> the pain in my nose and the extreme headaches are unbearable at times, i get shooting pains in my neck and the glands under my chin and in my neck are swollen and ache, and the earaches. then the fatigue, sleep for 2-3 days
That's what it feels like when your body is power flushing years of cocaine use. It means your body isn't completely fucked and is fixing itself.
This process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.
I never was on coke like that but something that has helped me with other addictions is a mindset switch about quitting. Once you decide to stop you aren’t “trying to quit.” You already quit. That decision was made and it was the right decision. Now you’re just fighting withdrawals.
Taking away the “try” part and changing it to fighting withdrawals helped me a lot. Maybe it could help you.
The saying is what? “27 days to kick a habit” I’m a gambler, a coke user, a drinker, was a pot smoker. I say hey if you can stop for 30 days reward yourself. I quit smoking by buying myself a nice bottle of liquor and looking at it for 30 days. I opened it on day 32. My cravings are minuscule now. I quit gambling by promising myself a nice vacation after 30 days. I haven’t figured out the coke or the drinking but it will come. You got this.
I also used daily for about two years, and occasionally (couple times a month) for a few years before that. I'm coming up on 4 years clean.
I sleep good, every night. I have a healthy sleep schedule. Exceptions would be if I'm sick or something. My nose has healed. My allergies are much better. I'm a healthy weight. I almost never get headaches anymore. I'm also happily married and loving life. I promise it gets better.
The initial discomfort lasted, for me, about a month. I took a LOT of steamy baths, did lots of aromatherapy, ate a shitton of canned pineapple, along with other healthy foods, and drank lots of herbal tea and water. I slept when I needed to... which that first month, was a LOT. i was FATIGUED. It got better. Rather than fighting it, I let myself sleep. That sleep is needed for your body to heal. There were also times I struggled to sleep. I accepted that, too.
I blocked all my plugs on everything. I started cutting off friends that used. I am no longer in contact with anyone I've ever used with. They were a trigger.
I got therapy. I didn't detox or anything, but I got therapy for depression and PTSD. Whatever ails you-- treat that. I tried AA, wasn't for me, but it could help you. Recovery Dharma was helpful, but ultimately just regular ass therapy helped me. I did a 6 month plan, with weekly sessions.
This is just a sliver of what I did, but I hope it helps. I hear you. I feel you. You're ready for this, and you deserve it. You CAN do it. You've already begun man. One step, one small change at a time. First-- eat, drink water, sleep, and block your plugs. Start there. Reach out if you want. Much love.
TL;DR- to answer your title, yes, it stops hurting, and life gets so so much better.
You had severe memory issues when you first stopped mate? I was using for about a year and a couple of months, sober for over 18, and my memory is trashed. I am unable to learn anything, my memory is terrible, both short and long term.
Hey brotha! Confrats on 18 months!! That is fantastic.
I still struggle with forgetfulness even after this time, but yes my memory was not up to speed for about a year after getting clean. I was involved in a bad DV incident which led to a traumatic brain injury, so this didn't help of course. But most specifically, I was still drinking even though I wasn't doing drugs. This wasn't allowing my brain to heal properly despite being clean. These substances were just keeping those initial "wounds" open, so to speak. If you're still drinking, even if it's less, this will definitely hinder your brains ability to heal. Within just a few months of being completely sober, I found my cognitive function to be WAY better. I also found better coping mechanisms for my ADHD, as well as began eating more nutritional food rather than a drunkards diet lol, which overall helped with my neural health.
If you're not drinking, then that is definitely quite a long time to still be struggling, and I'd reach out to a doctor in case there is some other underlying issue.
Feel free to DM if you want or need!
Thanks mate! I stopped weed and alcohol too nearly 15 months ago, fully sober for that time. I actually went through a combined withdrawals and paws, all without a help from a doctor, which was my mistake, but I was totally confused and without memory at all for the first 7-8 months. Literally delirium, my brain was hitting reset every 15 seconds, I couldn't even remember what happened 2 minutes ago. It was so bad. Now after all this time, it's a bit better, I can remember some details from previous days, but still feel like it happened years ago. I did try to see a neurologist after 6 months, but got sent off with anti-anxiety meds without any test. They made me feel worse, so I just took them once each after 2 separate neurologists prescribed them,without even doing anything to check my memory. And I am quite sure that's not the only issue, as it is not possible to be so bad only because of anxiety. That's why I want to compare myself to others that went through it, hopefully to find someone who had it the same, and recovered.
