Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Disclosure:

The statements in this forum have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are generated by non-professional writers. Any products described are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Website Disclosure:

This forum contains general information about diet, health and nutrition. The information is not advice and is not a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional.

Anxiety, and returning to smoking again: Please read and respond

Discussion in 'Medical Marijuana Usage and Applications' started by Nick83, Dec 8, 2008.

Page 1 of 4
  1. #1 Nick83, Dec 8, 2008
    Hey everyone,

    Let me tell you my story:

    I first smoked weed at 14, one time, nothing happened.

    I then smoked weed at 15 years old. I smoked for 3 years, extremely heavily, with no physical problems. At around 18, I was smoking, and I had an anxiety attack. I was with a person, driving in a car, and I was paranoid about everything. I had also been drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes. My heart was bubbling, racing, and I began to freak out.

    After this incident, I tried to smoke a few weeks later, but the exact same thing happened, after only a few hits. Also, I believe it was the same weed that I smoked during the first incident.

    I don't know exactly what happened. I don't know if it was a combination of the caffiene, nicotine, weed (or bad weed) that caused it the first time. I don't know, but that was my first ever anxiety attack, and from then on, I have had anxiety issues. Always worrying about panic attacks and my heart rate. Being very aware of my heart etc.

    From then on, I didn't smoke anything for 2 years. Then, one summer, while drunk, my buddy pushed me into smoking a little bit. I figured, "ok, I need to try this and see if I can get over it." Well, I smoked, and didn't have any problems. Amazingly. I smoked soapbar hash, and a little homegrown weed. Nothing too strong. I don't remember much from it, but there were no problems.

    From then, I didn't smoke for 3 years I think. Then, I was in Iraq, and got a little bit of weak hash. I was smoking it for a couple of weeks, and had no problems whatsoever. I really enjoyed it too. I felt the magic again.


    Fast forward: I was still worried about my heart. My pulse rate would always be high, especially even when resting. I didn't know if it was anxiety, or a real heart condition or both. I was obsessed with it. I was a heavy cigarette smoker, a pack to 2 packs a day.

    I decided to finally get everything checked out. I went to an internal medicine doctor in the army (a real shitty one), and I did an EKG, an event monitor, a stress test, ultrasound etc. They found I have mild mitral valve regurgitation and an enlarged left atrium. (my heart valve leaks a little bit of blood).

    Anyway, I never got a great conclusion. The guy pretty much said to get it checked out every few years and take antibiotics before any surgery or dental work.

    I did the stress test better than anyone he had seen. I am not in the best shape, but I can fast walk forever, I can run with no problems, and I made it through 4 years in the Army as an Infantryman, and made it through Iraq (carrying 110+pounds of gear in 130 degree temperatures, running around etc).

    So, I don't know how my heart is or not. I am still worried about it.

    I take Inderal sometimes, which is a beta blocker, to slow my heart down. It is a good medication.

    Anyway, recently I have been wanting to get back into weed, so I got some.

    First, I got some soapbar hash. I got it because I never had a bad reaction, and I have smoked tons of it. Well, I had consumed a lot of alcohol that night, and I decided to smoke. Not long after, only a few hits, my heart started to beat. I started to panic, and I felt all warm etc. I had a terrible anxiety attack and it was very scary. My heart was really out of control.

    I thought maybe it was the alcohol combined that might have caused this, because alcohol can make my heart beat fast also. So, I smoked some of this stuff again, a few days later, and the same shit happened again. I was pacing frantically around my apartment, trying to stop the madness. But this time, I was having insane thoughts. I mean, like really schizophrenic thoughts. I felt insane. I have never felt like that before.

    So, I didn't really know what to think, but now I think it was the hash itself that caused this. I began reading about soap bar hash and how bad it is nowadays, especially in Germany, where I am at right now. So, I blame it on that, combined with my own mind messing with me.

