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Will these heart palpitations that were triggered by cocaine use go away? Please help.

First, let me give you a bit of background information. I am a 21 year old male and I have been using cocaine for about 1 year. I would consider my use as recreational. Over the past year there would be months where I would not even touch the drug. Then, months when I was using, I would do about 6 lines on just one day of the week and wouldnt touch it for at least another week. However, this month, I have used once a week for 4 weeks. This is where my problem has started....

Last wednesday after being out almost all night using cocaine and drinking alcohol, I came home and began coming off of the drug. The next day, at about 5 pm, my heart rate shot up without warning to 120 beats per minute. Needless to say, I was freaked out but decided to wait it out and eventually it went down to 80 beats per minute.

However, every once in a while, I will think about it and it can cause the heart to go back up to the 120 beats per minute. I decided to go to the emergency room where they gave me a EKG and did some blood and urine work. They said the EKG showed an abnormal rhythm with my heart. The blood and urine work actually showed up negative for cocaine and everything else just 4 days after having used.

I left the emergency room with a diagnosis from the ER doctor. He said I have heart palpitations. They also told me that the effects of the cocaine could still be effecting my system even though blood and urine showed up negative for cocaine. It has been about 6 days since I used cocaine. I feel like I have swallowed a bunch of diet pills. I feel drained.

I am hoping that my heart palpitations will eventually stop. If not, I will be getting referred to a specialist to have an echogram done on my heart.

Please, if anybody has any insight on this matter, please help. Will my heart palpiations stop? Will the effects eventually leave my system? Did I just get a bad batch of cocaine? I'm desperate for help.

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Avatar universal
I have been a user of coke for about 5 yes now. In fact I am so high right now I'm worried my wife will feel me shaking in bed,wake up and sense I am high and discover what I have been hiding from her. I'm on here now because I was curious about my HR and decided to check it. In the process I felt an irregular hb. Hold on.... Gonna do another hit.... I'm starting to worry I can't control my urges to get the high feeling and am doing damage to my self. In fact I've done it now 3 nights in a row with minimal sleep even tho I work at 8 in the morning. I don't want to/tell myself there's NO way I'm gonna do it tonight but find myself "hold on... Ok I'm back" damn this shiot is awesome!! sitting up texting/calling people at 5am. I am 37 and healthy other then a little over weight. Should I be worried about this irregular HR.?. I could REALLY use some professional advise from users/doctors here. OH, I started using to fit in/be more social but now I like doing it by myself for the high. Little worried. Advise other then the obvious STOP USING?
Helpful - 4
3 Comments
You're not alone buddy, I'm in the same predicament as you, 38 years old and been using on and off for 15 years. Only these last 18 months my intake and regularity of use has gone through the roof and I'm at a loss and very scared. I have a beautiful wife and two lovely children who don't deserve this self destructive behaviour from me, it's crazy cycle and I really don't know how to break free. I've tried and tried but this other part of me takes over and it's beyond my control. I really want to tell my family but I guess I'm just embarrassed and frightened, they would not understand. Any advice also would be very much appreciated. I wish you all the best for the future and hope you find strength to get over this addiction, it's horrible.
Im a 43 year old women, a user for many years just of cocaine when partying. Last week I passed out unconscious in a bar on the bathroom floor. Ambulance was called they thought I was just drunk, I had a heart rate of 241 beats per minute.. they diffibulated me. Arrived at hospital diffibulated again .. had a heart attack. 1 week in hospital now home , scared to death . I will never touch it again, they put me on bisprolol 5mg and aspirin 81mg a day . Want to get off these soon as I will not be drinking or smoking or doing any cocaine anymore.. it scared me straight..they wanted to put in a pacemaker but I refused because I truly believe the ventricular tachycardia was from the cocaine.  I've been monitoring my blood pressure and it's fine ..CANT BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED TO ME. They also told me that my toxicology report had minimal cocaine to the amount of crap I'd been snorting. I feel so ashamed . Street drugs, street crap. Never again.
In an emergency situations from snorting cocaine the best thing is staying calm know the pressure points that soothes your heart palpitations And drink ice water and walk. Vitamin c helps and alcohol will help you get immediate relief. I saved my life using these methods
212161 tn?1599427282
  if you have never had them before i would go see your Dr
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi, how are you feeling now? Did your heart fix itself. I am experiencing exactly the same problems as you did after a weekend binge on coke. Its been 3 days and I have pretty severe heart palpitations. Any advice would extremely helpful. Thanks in advance.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Gee, i am so sensitive that i can't even smoke one regular cigerrette, or one
alcohol drink or even a piece of chocolate. I get pvc's and i can't sleep.
So it seems i have NO escape at all. I would love one glass of red sweet wine or a wine kooler, or just one sweet clove cigerrette, but i can't do ANY of
those things..........I used to try smoking a small cigar....but kept me
up all nite too!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Walking to the sink may have calmed down your panic. I asked a friend about this - a guy who was a research scientist at a major hospital here, and
when i told him i had a panic attack and i grabbed my keys and ran out of the house, sat in my car to go, i started to feel better. He said it was something about "action" and "walking" that calmed me down. I can't remember the
complicated medical terms he used, but he said that "moving" helped a lot. Hope this helps.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Anxiety or SVT....  i was a recreational user for around 10 yrs and had both.  They can correct most SVT with a catheter ablation these days.  If the heart rate goes back down after exercise, it's a good chance it's not SVT.  Either way, the gym is a great place to be.    For anxiety, try a man's multivitamin along with 100-200mg L-Tyrosine during the day and 100 mg 5-HTP before you go to bed.  Flac seed oil is also good if you can stand it.  DO NOT GO WITH ANTI-DEPRESSANTS prescribed by your doctor.