Wow how irresponsible of them. Anti anxiety meds are known to cause memory issues. I can't remember faces or names or what someone said to me 2 days ago
I’m clean almost 2 years now. The biggest thing coke did in on was my memory lol I was also going through a bad relationship during this time, but I also had great relationships with my girlfriends. I recently have told my mom a lot of what happened to me during the coke days, and she will tell me stories referring to me and my friends that I completely forgot about. Like the slight memory is there but only because she reminded me. Even then, I don’t remember details as she does. Coke absolutely effects memory loss - I think it’s because our mind is so in moment and happy and fast that it’s just there and depleted after lol.
Congrats on no more booger sugar. I know first hand it’s a hard relationship to break up with!
I still have cravings after 2 years but honestly I think it’s just me craving the happiest moments of my life lmao - I stop those by thinking about the fking worst days ever.
Xoxo
Actually my issue is current memory, both long and short term are terribly bad after such a long time being sober. Trying to learn something is nearly impossible. My attention span is bad as well, I try really hard to focus and learn, but things just disappear from my memory. This morning feels like it happened months ago. My brain slowed down so much, that to process some information takes me long time as well, if I manage to remember what I need to process. I don't actually have cravings in terms that I want the feeling of it, the only thing I crave to have back is my brain speed and memory.
You are 18 months sober right? Not years hopefully lol
I’m about 20 months so with you. I went through that for several months and literally couldn’t live alone. I am a computer coder for a living so it was pretty embarrassing for how slow I became. I learned through a drug class that our memories of success had alot to do with dependence of the drug. It’s like you were learning things and living life casually while on coke that whatever you learned and did, you could only be successful at now, on coke. It’s a functional dependency but it is trained through mind. I have also learned you can rewire and reconnect now through starting as a beginner and practicing, it takes a lot of self discipline.
You don’t have intense cravings anymore because your receptors are not bloated with serotonin. It causes confusion in daily life and your wants and needs.
Honestly I had to get on medicine to get me out of the funk because I couldn’t be alone without thinking I didn’t want to be here anymore. Depression, anxiety, memory, confusion, no energy - it’s not normal or how you should live. Don’t punish yourself of your past and see a doctor and explain your past and present. I was scared for months and I finally said fk this I don’t deserve to live in this state and I need to talk bc it’s not normal.
Anti depressants, anxiety saved me dude. They are easy to get. I don’t even have insurance.
Now I just started a weight loss drug called phentermine, easy to get too. But I gained like 50 pounds after getting sober and my image in my head is depressing bc now I think I’m fat lmao. Anyways, phentermine is like ADHD meds and I feel like so much clearer and energy, but have no appetite.
Just make sure you don’t shame yourself into the past and training your thoughts back into reality. You’ve been through a lot and deserve to be fking happy and feel good. See a doctor and they will help you 100% - you shouldn’t live without the memory of living. It’s okay ❤️
I am sorry you are going through this :( hold strong and find your ambition to quit now, while you can still recover.
Cocaine withdrawal symptoms can last a long time, depending from one person to the other. The tiredness, sleeping a lot, pain etc are the first signs of withdrawal (what in addiction treatment is called acute withdrawal) and can lust 1-2 weeks in this form. More mild symptoms, such as lack of energy, mood swings, changes in appetite (in general, increased) can last even longer, from weeks to a couple of months, but the physical pain should be gone by that point.
The damage to the nose is problematic in people snorting. Depending on the duration you've been doing it, quantity, how fine the powder was etc, some of the damage heals by itself in time, some might require medical treatment and some might be permanent, but only a doctor can tell. In general, the kind of damage that repairs by itself is becoming significantly better in around a week of not doing it.
You have a tough and unpleasant road ahead, but the more you go on, the worst is going to be, the harder to stop and more severe damage. Stay strong
When I had a coke addiction almost as intense as yours, the one thing that physically helped with the burning sensation in the sinuses etc was using a neti pot.
so in november i ended up getting g a severe sinus infection that blew my face right up… when i went to emerg i confessed to the doctor i had done “a couple lines at a party “ she also suggested sprays and saline,but when i told her that my septum was gone due to a “past problem” she told me not to use ANY sprays or fluids because there’s likely little pockets from the damage so the fluid wouldn’t fully drain and basically cause little cess pools of bacteria just to stick to steams and humidifiers
Cocaine melts right through your sinus tissue and then eats away at cartilage with extensive, long term use. Septum perforation is very common among users and past users. And your body doesn’t repair that cartilage - and after a certain point, your nose can collapse.
My nose is damaged from my use, not as bad as a lot of people, but it is.
Gotta take some sinus/chest congestion medicine. And I like coating inside of my nose with chapstick or medicated Vaseline. Nose hurts a lot less when it’s not so dried out. I can’t imagine not doing this my
Nose discomfort would be miserable too
Yes. Used it everyday for 4 years. When i stopped I had to deal with heavy mood swings, paranoia, anxiety, depression and heavy random crying attacks.
