How to Use Vicodin Safely for Pain Relief
Withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia, night sweats, tremors, increased stool, vomiting, and fever can occur when Vicodin is suddenly stopped. To avoid this, your healthcare provider will reduce your dose gradually. Vicodin HP and Vicodin ES contain larger doses of the active drugs. Follow the recommended dosages listed on the drug insert, and speak with your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you have any questions.
Effects of Vicodin Abuse
This is designed to help you get to the root of your addiction, focus on recovery, and learn healthy coping mechanisms to change your relationship with hydrocodone. Inpatient or residential recovery treatment programs require you to alcohol use abuse and depression 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.
How Long Does Vicodin Rehab Last?
But the wide availability of hydrocodone and other painkillers has contributed to the opioid epidemic. Hydrocodone is a semi-synthetic opioid drug classified as a Schedule II drug. It is in a class of medications called opiate (narcotic) analgesics. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved hydrocodone for the management of chronic pain that other analgesics (painkillers) cannot effectively manage. It is available via prescription only in extended-release (ER, long-acting) tablets and capsule forms.
Vicodin Withdrawal Symptoms, Timeline, and Treatment Options
Hydrocodone changes how the person taking the drug perceives pain, and it can increase pain tolerance. Especially follow your healthcare professional’s instructions about how and when to take medicines during the taper. They can harm a person’s physical, psychological and social health. The side effects of hydrocodone can be mild or severe, and prolonged use can increase a person’s risk for significant health problems. People often abuse hydrocodone repeatedly for its euphoric effects, which can increase their tolerance to the substance. As their tolerance grows, they need to take increasingly higher doses of the drug to achieve the desired effects.
For example, opioid medicines may help when the pain level is very high and short term. Someday you may face a sudden, short-term health problem psychological dependence on alcohol: physiological addiction symptoms such as surgery or an injury. If an opioid is prescribed, let your healthcare team know if you had any trouble tapering off opioids in the past.
First, though, you must understand why and how hydrocodone becomes addictive and the signs and symptoms of hydrocodone addiction. Hydrocodone can be very effective, but it can also become habit-forming. Never take this medicine in larger amounts, or for longer than prescribed.
Overdose can occur even at a much smaller dose than previously taken. The withdrawal process reduces your tolerance for the drug, so if you return to taking Vicodin at the level you previously took it, you have a high risk of overdose. The length of the withdrawal process and the severity of the symptoms will vary from individual to individual. Withdrawal symptoms usually begin six to 30 hours after the last use of the drug.
It could take weeks, months or not happen at all, but for most people, addiction is a very real risk when they take this drug. Unfortunately, many people may start taking Vicodin following surgery or an accident, and they follow their doctor’s instructions, yet they still become addicted. When hydrocodone is taken, particularly in higher doses, it can lead to a euphoric high, which is why Vicodin is so frequently abused and used recreationally. Primary care physicians in the United States write 10s of millions of opioid prescriptions annually for pain management.
The symptoms may include restlessness, joint pain, increased heartbeat, sleeping problems and anxiety. When used as directed, hydrocodone can effectively alleviate pain. However, the prescription opioid can cause addiction and a host of dangerous side effects when used in excess. As your tolerance grows, so does your risk for hydrocodone addiction. People addicted to Vicodin compulsively use the drug despite knowing the consequences, often sacrificing their health, responsibilities and relationships. Since it is an opiate-based drug, Vicodin withdrawal is similar to withdrawing from heroin, morphine, methadone, or codeine.
- While research is still ongoing, it’s generally accepted that addiction involves many factors.
- In fact, you should not use Vicodin if you’ve taken an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days.
- The Health Safety stories in this series tell the facts of cases where medical professionals endanger our public health safety.
- But ask about all nonopioid pain medicine options to treat your pain, including the benefits and risks.
- Seeking medical assistance for a substance use disorder can help you avoid a lifetime of health problems.
This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Data sources include Micromedex (updated 6 May 2024), Cerner Multum™ (updated 6 May 2024), ASHP (updated 10 Apr 2024) and others. Your healthcare professional may recommend that you have naloxone available to lower your risk of an overdose. Naloxone reverses the effects of opioids during an emergency if you stop breathing. Narcan and Revive are naloxone nasal sprays you can buy without a prescription.
Vicodin is a prescription opioid pain reliever that is made of hydrocodone and acetaminophen. It is often used to treat moderate to severe pain, but it does have the potential for dependence and adderall and cardiovascular risk addiction. Vicodin withdrawal can produce a wide range of physical symptoms which can occur when someone stops or dramatically reduces their use of the drug after heavy or prolonged use.
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. The dosage and strength prescribed by a doctor depend on the severity of the individual’s pain. Combining an opioid medication (Vicodin) with a benzodiazepine (Valium) is highly dangerous and can result in coma or death. Vicodin carries an FDA-boxed warning against taking the drug with benzodiazepines for this reason.
Rarely, opioids may be used to treat long-term pain that’s not caused by cancer when other treatments have not worked. Vicodin is typically prescribed for severe pain that cannot be controlled without a narcotic. Considering Vicodin is one of the most addictive painkillers, the risk of an addiction developing is high.
They are also used to reduce pain after a significant injury or surgery, severe pain from health conditions like cancer, and chronic pain. The Drug Enforcement Administration classifies hydrocodone as a Schedule II substance. This means that hydrocodone products such as Vicodin have a high potential for abuse and their use can result in severe physical or psychological dependence. Don’t try to quit using Vicodin on your own after heavy or prolonged use. Contact your healthcare providers and tell them you want to detox from Vicodin. They can recommend one of several regimens used to help with the detoxification process.
