Health - Snort ritalin...relative harm to nasal membrane?

[mango]

Swim has been snorting ritalin and wonders if anyone has an idea how damaging it is to the nasal membrane compared to, for example, Cola.

He has 5MG immediate releaqse pills which is worse then 10 or higher doses, because he is taking in more additives that are mixed to create the pill.

Others mention "tickle feeling" in throat after snorting. Swim notices this and wonder if it's really soreness from the additives that make up 95% of a Ritalin pill-- some which are said to be quite damaging to the nasal membrane.

Swim also uses a lot of saline solution to "clear" his nasal passages after a session. He wonders if this really does this much good for maintaining health of nasal area.

Separate question. those that have tried a small amount via the nose (for example, 20MG) and done so 4-6 hours before sleeping, do they find that they are "burnt-out" at all the next day? Swim takes a benzo to sleep and does feel spaced out the next day. Wonders if bad sleep causes it or the actual rebound from what the drug did (like a hang-over). Swim always eats and drinks water...so that wouldn't be a problem.

[blipblop]

This fascinates me as well. The character in my fictional book who snorts ritalin has never noticed any bleeding/pain/anything else in the nose area, but hopes that this isn't going to come back and bite her on the butt (or on the nose:P) later on in life...
Is there a way SWIY can get higher potency pills to avoid filler? If SWIY was obtaining meds from a doctor, he could maybe go in and complain that when he gets colds or tonsilitis it is hard to swallow tablets. Perhaps even trying something like "It's really hard taking 4 tablets a day, is there a way I could just take two stronger ones per day? Or should I just crush them into my food?" could probably get a response of "OMG, no, don't crush them, we can prescribe 10mg tablets no prob". If SWIY isn't getting these from a doctor, maybe let the person donating their meds that stronger dosages would be much more valuable to SWIY?
I guess nasal damage is going to depend on the brand of the pills as well, some might use different fillers etc, or have coatings or something.
The best way is to probably just do one's best at crushing the pills into powder as finely as possible.
As for saline solution, be careful to not overdo it, salt can dry and irritate delicate skin if over used...
The best bet is to probably take long breaks from ritalin, a week or two to let SWIY's nose heal up and to try to avoid building up a tolerance.



This fictional character has never noticed the burnt out feeling the next day, possibly SWIY is right in thinking it's the bad sleep, or maybe SWIY is slightly 'hungover' from the benzo? I have no idea about benzos so I dunno if they have that effect.

[mango]

Originally Posted by blipblop

This fascinates me as well. The character in my fictional book who snorts ritalin has never noticed any bleeding/pain/anything else in the nose area, but hopes that this isn't going to come back and bite her on the butt (or on the nose:P) later on in life...
Is there a way SWIY can get higher potency pills to avoid filler? If SWIY was obtaining meds from a doctor, he could maybe go in and complain that when he gets colds or tonsilitis it is hard to swallow tablets. Perhaps even trying something like "It's really hard taking 4 tablets a day, is there a way I could just take two stronger ones per day? Or should I just crush them into my food?" could probably get a response of "OMG, no, don't crush them, we can prescribe 10mg tablets no prob". If SWIY isn't getting these from a doctor, maybe let the person donating their meds that stronger dosages would be much more valuable to SWIY?
I guess nasal damage is going to depend on the brand of the pills as well, some might use different fillers etc, or have coatings or something.
The best way is to probably just do one's best at crushing the pills into powder as finely as possible.
As for saline solution, be careful to not overdo it, salt can dry and irritate delicate skin if over used...
The best bet is to probably take long breaks from ritalin, a week or two to let SWIY's nose heal up and to try to avoid building up a tolerance.



This fictional character has never noticed the burnt out feeling the next day, possibly SWIY is right in thinking it's the bad sleep, or maybe SWIY is slightly 'hungover' from the benzo? I have no idea about benzos so I dunno if they have that effect.

Thanks for SWIYs thoughts about saline being bad for the nose. SWIM never heard that. Do others concur? Perhaps better would be distilled water?

