Vicodin is a prescription pain reliever that combines the drugs acetaminophen and hydrocodone. Hydrocodone is an opioid that short-circuits pain receptors in the brain, produces lightheadedness and euphoria. It is the most frequently prescribed opioid in the United States. If you or a loved one struggle with addiction to prescription opioids, seek out a Vicodin addiction treatment center in Houston, Texas that can guide you to lasting recovery.
The body builds up a tolerance to Vicodin over time. If used as a pain reliever, higher and more frequent doses are needed to achieve the same effect. In other words, the same amount of medication becomes less effective. This increased tolerance can lead to increased use and addiction, and, ultimately, unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Vicodin withdrawal symptoms can be difficult, especially after prolonged or heavy use. Even those who use Vicodin as prescribed by a physician can experience Vicodin withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking the drug or reduce their dosage.
Vicodin Withdrawal Symptoms
Vicodin has the potential to create dependency or even addiction, just like other opiate-based drugs. Its withdrawal symptoms are similar to heroin, morphine, methadone, or codeine. While the symptoms of Vicodin withdrawal are not usually life-threatening, they can be very unpleasant. The intensity of the symptoms depends on several factors, including the length of the addiction, the dosage used, and individual physical characteristics.
Upon intake into an opiate addiction treatment program, staff will ask you questions concerning your drug use so that they can create an appropriate care plan. Treatment options include evidence-based therapy, holistic therapy, and medication-assisted treatment if necessary. Treatment staff can help you wean yourself off Vicodin or use approved medications to deal with withdrawal.
Vicodin withdrawal symptoms can appear between 6 to 12 hours after the last use. Withdrawal symptoms can include:
- Chills, cold, fever, and flu-like symptoms
- Agitation, anxiety, confusion, delirium
- Achy or flaccid muscles, increased sweating
- Runny eyes and nose
- Excessive yawning, difficulty sleeping
- Depression and loss of appetite
Later onset Vicodin withdrawal symptoms can be particularly unpleasant. They include:
- Stomach cramps and diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
Withdrawal symptoms tend to peak within 72 hours of the last dose. They can last between 4 and 5 days. However, the secondary withdrawal symptoms like depression, insomnia, and accompanying lethargy can last for months. An opiate detox center helps you weather the most intense withdrawal symptoms so that your body can begin to cleanse itself. Then, you can start the next step to recovery, and create a new life beyond your wildest dreams.
Combining Vicodin with Other Drugs: A Dangerous Combination
Vicodin’s opiate ingredient, hydrocodone, depresses the central nervous system. It slows breathing. Taking Vicodin with other substances like alcohol, antihistamines, barbiturates, or benzodiazepines could cause fatal respiratory complications. Drinking alcohol with Vicodin is an especially dangerous combination.
Warning Signs of Vicodin Overdose
There are common telltale symptoms that accompany an overdose of Vicodin:
- Difficulty breathing, or slowed, stopped breathing
- Excessive sleepiness
- Muscle weakness, dizziness, and fainting
- Muscle spasms in the stomach or intestinal tract
- Narrowing or widening of the pupils
- Cold, clammy skin
- Seizures
- Irregular, slow, or stopped heartbeat
- Blue color of skin, fingernails, lips
- Loss of consciousness (coma)
Treating Vicodin Withdrawal
Someone coming off Vicodin does not have to endure the full unpleasant effects of Vicodin withdrawal symptoms. The three most common strategies to minimize those symptoms are:
1. Slowly tapering off from the daily dosage
2. Managing the addiction with medications like buprenorphine or methadone.
3. A professionally supervised detox program
Therapists and detox specialists take into account the person’s individual factors—genetics, family history, body weight, gender, etc., in administering a detox regimen. One factor in struggling against Vicodin withdrawal is the danger of relapse. A relapse could accidentally result in an overdose when the body no longer has a high tolerance. After detox, therapy treats the psychological roots of prescription drug abuse, so each individual can find lasting recovery.
Easing Vicodin Symptoms at Serenity House Detox & Recovery Houston
Vicodin detox with Serenity House creates a foundation for your recovery. Our patients must first get clean before that recovery can begin. Don’t let Vicodin addiction control your life. Call us at 866.516.8356 to set up an appointment today.