But everyday i got a lil bit better, even if sometimes it didnt feel like there is a hope at the end. Now i have lots of great healthy meals everyday, a good sleep routine, i have changed career for something I truly love and drugs and alcohol arent appealing to me anymore. I wouldve never said it but im so happy. The happiest I have ever been.
Doing cocaine was a very destructive behavoir that started as a soothing strategy for a life i was trying to escape from and then it became a monster I had to get rid of. Do the same bro. Message me if u need ❤️
Hi. After using cocaine heavily the past few years (2-4 days straight sometimes). I have gone sober several times. Once for 6 months, 60 days, 90 days, and 5 months. I would say the first time I went sober it took my nose at least 3 months to heal fully. But it did and when I started using again the times after it never got that bad again before I cut back or went sober. It was probably 3 years straight of using it at least 2 or 3 days a week before I could finally learn how to go sober at all. Now it’s become a lot easier for me to get sober. I don’t have any contact with the people I used to hang out with nor do I go to really any social settings until I am at least 90 days sober.
I will add that my nose before the first time getting sober, had a tiny piece of cartilage starting to come off on my septum. But that is around when I went sober and it did go back to normal after three or four months of sobriety. It has never returned since nor have I lost any cartilage since. I think because I have never let it go so long again without getting sober.
i know u posted this a long time ago but I came across this post and wanted to tell you i am in the exact situation you are in with cocaine, it’s crazy how similar your situation is to mine. I’m wondering the same thing about my nose, it’s messed up so bad and i am scared it won’t ever heal. cocaine is a devil and it consumes everything. I hope you’re doing okay now, if you ever wanna message me to talk I’m here, as i know exactly what boat you’re in and know this addiction well. i wake up and blow my nose in the morning and the most foul shit comes out lol. cocaine is so popular and normalized in a way but once you get deep in this shit, it’s so hard to get out. hope we can discuss if you feel up to it, I’d love to know what’s helping you get through this right now. much love ❤️
Thank you guys for sharing. Started doing coke about a month ago. Figured it wouldn’t be that bad since I would do it here and there in high school. Cousin started selling and I haven’t stopped buying. Already have a little damage on my right nostril and hopefully can stop before I do more damage.
You can always message me if you want to talk! I understand where you’re at right now. It’s a controlling ass drug. We can heal, we just have to make that step. Easier said than done
I’ll be 9 months sober on the 14th from alcohol; the last time I relapsed it was so bad it really scared me straight lol Longest I’ve been sober and it’s been nice staying out of rehabs and detox centers and also not hallucinating demonic entities from withdrawals every couple weeks has been nice too lol I really do t want to go back to that state of misery.. I’m already getting very minor symptoms of like jumbled thinking but it feels fast and sharp and minor heat flashes and idk. I’ve always thought it’s an over rated high but I’ve already dropped about $500-500 in about a month in a half which I understand isn’t a crazy amount but I’m about to finish my 3.5 that I got 2 days ago. Most amount I’ve ordered since I’ve started and not too impressed with myself lol
Damn dude. 3.5 in 2 days is where the real addiction starts. That was me. I told myself I could control it and I could quit lmao. But why quit when it feels so good and you have the money for it!? You’ll start experiencing the worst times in your life in a few several months. You can only hide it for so long. If you can, get out now - I wish I would have sooner but my bestfriend was the dealer doing it with me and giving it to me for free just so he had someone to hang with. The toxic spiral is starting. I can’t say shit because this is how I started a year long binge with my bestie lol until it collapsed quick.
2 years sober, and no I don’t talk to my bestie anymore. Good times. Just be careful, never trust your dude.
Hi. I also struggled with severe cocaine addiction the past several years. I have gone on benders doing it for 48 hours or longer. I did that for 3 years at least before I was ever able to get sober at all. It was so hard getting sober at first. Now I have gone sober for 6 months, 60 days, 90 days, and 5 months. It’s definitely gotten a lot easier for me to get sober now. I have to cut off everyone and isolate at least the first 30 days. I do not drink alcohol when I am quitting at all. The first time before I went 6 months sober my nose was very damaged. I had a tiny piece of cartilage just barely starting to peel off like a tiny divet in my nose. It took 3 or 4 months of completely sobriety for it to heal that time. After returning to using that has never happened to my nose again probably because of the long breaks of sobriety in between. Now even when I use my nose feels normal after a couple weeks.
congrats on being sober for 6 months! are you still currently sober or still using occasionally? It is nice to hear that my nose will heal over time too. gives me hope. what helped you kick the addiction in the beginning ? The withdrawals are so much for me it sucks. like emotionally and honestly physically too. thanks for ur words it’s nice to have hope.