As for a doc, for SWIM it all sounds suspicious if he says much. As it is he said no to time release because it costs more (not generic) which sounds suspicious. The point of the non-time release is you take them every now and then. Only reason to up amount of pill is if you claim you need a higher dose, but SWIM also takes a SRI MED and thinks the doc is keeping the Ritalin dose low because when combined it should be low? Also swim is in his early 40s, maybe that also means lower dose? He only get's 10MG a day, 5MG tabs.

Don't mention anything about crusing..to your fake friend. Suspicious!

[blipblop]

The following is a personal anecdote, it'll be in first-person, but there is no mention of anything illegal, so it isn't self incriminating.

It's funny, I was put on ritalin by my psychiatrist a while back, I had to take four pills to get my full dose. I actually got tonsilitis and found taking the pills a hassle. Back then I had never even heard of people using ritalin in non-prescribed ways, so I didn't even think I would sound suspicious, I just innocently asked my doctor one day if I could crush them into food to avoid having to swallow so many painful tablets!:P Immediately I just got told to switch to 2 stronger tablets instead of 4 weaker ones, this is what gave me the idea...

[Nautical_Island]

"Swim has been snorting ritalin and wonders if anyone has an idea how damaging it is to the nasal membrane compared to, for example, Cola.

He has 5MG immediate releaqse pills which is worse then 10 or higher doses, because he is taking in more additives that are mixed to create the pill.

Others mention "tickle feeling" in throat after snorting. Swim notices this and wonder if it's really soreness from the additives that make up 95% of a Ritalin pill-- some which are said to be quite damaging to the nasal membrane.

Swim also uses a lot of saline solution to "clear" his nasal passages after a session. He wonders if this really does this much good for maintaining health of nasal area.

Separate question. those that have tried a small amount via the nose (for example, 20MG) and done so 4-6 hours before sleeping, do they find that they are "burnt-out" at all the next day? Swim takes a benzo to sleep and does feel spaced out the next day. Wonders if bad sleep causes it or the actual rebound from what the drug did (like a hang-over). Swim always eats and drinks water...so that wouldn't be a problem."
------------------------

Hello, I've been registered here but that was years ago. I went through alot to re-reg (O.o they made it take way longer) so what I want to say is that I really wanted to say this.

I knew a wise old man once,

He was a regular ritalin user, all the forms.

We were chating once a few years ago and we began to talking about ritalin and the nose-route.This is what he told me:

"I used to sniff ritalin everday, usually at least once in the morning, for 2 years. I tried XR and IR, it's was fun, I just enjoyed the burn and it really helped me concentrate. Little did I know how much damage it would cause me.

I started with 20 or 30 mg XR for about 6 months, 1 every morning then for the last year and a half I was doing 30-40 IR everymorning. Here is the problem, young man. Niether XR nor IR is okay to sniff. Here's how it starts off, it dries your throat, burns and tastes nasty but once you keep doing it you WILL get regular nosebleeds, even just from sneezing, the back of your nasal passage will feel dry and itchy ALL THE TIME, even when you don't partake of the powder for days/years. Oh, and I must not forget to add that you will lose your sense of smell, the only thing you will smell is day-old piss in the toilet and gasoline. I felt like, while I was sniffing, that I had a constant infection and pain all over my nasal passages. It was very painful.

Over all even after not sniffing anything for 2 years now I still have little to no smell, my nasal passages still get very dry and 'cracked' every now and then and I have to be careful if I sit in front of a fan or AC for too long. I no longer have frequent nose-bleeds but that really doesn't matter. I still feel that the walls of my nose and septum are much thinner than they should be.

So my message to you is this, if you must sniff powder, do so infrequently, IT WILL CATCH UP WITH YOU. But really you shouldn't, there are other ways. And I am still unsure if my problems are permanent, but hopefully they will go away. Remember it's been 2 years "

I never saw the guy again but from even from the moment he said his first word to me I knew that he was a good man. Hopefully he's safe and hopefully his story that I have reiterated to you will help you.

