you actually see(using a mirror)the cartlidge coming through the skin?  All I see is red bloody tissue when I look.  Anyway, do you still use the antibiotic cream they RX'd you?  It's very important not to get an infection there.  I wish I could be of more help but you really need to have a specialist look into this.  I know money is a problem but your health should take priority here.

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

I haven't touched any coke since the weekend before I discovered this, which was Thanksgiving weekend.  I'm too scared I suppose.  Which makes sense, right?  J.B., does the inside of your nose feel smooth like it did before your accident or does it feel different?  I haven't gotten any nosebleeds and I live in Boston! So I hope that's a good sign.  My biggest concern is really that the membrane hasn't or won't grow back and close up, if it hasn't yet.  I can't tell and it's really hard for me to bring myself to touch it, which is the only way I can try and monitor it's progress.  Don't worry, I always wash my hands before touching it and then I put the cream on it afterwards.  I don't want it to get infected.  Please keep the thought's and fact's coming.

Thanks

[Marryanne]

Feeling real sick right now so I can't believe I'm even tryin to type but put some neosporin on it - it will only speed up the process of healing and can't hurt.  It will feel strange but that's okay.  Just put it on ONCE or TWICE a day and NO MORE - abusing that type of cream is detrimental - not helpful.  Good luck.

[tom to Dirk]

mmmm are you still using any coke? You sound a little bit like a guy who'd like to see it heal up so you can get away with some more. Not accusing. Don't know you at all, but I know how it goes.

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

Welcome back!  We haven't had a doctor around here for a couple of weeks.  I guess he's on vacation again.  
I hope you don't need surgery but if you do it's probably something minor.  Remember me telling you about my nasal injury due to breathing acid fumes at the battery factory?  Well, my nose still bleeds frequently during the dry winter months and it's pretty annoying right now.  Just stay away from snorting anything!