    I was determined not to give up. I finally found some good smoke over here. Last week, I got a gram of homegrown, high quality stuff. Very crystally, with a bit of red hairs. I am trying to find out if it is an indica or sativa, but i think it might be an Indica, which is what I want. I just found out about the different strains. Believe it or not, when i was a heavy smoker, I smoked anything and everything and enjoyed it all. Never cared.

    I smoked one hit of this stuff as a test. The reaction was interesting. I felt a little stoned. Everything felt alright. Then, my mind started fucking with me, and making me kind of panic, and pay attention to my heart rate. But then I had some inner dialogue: I calmed myself down and told me that my mind was fucking with me, and I need to control this. I was able to dustract myself, and after that, 2 hours went by, and no anxiety attack or anything.

    See, my plan was to smoke a hit here, and then there, then increase to two hits and so on, in order to adjust to smoking again, and to re train myself, and try to get rid of this crazy wiring my brain went through during the first anxiety attack I had.

    Later that day, I smoked another hit, a small one, and everything was alright.

    The next day, I smoked one hit, and the same thing: I felt relaxed. I still had occasional thoughts about anxiety creeeping in my mind, but I pushed them away, and luckily, it worked.

    So here I am, and this is my story. I want to be a smoker again. I have some medical issues after going to war, and I know smoking can help me. I also used to enjoy it very much and would like to enjoy it again without all this anxiety.

    I hope people read this, and I hope people answer me, because I need all the advice and help I can get.

    I have a lot of specific questions too, and I'll list some here:

    Does anyone know any intereactions between beta blockers and weed? What about Ativan and weed?

    I read about Long QT Syndrome here, and it kind of freaked me out. For anyone that knows about it, from the tests I have had, and the stuff I have done, would that have been detected already or would I have had a problem from it if I did indeed have it. (there's my anxiety, starting to make me into a hypochondriac).

    What are the best strains of weed for someone with my issues? I need stuff that raises the heart rate very little, or not at all. And if there is another medication that can combat that, please tell me.

    I combined it with Inderal furing my bad experiences, and I am not sure if that made the experiences better or worse.

    I think this is all for right now. I will probably copy and past this in other forums here so people can see it and help me. Thanks everyone.
     
  2. #2 mrpeepers774, Dec 9, 2008
    I think that most of the time when you had your attacks you just had too many different drugs affecting you at one time, you know? If you have a damaged heart, I would think every little thing can contribute to an attack, not just one in particular. Hash is probably too potent for you also. As for the type of strain to smoke, what makes you feel the best? It sounded like you react to indicas well. I would say any indica or possibly a hybrid?
     
  3. #3 CHR0N1C, Dec 9, 2008
    inderal is a HORRIBLE drug. if you miss a dose your anxiety will go off the roof. i would definitely ween off of it slowly and get it out of your system.
     
  4. #4 cash'dout, Dec 9, 2008
    nick83, the exact thing happened to me. for years i was fine, now i can't smoke bcuz of major anxiety. my heart races about 160 or so for a couple of hours. extremely dangerous. i just ordered some ahia hybrid legal and i'm gonna give it a try. anyone know about this stuff??:smoke:
     
  5. #5 1HitWonder, Dec 9, 2008
    I would have to say the cigarettes are starting to take a tole on your body, As for your first anxiety attack. Mixing all those chemicals probaly wasn't a good idea.

    But i'm no doctor so I really cant diagnose you. Lol
     
  6. #6 weedidas, Dec 9, 2008
    Hey man, I know exactly what you are going through. I pretty much have gone through everything you have listed except the army bit. I also have MVP, and anxiety issues. I'll PM you.
     
  7. #7 Reflection Eternal, Dec 9, 2008
    Well it's like an inherent characteristic of most pot to cause tachycardia, I'm not sure what you could do about it if that aspect alone is causing you to have panic attacks. The vast majority of the time I've smoked pot, no matter the strain, my heartrate would skyrocket, even if temporarily after taking huge hits, the kind that make your head thump.
     
