TheDude0306

I have a heart murmer, was born with it, have had it my whole life.

I started smoking about 6 to 7 months ago. Everthing has been fine, but lately within the last month, when I smoke, my heart starts to hurt.

Its a pain in my chest, but it feels like my heart is sore.

I am 26 years old, only everweight by about 10lbs, but dont get much excersise.

Do you think I should stop smoking? I tried eating my weed instead, but still when the buzz kicks in my chest starts to hurt.

I normally fool around on the computer when I am stoned. I noticed that when I play high-action online games (Quake III) Half Life, I noticed that my chest even hurts more.

I am so depressed about this, I have another health problem that keeps me from doing lots of things in my life, When I found weed 7 months ago, I was so happy.

It makes me feel great, although I do get lots of paranoia, but I enjoy it, and laugh at it, one minute I am afraid the next minute I laugh it off.

It seems the heart pain is at it's worst with this last batch of weed I got. Its a lite green weed, stuck in a big FAT dry lump, looks nice, has a strong grass smell to it, almost like real GRASS not weed.

Could it be the weed? I also noticed the high I get from it is not that good, its a crappy dizzy high. I doubt it is laced with anything, a friend of mind who is a weed PRO, is smoking some from this last batch, and says it's fine.

Right now I know I should lay-off the computer games while stoned, even when not stoned, I tend to get into the games so much, they make me a bit high-strung and nervous, however playing them stoned is great, because some things look so funny, and you notice things in the game that you normally dont see. I also find that I play MUCH better, for instance taking sniper shots from so far away that under normal brain I could never make the shot when stoned, I can pick guys off from so far away, its amazing.

I also play on a 21' monitor so its nice to kill the lights, get deeply imeresed into the game, and exscape my normal everyday life, that really sucks because of my illness.

I should be on anti-depressents, for my LIFE LONG condition, but I have been holding out, because I dont want to be taking any more medication for my condition.

DO YOU THINK I SHOULD STOP SMOKING? MY ILLNESS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MY HEART OR HEART MURMER, BUT I DONT WANT TO END UP HAVING A HEART-ATTACK AT 26 YEARS OLD!

I plan on taking my chances and smoking this evening, for the last time.

Not happy

Greenman

Marijuana does cause elevated heart rate and can cause heart attacks in people with pre-existing medical condidtions. This is cause normally when someone who is sitting gets high and then stands up and the blood goes to the legs and causes a strain on the heart. For a normal person, even for someone with a heart murmer or other mild heart conditions this by itself is not life threatening. But when mixed with marijuana it can be.

The risks for suffering a heart attack stemming from marijuana useage decrease dramatically with the passage of time between when you last smoked and now, and decreases hourly. So it is not something that will kill ya when you are sober, driving down the road minding your own buisness.

This does not mean that you should nessicarily give up smoking weed, although if I were you I would forgo it for a little while and start doing some cardiovascular excersizes to strengthen the heard. People who do not get enough excersize have a predisposition to all kinds of heart problems, so the first step would be to do some excersize and get yourself into better shape.

If you do decide to continue to smoke, then make SURE you listen to what your body is telling you. Don't do anything drastic if your heart is already starting to bother you. I would also consider bringing it up the next time you are at your doctor. In your situation it would be wise to take the risk (albeit a very small one) and get a professional opinon on your condition and your habits. Ask for safe ways of strenghing your heart muscles and things to avoid doing.

I am glad you asked the question. It is good to see that you are in tune enough with your body to know when something is not right, and to seek help with that knowledge. I am not a Doctor, and I can only tell you what I have read from the various studies around. Definatly consult a professional on this one, and let us know what you come up with.

Peace

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SirSmokesAlot

I have experienced something similar to what you describe on several occassions, but it has always passed and never been something that happens frequently in a short period of time. The times I have experienced this my symptoms were like being seasick, having a racing heart, and feeling very very disoriented. I really felt like I needed to vomit but nothing would come up when I tried. This has only happened to me when I have inhaled large quantities in a short period of time(Usually a succession of large joints or blunts). This has lead me to believe that it is some sort of 'overdose'. Also supporting this is the fact that I have experienced these symptoms from pot that several other people smoked and did not experience the same effects, which leads me to believe that it was not in fact laced. I have also seen a few friends go through this same experience after smoking a large amount. It usually passes after 30 minutes or more and then you are left to enjoy your state. Maybe it is another of the Cannabinoids or some of the smoke byproducts that cause this? Who knows... If it happens to you every time you smoke, and it is anything like what I went through, I dont see how you COULD keep on smoking....

TheDude0306

I noticed that it seems to be at its worst when I smoke large amounts FAST..

Now I usually smoke a large amount over a extended period of time, but recently that has been hard to do.

Because I have to hide smoking, I usually go outside, smoke heavy amounts fast, then come back inside.

Maybe I should take it easy, and only smoke a little? Dunno, very upset.

It sucks when you really don't have any pleasure in your life, then you find one, and then relize you can't have that either.

What's the 3 biggest pleasures in LIFE?

(1) Sex, really cannot have this to often, its hard when you cannot have a social/dating life.

(2) Food, really have to watch what I eat, my digestive system is really messed up, and almost anything I eat makes me ill, simply because I cannot PASS it afterwards

(3) WEED! Now I have to be careful because of my heart murmer, ahh this sucks.

Hey I here so much about the different kinds of weed, maybe I need a good indica weed, which would cause a more downer effect? I don't like the speedy racey feeling I get from some weeds anyway, I enjoy the more out of STONED SPACEY feeling. Maybe that kind of weed would be better for me?

Slightly Stoopid

ALot of people also say that when they first smoke thier heart hurts, like a heart attack. And then other people say it is paranoia that does this to you.

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Slightly Stoopid
"Before you knock it, try it first. You will learn that it is a blessing and not a curse"
-Ben Harper

mrd

Freind you should have your will made out if you continue smoking or at least in the fashion that you curently are.

An alternative to smoking is to take some shake start with a half of a level teaspoon, add about the same amount of alchohol (like vodka or what ever floats your boat NOT RUBBING Alchohol Poison) stir let it sit for a minute then add a touch of olive oil or any oil stir again, heat for one minute 22 seconds (500w) microvave . let cool and eat it.

You will not get high for about one hour
but then you might get very high for a long time. (All the thc etc is coming through you have not destroyed any or exhaled it. So start very very moderately. Pare down the amounts or use less and work up to an amount that has the desired effect w/o the heat aspects. If this does not work Stop using the herb. I hate saying that but I have to. If you want to continue and risk it I suggest filling out an organ donar card since if you die t least some others will benefit.

Also you might try taking your pulse and seeing how much the above technique raises your pulse compared to normal.

Start walking now! You need the exercise the previous suggestion on that was good. The suggestion on you perhaps being only paranoid is way off base. Only because if they are wrong you die they do not.

By the way my wife has a heart murmer and had to forgo scuba and that was the advice from the worlds formost expert on that subject. You are not alone!
Good luck.