Influencer ‘Russian Nana’ dies aged 31 after taking painkillers ‘for hangover’ and being left in coma
AN influencer has died after reportedly taking painkillers for a raging hangover.
The woman, known as “Russian Nana”, spent 38 days in a coma before passing away on Sunday, her devastated partner said.
The 31-year-old, originally from Russia, moved to study in Guizhou Province, China, last year.
She fell in love with local tattoo artist, Wang Tao, and decided to stay in the country with him.
Their love story soon brought her fame on Chinese social media as she became known as “Russian Nana”.
She had over 60,000 followers on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.
Nana was said to have “conquered the hearts of countless fans” with her lovely, fresh and funny personality, Min News reports.
On March 27, the couple went out for a few drinks with friends in the afternoon, but Nana fell ill later that evening.
After sensing the onset of a nasty hangover, the young woman reportedly took some painkillers and went to lie down, but was later rushed to the hospital after being found unconscious.
During the days in coma, Wang Tao shared stories of their love online and prayed for her recovery, Chinese outlet Shine reported.
Nana slipped into a coma and passed away 38 days later, according to NeedToKnow.
Heartbroken Tao announced her death in a short video on Douyin on Monday.
He shared images of him kissing his beloved partner’s forehead in hospital with the message: “Nana has left us forever.
“The kiss yesterday was her last kiss while she was alive.
“I will never be able to kiss Nana again, never again.”
It’s unclear if authorities are investigating the influencer’s death and what sort of painkillers were taken.
Powerful painkillers, also known as opioids, are a class of medications commonly prescribed to manage moderate to severe pain.
They work by binding to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord, reducing the perception of pain.
Some examples of powerful painkillers include morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and codeine.
These medications can be highly effective for managing acute pain, such as pain following surgery or injury, as well as chronic pain conditions like cancer-related pain or severe back pain.
But they also carry significant risks, including addiction, overdose, and other adverse effects, which need to be carefully considered by healthcare providers when prescribing them.
What are the risks of taking powerful painkillers?
POWERFUL painkillers, especially opioids, can carry various health risks.
These include addiction, respiratory depression, overdose, and even death, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the health risks associated with them:
Addiction and Dependency: Opioids are highly addictive substances. Prolonged use can lead to physical and psychological dependence, where individuals may feel like they need the drug to function normally.
Respiratory Depression: Opioids can slow down breathing, which can be dangerous, especially at higher doses or when combined with other substances that depress the central nervous system, such as alcohol or benzodiazepines. Severe respiratory depression can be life-threatening.
Overdose: Taking too much of an opioid can lead to an overdose, which can cause respiratory failure, coma, and death. Overdoses can occur accidentally due to misuse, or intentionally in cases of substance abuse.
Tolerance: With prolonged use, the body can become tolerant to the effects of opioids, meaning higher doses are needed to achieve the same level of pain relief. This can increase the risk of overdose and addiction.
Withdrawal Symptoms: When someone who is dependent on opioids suddenly stops or reduces their dose, they can experience withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle aches, anxiety, and insomnia.
Constipation: Opioids can slow down the movement of the digestive tract, leading to constipation, which can be severe and chronic in some cases.
Cognitive Effects: Opioids can cause drowsiness, confusion, and impaired judgement, which can affect a person’s ability to perform tasks that require focus and coordination, such as driving or operating machinery.
Hormonal Imbalances: Chronic opioid use can disrupt the normal functioning of the endocrine system, leading to hormonal imbalances that can affect mood, energy levels, and reproductive health.
Increased Sensitivity to Pain: Paradoxically, long-term use of opioids can sometimes lead to increased sensitivity to pain, a phenomenon known as opioid-induced hyperalgesia.
Risk of Infectious Diseases: Injection drug use, often associated with opioid misuse, can increase the risk of infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C due to needle sharing and risky behaviours.
