IMMEDIATE HARM
The initial effects of heroin include a surge of sensation—a “rush.” This is often accompanied by a warm feeling of the skin and a dry mouth. Sometimes, the initial reaction can include vomiting or severe itching.
Early symptoms of withdrawal may include:
- Agitation
- Anxiety
- Muscle aches
- Increased tearing
- Insomnia
- Runny nose
- Sweating
- Yawning
Late symptoms of withdrawal include:
- Abdominal cramping
- Diarrhea
- Dilated pupils
- Goose bumps
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Treatment
Treatment involves supportive care and medications. The most commonly used medication is clonidine, and primarily reduces anxiety, agitation, muscle aches, sweating, runny nose, and cramping.
Other medications can treat vomiting and diarrhea.
Buprenorphine (Subutex) has been shown to work better than other medications for treating withdrawal from opiates, and it can shorten the length of detox. It may also be used for long-term maintenance like methadone.
People withdrawing from methadone may be placed on long-term maintenance. This involves slowly decreasing the dosage of methadone over time. This helps reduce the intensity of withdrawal symptoms.
First week in
What is heroin withdrawal like?
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