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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by AMD on May 23, 2005, at 21:01:41
A few questions for the health experts out there:
Four days ago, and half a dozen times before, I went on a rather major cocaine bender, drinking lots of alcohol as well. At the time I was highly confused and blacked out -- I just remember doing non-sensical things such as mixing various pills of medication in different bottles, and trying to unplug and replug my roommate's TV.
I am in relatively good health otherwise, with a typical blood pressure reading of 120/70 and a heart rate that ranges between 60-80, depending on the level of stress in my life.
Given this, here was some questions:
+ My heart rate was high the days following my cocaine intoxication -- probably 120-140 beats/minute -- is this high enough to cause a stroke? What about a TIA?
+ If I had a stroke, would I know it? My eye is a bit droppy today (and I bit the inside of my mouth on the same side -- not sure it's related), and I'm worried this is neurological sequelae from the cocaine. Possible? Or would these effects be more-or-less immediate?
+ If I had a stroke or TIA, and there was damage, would my doctor be able to test via some type of brain scan?
+ How likely is it I had a stroke or other neurological symptom?
+ How likely is it I'll /have/ one in the coming days or weeks if I don't use cocaine again?
+ If I had a TIA, would these results be permanent?
Basically I'm freaking out my slightly droopy eye is related to something more serious. Well, it's not /that/ droopy, but I feel like the skin above my left eye is a little swollen and my eye feels a bit "slower" than usual. I just had this come on mid-day.
Now I'm freaking out I drank some contaminated water or something, because someone at the office has the same thing (only his eye is ridiculously swollen). Are there toxic substances that could cause such disturbances?
Would this indicate a major drop in my cognition as well?
Ugh!
Finally, does alcohol really act as a blood thinner at moderate doses?
And will time and exercise reverse any damage wrought to my cardiovascular system caused by the cocaine and drinking over the past three months?
Oh, one more question: would the past three months have been enough to induce liver damage? (I drank to excess maybe once or twice per week.) Or is this something that takes years? Am I freaked out I'll just see my skin start to turn yellow or something...
Thanks,
amd
This is the end of the thread.
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