Heroin What causes a heroin overdose ?

[Hh0oUuSsEe]

In reference to IV....I realize a great amount of heroin can cause an overdose, and also a very dangerous filler can cause one. But are those the ONLY 2 possibilities? If I IV .1 daily for however long and I do not OD, is there a possibility that one day I IV .1 and OD, and not counting the filler, for this situation ? What other dangers are there? (only referencing an immediate OD.

 

[sekio]

The purity of heroin can vary greatly. One time you might buy a gram of 10% heroin, another time it might be 20%, then a third time it may only be 5%... There is always the risk of overdose.

There's also e.g. infections from poor IV technique that need to be considered.

 

[love2party]

^that

Also if you want to grow old and care about your health, you should put down the needle.

 

[Tommyboy]

In reference to IV....I realize a great amount of heroin can cause an overdose, and also a very dangerous filler can cause one. But are those the ONLY 2 possibilities? If I IV .1 daily for however long and I do not OD, is there a possibility that one day I IV .1 and OD, and not counting the filler, for this situation ? What other dangers are there? (only referencing an immediate OD.

Another factor is if the person has any other CNS depressants (such as alcohol or benzos) in their system when the dose the heroin.

Heroin is actually prescribed as a maintenance drug in some countries. Since it is from a pharmacy, the dose is known, so as long as the dose remains constant and no other CNS depressants are in the persons system, there is no reason why they would overdose. Heroin is just another opiate, but since it is not pure on the streets, the cuts and varying purity are the real danger.

 

[redsweater]

Another factor is if the person has any other CNS depressants (such as alcohol or benzos) in their system when the dose the heroin.

Heroin is actually prescribed as a maintenance drug in some countries. Since it is from a pharmacy, the dose is known, so as long as the dose remains constant and no other CNS depressants are in the persons system, there is no reason why they would overdose. Heroin is just another opiate, but since it is not pure on the streets, the cuts and varying purity are the real danger.

thats interesting, and also a very good idea. stock it as diacetylmorphine and old folks wouldn't even know the doc sent them home with good old heroin. but really isn't oxymorphone stronger than heroin and also primarily iv'd? like why don't they just manufacture the shit and reduce the number of od's by half. im pretty sure its only the stigma that is stopping them, like if i told my grandma i liked oxycodones she would say so do i. if i said i like heroin she would probably disown me haha... goddamn people are dumb

 

[burn out]

^ Yes I think that combining heroin with other drugs is one of the most common causes of overdose. Personally as a heroin user, I find there is enough distance between the level of high I like to be and overdosing that if you are careful, it's not difficult to avoid overdosing. That's with sniffing though, I've never injected heroin.

 

[80mg]

Unless you get your heroin from a pharmacy in a country that its legal for maintence, or you own a poppy field and heroin lab I uggest switching over to oxycodone and getting micron filters. Its honestley almost the SAME exact high, your body metabolizes it as the same thing, and with the micron filtering your getting out 95%of particles. But I wouldnt IV for more than a couple of years max. I have for a year and a half now and just stopped a month ago after noticeing shortness in breath and other things. Everything best in moderation

 

[Tommyboy]

thats interesting, and also a very good idea. stock it as diacetylmorphine and old folks wouldn't even know the doc sent them home with good old heroin. but really isn't oxymorphone stronger than heroin and also primarily iv'd? like why don't they just manufacture the shit and reduce the number of od's by half. im pretty sure its only the stigma that is stopping them, like if i told my grandma i liked oxycodones she would say so do i. if i said i like heroin she would probably disown me haha... goddamn people are dumb

Yea, I am pretty sure that oxymorphone is more potent than heroin, as are some other opiates like fentanyl.

I think that heroin would only be prescribed for maintenance (like methadone programs), and not for pain. It has such a low oral bioavailability that I am sure that some pain patients would be abusing it by sniffing or IVing it, and after all of the oxycontin pharmacy robbery problems, I doubt we will ever see it prescribed outside of clinics. There really is no reason for it to be prescribed for pain since there are plenty of other opiates that adequately treat pain.

 

[burn out]

I believe it is still prescribed for pain in the UK though. Morphine is still prescribed for pain in the USA despite its low oral bioavailability.

 

[HaZeX]

I had a friend that OD'ed and died from Heroin...He would go to his same connect and mainline his daily dose. Well the next day my friend went to score, rigged it all up, shot his normal dose, OD'ed and died...turns out his connect switched suppliers and the heroin was more pure...

1 reason ill never IV nor do diesel...

 

[DoseYouAll]

Im studying drug addiction psychology and some anatomy, what I learned in particular is that your brainstem area which controls breathing, has the highest concentration of opiate receptors. An OD affects this area and slows or stops breathing enough to cause death. Ironically this area has no cannabinoid receptors which is why it is impossible to OD on cannabis.