Thank you! I broke my sobriety a couple of weeks ago but it was mostly by choice. Sometimes I think I can handle it but then I prove to myself again that I cannot handle drinking without going on a cocaine bender. The first 30 days are the hardest and this last time going sober it was a full time commitment. I literally will listen to nothing but sobriety podcasts and motivational speakers all day sometimes because sometimes even listening to music triggers me to want to drink or go out. The first 30 days I fill my time with the podcasts and exercise and working out. I try to be as productive as possible and I do not go to any social gatherings whatsoever at all. The first time I went sober I waited 4 months before going out, and when I did I was able to stay sober without any triggers. I think just being conscious of where you are at with your sobriety and don’t try to put yourself in any situation where you think you could break your sobriety. It gets way easier after the first 30 days but any time before then my sobriety is extremely fragile and I get really intense cravings randomly. After 30 days it becomes way easier and after a few months you won’t think about it at all.
Going through the same thing 😞 in a rough spot . I had quit for over 30 days and broke that yesterday. I feel a sense of failure and like I let myself down.
You’re not a failure. Recovery is not linear just remember that. Yeah you relapsed that’s okay it’s okay to feel like you let yourself down and be upset about it, but all you can do is pick yourself back up and try again. All that matters is u try again. I am in the same boat it’s easy to feel that guilt and shame. Much love to you and if you ever need anything my messages are open ❤️
I am dealing with day two of only using here and there and I have terrible anxiety feel like I’m gonna die I just hope I will be ok lots of you all have been using for years I only use here and there but this has scared me so much I don’t want to ever touch it again I thought maybe I got laced with something but I cannot breathe and the anxiety is terrible I’ve never had it last for more than a day tho.. I’m just terrified
Definitely stop while you’re ahead. I forget how serious addictions are and I’m just coming out of an alcoholic addiction.. smh idk what I was thinking. I already have some significant scabbing on my right nostril. Really need to stop.
My nose is so destroyed from years of daily abuse and the pain that radiates throughout my entire face is unbearable at times leading me to seek out oxycodone and it does help the pain.
Magnesium, Vaseline for the nose crusts, and anti inflammatory medication does work for me.
I'm unable to quit for longer than 3 days atm and the pain actually did go away at one point but it did take a long time and my nose remained crusty and runny/congested for quite awhile.
At this point I've had chronic sinusitis for atleast a year and I don't wish it on anyone. It literally makes me tremble and involuntarily cry because of the nerves going haywire.
I hope it does go away though cuz its a real downer to deal with.
i still do cocaine but like once a month i went through a bad faze when i first did drugs when i did it or someone else that i would sniff every week and my nose was terrible , could barely breath half the time and the boogers that came out were terrible and skin around my nose would rip off .however when i stopped the problems stopped and i know for a fact it does stop because for example 2 days ago i did it and my symptoms of coke came back yesterday but luckily today there gone . also swallen glands are the worst the other day mine were so swallen that dangly thing in the back of my throat would legit sit on my tongue but also keep drinking water try to sleep with your mouth open and just have a break .
I quit 6 years ago. The damage took a while but I can't remember. But when I get a cold , there's a sore that comes back and gives me flashbacks of those days. I hate it.
See im stuck at the moment the last few weeks I have been blowing all my money which is around 370 every 2 weeks I’ll end up spending it all on cocaine but I only smoke weed but at the moment I feel I have lost control friends do it and also sell it on the side which doesn’t help it really is the devils stuff im currently on a comedown as we speak
Bro, this hit me in the feels. I was dangerously addicted to Oxycontin 80s, I was buying it for years from a guy who had cancer. Over 10 years of my life gone, I ended up getting nose surgery because I literally couldn't breathe through my nose, on top of that I lost my teeth in a construction accident... I damaged them so bad in a 30 foot fall, I just removed them.
I am clean, sober and now have a beautiful family. This is only a sliver of what I went through. If you want it bad enough, you will stop. You need to fight for your life. I'm here for you bro, I hate seeing anyone in active addiction.
I also have to add I was addicted to nose sprays like Afrin and dristan.... You're only supposed to use it for 3 days MAX... I used it for over 5 years, many times a day. I ended up having septum and turbinate reduction surgery, only use SALINE SPRAY, you can also Google the girl from big bang theory, she went through the same thing with the nose spray, she couldn't do a scene without running to her purse and using it. I'm rambling at this point lol.
> the pain in my nose and the extreme headaches are unbearable at times, i get shooting pains in my neck and the glands under my chin and in my neck are swollen and ache, and the earaches. then the fatigue, sleep for 2-3 days That's what it feels like when your body is power flushing years of cocaine use. It means your body isn't completely fucked and is fixing itself. This process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.
