Vicodin Addiction: Signs, Effects, and Treatment

This is not an exhaustive list, and there may be other potential drug interactions. For this reason, tell your healthcare provider about all the prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications, supplements, and herbal medicines you take. Taking either of these during pregnancy may cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the newborn. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine that may contain acetaminophen (sometimes abbreviated as APAP).

Opioid Overdose Symptoms

• You have the best chance of surviving an overdose if you receive medical attention before you have breathing problems.
• For this reason, in March 2014, the FDA announced that all manufacturers have ceased marketing products with more than 325 mg of Acetaminophen.
• Keep this medicine in a safe place to prevent theft, misuse, or abuse.
• If hydrocodone is taken accidentally, especially by children, this can cause fatal respiratory depression even with just one dose.

Generic versions of drugs generally cost less than the brand-name versions. Naloxone is available without a prescription in all states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. If you have insurance coverage, you may be able to get the medication at no cost. Lortab vicodin addiction elixir, which is a syrup-like liquid, is the only brand-name version of hydrocodone/acetaminophen available. This article refers to hydrocodone/acetaminophen as Vicodin to minimize confusion. However, hydrocodone/acetaminophen is still known by this name.

• Vicodin may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
• If a decision is made to treat serious respiratory depression in the physically dependentpatient, administration of the antagonist should be initiated with care and by titration with smaller thanusual doses of the antagonist.
• Tell your doctor if you feel an increased urge to take more of this medicine.
• Avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how Vicodin will affect you.

Recognizing an overdose

Clinically, dosage is titrated to provide adequate analgesia and may be limited by adversereactions, including respiratory and CNS depression. Gastric decontamination with activated charcoal should be administered just prior to N-acetylcysteine(NAC) to decrease systemic absorption if acetaminophen ingestion is known or suspected to haveoccurred within a few hours of presentation. Serum acetaminophen levels should be https://ecosoberhouse.com/ obtainedimmediately if the patient presents 4 hours or more after ingestion to assess potential risk ofhepatotoxicity; acetaminophen levels drawn less than 4 hours post-ingestion may be misleading. Toobtain the best possible outcome, NAC should be administered as soon as possible where impending orevolving liver injury is suspected. Intravenous NAC may be administered when circumstances precludeoral administration.

Drug/Laboratory Test Interactions

Monitor patients receiving hydrocodonebitartrate and acetaminophen tablets and any cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibitor or inducer for signs of respiratory depression or sedation [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, WARNINGS, DRUG INTERACTIONS]. In an individual physically dependent on opioids, administration of the recommended usual dosage of theantagonist will precipitate an acute withdrawal syndrome. The severity of the withdrawal symptomsexperienced will depend on the degree of physical dependence and the dose of the antagonistadministered.

Once a physical dependence on Vicodin develops, addiction becomes more likely. Vicodin withdrawals can be intense and painful, and many people will continue using Vicodin just to avoid them. One of the negative complications of Vicodin abuse is liver damage or failure caused by the Acetaminophen in the drug.

Long-Term Effects of Opioid Overdose

It is reflected in individuals who pursue reward or relief through substance use and other behaviors. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding or thinking about becoming pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s important to talk with your doctor before taking hydrocodone. Talk with your doctor if you drink alcohol and think you may have trouble avoiding it while taking hydrocodone. While it’s rare, hydrocodone may stop your adrenal glands from producing enough hormones. If you already have adrenal gland problems, this drug could make them worse.

Never use this medicine in larger amounts, or for longer than prescribed. Narcotic pain medicine may be habit-forming, even at regular doses. Never share Vicodin with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it. Patients with renal impairment may have higher plasma hydrocodone concentrations than those withnormal function. Use a low initial dose hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen tablets in patients withrenal impairment and follow closely for adverse events such as respiratory depression and sedation.

• Inform patients that hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen tablets could cause a rare but potentiallylife-threatening condition resulting from concomitant administration of serotonergic drugs.
• She currently serves as a Director of adult outpatient services in a community health center.
• Individually titrate hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen tablets to a dose that provides adequateanalgesia and minimizes adverse reactions.
• Symptoms may vary depending on several issues, such as the speed of the opioid taper and how long you’ve used opioid medicines.
• Dizziness or severe drowsiness can cause falls or other accidents.

What other drugs will affect Vicodin?

Since the duration of action of hydrocodone may exceed that of the antagonist, the patient should be kept under continued surveillance, and repeated doses of the antagonist should be administered as needed to maintain adequate respiration. A narcotic antagonist should not be administered in the absence of clinically significant respiratory or cardiovascular depression. Your healthcare professional may prescribe opioids to help you get through a few days of severe pain after surgery or a serious injury.

Questions about taking hydrocodone

Tapering over time can help lessen withdrawal symptoms or keep you from having them. You may be eager to reach your goal, but your body needs time to adjust to lower levels of opioids, and then to none at all. A step-by-step plan to lower how much opioid medicine you take will help this process go smoothly. This slow tapering also helps ease the discomfort you may feel as you stop taking opioids. During this time, you can practice new skills to manage pain and other long-term symptoms too.