  8. #8 weedidas, Dec 9, 2008
    Indica strains that are lower in THC are your best for not having as much of an increased heart rate and anxiety. Indicas have been known to help with anxiety but the depends what your anxiety is about.

    You better stop smoking cigarettes! They are very bad for heart conditions, MVP isn't a very serious one since almost 1/3 of people have it, but it doesnt effect a person noticably all the time. But since you're is regurgitating a little, the heart is compensating for it. Weed should be fine for you, I have exactly what you do, and more, and two of my heart specialists have said weed (in moderation) is fine. But not ciggerettes.

    Weed increases heartrate, its not unhealthy, if anything it might be good since it is excersizing the heart, wich is a muscle, and excersize keeps muscles strong.

    Unles your heartrate is about 160 for a while, then you shouldn't worry about it. Go for a good sprint, get your heartrate up to it's maximal. Try jogging for about a half hour. If you are fine for that, then you should be fine with weed.

    I have MVP with minor regurge, and aorta regurgitation with an enlargment of the left side of my heart. The MVP can also be something called MVP syndrome, which is nothing to do with the heart, and I think I have it as well. It makes be very sensitive to drugs, literaly, one or two hits gets me high, 2 beers get me drunk.

    With me, i had a panic attack on weed, then again off weed. Both where very disturbing and since then, I have had general anxiety, and even just smelling weed makes me agitated... I hope I can get over this to. I used to looove weed. Good luck and feel free to ask any Q you want.
     
  9. #9 Nick83, Dec 9, 2008
    I just read all your posts. Our story is really similar, which makes me feel a little better.

    I quit smoking cigarettes almost a year ago, but I still dip tobacco, however I use a product called snus, which is from sweden, and is a much safer form of tobacco.


    See, what I am thinking is if that if I can get my heart rate very high through exercise, and be ok, then I should be able to smoke without fearing something bad happening. I am still trying to determine how much of it is in my head and exactly how much of it is on my mind.

    I know my mind is messing me up. It's in my head, and I wish I knew a way to erase it.

    I don't have Mitral valve prolapse. I just have mitral valve regurgitation, which is a little different, but they are still similar. I think MVP is more common.

    I am trying to find out if there is a medication that can prevent the high heart rate. I have a prescription for Inderal, a beta blocker, and I found one study done in the 1970's where they used it to prevent tachacardia for people smoking weed. But, I haven't been able to find ANY more information about it.

    Also, I took Inderal as a response to my first panic attack I had recently from the soapbar hash I smoked, along with Ativan. In about one hour, my symptoms went away, but I don't know what was responsible for it more: The Inderal or the Ativan.

    The next time I smoked, I predosed with Inderal. In fact, I predosed with Inderal before each of my bad reactions on my return to smoking, and so I don't know what to do. Is the Inderal making it worse for some reason, or is the Inderal helping me and it would have been worse without it. Or, maybe I wasn't taking enough to have an effect. A 10mg dose, which is the lowest dose you can take (people take 80mg many times a day sometimes etc!), is all I took. It normally makes my heart beat slower and weaker, but when I had my bad reactions, it didn't seem to work. Maybe my bad reaction overpowered this small dose, but I am afraid of taking a bigger dose because I don't want too many drugs in my system.

    Also, because it lowers blood pressure and all that, I don't know if it is the best thing to combine with weed. But, Inderal is a very safe drug, it's been researched and it's been around for awhile, and they use to to treat fast heart rate for a lot of things like stimulant overdose etc. So, I don't know what to think.

    I just want to smoke again. When I was younger, I would smoke as much as I wanted to, extreme amounts, and was totally fine. I had that first panic attack, and then it seems like I am totally scarred. I don't know if therapy can help this or something. I know there must be a solution to this though.
     