Good luck to any others reading this post.  Anxiety has a tendency to ruin your life and forget what it's like to be alive!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
It probably wasn't the coke, but whatever it had been bashed with.
I've just had a similar experience, although I've taken it before, not often, but a few times and every time has been good.
This last time, I took it with a friend and where I got the heart palpitations (that lasted for 12hrs btw) he got a bad nose bleed and felt sick.
There was definitely something in that bag that isn't normally there.

While this sounds like cocaine is the innocent victim, I'm sure it isn't.
However, I'm gonna miss the high I used to get from coke, but I can't guarantee that my next bag isn't gonna have this **** in it again and I just won't risk it.

Believe it or not, I've also had similar symptoms from caffeine abuse and that's a legal drug, slipped into soft drinks.
My heartbeat got really intense and fast, I felt light-headed and weak, my mouth and throat went dry and no amount of water could wet them.
Also, the muscles in my neck and jaw seemed to lock up and both my arms went tingly numb.
I really thought that was it, but apparantly doctors see it all the time with people who drink too many of those energy drinks.

Best just to stay away from those things and try to live a healthy life.
It all seems fun at the time, but when you think you're life is over, you see what you have and a quick high just ain't worth the potential price.

That's my new and improved view anyway.
I don't know if it was bad enough to kill me, or just felt that bad because I panicked.
For all we know, we could've easily died if we'd done just one extra thing wrong, so the worry is keeping me clean for now.
Hopefully I can change my outlook and won't even miss them after a while.
Peace
Helpful - 0
2181135 tn?1344043370
im having the exact same Symptoms its been like this since april 15th 2012 , except i cant sleep at night ive been fighting this for about a month and a half its the worst experience of my life ...  i cant joke about it .. my heart rate still goes up for no reason i just had a bad reaction to the cocaine i dont know if something was in it .. i never had any physical badreactions due to drug use i am 21 been doing it since 13 and never had any problems , i concluded that its not my heart thats ruind i ruined some thing neurologically  like the chemistry in my body/ brain i am terribly sadden : [  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
yes, thinking about it makes things worse definitely. How are they now? Have they stopped? I know that when i used to do coke I would do so much that my chest hurt. I don't know if it was just soreness from tensing up or if it was my heart about to give out. But i exercise everyday, and my heart i would say is stronger than the average human beings heart. since exercising does put a strain on the heart also, but in a good way, not chemically I think that's why coke didn't screw me up forever.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
are there any types of depression pills that are made with cocaine or cause cocaine to show up in a autopsy?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
All very interesting stuff.  I have a related question that maybe some of you can shed some light on for  me.  I am 29 years old male and, over the last year or so, have used cocain recreationally as well as abusively.  I have not used in over a month and don't plan on using ever again.  My question is...  Is it common to feel like something was damaged or effected in my brain and not my heart?  I find it very difficult to focus and feel comfortable throughout the day.  My thought seem fuzzy and I find myself not enjoying many things I used to find pleasure in.  If anyone has any insight, I would greatly appreciate it.  Thanks.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
sorry if this is a year too late!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Also the day after the whole thing I smoked out with a couple friends, and that was one of my worst highs of my life.

