Poppers were poisoning my body.

[Huskyhunks]

I just got back from the doctors office today. I was having low oxygen in my blood. It seems that poppers are the culprit. I've used them for years and have been aware that they could cause problems but not to this extent. They were affecting my lungs and the ability for my blood to carry oxygen.

My body is detoxing now from them and things are back to normal. I was a moderate user, but it seems that even small amounts of inhilation start a chain of events that damage the lungs. I just want everyone to know that there are consequences when you use them that are very real.

[CorbinFisher_BD]

A lot of people seem to be under the woefully wrong impression that poppers are a harmless substance. Their being freely available at adult bookstores, used so openly in public, and given benign little names (referred to as video head cleaner and what not, as well) and advertised openly all contribute to this.

It wasn't long ago that major gay publications like The Advocate and other regional and metropolitan gay publications were jampacked full of ads and editorials for poppers that suggested the stuff contributed to virility, masculinity, and fun.

One whiff of the stuff should clue someone in to otherwise, though. It's hard to find anything out there that smells more blatantly chemical and unnatural. Nitrates such as poppers are anything but harmless and most definitely not healthy.

In fact, a National Institutes of Health study done in the late 80's examined extensive evidence of a link between poppers and Kaposis Sarcoma (cancer of the blood vessels oft characterized by splotches on the hands, around the nostrils and mouth and on the chests... remember them being represented in movies like And the Band Played On and Philadelphia?), one of the AIDS-defining illnesses. They also cause t-cell suppression and immune system destruction.

Interesting read: http://www.drugabuse.gov/pdf/monographs/83.pdf

The wreak havoc on the respiratory, circulatory, and immune systems. And it's tragic to see them being used so often and see so many people go about unaware of just how harmful and debilitating - and even deadly - they are.

Just because they're sold openly and (using various tricks to sidestep the law) legally, doesn't mean they're harmless.

HuskyHunks, I'm happy to hear you found out early just how bad for you they are and that you've eliminated them from your life before suffering from any irreversible and even fatal effects.

[Matt 26z]

Their being freely available at adult bookstores

Not just adult bookstores. The Sam Goody music store near me has a display of them right up by the register with some other little trinket items.

I noticed this after a kid who was 14 or 15 at best grabbed for two bottles of them.

[krusher]

I worked in a adult bookstore about a year ago and we would sell a load of that shit. It always was a cheap buzz to me and I didn't like it because it gives me a raging headache. But some people would come in just to by them and we're talking 2 bottles a week.

:bomb:

[Slade]

Not just adult bookstores. The Sam Goody music store near me has a display of them right up by the register with some other little trinket items.

I noticed this after a kid who was 14 or 15 at best grabbed for two bottles of them.

and it has to be sold as some sort of "developing fluid" or "silver cleaner" or some sort of crap like that?

[desslock]

I just got back from the doctors office today. I was having low oxygen in my blood. It seems that poppers are the culprit. I've used them for years and have been aware that they could cause problems but not to this extent.
My body is detoxing now from them and things are back to normal.

Huskyhunks

Go buy a juicer for $99 ... .either online or at a department store like Foleys. Then make and drink a pint of carrot juice several times a week. Also in the morning, juice fruit, that will help detoxify your body significantly. I've been juicing pineapple and oranges all week to expel the toxins of Las Vegas.

Do it consistently, and you will feel and look better.

Steve :center:

[Huskyhunks]

Hi guys, thanks for you replies and information.

CB-Brian, I read that whole article and although some of what they talked about was over my head, most I could understand. If people only knew how bad they are for the body, they would never touch them. I bought into the notion that as long as you did them in moderation, they wouldn't affect your health. Obviously, that is very wrong. I'm glad that my doctor is very thorough and I can talk to her about anything. Also, I appreciate your concern Thanks for the article !