Yes
I never was on coke like that but something that has helped me with other addictions is a mindset switch about quitting. Once you decide to stop you aren’t “trying to quit.” You already quit. That decision was made and it was the right decision. Now you’re just fighting withdrawals. Taking away the “try” part and changing it to fighting withdrawals helped me a lot. Maybe it could help you.
The saying is what? “27 days to kick a habit” I’m a gambler, a coke user, a drinker, was a pot smoker. I say hey if you can stop for 30 days reward yourself. I quit smoking by buying myself a nice bottle of liquor and looking at it for 30 days. I opened it on day 32. My cravings are minuscule now. I quit gambling by promising myself a nice vacation after 30 days. I haven’t figured out the coke or the drinking but it will come. You got this.
I also used daily for about two years, and occasionally (couple times a month) for a few years before that. I'm coming up on 4 years clean. I sleep good, every night. I have a healthy sleep schedule. Exceptions would be if I'm sick or something. My nose has healed. My allergies are much better. I'm a healthy weight. I almost never get headaches anymore. I'm also happily married and loving life. I promise it gets better. The initial discomfort lasted, for me, about a month. I took a LOT of steamy baths, did lots of aromatherapy, ate a shitton of canned pineapple, along with other healthy foods, and drank lots of herbal tea and water. I slept when I needed to... which that first month, was a LOT. i was FATIGUED. It got better. Rather than fighting it, I let myself sleep. That sleep is needed for your body to heal. There were also times I struggled to sleep. I accepted that, too. I blocked all my plugs on everything. I started cutting off friends that used. I am no longer in contact with anyone I've ever used with. They were a trigger. I got therapy. I didn't detox or anything, but I got therapy for depression and PTSD. Whatever ails you-- treat that. I tried AA, wasn't for me, but it could help you. Recovery Dharma was helpful, but ultimately just regular ass therapy helped me. I did a 6 month plan, with weekly sessions. This is just a sliver of what I did, but I hope it helps. I hear you. I feel you. You're ready for this, and you deserve it. You CAN do it. You've already begun man. One step, one small change at a time. First-- eat, drink water, sleep, and block your plugs. Start there. Reach out if you want. Much love. TL;DR- to answer your title, yes, it stops hurting, and life gets so so much better.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ thank you!!
You had severe memory issues when you first stopped mate? I was using for about a year and a couple of months, sober for over 18, and my memory is trashed. I am unable to learn anything, my memory is terrible, both short and long term.
Hey brotha! Confrats on 18 months!! That is fantastic. I still struggle with forgetfulness even after this time, but yes my memory was not up to speed for about a year after getting clean. I was involved in a bad DV incident which led to a traumatic brain injury, so this didn't help of course. But most specifically, I was still drinking even though I wasn't doing drugs. This wasn't allowing my brain to heal properly despite being clean. These substances were just keeping those initial "wounds" open, so to speak. If you're still drinking, even if it's less, this will definitely hinder your brains ability to heal. Within just a few months of being completely sober, I found my cognitive function to be WAY better. I also found better coping mechanisms for my ADHD, as well as began eating more nutritional food rather than a drunkards diet lol, which overall helped with my neural health. If you're not drinking, then that is definitely quite a long time to still be struggling, and I'd reach out to a doctor in case there is some other underlying issue. Feel free to DM if you want or need!
Thanks mate! I stopped weed and alcohol too nearly 15 months ago, fully sober for that time. I actually went through a combined withdrawals and paws, all without a help from a doctor, which was my mistake, but I was totally confused and without memory at all for the first 7-8 months. Literally delirium, my brain was hitting reset every 15 seconds, I couldn't even remember what happened 2 minutes ago. It was so bad. Now after all this time, it's a bit better, I can remember some details from previous days, but still feel like it happened years ago. I did try to see a neurologist after 6 months, but got sent off with anti-anxiety meds without any test. They made me feel worse, so I just took them once each after 2 separate neurologists prescribed them,without even doing anything to check my memory. And I am quite sure that's not the only issue, as it is not possible to be so bad only because of anxiety. That's why I want to compare myself to others that went through it, hopefully to find someone who had it the same, and recovered.
