Many people who aren’t prescribed this drug abuse it intentionally because of its euphoric, pain-relieving effects. Any type of long-term hydrocodone abuse can result in an addiction, and anyone who suffers from hydrocodone addiction should attend an opiate addiction treatment program. In 2011, up to 131 million Americans were prescribed Vicodin, often in unnecessary strength and quantity. In 2014, lawmakers recognized the increasing danger of hydrocodone combination products and changed them from Schedule III to Schedule II controlled substances. Previous formulations included 500 mg to 750 mg of acetaminophen per pill.
How Does Vicodin Addiction Affect One Socially and Interpersonally?
Call your doctor immediately for mild allergic reaction symptoms, such as a mild rash. They’ll also let you know whether you should keep taking the medication. Since Vicodin contains the opioid hydrocodone, it has a chance of causing neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome.
Hydrocodone is hydrocodone addiction: symptoms and signs of abuse available in combination with other ingredients, and different combination products are prescribed for different uses. Other hydrocodone combination products are used to relieve cough in adults. Hydrocodone is in a class of medications called opiate (narcotic) analgesics and in a class of medications called antitussives. Hydrocodone relieves pain by changing the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain. Hydrocodone relieves cough by decreasing activity in the part of the brain that causes coughing.
Vicodin Symptoms, Signs and Side Effects
In addition, severe health issues can arise from long-term hydrocodone abuse—especially if the individual abuses combination products that contain other drugs. For instance, medications like Norco® contain acetaminophen, which can lead to liver damage when abused. While hydrocodone is prescribed relatively frequently for pain, the medication has risks. In the United States, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies drugs based on their medical uses and addiction potential. Hydrocodone, like many other prescription opioids, is a Schedule II drug.
How Common Is Vicodin Addiction?
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) drugs may be administered in detox or rehab as medically appropriate to help a person overcome their hydrocodone use disorder. The two gold-standard MAT medications are methadone and buprenorphine. There are specific side effects of hydrocodone abuse that can include serious long-term consequences. Even when someone takes hydrocodone as prescribed, side effects are possible.
How Does Vicodin Affect One’s Health Long Term?
Many people find that they have to take more to experience the desired effects, which may lead to physical dependence and potentially addiction. Variants of hydrocodone containing acetaminophen also pose a high-risk of liver damage or failure. Studies show that consuming more than 4,000 mg of acetaminophen in one day can cause acute or chronic liver injury – including cirrhosis and possibly liver failure.
What Causes Hydrocodone Abuse?
Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine. Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
- If you feel you’re starting to crave the drug even at times when you feel little or no pain, talk with your doctor immediately.
- People who intentionally abuse hydrocodone seek it for the euphoric high that opioids can create.
- Repeatedly engaging in any kind of opioid misuse has the potential to damage relationships with family members, colleagues, and peers.
- Recognizing the signs of Vicodin addiction is crucial for early intervention and effective treatment.
- This can occur even when you take the medication exactly as prescribed.
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In addition, hydrocodone is often mixed with acetaminophen to discourage abuse of the narcotic. However, acetaminophen in large doses can lead to irreversible liver damage that will cause death no matter how quickly treatment is administered. Many hydrocodone addicts do not heed this very real warning and continue to abuse hydrocodone with acetaminophen no matter what the consequences. Not only do narcotics such as hydrocodone suppress breathing, but many individuals who are addicted to hydrocodone are poly-substance abusers, meaning that they abuse other medications as well.
Tell your health care provider if you have any of the following. The sphincter of Oddi is a muscular valve in your body that controls the flow of bile and digestive juices from the pancreas into the small intestine. When this valve spasms, it may feel like getting a tight muscle cramp, causing pain and blocking the flow of these juices, which can lead to discomfort and digestive problems. This is more likely to happen if you do not have a gallbladder. Hydrocodone may cause allergic reactions, which can be serious. Stop taking hydrocodone and get help right away if you have any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction.
Using large amounts of hydrocodone long-term reduces an individual’s breathing rate, which in turn reduces how much oxygen their body takes in. This can cause damage to various organ systems, including the brain. It can also increase the risk of sudden death for individuals who suffer from sleep apnea or lung diseases. People who crush and smoke hydrocodone can also damage their lungs by smoking the harsh chemicals.
Sustained Recovery
- Doctors typically prescribe hydrocodone for extended periods only after less potent pain management methods are ineffective.
- These dangers increase if additional drugs are taken or if hydrocodone is used illegally or beyond the original prescription.
- You can find out more on how to properly throw away your medicines at /drugdisposal.
- This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter OTC) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.
- You may receive a dangerous overdose if you take more medication or take your medication more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Hydrocodone is a semi-synthetic medication that comes from the opiate class of drugs. Hydrocodone, a narcotic, relieves pain by binding to the opiate receptors in the central nervous system. Over 140 million prescriptions are written each year for medications that contain hydrocodone. Medically, hydrocodone is used as for moderate-to-severe pain management as well as cough-suppression in individuals with pneumonia or whooping cough. Hydrocodone has largely replaced codeine, a less potent prescription drug used to manage pain and cough in individuals with pain disorders or those who have upper respiratory infections. Your doctor may adjust your dose of hydrocodone during your treatment, depending on how well your pain is controlled and on the side effects that you experience.
Misuse means taking a medicine in a way other than how it was prescribed. Tell your health care provider if you feel that hydrocodone is not working. Call your health care provider right away or go to the nearest emergency room if you have any of the following serious symptoms. If you or a loved one struggles with hydrocodone, help is available. Orlando Recovery Center Drug and Alcohol Rehab offers evidence-based hydrocodone detox and rehab options.
