Hydrocodone Addiction Guide

IHydrocodone addiction can be very serious or fatal but there are many great programs that can help you to get on the path to a healthy and happy life. Addiction is becoming very common in this country but it is not something that you must face alone. There is help all you need to do is reach out. There are caring professional services that are developed to deal with the overdependance on pain killers than come from using the drugs in a prescribed manner. If you have become dependant on any drug you can get off with the care and help that is available.

Drug addiction and dependance is not something that you should be ashamed of. There are millions of people just like you who have been using the drugs as prescribed and then one day woke up realizing that they now needed the drug to get through the day. If this how your feel seek out help now. It will only get worse if you put off the necessary step of quitting the drug and getting back to a normal way of life.

Addiction to legal drugs can be just a dangerous as the use of any illegal drug and can be just as hard to deal with. If you can quit on your own do it now. If not, turn to the help that is available from many different sources. Ask your health care provider for assistance, look into treatment center and program, check out the free help offered by Narcotics Anonymous (NA). None of these sources will judge you because there is nothing to judge. You were playing by the rules and the rules caused you to become addicted. Now it is your time to take back control of your life from the drug and start living again.

Hydrocodone is a semi-synthetic opiod in the same family as heroin. It is derived by combining two naturally occurring opiates codeine and thebaine. Hydrocodone is taken orally, by mouth, and is used in tablet, capsule or liquid (syrup) form. This drug is an analgesic, which means reliever of pain, and an anti-tussic which is a medicine used to suppress or relieve coughing. It is often times presented with other analgesics such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen or paracetamol. Hydrocodone is marketed under several trade names including Vicadin, Symtan, Hycodan, Lorcet, Hycet, Lortab and several others.

Hydrocodne is most commonly used as an intermediate-strength pain reliever and a strong cough suppressant. It is particularly effective for use in patients who have allergic reactions to codeine. Hydrocodne is more powerful than most cough suppresents when used in the 5- to 10- mg range. Studies from the 1950's indicate it is 12 times stronger than codeine as a cough suppresent, 14 times more powerful than morphine and 9 times that of methadone.

Since it is a narcotic, Hydrocodone binds to pain receptors in the brain and spinal column to relieve pain. It may be taken with or without food but should not be consummed with alcohol because it can intensify drowsiness.

There are many side effects to the use of this drug.  The main one is respiratory effects that require immediate health care.  Other common side effects include lightheadedness, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, constipation, vomiting and unrealistic euphoria.  Some times vomiting can be so severe that hospitatlization becomes necessary. 

Less common side effects would be blood disorders, allergic reaction, anxiety, lethargy, mental fogginess, and spasms of the ureter causing difficulty urinating.

It is a Class C FDA pregnancy drug.  Animal studies have shown a negative effect on the fetus but there have been no controlled studies in humbans.  A newborn of a mother taking the medication may experience breathing problems or withdrawl symptoms though.

One of the most immediate causes of concern with using too much Hydrocodne is the presence of Acetaminophen or paracetamol (APAP) that is combined with the originally drug.  It is not uncommon for addicts to have liver damage from the excessive amounts of APAP consummed as along with the Hydrocodone.  Doses of 10,000 to 15,000 mg of APA a day can cause severe liver toxicity and doses of 15-20,000 mg can be fatal.  Some people get around this by trying to remove the acetaminophen from the mixture or by not being concerned by the potential deadly consequences at all.

Symptoms of straight Hydrocodone overdose may include respiratory depression, coma, stupor, cold/clammy skin, and hypotension.  A sever overdose may lead to circulatory collapse, cardiac arrest, and death. 

Mixing this drug with others can increase the severity of adverse reactions.  The feeling of euphoria the drug provides often times causes the user to ignore the potentially harmful consequences in order to experience the high.

If you are a family member of an addict you must realize that the addiction is affecting you as well.  You did not cause the addiction and you can not cure the addiction but what you can do is take care of yourself.  Living in an alcoholic or addictive environment effects the family members as well as the preson with the addiction.

There is help a Al-Anon or Nar-Anon.  Both of these programs are designed to help the families of the alcoholic or addict to deal with the effects of the craziness that surronds the person.  Don't be afraid to seek out help ad it may save your life also.