Heroin and Itchiness

[Halcy420]

Ok, first of all I apologize if this has already been discussed but my WebTV doesn't like the New Bluelight search function.
If it has could someone just be kind enough to give me the URL.
Anyway, what I would like to know is why is it when you are on heroin, especially IV, do you get so itchy? I don't have any other issues with it except for being incredibly itchy.
Thanks :0)

 

[fairnymph]

Opiates such as heroin cause itching because they induce the release of histamine, a chemical which makes you itchy. Histamine is also released when you have an allergic reaction to something (for example, to poison oak or poison ivy).
It's actually slightly more complicated than this (i.e. there are some other competing theories as to why opiates induce itching), but the histamine theory is the leading one and the simplest to understand.
Butorphanol and antihistamines can be used to combat opiate-related itching...

 

[Halcy420]

Thanks Fairnymph

 

[PhreeX]

WebTV hahaha..
I remember in the WebTV 'chatroom' the WebTV users used to claim they were made fun of constantly by computer users because "[computer users] are jellous they invested thousands of dollars into their computer when we can get onto the internet and do all the same things they can for less then 1/10th the cost" ..
Oh, question answered.. many times... histamine and junk...