  10. #10 pnoygangsta, Dec 9, 2008
    sounds just like my story!But im doing what you are and its working, little bits at a time and Im not anxious anymore!
     
  11. #11 cash'dout, Dec 9, 2008

    Our stories are very similar. I have since been on Lexapro 30 mg a day, and it has worked wonders for anxiety and tachycardia. I have also have valium on standby for extreme situations. I have not smoked weed since going on lexapro a year ago, but lexapro changed my life. It takes several weeks to work, but if you have anxiety attacks without mj, then you have an anxiety problem. your heart condition is always in the back of your mind, and your mind is your anxiety regulator. You're fighting your mind with your mind, which is inherently the problem. I am going to change my philosophy. Mj increases blood flow to the brain, indicated by the widened capillaries in the eyes. This is not a bad thing. More blood flow to the brain is far better than restricted flow. To accomodate this flow, your heart works a little harder. Your problem is that you are placing to much emphasis on your heart rate. If u are like me, you are probably checking your pulse soon after smoking. If you notice an elevated pulse, you become worried, only increasing the anxiety in your mind, which triggers an even faster pulse. It's a vicious cycle. You have to try and visuallize an elevated heartbeat as a good thing, and stop paying so much attention to your pulse. I know this is much easier said than done. But that's what I'm going to try. I'm also gonna start a little at a time. Not great big bong rips, but just small tokes on a pipe, and work my way up.
    I am in no way a medical professional, but lexapro changed my life. Maybe it could help you. I'm not looking to get retarded stoned anymore, but just that relaxing feeking of mj that I miss so much. Consulting a health professional is not a bad idea, after all everything is confidential. However, they may be reluctant to script medications that you need if you admit to mj. Good luck. This is not an uncommon problem, and can come from prolonged use of mj in some people. It is all in your mind. Learn to control your mind with true meditation. It is very hard to acheive, but with practice it can be done. Good luck, and keep us posted. :smoke:
     
  12. #12 lukaso, Dec 9, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 9, 2008
    Wow, im glad I came across this thread, as what happened to you also happened to me. All it took was for one panic attack and then everytime I smoked, the same reaction occurred. Its good to know there are others out there who also have experienced it (most of my friends think im crazy lol).

    One thing I can add though that might help, is something that I read on another board.
    Hold your breath briefly and strain like you're about to cough hard or taking a dump. (No need to cough or poop. Just make the straining movement with your abdomen.) Then release the strain and breathe in and out slowly and deeply. Inhale for a 7 to 10 second count through your nose. Exhale for a 7 to 10 second count through your mouth. Repeat that in-out breathing 20 times. It may be hard at first, but concentrate on that slow breathing. Then strain again and repeat the breathing cycle.

    Now im not actually sure what the body clenching thing does, but I heard that it is some sort of reflex that releases a chemical which slows down the heart. I have tried the above 'exercise' when I was having an attack and it did help a bit (heart rate went from 150 to 100 after about 5 minutes of doing it).

    I also would like to get back into smoking weed (miss it but still panic every time), so if any others have some more advice thatd be great.
    Goodluck nick83 :)
     
  13. #13 pnoygangsta, Dec 9, 2008
    I know, I know, everybody says it but its alllll in mentality, try telling yourself that your heart beating fast is a good thing because its exercising your heart, develop an attitude of acceptence like, when your heart beats fast dont think OH NO! think oh well, I accept that go ahead heart beat all you want, it wont kill me, but it'll make me stronger.Try smoking little incy bits and gradually smoke more, that'll take away your fear of weed because you wont smoke enough to really feel the effects, but still, you can tell yourself I smoked weed last time and everything was fine! Gradually smoke more as the days go by, just a tiny tiny bit every day or every other day, and increase it. When you do start really smoking again, smoke with your friends, smoking alone can trigger anxious thoughts cause you have no one to talk to and your mind just starts wandering

    hope this helps
    peace out
     
  14. #14 floating_by, Dec 9, 2008
    Seems like you have a bunch of chemicals in your body at any one time. How are you ever going to get a "baseline" and find out which things are causing what problems? Heart conditions and smoking cigarettes don't mix. Alcohol and prescription drugs aren't a good mix. I'd try to take a "less is more" approach and try to be healthier in general.
     
