Vicodin contains the active ingredients hydrocodone and acetaminophen. Both substances can be dangerous in high doses, and taking too much Vicodin can lead to an overdose. When an addiction to Vicodin forms, it is highly recommended to seek help from an accredited facility or work with a medical professional. Most people believe they can ease themselves off the drug on their own, but this is not the safest way to clear the body of Vicodin.
What is the most important information I should know about Vicodin withdrawal?
Also used for treating alcohol use disorder (AUD), naltrexone reduces cravings and also blocks the effects of Vicodin in the case of a relapse. For this reason, in March 2014, the FDA announced that all manufacturers have ceased marketing products with more than 325 mg of acetaminophen. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, up to half of your risk of developing an addiction is genetic. If you have a family member who has experienced addiction, you are more likely to experience it, too. While research is still ongoing, it’s generally accepted that addiction involves many factors. Some people enjoy these effects so much that they begin to crave hydrocodone and use it to cope with everyday stresses.
Liver Damage
As a result, there are implications of opioids, pointing to an increased incidence of infections in subjects with heroin use disorder. In addition, women have a unique set of risk factors for opioid use disorder. Compared with men, women also are more likely to be prescribed opioid medicines, to be given higher doses and to use opioids for longer periods of time.
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Notably, hydrocodone should not be crushed, chewed, or dissolved as tablets and capsules to prevent uncontrolled and rapid medication delivery, which could result in an overdose. Some medicines can interact with hydrocodone and cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome. Be sure your doctor knows if you also take medicine for depression, mental illness, Parkinson’s disease, migraine headaches, serious infections, or prevention of nausea and vomiting.
Vicodin Overdose
Ask a doctor before using opioid medicine if you are breastfeeding. Tell your doctor if you notice severe drowsiness or slow breathing in the nursing baby. Do not use this medicine if you have taken a MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine. You should not use Vicodin if you are allergic to acetaminophen (Tylenol) or hydrocodone, or if you have recently used alcohol, sedatives, tranquilizers, or other narcotic medications. As well as treating addiction to Vicodin, The Recovery Village also offers individualized treatment plans to help people manage opioid addiction addictions.
How opioid use disorder occurs
The dosing should start low and slow and titrated up as necessary to obtain adequate analgesia while having minimal side effects. Always check your bottle to make sure you have received the correct pills (same brand and type) of medicine prescribed by your doctor. Everyone plays an important role in breaking the grip that opioids have on communities and their residents. Fortunately, there is treatment available for those who seek it, and it is possible to end one’s addiction to Vicodin once and for all.
But there are risks linked to opioid use — including severe constipation, nausea, dependence, misuse, opioid use disorder and accidental overdose. For example, opioid medicines may help when the pain level is very high and short term. Multiple efforts point toward reducing prescription abuse and misuse. Opioids are most addictive when you take them in a way other than how they were prescribed — for example, crushing a pill so that it can be snorted or injected. This life-threatening drug misuse is even more dangerous if the pill is effective for a longer period of time. Rapidly delivering all the medicine to your body can cause an accidental overdose.
They may suffer some kind of pain or injury and have the drug prescribed by a doctor. As they build a tolerance to the drug, they need more and more to keep the pain away. They may exceed the amount of the drug the doctor is willing to prescribe and then start getting the drug illicitly. Other drugs may interact with acetaminophen and hydrocodone, including prescription and over-the- counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Opioid medicine can slow or stop your breathing, and death may occur.
- Medically assisted detoxification can help you safely and comfortably detox from the substance.
- Hydrocodone is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if anyone is using your medicine improperly or without a prescription.
- In Texas, the parents of a man who died after taking tianeptine in 2015 sued online retailer Powder City; the company said it was halting its business soon afterward.
- The indication for airway management is severe respiratory depression or apnea secondary to hydrocodone toxicity.