I felt the crack/cocaine whatever the hell it was in my body. rise from my chest then down to my knees and stuff. Like my chest would get big if I was sitting down, then when I stood up it will go down to my feet.

And I was driving, usually I can drive very easily when I'm high, I'm just a tad slower but more concentrated. But this specific situation I had my hand on the clutch, and for some reason I was squeezing the clutch. Because I couldnt feel my hands..
It was a trip. Things werent making sense. I also felt like I had to do certain things to be safe, like I felt like if I wasnt in a safe environment I was gonna die.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Also everytime I touch weed it makes throat feel scratchy and my heart feels like its gonna explode.

I'm sad about this because I loved smoking weed and also running and working out. I play paintball with a passion but am afraid that I can no longer continue doing the things I love doing.

it really is a life changer. I no longer take for granted what I used to. and btw Im only 18
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hey guys I've been doing a lot of research these past few months on people having similiar issues to mine.
Alright so here's my story.

About two months ago (Oct 16th 2009) I was at a rave, and throughout the night I've consumed 2 hits of Mdma.. some really strong stuff(poke-balls) if you guys know what they are. and also mixxed it with 4 or 5 bowls of cannabis. so my mind was a trip haha. but at the end of the night I bummed a cigarette off some guy. He told me it was his "lucky". Me being pretty stupid thought nothing of it, so I smoked it.

So on the car ride home I was feeling really really good. thinking I was still rolling from the mdma. But it had been aprroximately 2 or 3 hours since my last pill and I had already reached my peak of it. so there was no way I could still be rolling. So right before I get dropped off, my friend passes around another two or three bowls of bud.

As im making my way in the door, I'm feeling really confident for some reason, usually I'd give my entrance to my house a second thought if I was high or rolling. so I get in, go to my room. and look in the mirror, and realize my arm is fat. I start to freak, and feel my heartbeat skyrocketed. I google all sorts of things, I spent the whole night trying to figure out what was wrong. I came to the conclusion that the cigarette was laced with cocaine or crack or something.

Because the next morning My pupils were dilated. for the next few days I felt like I was literally sitting on my death bed. at one point even accepting it as it came and thinking my last thoughts.

So it turns out I did live, I went to the doctors that following monday (3 days after it occured).

My EKG was normal, I've run blood tests, chest xrays stomach xrays theyve all come out positive.
I've been to the doctor 4 or 5 times.
I've been prescribed
Omeprazole for indigestion
Amoxicillin for the blood spitting and
Colace for constipation

So here's all the symptoms Ive had
-Acidic Spitting
-Spitting Blood
-Heart Palpitations
-Indigestion/Constipation
-Cold hands/feet
-tired eyes when looking at bright screens
-confusion at times


I'm scared as hell to exercise too. I've been to the gym twice and my heart throbs intensely when Im on the  treadmill.
Last week i ran a mile and my heart has been through constant beating all week.

I'm thinking of scheduling an appointment with the doctor this week.

I havent been the same since that night.
I've only drank water for the past month or so.
I stay away from sweets, fried stuff and oily things.

