Friend had a horrible reaction to the snus last night

**danielan** · 22-07-10, 10:04 AM

Originally posted by Joe234 View Post

I'm proud of you for being smoke free. I certainly haven't managed that. And cigarettes seem to have no effect on my system. Of course, I don't smoke very much either.

Well, I guess...

If he was dual using then he could have been doubling his nicotine intake by using snus.

Although, when you get close enough to get into this situation just by doubling your nicotine, it's good he got it taken care of - it seems like something that a extra cup of coffee, a big dinner or a bit of stress would set off too.

**Joe234** · 22-07-10, 10:41 AM

Originally posted by danielan

Well, I guess...

If he was dual using then he could have been doubling his nicotine intake by using snus.

Although, when you get close enough to get into this situation just by doubling your nicotine, it's good he got it taken care of - it seems like something that a extra cup of coffee, a big dinner or a bit of stress would set off too.

Not sure. Perhaps his system is fine tuned for his diabetes and the change of nicotine delivery messes it up.

**lxskllr** · 22-07-10, 11:04 AM

The heart issues and snus are unrelated. The snus may have exacerbated an existing issue, but it didn't cause them. I dunno about the diabetes. It appears to affect blood sugar for some people, but I don't notice it myself.

**Joe234** · 22-07-10, 12:15 PM

I just found this:

WikiAnswers - Does chewing tobacco raise your heart rate?
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Does_chewi...our_heart_rate

Science News

After snuff use, heart rate increased by about 15 beats per minute (25 percent), systolic blood pressure went up by 12 mmHg (10 percent), and measurements of adrenalin in the bloodstream increased by more than 50 percent.

"These results suggest a very significant excitatory effect of substances contained in spit tobacco on the part of the nervous system regulating the heart and blood vessels," says Virend Somers, M.D., Ph.D., the Mayo Clinic cardiologist who led the study. "Although we did anticipate some increase in blood pressure, we were surprised at the magnitude of the increase, as well as the very striking increases in heart rate and plasma epinephrine, or adrenalin. We anticipated that since these individuals were young and healthy and were accustomed to using spit tobacco, that any responses that we measured would be blunted. This makes the degree of increases even more noteworthy."

Robert Wolk, M.D., Ph.D., lead author on this study, noted that these results have implications both for long-term users and for individuals with established heart disease.

"The degree of speeding up of heart rate and increase in blood pressure, as well the increase in adrenalin (epinephrine) levels, suggest that if similar changes occur in people with established heart disease, who use spit tobacco, there may be reason to expect adverse consequences," Dr. Wolk says.

"Dipping" is Rising More than five million adults - and more than 750,000 adolescents - use smokeless tobacco in the United States. Snuff use is increasing, especially in young males who participate in athletics. Its cardiovascular effects are not as clear or well understood as those of cigarettes, partly because fewer studies have been done, and partly because many spit tobacco users are relatively young and the bad effects may not be apparent unless use continues for prolonged periods.

Blunting a Protective Mechanism By placing electrodes into the sympathetic nerves of the participants, the researchers also obtained a window on the message from the brain to the blood vessels on a moment-by-moment basis.

Normally, when blood pressure is increased by an external substance, the body seeks to protect the cardiovascular system by decreasing heart rate and dilating the blood vessels. It does this by "shutting down" the sympathetic nervous system, so that heart rate is slower, and the widening of blood vessels starts to bring blood pressure down.

The researchers demonstrated this by giving another group of subjects an intravenous medication, phenylephrine, to raise blood pressure about as much as they saw when spit tobacco was used. In response, those subjects' heart rates decreased by more than 10 beats a minute and the activity of the sympathetic nervous system went down to very low levels.

"This is an example of how the body tries to protect itself from the higher blood pressures," Dr. Somers explains. "However, when the blood pressure is raised by spit tobacco, the heart rate actually speeds up dramatically and there is no decrease in the sympathetic nervous system activity. This tells us that the normal protective mechanisms which help dampen down spikes in blood pressure are blunted when using spit tobacco.

"Spit tobacco is a very potent cause of acute increases in blood pressure, heart rate, and adrenalin levels," Dr. Somers concludes. "Since many athletes, who are already under a fair amount of stress in competitive situations, also use spit tobacco, the blood pressure and heart rate increases need to be recognized and understood. And since spit tobacco not only raises blood pressure but also blunts the body's normal defense response to blood pressure increases, long-term dipping would seem likely to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease."

### Other authors on the study include: Abu S. M. Shamsuzzaman, MBBS, Ph.D., Anna Svatikova, BA, Christina Huyber, Corey Huck, BA, Krzysztof Narkiewicz, M.D., Ph.D.

Adapted from materials provided by Mayo Clinic.

**ratcheer** · 22-07-10, 02:07 PM

Since tobacco apparently increases heart rate and blood pressure, why does it make you feel so relaxed?

