Heroin Side Effects

Heroin side effects are unpleasant and dangerous, there’s no doubt about it. If you abuse heroin, then you’ll pay for it by affecting all of your bodily systems for the worse. Some of the bad effects can be extreme enough to cause you to die and at the very least, your life can never be the same as before you started the drug abuse.

Difficulty in breathing can lead to respiratory arrest – you stop breathing altogether – and this can mean you’ll finish up in a coma and die. Problems with your central nervous system, in other words, your brain, can show up in the form of drowsiness, where you feel lethargic and just want to sleep. Or, you might feel disoriented. You’re not sure where you are or what’s going on. You feel confused and can’t figure out what to do to put yourself right again. This, in turn can lead to your becoming delirious or paranoid, which is the stage where you start to imagine things. Normal everyday items can turn into threatening and terrifying objects.

Heroin side effects can kill you.

Your heart and lungs can be affected. You can have a severely lowered heart rate, very low blood pressure and a weak pulse, and/or difficulty in breathing, with very shallow breaths and respiratory depression. Slow or shallow breathing can lead to a lack of oxygen and excessive carbon dioxide in the lungs, causing tiredness and eventually, you could stop breathing, with fatal results. These symptoms may be accompanied by a dry mouth and contraction of your eye pupils.

Heroin side effects can show up in your gastrointestinal system. Nausea is common, where you feel as if you want to vomit. This can become extremely unpleasant and is highly likely to lead to actual vomiting for long periods of time. Constipation is another side effect that can become very painful and debilitating, and you will probably have to seek medical attention before long. You may suffer from dyspepsia, which causes bloated stomach, pain in the upper abdomen and possibly pain when you touch parts of your abdominal region. Bladder problems are common, particularly urinary retention, where you find it difficult to urinate, or you may feel that you haven’t quite finished.

Loss of muscular control, and bodily pain could become long term problems. Ataxia is a problem that can show up in many unpredictable ways, such as uncontrollable eye movements, leading to an inability to walk properly, or to keep your balance. Physical dependence on the drug is another consequence of abuse. You will find yourself going to great lengths to get hold of the heroin, no matter how inconvenient.

Heroin side effects can show up as allergic reactions, too, some of which can prove fatal. Hives, itching and rashes are all skin problems that can occur following heroin use. Facial swelling or swelling of the mouth or the tongue are often encountered. If you have a history of alcoholism, drug dependency, epilepsy, or fits, this could mean you are susceptible to convulsions if you use heroin. Remember, if you experience any of these side effects, or any that aren’t mentioned here, you should urgently seek the help of your doctor or other medical practitioner for treatment.