It's hard to cope with all this but its a definite relief to see that some of you guys have gone through what I've gone through.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Take it from someone who knows , stop doing drugs because when you get older you start to suffer from those bad choices. And I don't mean older as in your 60's I mean 30's and 40's. My heart is a mess from doing cocaine and also having high cholesterol for a long period of time without changing diet or lifestyle. I wish I could go back and right those bad decisions but its not possible. I regret my bad choices every single day of the week. Especially when I see other people who made right choices living so happily while I suffer because of my own bad choices.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
What’s wrong with your heart?
Avatar universal
i would never tell anyone not to see a therapist, you just need to remember that you have developed an over active adrenal reponse to the sensation of your heart beat, due to the coke use in your past...
this will not go away all on its own, take the prescription as instructed to help calm your adrenal response to your heart beat.
make good decisions and give it some time...
we all make mistakes which we pay for in different ways.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i can focus and feel my heart beat at any time also like you can...and i feel like a have heart burn alot..im just wonderin exactly what i should do...cause i weigh 205 bench 325 and work out everyday and take weigh protein so im really healthy other than me doing that drug twice which consisted of like 4 lines each time and smokin weed...but iv been done with the "ante" since around june but done smokin like 2 weeks ago..
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
hey im 16 and used the drug called Antihydrents or street name "ante" its a form of coke i used it over the summer along with smokin a **** load of weed...i had two a days and got heat exhaustion and ended up gettin my heart checked out some but never said anything about the other drug use cause they didnt find it in my system but i still have some chest pains , muscle spasms in my left arm , leg, eye, foot, and pains in my back and i feel like my heart beats extra hard..but alot is just me worry is what a doctor told me ...but im not sure..i just always worry
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
something similar happened to me. i got palps after a heavy few months of coke use. then something stange happened. I blew out about a cup full of yellow mucus in the shower one morning, followed by a huge rattling cough - it sounded like an explosion. out came a load of black spots and a black glob of something (probably tar from smoking).
however i felt so good after this experience i thought i would like another few lines of coke.

this was the worst idea as i had as the palps came back but this time with chest pains and cough. 3 years later its still there and now getting short of breath.

anyone having coughing syptoms too?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
GP just prescribed lexapro but i dont know if i am going to start taking it or not.  Concerned about possible side effects and also about whether or not this is right for me.  The GP really doesnt know me on a personal basis and is one of those GP's at the random walk in clinics.

Do you guys think I should go see a psychiatrist instead?

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I havent had any panic attacks for weeks now.  There is still a bit of worry and anxiety in the back of my mind though.  It is still hard to completely get rid of all of the anxiousness but I am so much better.  I run...workout...etc and I can function during the day and do everything I need to do.

I am waiting on insurance so that I can go to the doctor for my anxiety.

What will the doctor likely prescribe for a 22 year old male like me who has mild anxiety like this?

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi, I have just been reading all of your posts and I just want to tell you that I throught the same thing about 5 years ago.  I smoked marijuana for the 1st time in 3 years and I had a SEVERE anxiety attack.  My pulse jumped to 200 BPM, I was lightheaded, nauseous...I thought I was going to die and no one would take me to the hospital since I had drugs in my system.  Well this feeling lasted for months.....not the high pulse rate but the feeling that I was going to die.  I had to go on Zoloft, Ativan, Neurontin, and propranolol for about 2 years.  I had to go to a therapist to discuss my "life" problems...it was the worst 2 years of my life.  Constant trips to the ER, cardiologists, numerous tests and constant worry.  All tests came back fine....it was anxiety.

I was doing great until I got pregnant in Dec. 2006, it triggered all the anxiety again but since I was pregnant I couldn't take any of the drugs, except propranolol on a strictly as-needed basis.  I was instructed to only take it if my pulse jumped above 150 BPM for over 30 minutes because they were worried it would lower the baby's heart rate as well.  My son is now 18 months old and I am still battling the anxiety.  I don't care what anyone says, I don't think you will ever be 100% "cured" of anxiety.  It is always in the back of your mind.  I just try to keep myself occupied, not hard with an 18 month old.

I'm glad you decided to quit using...that was last time I smoked pot, takes an anxiety attack to wake us up.  The best thing you did was go see a cardiologist.  I've been to 3 different ones because I was convinced that one missed something.  I have had all tests done on my heart (except a cardiac cath) and the only thing that has ever shown up was Right Bundle Branch Block (on 1 EKG out 15 or so) and my cardio said it could have been a misplaced lead or that it can occur in healthy individuals.  With all the tests I have had done I am fine.

About alcohol use...try to avoid excessive use.  Anytime I drink more than 2 I wake up the next morning with a rapid pulse and just overall "ugh" feeling.  I'm not sure who posted about the sugar in alcohol but they are right.  I know, it's not fair, we can't do anything but to me it's worth the sacrifice if I don't have to deal with it like I did in the past.  

Good luck to you and remember you are not alone.....this is very common and there are lots of people out there to talk to.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
It appears I have an increased awareness of my own heartbeat and this is causing anxiety.

I think I will see a doctor soon about the anxiety.
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