Fortunately, many members of the Hollywood elite came forward with their struggles to warn others regarding the dangers of Vicodin addiction. A few examples are ice or heat therapy, physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, and nerve stimulation. When you quit taking Vicodin, you may experience feelings of irritability, anxiety, and mood swings. As your body withdraws from the drug, you may feel as if you have a cold or flu, with a stuffy or runny nose, fever, sweats, chills, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

How Long Does Vicodin Withdrawal Last?

Numerous studies have reported that individuals who have a history of long-term opioid use are much more likely to experience intense pain. After years of opioid abuse, many people have a heightened https://sober-home.org/psychedelic-and-dissociative-drugs-national/ sensitivity to pain. This results in needing longer periods of time to recover from an injury or surgery and experiencing intense cravings to use hydrocodone to relieve chronic pain.

Hydrocodone Addiction And Its Effects On The Body

Overdose-related pulmonary complications include noncardiogenic pulmonary edema and aspiration pneumonitis. Central respiratory depression leading to CO2 retention often results in respiratory acidosis. Vicodin is an opiate pain reliever typically used for severe pain. However, because of its high potential for abuse and misuse, it’s only prescribed when other pain medications don’t work or following a surgical procedure.

Steps to prevent opioid use disorder

Osbourne wrote in her book Fierce that her Vicodin addiction started with a prescription. As her tolerance level rose, she was consuming up to 50 pills of Vicodin a day. Her friends and parents quickly noticed her symptoms — notably drowsiness and nodding off. Eventually, she pursued Vicodin addiction rehab and received the necessary treatment to begin a life of sobriety.

How opioid use disorder occurs

It’s possible for someone using Vicodin to treat pain to develop a physical dependence on the drug, but this doesn’t always indicate an addiction. Withdrawal symptoms are possible, so doctors sometimes gradually reduce the dosage. Many individuals with a substance use disorder do not seek professional assistance. And the most effective way to overcome Vicodin abuse is to seek rehab for opioid addiction. While it is effective when used properly, misusing Vicodin can be harmful. It can lead to physical problems such as stomach pain and mental health issues that can linger for years.

Depending on how much and for how long you have been taking Vicodin, the withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to very severe. Even people who take Vicodin exactly as prescribed for pain while recovering from injury or surgery can experience withdrawal. Hydrocodone addiction isn’t a reflection of your character or willpower. It’s an indication that the drug has changed the way your brain experiences pain and pleasure. People with SUD are intensely focused on using drugs or alcohol, even when they know that continued use of the substance may lead to health issues or problems at work, school, or home.

Up to 131 million Americans were, oftentimes unnecessarily, prescribed Vicodin in 2011. The more you know about hydrocodone, the better your chances are of avoiding addiction. Organizations such as Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous may help you avoid relapse with hydrocodone or another drug.

It is composed of the painkiller hydrocodone and acetaminophen in differing dosages. Hydrocodone is a strong opiate painkiller with highly addictive properties. The indication for airway https://sober-home.org/ management is severe respiratory depression or apnea secondary to hydrocodone toxicity. Emergency department clinicians should refer stabilized patients to psychiatric evaluation.

While addiction can occur from building tolerance to the drug, individuals misusing it tend to take Vicodin to alleviate minor symptoms, such as a headache. The user begins to rely on the medication for that sense of relief and tranquilization that follows the slightest discomfort. Because Vicodin already contains acetaminophen, combining it with other acetaminophen-containing products is extremely dangerous and toxic to your liver. Products containing acetaminophen are widespread and often available over-the-counter, including Tylenol and cough, cold and flu treatments. If you are unsure whether a product contains acetaminophen, contact your doctor or pharmacist. The maximum recommended dose of acetaminophen is 3 grams (3000 milligrams) in 24 hours.

Ask your doctor before making any changes in how or when you take your medications. Help prevent opioid misuse in your family and community by storing opioid medicines securely while you use them. In the U.S., find the closest Controlled Substance Public Disposal Locations on a website the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains. Or contact your local law enforcement agency or your trash and recycling service for information about local medicine takeback programs. If no takeback program is available in your area, ask your pharmacist for help. Along with the physical side effects of long-term Vicodin abuse, there can be effects on a person’s entire life.

Substance abuse treatment programs can help you put an end to your addiction and learn the skills necessary to sustain sobriety. Opioids like hydrocodone produce a euphoric effect by activating the opioid receptors in the brain. The sedative effect of hydrocodone makes it highly desirable for many people and contributes to misuse and addiction.

1. Variants of hydrocodone containing acetaminophen also pose a high-risk of liver damage or failure.
2. Patients should be advised to cease all other opioid medications when initiating hydrocodone ER unless explicitly directed by a clinician.
3. An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of the medications; however, sometimes it does.
4. A treatment plan may include opioid agonist medications, such as methadone, to relieve withdrawal symptoms.
5. The number of deaths from using heroin has gone up since more heroin now contains fentanyl.

It takes learning how to communicate openly and honestly again, gaining control over oneself, one’s decisions and one’s actions, and learning to make drug-free decisions. It takes longer than the month of most short-term drug rehabs to get through these changes. That’s why the Narconon program is on average eight to ten week program; it gives a person time to really get ready to be sober. The person facing recovery from this addiction may dread the withdrawal process from opiates.

These include Vicodin overprescribing and the drug’s powerful effects on the brain. The Recovery Village can give people the opportunity to treat a Vicodin addiction immediately when symptoms appear. Like Osbourne, the proper treatment tools can make all the difference when obtaining a drug-free life.

The substance can produce feelings of lightheadedness and euphoria, which have resulted in the widespread misuse of hydrocodone nationwide. How long it takes to taper off your medicine depends on the type and dose of the opioid you’ve been taking and how long you’ve been taking it. You may need weeks, months or even longer to slowly and safely lower your dose and stop taking your opioid medicine. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism.

Before taking other medications, it is important to check with your doctor or pharmacist to ensure they are safe to take with Vicodin. Zohydro was the first purely hydrocodone medication approved by the FDA in 2013. The agency approved the medication against the advice of its scientific advisory board, which voted 11-2 to deny Zohydro’s approval. The addition of acetaminophen is thought to lower hydrocodone’s risk of abuse, causing many to question the FDA’s decision to approve Zohydro. As with other drugs, Vicodin can interact with other drugs and alcohol. Taking Vicodin with other substances can lead to uncomfortable and harmful side effects.

Some of these hormones include estrogen and testosterone, which can lead to fertility damage, making it more difficult to conceive. Low hormone levels can also result in increased risk of depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue syndrome, osteoporosis due to loss of muscle mass, and increased risk of bone fractures. A study found that hormone levels in women who were addicted to hydrocodone were between 30 to 70% lower in estrogen levels than normal. It is important to know both the behavioral and physical symptoms of hydrocodone addiction so that you can seek appropriate treatment for yourself or a loved one.