Questions About My Son’s Toxicology Report?

Question by bj: questions about my son’s toxicology report?
Alcohols & acetone: >.50% methanol
.03% ethanol
Drug screen: .05 mg/L diphenhydramine
150 mg/L salicylate
.20 mg/L codeine
.18 mg/L morphine
Urine: Opiate narcotics .24 mg/L codeine
.52 mg/L hydrocodone
>2.0 mg/L morphine
.67 mg/L 6-monoacetylmorphine
He was not a recreational drug user but used 2 weeks before his death
they said it was “toxic effects of heroin”. Were these findings an overdose? Was the amount of heroin alot? thanks for any help.

Best answer:

Answer by Exdeath
First off, I am extremely sorry for the loss of your son. I can’t imagine what you must be going through..

As far as your son’s toxicology report, he had quite a bit of different compounds in his system. The Diphenhydramine is an OTC sleep aid/antihistamine, found in remedies like Benadryl, Tylenol Sleep, Etc. The morphine is most likely a result of a prior heroin use breaking down in his body, which shows up as Morphine in a urinalysis. Hydrocodone is known as Vicodin and is easily abused.

The thing that bothers me the most here is the presence of methanol. Methanol is known as wood alcohol, and has toxic effects if consumed. Ethyl alcohol is the alcohol present in beer, spririts, etc..

Heroin is Diacetylmorphine, but may be listed here as 6-Monoacteylmorphine. It really doesn’t take much to kill someone with heroin, particularly among intravenous users. He may have stopped for a few days, and then shot a few bags to get a bigger “rush” than normal. That, and the combination of the other compounds inside him is what ended his life.

This is another situation where early response and Naloxone could have saved his life. I hope this was helpful.

Give your answer to this question below!