Matt 26z, I can't believe they are selling them like that. Kids, adults, no one really should have access to them but a physician. That is sort of unbelievable that they are selling them at Sam Goody.

Krusher, I was never a two bottle person, more like on every month or two and look what it did to me. I can't imagine what happens to your body with 2 bottles a week. That's truly scary.

Slade, common sense should tell anyone not to sniff a cleaning fluid or head cleaner or any other chemical regardless of name. I have no idea where my common sense went.

Desslock, thank you for the advice. I feel my body slowly getting rid of the burden of these chemicals and I can breathe freely. It's funny that you mention looking better, because I looked like shit and I could tell that something bad was happening to my body. I've switched from soda to juices but I will probably get a juicer because I'm a vegetarian and alot of what i eat is fruit and it's just makes sense to have one around. Until then, I will pick up some fresh carrot juice from wild oats, I only live a block away so that helps. I just feel so much better now that this crap is leaving my body. Thanks again for the concern and advice - sounds like somebody had a great time in Vegas !

[Matt 26z]

Matt 26z, I can't believe they are selling them like that. Kids, adults, no one really should have access to them but a physician. That is sort of unbelievable that they are selling them at Sam Goody.

The bottles were for VHS head cleaner. I don't know enough about them to say if poppers and head cleaner are the exact same thing or not though.

All I know is VHS head cleaner doesn't belong next to the register when most people have moved to DVD and hardly anyone cleans their own heads anyway. So either it could be used as Poppers, or someone put it there who thought it could.

[Huskyhunks]

Matt26z, those are definitely poppers and no one ever uses them to clean their video heads. Their defense is that no one should ever inhale them but we all know what they are for.

[jIgG]

Huskyhunks

Go buy a juicer for $99 ... .either online or at a department store like Foleys. Then make and drink a pint of carrot juice several times a week. Also in the morning, juice fruit, that will help detoxify your body significantly. I've been juicing pineapple and oranges all week to expel the toxins of Las Vegas.

Do it consistently, and you will feel and look better.

Steve :center:

and probably a good idea to buy the veggies at a farmers market or whole foods

[nomad0023]

If your going to use drugs, use real drugs LOL. Popper are just for 14 year olds man, like whip-its. Has Colorado not legalized 420 now is small amounts, about 5 drinks and some coke is not bad too :angel:

[Huskyhunks]

Hi Jigg, wild oats is like whole foods, it's all organic and probably a little more on the hippie side than whole foods. the prices aren't bad either.

Nomad, that's what I thought but tell that to my mutant extra large red blood cells. Poppers are so 70's, studio 54ish. Why couldn't i do a designer drug like tina at least I'd be socially acceptable. I don't know what 420 is.

[basschick]

70's poppers were the real thing - amyl nitrate. unbelievably intense drug experience and requiring a prescription. book store poppers are a pale imitation without the level of rush and also more prone to giving a headache.

on the other hand, when i was a kid doing drugs the amyl nitrate experience was scary even while it was happening because i knew how dangerous it was.

[Huskyhunks]

Hi basschick,

I remember the real deal, it was so much stronger. The problem with the newer stuff is that it's weaker which makes people do it longer to get the high. The new stuff also has alot more impurities which cause alot of the health problems. My doctor says all the impurities line the lungs, like talc with i.v. drugs, or tar with cigarette smoking.

[basschick]

that makes sense since it isn't medical quality or manufactured in a quality humans should use regularly. butyl is a strong chemical anyway - i would think it should only be used once in a while or your kidneys and lungs won't be very happy.

i'm glad you caught it before it got worse. plenty of carrot juice, perhaps? that always helps me when i have lung problems.

feel better!

Hi basschick,

I remember the real deal, it was so much stronger. The problem with the newer stuff is that it's weaker which makes people do it longer to get the high. The new stuff also has alot more impurities which cause alot of the health problems. My doctor says all the impurities line the lungs, like talc with i.v. drugs, or tar with cigarette smoking.