  15. #15 Nick83, Dec 11, 2008
    Well, since I got this new weed, which is pure homegrown as far as I can tell, I haven't used anything else, and everything was ok.


    But I only took one hit, and I still had to reassure myself, and fight away some of the anxious thoughts.

    There is some good advice in this thread, and I am happy to see other people have the same problem as me, and are working through it.
     
  16. #16 uncleho, Dec 11, 2008
    Ok Dude,
    I joined this forum to talk a little about vietnamese strains,
    But i gotta answer this question, I had Horrible panic attacks for years, some on Bud and afterwards lingering anxiety, Especially the worry about your heart etc,
    Switchin it off is very simple, get a product by a guy named Barry. "The one move technique"
    The Funny thing is when you actually learn to switch off this anxiety, you don't think about the anxiety! a small part off your brain controls your anxiety level, only when you "switch" that off will Anxiety go away, and smoking will no longer be a trigger for anxiety,Most of the time you are worried about having another anxiety attack Right? By eliminating that dread conversely you stop having them.(high or not)
    I smoke Soaring sativas with no problem whatsoever,A decade ago this would have been impossible.I even left home and spent 12 years and counting going all over the thrid world with no anxiety in some places that would freak any normal person out,

    Grow your own if you can
    Read Dr. Lester grinspoons' books as well as check out his site on the internet,
     
  17. #17 HydroGanic, Dec 11, 2008
    [/quote]

    I'm probably telling you something you already know but, anxiety is best controlled through your own awareness of its existence.

    Of course, when you can actually SEE the keys in your hand as you lock the door and you're AWARE of your anxiety of being locked out, even having the 'KEY' in your hand isn't enough to put the anxiety away. Your awareness merely helps you keep yourself under control for the moment.

    Without that awareness your anxiety can spiral out of control. It feeds itself.



    Your brain has two VERY active subconcious parts, at it's most basic of functions.
    You can call these two functions the Thinker and the Prover.

    Your brain is extrEMEly powerful and whatever your Thinker thinks..... Your Prover is going to prove.

    So whatever you believe life is or is not about and whatever you believe your health to be or not, the prover of your mind will ensure that you see things as you believe.

    Now..... I can tell you there are definitely HUGE differences in the types of smoke out there and you definitely need to avoid the ones that make your heart race.

    Don't worry :) There are plenty of strains you'll find that you'll get along with just fine. :)

    Listen to the advice from the others that have had the same heart racing condition. They'll have the information you're looking for. Welcome back :)
     
  18. #18 weedidas, Dec 11, 2008
    Anxiety is caused by a part of the brain called the amygdala. It's the fear responce that triggers the flight or flight reaction. Sometimes your amygdala gets programmed to be overreactive or fear things that 'shouldnt be feared'. That's what's hapening with a lot of us with anxiety, our amygdala is programmed to fear getting high or fear having a panic attack so it associates getting high with having a panic attack, making it an subconcious reaction to it. Talking yourself cant usualy fully remove anxiety, just cope with it, if your amygdala is heavily programmed, you have only un-program it somehow.
     
  19. #19 pnoygangsta, Dec 12, 2008
    Man I already had this book! I was using it when I was younger for my panic attacks, they would hit me often but the "one move technique" really worked for me. I didnt know that it could be used while smoking though! Thanks for the info
     
  20. #20 weedidas, Dec 12, 2008
    What is the one move technique how do you do it? Is it where you let your panic build up as much as possible and let it over come you with fear so you later realize that it can't hurt you?
     
Page 1 of 4

Share This Page