[HorseBucket]

SWIM snorted hefty amounts (100-200mg) daily for a couple of months and the worst he ever got was a nose bleed or two and some ear aches and eye aches. Actually SWIM should add he also got inflamed lungs (asthma) and sore throats when he didn't powderise the stuff finely enough. No noticeable damage to the nasal cavity though.

[donkeygospel]

a martian told (in a galaxy far far way) about how he snorted crushed focalin xr every day for 6 months and only twice got a nose bleed. like swyi, said martian was curious as to whether the lack of nosebleeds implied lack of nasal damage, etc...

[allyourbase]

SWIM says ritalin burns for a long time, which probably means it causes quite a bit of damage. SWIM advises using this administration sparingly, as one can also quickly lose track of the dose ingested when dealing with a powder versus a pill.

[amsterdamage]

SWIM wouldn't be surprised if Ritalin was particularly harmful - SWIM has had no problems with cocaine but the other day SWIM railed 20mg and 10mins later could not breathe without sneezing, followed swiftly by the most intense and unabating runny nose SWIM has ever experienced which lasted for around 8 hours. SWIM had to hold a tissue to her nose the entire time!

But since this has only happened once SWIM wonders if it was something else that caused nasal irritation, especially since in the process of pill-crushing and snorting off something it might be easy to snort a few dust particles with it; or just some pieces that weren't crushed properly.

[wespawloski]

SWIM has snorted ritalin many times... it has always tasted and felt alot like cocaine. He experienced little difference between the two. Neither did his nostrils, pretty mild.

[Zgill1990]

Well this is my first post.
SWIM has a friend who is prescribed 60 focalin xr 20mg a month which are given to SWIM. Swim has been taking them orally for well over a year but a couple of months ago he decided to start snorting them and he has no problems with nose bleeds. SWIM does think its remarkably similar to coke and for some reason when Swim snorts focalin my supply lasts twice as long.

does anyone else agree ?

[rizla1]

well swims friend recently stop sniffing his ritilian he was sniffing his 6 a day for quite sum time. swim met him 2 weeks ago 11 am in his local alone, wired sippin a pint with saturday dinner. he was with swim and his otr friend the hole day . his nose bleed 2-3 times spat up blood and spat a big black lump out[ probably blood and ?] he is no longer snorting them just eats them.

[quote]
SWIM does think its remarkably similar to coke and for some reason when Swim snorts focalin my supply lasts twice as long.

swim dnt knoww about that maybe a little. it lasts alot longer but alot of pill filler is snortd wich isnt gud.
swims advise to any 1 worried abot rittilin etc it can easly be extracted with a water extraction.

[mango]

Bottom line is that it has fillers in it that are corrosive. But then so does coke. Anyone out their no the chemicals found in both and how they compare?

[Sniperelit3]

Swim has been sniffing ritalin for about 6 or 7 years now and Swims Nasal Cavity bone is nearly completly disintergrated...if anyone was to sniff ritalin do it in mild streches no more then 4 or 5 days long then a week or so of resting the old nostral and remember to switch it up

[Coconut]

To reduce the risk of damage to the nasal membranes or cavity itself, it may be prudent to attempt an extraction before insufflating.

[mango]

It's very risky business. swim binged on most of his prescription and now has nothing for the rest of the month. He as up 24 hours no problem. Swim can't have the bottle around the home-- just like coke-- or he'll keep going at it.

Swim thinks the long term snorting use (over 2 times a week for over 3 months) is the problem, just like Coke.

What swim does is keep the prescription at work. He doesn't like nasal snorting there. Then he can monitor taking home 15mg to use around dinner to snort. but he will need the discipline to only do this a couple times a week.

Swim likes this activity for increased sex drive, thus no use at work. It's a prescription, so it's not like having a stash of coke at work. He's been addicted to coke 8 years ago, and if this starts becoming a problem he's going to flat out tell his doc to cut of the prescription.

[takeyourmeds]

BAD JUJU!

SWIM has been snorting ritalin 5mg tabs x 60 pills & 20mg ERs x 30 pills each month for atleast a year and a half now. All pills are usually inhaled within a 7 - 14 day period then off for 2 - 3 weeks, averaging about 100mg a day.

