Strange cardiac arrest/seizure after combining alcohol and marijuana

Posted , 4 users are following.

Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum and I want to post this on not only a health forum, but a drug forum as well, as it involves the use of drugs. What happened to me was terrifying and I don't even know what to call it. I hope someone can shed some insight as to what exactly may have caused this and it seems difficult to pinpoint because I have used many drugs over the past few years.

This section is just going to be some background info on me, you can skip it if you want and go straight to my explanation of the incident. I am 17 years old and have no history of epilepsy or anything like that, no clinically diagnosed mental disorders. As far as my substance use/abuse history, I've smoked cigarettes for 2 years, used marijuana daily for about 2 and a half years, and I've been an alcoholic for a little under a year. Other drugs I have done I consider to be irrelevant, because those are the only 3 drugs I have used daily.

However one thing that may be worth noting, which I am not particularly proud to share, is about 2 weeks ago, a few friends and I were offered some "MDMA" from someone and they decided to buy some and try some. I have done it before and almost always with any drug I use (other than mj and alcohol) I use a reagent kit to test and make sure what I'm putting into my body is what I expect it to be and not some random research chemical, and is safe. I felt reluctant taking a drug that I haven't tested and this time, I ignored my intuition and partook in taking this stuff with them. Well, turns out it wasn't MDMA at all, it was a very high dose of Methamphetamine, or some type of amphetamine, pressed into a pill. I know so because amphetamines are the only drug I know of to have such a long duration. The experience was awful and at one point I was fully convinced I was having a heart attack, other than that I'd rather not talk about it, but after that every time I smoke marijuana I get extremely anxious and I just do not enjoy it anymore. I read somewhere that methamphetamine has the potential to alter the function of the CB1 receptors in the brain, so maybe that's why.

ANYWAY, here's what happened. Exactly 5 days and 20 hours ago, I was at home winding down doing my usual routine of drinking and smoking cannabis until i fell asleep(even though I hated it, my body was just dependent on it) it was 2am and I had been out partying with friends all day, lots of alcohol and cannabis was involved. I thought everything was okay as I went to play some music on my stereo, then proceeded to take another hit of weed. I went to my kitchen to get some food or something then realized my heart was beating unbelievably fast and I could feel it all over my body. I wouldn't at all be surprised if my heart rate had exceeded 200bpm. That obviously freaked me out but I remained calm, went into my bedroom and sat on my couch, trying to calm down. Still checking my pulse, I witnessed my heart rapidly slowing down, and I'm 90% sure it completely stopped for a minute. While this was happening I felt a tension in my chest, and an odd numbing sensation in my left arm and my muscles felt weak. (This could also in part be attributed to the effects of the cannabis and alcohol, my memory of it is a bit fuzzy, but probably not) After that I felt the feeling you get when your brain is being deprived of oxygen and I reached for the phone and dialed 911. That's the last thing I remember. I woke up laying on the floor not knowing what happened and heard faint voices on the phone and remembered that I had passed out and called 911. I slowly regained mental clarity and picked up the phone and told the dispatcher what happened and they sent 8 cops to my house and 1 paramedic who didn't check my vitals but instead lectured me on the "dangers of marijuana". After that I swore off alcohol and cannabis, and that was my last drink. 

The next day I was having some pretty bad tremors and withdrawals and had to go to a therapist appt. I told her what happened and she said I needed to go to the hospital immediately not only for detox and alcohol withdrawal treatment but to check on my heart. I went straight from that appointment to the hospital where they checked blood pressure gave me IV saline and lorazepam, did blood work and did an EKG test which evidently was okay but they didnt say anything about it. They prescribed me Librium and here I am 5 days 20 hours sober going thru withdrawals still but I guess my main question here is WHAT HAPPENED TO ME AND WHY???! I plan on seeing a cardiologist to make sure I don't have some sort of heart disease. It could have also been a seizure for all I know, but I was alone when it happened so I'm really not sure.

Again if anyone has any clue what this may have been please I just want to know that I'm okay. Thanks!

1 like, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    I don't think you're OK. You need treatment for your drug abuse as soon as possible. 

    • Posted

      Thank you for your reply, as of now I am fully abstaining from all drugs, and have never consciously done any drug that is physically harmful. I did get treatment and alcohol withdrawal medication and am currently in detox and dont plan on drinking ever again, I wouldn't wish alcohol addiction on my worst enemy. My only concern now comes from the whole heart thing.

  • Posted

    Wow what a great health forum. My heart stopped and and restarted by itself while I was drunk and high, chances of that happening and surviving it is like 10% and I'm scared I have a heart disease and am going to DIE you would think someone would at least chime in and reassure me or be honest and tell me to see a cardiologist or something.. Thanks for nothing guys. First the stupid paramedic and cops with no regard for my life thinking its more important to lecture me about weed then the people at the hospital ignoring everything that happened and just gave me benzos I just want to know that I'm okay but of course nobody cares. I'm really p****d off and want answers NOW. AM I GOING TO DIE OR NOT NO WEBSITE IS HELPFUL SO FAR NO DOCTOR NO FRIENDS NO PARENTS NO PARAMEDICS why is absolutely NOBODY HELPFUL. Good lord not coming back here

  • Posted

    All people on here are going to do is dismiss me as a dirty f*****g junkie who doesn't matter and move on. I have nobody😡

  • Posted

    That had to be frightening. I don't know too much about weed, but never heard of booze causing that. I'm a strong believer in not "quitting" drinking/smoking, but rather learning "how" to drink/smoke. In other words, if you enjoy it, learn about moderation.

    If you do not enjoy it, I'm in full support of your quitting. If they found something on the EKG, they would have insisted you follow up with a cardiologist. Perhaps they are thinking that the drugs/alcohol caused this. I would ask for your medical records at least (you have a right to them). Reveiw them with your doc and decide if you should see a specialist. Good luck with your health; hope you are okay.

  • Posted

    dude you took an unknown amount of an unknown drug! you were basically asking for it. dont pretend like cannabis had anything to do with this, if anything it was the only thing helping you. it seems like it was alcohol withdrawal plain and simple, with the addition of meth or some other terrible phenethylamine. but for real, thinking weed had anything to do with it is foolish, unless it generally makes you anxious then i wouldn't use thc just cbd.

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