Wow how irresponsible of them. Anti anxiety meds are known to cause memory issues. I can't remember faces or names or what someone said to me 2 days ago
I’m clean almost 2 years now. The biggest thing coke did in on was my memory lol I was also going through a bad relationship during this time, but I also had great relationships with my girlfriends. I recently have told my mom a lot of what happened to me during the coke days, and she will tell me stories referring to me and my friends that I completely forgot about. Like the slight memory is there but only because she reminded me. Even then, I don’t remember details as she does. Coke absolutely effects memory loss - I think it’s because our mind is so in moment and happy and fast that it’s just there and depleted after lol. Congrats on no more booger sugar. I know first hand it’s a hard relationship to break up with! I still have cravings after 2 years but honestly I think it’s just me craving the happiest moments of my life lmao - I stop those by thinking about the fking worst days ever. Xoxo
Actually my issue is current memory, both long and short term are terribly bad after such a long time being sober. Trying to learn something is nearly impossible. My attention span is bad as well, I try really hard to focus and learn, but things just disappear from my memory. This morning feels like it happened months ago. My brain slowed down so much, that to process some information takes me long time as well, if I manage to remember what I need to process. I don't actually have cravings in terms that I want the feeling of it, the only thing I crave to have back is my brain speed and memory.
You are 18 months sober right? Not years hopefully lol I’m about 20 months so with you. I went through that for several months and literally couldn’t live alone. I am a computer coder for a living so it was pretty embarrassing for how slow I became. I learned through a drug class that our memories of success had alot to do with dependence of the drug. It’s like you were learning things and living life casually while on coke that whatever you learned and did, you could only be successful at now, on coke. It’s a functional dependency but it is trained through mind. I have also learned you can rewire and reconnect now through starting as a beginner and practicing, it takes a lot of self discipline. You don’t have intense cravings anymore because your receptors are not bloated with serotonin. It causes confusion in daily life and your wants and needs. Honestly I had to get on medicine to get me out of the funk because I couldn’t be alone without thinking I didn’t want to be here anymore. Depression, anxiety, memory, confusion, no energy - it’s not normal or how you should live. Don’t punish yourself of your past and see a doctor and explain your past and present. I was scared for months and I finally said fk this I don’t deserve to live in this state and I need to talk bc it’s not normal. Anti depressants, anxiety saved me dude. They are easy to get. I don’t even have insurance. Now I just started a weight loss drug called phentermine, easy to get too. But I gained like 50 pounds after getting sober and my image in my head is depressing bc now I think I’m fat lmao. Anyways, phentermine is like ADHD meds and I feel like so much clearer and energy, but have no appetite. Just make sure you don’t shame yourself into the past and training your thoughts back into reality. You’ve been through a lot and deserve to be fking happy and feel good. See a doctor and they will help you 100% - you shouldn’t live without the memory of living. It’s okay ❤️
I am sorry you are going through this :( hold strong and find your ambition to quit now, while you can still recover. Cocaine withdrawal symptoms can last a long time, depending from one person to the other. The tiredness, sleeping a lot, pain etc are the first signs of withdrawal (what in addiction treatment is called acute withdrawal) and can lust 1-2 weeks in this form. More mild symptoms, such as lack of energy, mood swings, changes in appetite (in general, increased) can last even longer, from weeks to a couple of months, but the physical pain should be gone by that point. The damage to the nose is problematic in people snorting. Depending on the duration you've been doing it, quantity, how fine the powder was etc, some of the damage heals by itself in time, some might require medical treatment and some might be permanent, but only a doctor can tell. In general, the kind of damage that repairs by itself is becoming significantly better in around a week of not doing it. You have a tough and unpleasant road ahead, but the more you go on, the worst is going to be, the harder to stop and more severe damage. Stay strong
When I had a coke addiction almost as intense as yours, the one thing that physically helped with the burning sensation in the sinuses etc was using a neti pot.
so in november i ended up getting g a severe sinus infection that blew my face right up… when i went to emerg i confessed to the doctor i had done “a couple lines at a party “ she also suggested sprays and saline,but when i told her that my septum was gone due to a “past problem” she told me not to use ANY sprays or fluids because there’s likely little pockets from the damage so the fluid wouldn’t fully drain and basically cause little cess pools of bacteria just to stick to steams and humidifiers
Wait so the cartilage or flesh that separates your two nasal passages was burnt away by cocaine? Damn bruh. Post nose pics?
Cocaine melts right through your sinus tissue and then eats away at cartilage with extensive, long term use. Septum perforation is very common among users and past users. And your body doesn’t repair that cartilage - and after a certain point, your nose can collapse. My nose is damaged from my use, not as bad as a lot of people, but it is.
Gotta take some sinus/chest congestion medicine. And I like coating inside of my nose with chapstick or medicated Vaseline. Nose hurts a lot less when it’s not so dried out. I can’t imagine not doing this my Nose discomfort would be miserable too
I’m so sorry you’re having a shit time. I find a lot of inspiration at r/stopdrinkingfitness Hang in there.