Tim

**pactactrefugee** · 22-07-10, 02:58 PM

I found this on the web:

Nicotine exerts paradoxical effects, acting as both a stimulant and a relaxant. It causes increased heart rate and blood pressure while also acting as a muscle relaxant and reducing anxiety. It suppresses appetite and causes increased bowel activity. Initial exposure may result in nausea, dizziness, or light-headedness.

The experiential effects of nicotine change with habituation. Those new to the drug often experience light-headedness and strong mental effects where those who use nicotine regularly do not generally experience those effects. Over time, the effects of nicotine are not only calming but are said to enhance attentional focus and increase the pleasure of other activities. Research published in 2006 by Kenny and Markou suggested that nicotine "resets the sensitivity of reward systems to a new increased level, thereby impriting an indelible 'memory' of its effects". In other words, smoke a cigarette and eat an apple, the apple seems to be just a little more satisfying than the apple without the cigarette.

Nicotine may provide some beneficial effects on certain psychiatric conditions and has been preliminarily shown to slow onset of Parkinson's Disease symptoms. It's stimulating effects may be used by ADHD sufferers as a self-treatment, although its beneficial effects on attention disorders has not been established in the scientific literature. Nicotine tends to reduce appetite, even in regular users.
Onset #
When smoked, nicotine absorbtion is very rapid and effects are almost immediate. Chewing tobacco results in slower onset, but longer duration of effects. Chewing nicotine gum, effects begin in 2-10 minutes.
Duration #
After smoking a single tobacco cigarette, primary effects persist for approximately 10-45 minutes, with lingering effects for one to two hours. Orally ingested nicotine lasts 45-120 minutes, with lingering effects lasting several hours.

http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/nico...e_basics.shtml

**BadAxe** · 22-07-10, 02:58 PM

Originally posted by ratcheer View Post

Since tobacco apparently increases heart rate and blood pressure, why does it make you feel so relaxed?

Tim

Because we are addicted to nicotine. So when we get our nicotine, our brain relaxes because it got its fix.

WHen I was young, I had a bad period of time, and I was addicted to Cocaine. So when I did not have any, I was on edge, when I got some and did it, I was relaxed. Now coke does everything BUT relax you, but when the addiction was fed, my body and mind calmed down. Now the coke was not doing that to me, and it was ravaging my system, yet I would still relax.

So, I am no medical expert by any means, but that is what I can offer up about why it relaxes us.

**Snusdog** · 22-07-10, 03:30 PM

I think it comes down to simply this: nicotine is a drug and like any drug it will affect different people in different ways. Penicillin is common yet to some it can be lethal. Hell even peanuts can be lethal to those with a peanut allergy.

The point is that for the vast majority of people the reaction Joe's friend experienced is a-typical and extreme. Still it is a good reminder to listen to your body. If every time you eat a grape you pass out.............STOP EATING GRAPES.

**LaZeR** · 22-07-10, 05:45 PM

Interesting commentary with the other posts but I firmly believe:

Originally posted by Snusdog View Post

I think it comes down to simply this: nicotine is a drug and like any drug it will affect different people in different ways. Penicillin is common yet to some it can be lethal. Hell even peanuts can be lethal to those with a peanut allergy.

The point is that for the vast majority of people the reaction Joe's friend experienced is a-typical and extreme. Still it is a good reminder to listen to your body. If every time you eat a grape you pass out.............STOP EATING GRAPES.

+1

**Joe234** · 22-07-10, 11:08 PM

Originally posted by ratcheer View Post

Since tobacco apparently increases heart rate and blood pressure, why does it make you feel so relaxed?

Tim

Why does Ritalin and amphetamine calm down someone with ADHD? It may be similar.

**Joe234** · 22-07-10, 11:09 PM

Originally posted by Snusdog View Post

I think it comes down to simply this: nicotine is a drug and like any drug it will affect different people in different ways. Penicillin is common yet to some it can be lethal. Hell even peanuts can be lethal to those with a peanut allergy.

The point is that for the vast majority of people the reaction Joe's friend experienced is a-typical and extreme. Still it is a good reminder to listen to your body. If every time you eat a grape you pass out.............STOP EATING GRAPES.

Yes. He definitely has had a hard 50 year ordeal with type 1 diabetes,
including vision loss and gangrene.

**Curtisp** · 23-07-10, 12:34 AM

It suppresses appetite and causes increased bowel activity.

That explains why i am down to crapping once every two days. When I was smoking, it was like three times a day. Just thought i'd share that..

**pactactrefugee** · 23-07-10, 02:00 AM

Originally posted by Curtisp View Post

It suppresses appetite and causes increased bowel activity.

That explains why i am down to crapping once every two days. When I was smoking, it was like three times a day. Just thought i'd share that..

Maybe you should use more loose

**f. bandersnatch** · 23-07-10, 02:49 AM

nicotine relaxes a person because they are addicted to it. It's not rocket science, using the substance you are addicted to assuages the minor withdrawal you are going through from being without it.

And amphetamines like addy don't really calm a ADHD person down, they allow them to concentrate. Those are two very different things.

Friend had a horrible reaction to the snus last night

Friend had a horrible reaction to the snus last night

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