SWIM has noticed SIGNIFICANT damage to nose. It seemed to all come on rather quickly, going unnoticed for a long time, but now UNDENIABLE. SWIM is also one to take care of the nose; rinsing, carefully pulling out "binder buildup" and avoiding usage if any bleeding. SWIM does not have nor pick scabs, but pays attention to what is happening in there. SWIM wishes she could recall how it looked when healthy, before starting this VERY ADDICTIVE monthly regime. Anyhow, back to the facts.

Not alot of nose bleeds, but the "skin" around the bone has gotten VERY thin and inner nostril opening has definetely increased in size. SWIM can't even see the inner flesh on most frequently utilized side and the other constantly swells closed. The ER's are definetely more damaging and may cause burning vs. 5mgs which usually numb the nose similiar to cocaine.
Often sneezing fits will occur with MAJOR DRAINAGE! SWIM attempts to lean over the mirror to cut another line and finds an outpouring of thin clear liquid running from nose like a faucet. SWIM must lay flat on her back to keep the "drainage fountain" from behaving like a waterfall.

SWIM has also noticed a direct connection between pain, runny nose & sneezing fits occuring directly after smoking pot. Medical reasoning for that? (Possible new thread topic?) SWIM has no clue, but definite correlation has been documented by SWIM.

The ERs will eventually dry out the nose on the outside also, giving you the chapping, flakyness & redness like a SERIOUS cold might. SWIM has also observed what appears to be the drug "burrowing" small grains of itself into & around the nostril almost appearing like blackheads. VERY RARE to ever see blood though, unless racked by the straw!

SWIM knows her nose looks bare and wore down inside, no longer mucousy & fleshy. SWIM believes the worst damage was caused by the white 20mg ERs that are stamped w/ an M in a square and consist of "unpowderable" hard white balls. DO NOT SNORT THIS STUFF! You will be pulling massive amounts of thick sticky gel, still containing many of the "balls" out of your nasal cavity. SWIM felt as if they were burning holes right through the flesh, cartlidge, bone, whatever!

In another instance of SWIM attempting to snort these white balls, SWIM believes one (or more, who knows?) was clogged in the sinus for WEEKS causing intense pain & pressure. SWIM can also feel particles exiting the nasal cavity through the tear ducts. SWIM now has a sty on her eye and worries about damage to the eyes and vision.

In comparison to non-script drugs, SWIM was a daily methemphetamine user approx 10 years ago, snorting crank often, and then consistently (daily if available) for 3 years and NEVER suffered any significant or noticeable damage to the nose/nasal cavity. Certainly nothing like this. SWIM has also used cocaine off and on in the past & has never seen anything like the HAVOC Ritalin has caused.

If you can manage, SWIM's suggestion is simply "DON'T GO THERE." YOU CAN'T MISS WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW! SWIM was not a serious drug user for nearly 10 yrs, besides the occasional oral pain killers, when another SWIM introduced her to crushing & snorting scripts. SWIM didn't even like her Ritalin & barely took it orally before discovering nasal ingestion of the "SPEED BY SCRIPT."

That's all. Thanks.

[nocoleah]

This is in response to the second part of the very first post ("Separate question. those that have tried a small amount via the nose (for example, 20MG) and done so 4-6 hours before sleeping, do they find that they are "burnt-out" at all the next day? Swim takes a benzo to sleep and does feel spaced out the next day. Wonders if bad sleep causes it or the actual rebound from what the drug did (like a hang-over). Swim always eats and drinks water...so that wouldn't be a problem.")

SWIM explained to me once that the best pattern is to choose a time in the afternoon to stop and switch to Kava. SWIM says he does this at about 1 or 2 pm (though he starts the Ritalin around 6:30 or 7 am). Kava is good because the kavalactones pump dopamine into the brain AND do not cause grogginess AND when taken enough make one very sleepy AND give one vivid dreams and restful sleep--thus are recreational and in harmony with Ritalin but, unlike prescription donwers, do not affect you the next day. True, if you drink enough kava, which admittedly tastes like dirt, you can become very sleepy into the next day, but you won't be burnt out exactly.