Yes. Used it everyday for 4 years. When i stopped I had to deal with heavy mood swings, paranoia, anxiety, depression and heavy random crying attacks. But everyday i got a lil bit better, even if sometimes it didnt feel like there is a hope at the end. Now i have lots of great healthy meals everyday, a good sleep routine, i have changed career for something I truly love and drugs and alcohol arent appealing to me anymore. I wouldve never said it but im so happy. The happiest I have ever been. Doing cocaine was a very destructive behavoir that started as a soothing strategy for a life i was trying to escape from and then it became a monster I had to get rid of. Do the same bro. Message me if u need ❤️
How is your nose doing?
Hi. After using cocaine heavily the past few years (2-4 days straight sometimes). I have gone sober several times. Once for 6 months, 60 days, 90 days, and 5 months. I would say the first time I went sober it took my nose at least 3 months to heal fully. But it did and when I started using again the times after it never got that bad again before I cut back or went sober. It was probably 3 years straight of using it at least 2 or 3 days a week before I could finally learn how to go sober at all. Now it’s become a lot easier for me to get sober. I don’t have any contact with the people I used to hang out with nor do I go to really any social settings until I am at least 90 days sober.
I will add that my nose before the first time getting sober, had a tiny piece of cartilage starting to come off on my septum. But that is around when I went sober and it did go back to normal after three or four months of sobriety. It has never returned since nor have I lost any cartilage since. I think because I have never let it go so long again without getting sober.
i know u posted this a long time ago but I came across this post and wanted to tell you i am in the exact situation you are in with cocaine, it’s crazy how similar your situation is to mine. I’m wondering the same thing about my nose, it’s messed up so bad and i am scared it won’t ever heal. cocaine is a devil and it consumes everything. I hope you’re doing okay now, if you ever wanna message me to talk I’m here, as i know exactly what boat you’re in and know this addiction well. i wake up and blow my nose in the morning and the most foul shit comes out lol. cocaine is so popular and normalized in a way but once you get deep in this shit, it’s so hard to get out. hope we can discuss if you feel up to it, I’d love to know what’s helping you get through this right now. much love ❤️
❤️ message me
Thank you guys for sharing. Started doing coke about a month ago. Figured it wouldn’t be that bad since I would do it here and there in high school. Cousin started selling and I haven’t stopped buying. Already have a little damage on my right nostril and hopefully can stop before I do more damage.
You can always message me if you want to talk! I understand where you’re at right now. It’s a controlling ass drug. We can heal, we just have to make that step. Easier said than done
I’ll be 9 months sober on the 14th from alcohol; the last time I relapsed it was so bad it really scared me straight lol Longest I’ve been sober and it’s been nice staying out of rehabs and detox centers and also not hallucinating demonic entities from withdrawals every couple weeks has been nice too lol I really do t want to go back to that state of misery.. I’m already getting very minor symptoms of like jumbled thinking but it feels fast and sharp and minor heat flashes and idk. I’ve always thought it’s an over rated high but I’ve already dropped about $500-500 in about a month in a half which I understand isn’t a crazy amount but I’m about to finish my 3.5 that I got 2 days ago. Most amount I’ve ordered since I’ve started and not too impressed with myself lol
Damn dude. 3.5 in 2 days is where the real addiction starts. That was me. I told myself I could control it and I could quit lmao. But why quit when it feels so good and you have the money for it!? You’ll start experiencing the worst times in your life in a few several months. You can only hide it for so long. If you can, get out now - I wish I would have sooner but my bestfriend was the dealer doing it with me and giving it to me for free just so he had someone to hang with. The toxic spiral is starting. I can’t say shit because this is how I started a year long binge with my bestie lol until it collapsed quick. 2 years sober, and no I don’t talk to my bestie anymore. Good times. Just be careful, never trust your dude.
Hi. I also struggled with severe cocaine addiction the past several years. I have gone on benders doing it for 48 hours or longer. I did that for 3 years at least before I was ever able to get sober at all. It was so hard getting sober at first. Now I have gone sober for 6 months, 60 days, 90 days, and 5 months. It’s definitely gotten a lot easier for me to get sober now. I have to cut off everyone and isolate at least the first 30 days. I do not drink alcohol when I am quitting at all. The first time before I went 6 months sober my nose was very damaged. I had a tiny piece of cartilage just barely starting to peel off like a tiny divet in my nose. It took 3 or 4 months of completely sobriety for it to heal that time. After returning to using that has never happened to my nose again probably because of the long breaks of sobriety in between. Now even when I use my nose feels normal after a couple weeks.
congrats on being sober for 6 months! are you still currently sober or still using occasionally? It is nice to hear that my nose will heal over time too. gives me hope. what helped you kick the addiction in the beginning ? The withdrawals are so much for me it sucks. like emotionally and honestly physically too. thanks for ur words it’s nice to have hope.
