Why does heroin make you vomit?

Answer 1

"because your body doesn't like it the illegal drug so it tries to get rid of it"

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Now for the factual answer;

Actually no. The legality of the drug matters nothing when it comes to causing nausea and vomiting. Also, it has nothing to do with whether or not the body "likes it".

A very common side effect of opiates and opioids is nausea and vomiting. This happens so frequently that in a hospital setting most patients who are given IV opiates are also given some type of antiemetic, (anti nausea drug) such as phenergan (promethazine) to prevent vomiting, and aspiration.

There are quite a few people who don't feel any nausea, nor vomit, after using opiates and opioids, legal ones or illegal ones, so it's not universal.

Heroin, which is illegal in the United States, is not illegal in all countries. In fact, in the UK, pure pharmaceutical heroin is prescribed, albeit rarely. Many people who are prescribed legal heroin feel nausea and then vomit after receiving it.

The body, purely a biological entity, has no way of liking something or not liking something. It doesn't feel an emotion such as like or dislike. The mind, on the other hand, could cause a somatic reaction such as nausea and vomiting if a person who was afraid of the drug, or forced to take it against their will. However, most people who decide to inject heroin, in places where it is illegal, and do so without a prescription, aren't really against using it.

It's purely a physical response, and common. It's also common with not only heroin, but Morphine, Methadone, Demerol, Fentanyl, Dilaudid, Percodan, Percocet, Lortab, Lorcet, Vicodin, and any and all of the Tylenol and Codeine preparations. It can also be caused by cough syrups which contain hydrocodone, although many times they also contain promethazine, which is also a cough suppressant.

Hope this helps clear up any misinformation.

Answer 2

Because opioid-related nausea is so common, it will be discussed separately. Opioids result in nausea through two major mechanisms: inhibition of gut motility and stimulation of the CTZ. Stimulation of the CTZ relates more to increases in blood opioid levels than it does to absolute opioid levels. Thus, initiating opioid therapy or raising the opioid dose is likely to result in nausea. However, if a new steady-state blood level is maintained, nausea usually subsides within two to three days. During this time aggressive treatment of nausea usually allows patients to tolerate opioid therapy. This is particularly important if the oral route is used for administration. Patients may enter a vicious cycle of nausea interrupting oral opioid administration, resulting in fluctuating blood opioid levels and perpetual nausea (in addition to unnecessary pain). In severe cases a nonoral route of administration should be used, at least until nausea is under control, in order to escape this cycle. As stimulation of the CTZ is primarily mediated through D2 receptors, dopamine blockade is critical to drug therapy. Anticholinergic and antihistaminic agents are less effective for this form of nausea, although they may help with relatively minor stimulation of the vestibular apparatus by opioids. Anticholinergic and antihistaminic agents may increase undesired sedation associated with initiation or upward titration of opioids and may also exacerbate poor gut motility, adding to these serious side affects of opioids. Anticholinergic and antihistaminic agents dry the mouth, a common and troubling side effect in the seriously and terminally ill patient (also worsened in patients taking opioids). Thus, a strong argument can be made for maximizing dopamine blocking effects and minimizing anticholinergic and antihistaminic effects in choosing an antiemetic for opioids. Having said this, it is remarkable that no controlled trials (of which I am aware) have compared prochlorperazine (Compazine - relatively antidopaminergic) to promethazine (Phenergan - a weak antidopaminergic drug and strong antihistamine) in the treatment of opioid-related nausea. Given the prevalence with which both agents are used to treat opioid-related nausea, this is testimony to the fact that what often drives research is not solving common, practical problems, but pharmaceutical dollars and research ambitions.

Answer 3

The reason that heroin makes a person vomit is because it slows down the movement in the gastro-intestinal tract. This irritates the tract causing a person to vomit.

Answer 4

Yes, your body is not always use to harmful toxins which may result in vomiting and can often lead to death.