[Venusia]

SWIM has snorted Ritalin in the past, and never noticed any adverse effects to her nasal cavities. Now she snorts her Adderall occasionally, and the only drawback from that that she's found is pink snot. How does SWIM explain that one??? LOL

As for the saline solution, I had no idea it might be bad for SWIM's nose. She uses it religiously. Maybe she'll cut back now. Thanks for the info on that.

[mango]

Swim is seeing his doc for a new script later in the week. He can't decide whether to tell doc ...no more please. He's been going back and forth between cola and Ritalin for about 8 months.

Swims tolerance went DOWN recently when doing his normal 1/2 G of cola in a night. That same night, he experienced some pretty strong chest muscle cramps, Even caffeine can cause these. Stress & lack of sleep can. But who knows what it was a sign of? The same night he noticed particularly bad blood circulation (cold feet). So, quitting cola and thinking ritalin is continuing the heart risk is a rationalization (totally stupid one).

Swim is older than many here, basically mid-aged-- and feels mortality and fragility of life a lot more than at age 20 when he was sure he could conquer the world.

The decision to quit is so simple. But even thinking about it rationally right now, it's not so easy. Swim is/was down to 1/2 G of C a night 2X a week which last 6 hours and goes far.

Maybe now 20MG of Ritalin in a given night by snorting which is small. Maybe 2X a week.

It's one thing to cut down. To quit entirely, this will be tough for swim if that's the decision!

Hate to mention, but if your intent on sticking Ritalin up your nose for months at a time, you better get a baby syringe feeder and stick it up your rear end. Save your nose from the nasty stuff on this thread. Read elsewhere on here for rear end administration info.

[Venusia]

Originally Posted by mango

It's one thing to cut down. To quit entirely, this will be tough for swim if that's the decision!

Hate to mention, but if your intent on sticking Ritalin up your nose for months at a time, you better get a baby syringe feeder and stick it up your rear end. Save your nose from the nasty stuff on this thread. Read elsewhere on here for rear end administration info.

You're right, plugging is a better alternative. Swivy has been really disliking the nasal administration of powders lately. Plus, it really sucks to have to constantly be checking one's nose for little specks of medicine here and there. Swivy is really just getting to the point where she might just stick to eating the pills instead. It's really the ritual of snorting that is so attractive to Swivy.

[LagunaIndian]

Swim has problem with snorting 10mg IR tabs. Swim started snorting 2 months ago and now when he tries to snort even a single line, his nasal passage close due to inflamed blood vessels. Swim is thinking of trying an extraction to see if it makes a difference because he hates the congested feeling that lasts for 2 weeks.

Swim is also considering smoking the IR tab after performing an extraction. But worries about the smell? Is it a potent scent? Any help is appreciated.

Any words of advice for swim, in either case?

[RitalinUser]

SWIM was a huge ritalin addict, SWIM used to snort 200mg daily for over 6months, now SWIM has quit the ritalin (and any other snorting) for 3 months, but SWIM still gets nosebleeds everyday, SWIM thinks he fucked up his nose.

[agnieszka]

SWIM was sorting almost everyday, sometimes two or three times a day in the past six weeks. No nose bleeding, but SWIM wakes up everyday like she has a flu or something - nasal congestion, like it's blocked for a couple of hours in the morning.

Also, SWIM noticed that the area inside the nose is dry, and probably thinner, which leads to think that nose bleeding will occur sooner or later if SWIM keeps the habit (she hopes to kick it).

SWIM thinks eventually we pay the price. SWIM just doesn't know if the effects are reversible (any advice?). SWIM never snorted coke; and the Ritalin is prescribed because she had ADD diagnosed.

[Potter]

Originally Posted by agnieszka

SWIM thinks eventually we pay the price. SWIM just doesn't know if the effects are reversible (any advice?). SWIM never snorted coke; and the Ritalin is prescribed because she had ADD diagnosed.

Yes, you will eventually have to pay for drug abuse, that's what happens. TANSTAAFL!