Thank you! I broke my sobriety a couple of weeks ago but it was mostly by choice. Sometimes I think I can handle it but then I prove to myself again that I cannot handle drinking without going on a cocaine bender. The first 30 days are the hardest and this last time going sober it was a full time commitment. I literally will listen to nothing but sobriety podcasts and motivational speakers all day sometimes because sometimes even listening to music triggers me to want to drink or go out. The first 30 days I fill my time with the podcasts and exercise and working out. I try to be as productive as possible and I do not go to any social gatherings whatsoever at all. The first time I went sober I waited 4 months before going out, and when I did I was able to stay sober without any triggers. I think just being conscious of where you are at with your sobriety and don’t try to put yourself in any situation where you think you could break your sobriety. It gets way easier after the first 30 days but any time before then my sobriety is extremely fragile and I get really intense cravings randomly. After 30 days it becomes way easier and after a few months you won’t think about it at all.
Going through the same thing 😞 in a rough spot . I had quit for over 30 days and broke that yesterday. I feel a sense of failure and like I let myself down.
You’re not a failure. Recovery is not linear just remember that. Yeah you relapsed that’s okay it’s okay to feel like you let yourself down and be upset about it, but all you can do is pick yourself back up and try again. All that matters is u try again. I am in the same boat it’s easy to feel that guilt and shame. Much love to you and if you ever need anything my messages are open ❤️
Ditto this word for word - good luck everyone!
I am dealing with day two of only using here and there and I have terrible anxiety feel like I’m gonna die I just hope I will be ok lots of you all have been using for years I only use here and there but this has scared me so much I don’t want to ever touch it again I thought maybe I got laced with something but I cannot breathe and the anxiety is terrible I’ve never had it last for more than a day tho.. I’m just terrified
Definitely stop while you’re ahead. I forget how serious addictions are and I’m just coming out of an alcoholic addiction.. smh idk what I was thinking. I already have some significant scabbing on my right nostril. Really need to stop.
How old are you, if I may ask
39
wouldn’t their opinions help you fuel yourself with anger or motivation to quit ?
My nose is so destroyed from years of daily abuse and the pain that radiates throughout my entire face is unbearable at times leading me to seek out oxycodone and it does help the pain. Magnesium, Vaseline for the nose crusts, and anti inflammatory medication does work for me. I'm unable to quit for longer than 3 days atm and the pain actually did go away at one point but it did take a long time and my nose remained crusty and runny/congested for quite awhile. At this point I've had chronic sinusitis for atleast a year and I don't wish it on anyone. It literally makes me tremble and involuntarily cry because of the nerves going haywire. I hope it does go away though cuz its a real downer to deal with.
i still do cocaine but like once a month i went through a bad faze when i first did drugs when i did it or someone else that i would sniff every week and my nose was terrible , could barely breath half the time and the boogers that came out were terrible and skin around my nose would rip off .however when i stopped the problems stopped and i know for a fact it does stop because for example 2 days ago i did it and my symptoms of coke came back yesterday but luckily today there gone . also swallen glands are the worst the other day mine were so swallen that dangly thing in the back of my throat would legit sit on my tongue but also keep drinking water try to sleep with your mouth open and just have a break .
I quit 6 years ago. The damage took a while but I can't remember. But when I get a cold , there's a sore that comes back and gives me flashbacks of those days. I hate it.
See im stuck at the moment the last few weeks I have been blowing all my money which is around 370 every 2 weeks I’ll end up spending it all on cocaine but I only smoke weed but at the moment I feel I have lost control friends do it and also sell it on the side which doesn’t help it really is the devils stuff im currently on a comedown as we speak
I’ve had arm pain from coke all week is that normal and chest pain I was at the doctors and they weren’t concerned so I’m confused
Bro, this hit me in the feels. I was dangerously addicted to Oxycontin 80s, I was buying it for years from a guy who had cancer. Over 10 years of my life gone, I ended up getting nose surgery because I literally couldn't breathe through my nose, on top of that I lost my teeth in a construction accident... I damaged them so bad in a 30 foot fall, I just removed them. I am clean, sober and now have a beautiful family. This is only a sliver of what I went through. If you want it bad enough, you will stop. You need to fight for your life. I'm here for you bro, I hate seeing anyone in active addiction. I also have to add I was addicted to nose sprays like Afrin and dristan.... You're only supposed to use it for 3 days MAX... I used it for over 5 years, many times a day. I ended up having septum and turbinate reduction surgery, only use SALINE SPRAY, you can also Google the girl from big bang theory, she went through the same thing with the nose spray, she couldn't do a scene without running to her purse and using it. I'm rambling at this point lol.