A person caring for you should give naloxone and/or seek emergency medical attention if you have slow breathing with long pauses, blue colored lips, or if you are hard to wake up. MISUSE OF NARCOTIC MEDICINE CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, OVERDOSE, OR DEATH, especially in a child or other person using the medicine without a prescription. Never take this medicine in larger amounts, or for longer than prescribed. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain. If you use narcotic medicine while you are pregnant, your baby could become dependent on the drug. This can cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the baby after it is born.
Vicodin is a prescription painkiller intended for those suffering from severe pain, like pain following surgery. Medical professionals prescribe the medication to help alleviate pain and make the patient more comfortable. When used correctly, the medication can calm a patient’s discomfort. Individuals who choose to utilize the drug illegally usually crush it themselves. Rather than be taken orally, the powder is snorted into the body by the user.
If you and your healthcare professional think you have an opioid use disorder, voluntary groups such as Narcotics Anonymous are structured support groups. They are led by other people who have been dependent on addictive substances. These groups can be a powerful support network for those who find that they aren’t able to quit using opioids despite their best efforts. You may have withdrawal symptoms when you stop or lessen the use of opioid medicine.
Many other treatments are available, including less addictive pain medicines and therapies that don’t involve medicines. If possible, aim for a treatment plan that allows you to enjoy your life without opioids. People who take opioids are at risk of opioid use disorder, often called opioid addiction.
Experiencing trauma, like abuse or a chaotic home environment, or exposure to stress as a child or adult may lead some people to turn to drugs as a coping mechanism. Peer pressure and lack of social support also increase the risk of addiction. It’s a prescription opioid that can lead to physical dependence which, in some cases, may lead to addiction. If your doctor has prescribed this drug and you’re worried about addiction, talk about your concerns. If you have a personal or family history of substance use disorders, an alternative pain reliever may be a better option for you.
Most Vicodin overdose deaths happen for people who have recently gone through detox and withdrawal. Overdose can occur even at a much smaller dose than previously taken. The withdrawal process reduces your tolerance https://sober-home.org/what-is-holistic-addiction-treatment/ for the drug, so if you return to taking Vicodin at the level you previously took it, you have a high risk of overdose. Once a physical dependence on Vicodin develops, addiction becomes more likely.
Together you can create a plan to stop opioids slowly, called a taper. Tapering means slowly lowering over time the amount of opioid medicine you take until you stop completely. Professional care from health providers can help ensure that your withdrawal symptoms are carefully monitored, but you can also go through this process at home. Let your doctor know that you will be withdrawing so that you can talk about any medications that may be helpful for treating possible side effects. All opiate-based drugs can become habit-forming and cause physical dependence. Once you develop a Vicodin dependence, quitting or cutting back suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms.
Inpatient or residential recovery treatment programs require you to live in a rehab facility for a certain number of days. It’s typically anywhere from 15 days to several months, depending on your needs. Hydrocodone addiction may be difficult to overcome, but with the right support, it is possible. https://sober-home.org/ There are many treatment options available to help you achieve recovery and remission. Tolerance to the drug can develop quickly — in some cases, within a week. You may feel you need to take increasingly higher doses to achieve the same effects you felt when you first started the medication.
Anyone can experience withdrawal symptoms if they have taken Vicodin over a period of time, usually several weeks or more. Although the symptoms vary by person, most people experience some withdrawal discomfort when they attempt to quit or cut down. Vicodin is currently labeled as a Schedule II controlled substance by the Drug Enforcement Agency after being changed from Schedule III in October of 2014. Abuse of Vicodin includes any type of use without a prescription or use other than directed by a doctor.
Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. If you need help quitting Vicodin or another opiate-based drug, discuss your options with your doctor. There are resources available that can help you get through the process and find the support you need to overcome Vicodin misuse.
According to the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 6.9 million people had misused hydrocodone products like Vicodin during the previous year. If you have withdrawal symptoms, tell your healthcare team right away. Follow all instructions about how to manage your withdrawal symptoms. If you feel the need to manage withdrawal symptoms, talk to your healthcare team right away. Don’t try to quit using Vicodin on your own after heavy or prolonged use.
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