You have been treated for an overdose of opiates such as a prescription pain medicine or heroin. Taking too many opiates is dangerous. They cause breathing to slow and possibly stop. If you stop breathing for more than 2 to 3 minutes, your heart can stop and you will die. In 2016, the CDC estimated that more than 42,000 people in the U.S. died from an opioid overdose.
Symptoms can depend on how much of the drug and which ones were used. They include:
Trouble breathing or slow irregular breathing; breathing may even stop, which can cause death
Drowsiness, trouble arousing, or coma
Small, pinpoint pupils
Cyanosis. This is when lips and nails appear blue because you don't have enough oxygen in the blood.
Slow heart rate
Low body temperature (hypothermia)
Muscle spasm
Seizures
Death
If your overdose was severe, you may have been given an antidote such as naloxone. The antidote effect lasts for about 1 to 2 hours. If the opiate has not left your system by the time the antidote medicine wears off, your symptoms may return. These symptoms include drowsiness and slow breathing.
If you were addicted and physically dependent on opiates, then naloxone may cause withdrawal symptoms to appear right away. These may consist of:
Body aches
Diarrhea
Abdominal cramps
Nausea
Vomiting
Runny nose
Sneezing
Sweating
Yawning
Restlessness
Irritability
Trembling
These symptoms will go away as the naloxone wears off.
The following guidelines will help you care for yourself at home:
Rest for the next 12 hours.
Don't drive or operate any vehicle or dangerous equipment until all opioid effects have worn off and you no longer feel sleepy or drowsy.
If you were previously prescribed opioid medicines for pain, don't take any more of this medicine for the next 6 to 8 hours, unless your healthcare provider says it is safe to do so.
If opioids or other drugs were swallowed, you may have been given liquid charcoal to neutralize those drugs. The charcoal may cause nausea and vomiting over the next few hours. It will also cause a black color to your stools for the next 1 to 2 days. Usually, you will be given a laxative with the charcoal to speed the removal of any toxins from the digestive tract. This may cause diarrhea for up to 24 hours. If no laxative was given, you may become constipated. If this happens, you may take an over-the-counter laxative or suppository.
Follow up with your healthcare provider, or as advised if all symptoms don't go away within 24 hours, or if constipation is not eased after 2 doses of laxatives. If your overdose was related to a drug addiction, seek drug counseling. Consider a drug treatment program to help break your habit.
Call 911 if any of these occur:
Seizure
Trouble breathing or slow irregular breathing
Chest pain
Sudden weakness on one side of your body or sudden trouble speaking
Very drowsy or trouble awakening
Fainting or loss of consciousness
Rapid heart rate
Very slow heart rate
Call your healthcare provider right away if any of these occur:
Cough with colored sputum
Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or as directed by your healthcare provider
Redness, swelling or tenderness at the heroin injection site (if using IV drugs)
Feeling that you might harm yourself or another
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