A man has shared the hilarious story of how he almost died mistaking poppers for an energy drink on holiday in France.
The viral videos of Matthew Hearle’s TikTok took a turn no one saw coming recently.
Instead of running through Stockholm sharing insights about the local culture and scene, he shared the story of a romantic holiday to France gone wrong.
Because Matthew drank poppers and almost died.
Note to readers: do not drink poppers
Poppers are also known as alkyl nitrite.
A chemical that, when inhaled, relaxes the smooth muscles in the body and increases heart rate and blood flow.
Inhaling poppers leads to a brief euphoric head rush, as well as making bottoming more comfortable.
But that was not what Matthew had planned with his wife.
“We were in Paris having a lovely, romantic holiday away from our son for the very first time,” Hearle said on socials.
“And we were on our best behaviour, bed by ten, waking up, seizing the day.”
“And after dinner, around eight o’clock, we decided, let’s go to this nature wine bath.
“On the way, we passed a kiosk, and I needed a Red Bull.
Hearle turned to the counter and saw what he thought was an energy shot drink next to the candy.
Apparently, energy shots can keep you ‘elevated’ for four to five hours.
The clerk did not speak English and was confused.
“I was like, Is this energy? Can you drink it? And after a moment, they were like, ah, energy. Energy, yes, yes, energy.” Hearle said buying poppers.
“Mistake number one, I 100% should have gone with the brand that I knew.”
“But the label says strength, power, rush, all the branding that you normally see on an energy drink.
“I chucked it, and immediately I was like, oh my god, I should not have drunk that.”
Photo: Wikimedia Commons‘It tasted like nail polish remover’
“Mistake number two, I didn’t do the sniff test.” Hearle continued.
“There I am standing on the street corner with this little bottle of what I thought was an energy shot, breathing fumes into my nose that are making me lightheaded.”
Hearle and his wife rush (no pun intended) back to their hotel and asked the people working there to translate what the bottle was.
That’s when he learnt he had drunk poppers.
“I know it’s more common in the LGBTQIA+ community, but I haven’t seen one of these things since I was in high school,” he said.
“At this point, I’m starting to panic. We leave the hotel, and if you know what poppers do, I need the bathroom.”
When you drink poppers, the hemoglobin-oxidising effects of alkyl nitrites induce methemoglobinemia.
This prevents the blood from carrying oxygen effectively and can be very dangerous.
It happens more often than you would think.
Hearle and his wife are at their dinner reservation when the full effects of drinking poppers kick in.
“I’m soaking wet with sweat. I’m stumbling over like a rhino that’s being tranquillised, and I’m banging on the door of the bathroom,” he said.
“This poor old lady opens the door, and there I am, The Walking Dead.”
“I collapse, and the next thing I remember, I’m carried out of the bathroom by two people.”
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‘Because I’m British, and am super apologetic’
Hearle passed out again, but luckily, one of the guests at the restaurant was a paramedic.
“There’s this amazing man, he’s put me in the recovery position. The ambulance comes, and I’m put on a stretcher and oxygen,” he adds
“Because I’m British, and am super apologetic about the whole thing.
“I’m saying sorry to the paramedics. I’m trying to pretend like this is not a very big deal.”
But when he started to pass out again, he was quickly taken to the hospital, because his blood couldn’t deliver oxygen to his vital organs.
He was given methylene blue, which reverses the effects, given oxygen and put on an intravenous drip.
“I have to say, the French emergency services are awesome,” he said.
“In the morning, I wake up and my ankles are absolutely killing me. The rest of me feels shaky, a bit embarrassed, but no pain.”
Hearle had sprained both his ankles when he fell, so running videos for the next six weeks were a no-go.
Instead, he is walking. He and his wife enjoyed the rest of their holiday, but he won’t be trying poppers again.
How should you use poppers?
Poppers are predominantly inhaled for recreational use to relax your muscles during sex; some people like to make out on them.
Poppers are not, I repeat not, energy drinks.
You should never drink them.
If you accidentally do, get help and go to a hospital.
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