 

[mainvein]

Im studying drug addiction psychology and some anatomy, what I learned in particular is that your brainstem area which controls breathing, has the highest concentration of opiate receptors. An OD affects this area and slows or stops breathing enough to cause death. Ironically this area has no cannabinoid receptors which is why it is impossible to OD on cannabis.

hmm that's really interesting. i think i'm aboutto go research it to find some reliable sources!

anyway, staying on topic, there are some days i'll do my regular dose and be functional, but other days i'll be noddng out like a complete idiot. there really isn't a concrete way with heroin. as sekio said, good IV technique is a great way to prevent any complications from using. otherwise, it's pretty much all up to your dealer unless you can analyse the makeup of the dope you buy...but it's not like anyone cares anyway, as long as it has dope in it somewhere!! nah, but always sniff a little bit before or if you injct to test for purity/quality.

 

[Tommyboy]

I believe it is still prescribed for pain in the UK though. Morphine is still prescribed for pain in the USA despite its low oral bioavailability.

Hmm, I don't think it is. I know that there is a very small number of people in the UK that are prescribed it for maintenance/drug treatment though. If you have the time, I highly recommend reading this thread which is about the diamorphine treatment that one of the bluelighters from the UK is receiving.

There is another cause of overdose that has not been mentioned yet in this thread, and that is "Pavlovian conditioning." It is mentioned in this thread, and although the thread is new, there are links that were posted in there that have more info on it. The basic idea is that using in a different/new location can result in overdose because your body may be used to ingesting the dose at one specific location, so the change in location may "throw things off," so to speak.

 

[King Hop Head]

^ Yes I think that combining heroin with other drugs is one of the most common causes of overdose. Personally as a heroin user, I find there is enough distance between the level of high I like to be and overdosing that if you are careful, it's not difficult to avoid overdosing. That's with sniffing though, I've never injected heroin.

The vast majority of fatal overdoses in the UK involve opiates mixed with Benzos or Alcohol. An increasing number involves Methadone mixed with other CNS depressants.

Reduced tolerance, through detoxing or after being released from the big house are other key risks.

 

[King Hop Head]

Hmm, I don't think it is. I know that there is a very small number of people in the UK that are prescribed it for maintenance/drug treatment though. If you have the time, I highly recommend reading this thread which is about the diamorphine treatment that one of the bluelighters from the UK is receiving.

There is another cause of overdose that has not been mentioned yet in this thread, and that is "Pavlovian conditioning." It is mentioned in this thread, and although the thread is new, there are links that were posted in there that have more info on it. The basic idea is that using in a different/new location can result in overdose because your body may be used to ingesting the dose at one specific location, so the change in location may "throw things off," so to speak.

Siegel did a lot of research on this, a lot of cues in the preparation to taking the Heroin means you are more antiicipating. Shows that if someone who moves away from thier usual environment to help kick, if something else triggers them to use, they are at great risk.

 

[Vader]

Hmm, I don't think it is.

It is, my grandfather was prescribed it when he was terminally ill. Heroin is just as useful medically as any other strong opioid, it's just pure propaganda and doublethink that causes it to be schedule I in the US. If you don't believe me, check this out:
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100000751.html
(i particularly enjoy "Warning! This medicine may cause drowsiness").

 

[Doug2113]

Yea, I am pretty sure that oxymorphone is more potent than heroin, as are some other opiates like fentanyl.

I think that heroin would only be prescribed for maintenance (like methadone programs), and not for pain. It has such a low oral bioavailability that I am sure that some pain patients would be abusing it by sniffing or IVing it, and after all of the oxycontin pharmacy robbery problems, I doubt we will ever see it prescribed outside of clinics. There really is no reason for it to be prescribed for pain since there are plenty of other opiates that adequately treat pain.

As for the low oral bioavailability...Transdermal Patch. And yes, while there are opioids much more potent than heroin, I'm pretty sure it's the euphoria involved. Newer opioids are being designed to alleviate more pain while providing less euphoria to minimize drug abuse. I've never done heroin, but I've heard it's more euphoric than any other opioid used IV (and you must remember street heroin isn't JUST heroin. I'm willing to say that 90+% of people that have used heroin have never had pure heroin)-whether it be Dilaudid, Opana, Fentanyl (which actually has virtually no euphoric qualities if you're in pain-I received it after surgery), etc.

That's just my perspective on things from information gathered through reading.

 

[Vader]

Heroin's not really potent enough for use in a transdermal patch, you want something that's active at doses well below 1mg.

 

[Doug2113]

they make morphine patches...

edit: just found out that these "morphine" patches that I've been hearing of for years is actually fentanyl...I feel dumb

 

[Newbierock]

Heroin overdoses tend to be caused by going Over the dose your body can handle

Sorry, couldn't help it.