Uptick in "gas station heroin" withdrawals reported at Pittsburgh-area hospital

A Pittsburgh-area hospital is seeing a concerning uptick in withdrawals from what many describe as "gas station heroin."

Kratom is not heavily regulated in Pennsylvania, and it can be found in places like gas stations and vape shops. But doctors are warning that with it being so easily accessible, people are taking it not knowing what's in it, not knowing how much and then ending up in the hospital.

"It's a real challenge for us healthcare professionals," said Dr. Christopher Eicher with AHN Wexford, calling kratom a "formula for disaster." 

Eicher says normally, they see one to two patients a month with kratom withdrawals. But in the past month, Eicher says the hospital is seeing "multiple patients on our ICU, ICU stepdown wards and the telemetry ward."

"I think it kind of coincides around the buzz with the DEA talking about legislation to kind of crack down on it," he said. 

That talk is possibly leading to more purchases and more hospital visits. But right now, there's absolutely no regulation on kratom in Pennsylvania, meaning buyers don't know what's exactly in it and how much.

Eicher says it's affecting all genders, ages and socioeconomic statuses.

"In an attempt to control that pain, they are self-medicating," Eicher said. "At lower doses, the kratom is an upper, it's stimulating them, it's getting them through fatigue and some of the symptoms and higher doses, it's causing a lot of problems that are leading them to the ICU."

Those problems include respiratory depression, cardiac instability, GI symptoms, electrolyte abnormalities and long hospital stays. In Allegheny County, two men have died solely from complications of kratom, which comes from an evergreen tree native to Asia.

"It's unbelievable how easily they can get it," Eicher said. 

While there are talks on legislation both on a federal and state level, health leaders urge education on kratom and to reach out for help. 

"Anytime your pain is uncontrolled or you're going through a mental health crisis, certainly seek out your medical care providers. You can't go through any withdrawal at home," Eicher said.