Risks
Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, itching, sweating, constipation, feeling cold, dry mouth, headache, loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, slowed pulse, sleep disturbances.
At higher doses (overdose or in combination with other downers), other severe side effects may also occur: Numbing sensation, slowing and attenuation of breathing to respiratory arrest, severe drowsiness to unconsciousness, life-threatening shock, visual disturbances.
Long-term risks/consequences
Tolerance development is the habituation to an opiate, whereby its effects diminish through repeated or chronic use over a period of time.
Dependence is accompanied by physical and psychological symptoms and can develop with regular use. Withdrawal symptoms in case of addiction could be: compulsive craving for opioids, anxiety or agitation, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sleep disturbance, runny nose, sneezing.
After opiate withdrawal, tolerance to opioids is lost, meaning that one becomes as sensitive to opioids as before dependence. The risk of intoxication is particularly high if the dose consumed again is not drastically reduced compared to the doses before withdrawal.
