Risks
These are some of the potential health risks of medicine abuse (symptoms dependent on the type of drug used):
- Produce withdrawal symptoms including restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps and involuntary leg movements
- Produce drowsiness
- Cause constipation
- Even a large single dose could cause severe breathing disorders and death
- Deadly interaction with other drugs
- Lead to physical dependence
- Slow breathing, or slow both the heart and respiration, which can be fatal. Particularly true if combined with the use of certain other prescription medicines, over-the-counter cold and allergy medications or alcohol
- Be highly addictive, which leads to compulsive drug seeking and use
- Result in the development of an irregular heartbeat
- Raise the body’s temperature to dangerously high levels
- Lead to cardiovascular failure or deadly seizures
- Create feelings of hostility or paranoia
