Hydrocodone: Uses, Side Effects & Dosage Guide

Hydrocodone and Alcohol

If your teen is battling hydrocodone addiction, he or she needs treatment. Rehab centers offer evidence-based treatment for various substance abuse problems. For example, mixing hydrocodone and alcohol can impair judgment. People who take these substances together have an increased risk for engaging in risky behaviors, such as driving while intoxicated.

Symptoms of overdose may include the following:

Each substance releases a neurochemical in the brain called dopamine. Simultaneously using multiple substances exacerbates these problems. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reported that, in 2015, there were more than 16 million people who struggled with just alcohol use disorder (AUD). Even more struggled with binge drinking or heavy drinking, which also cause harmful effects on the body. No matter how long you’ve been taking hydrocodone and alcohol, you’re never far from hope. Call The Recovery Village today to talk with a representative about your options for treatment and start on the path to drug-free living.

Hydrocodone and Alcohol

Never share this medicine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Hydrocodone can interact with other drugs in dangerous ways that can compound the potential risk factors and possible side effects of use. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which alerts people about the potential for dangerous interactions with certain other types of drugs and alcohol. Elderly people were most likely to experience respiratory effects after mixing opioids and alcohol, the report found.

To prevent this, your can you drink coffee with adderall doctor may direct you to take laxatives, drink a lot of fluids, or increase the amount of fiber in your diet. Be sure to follow the directions carefully, because continuing constipation can lead to more serious problems. Long-term use of opioid medication may affect fertility (ability to have children) in men or women. It is not known whether opioid effects on fertility are permanent. Never crush or break a hydrocodone pill to inhale the powder or mix it into a liquid to inject the drug into your vein. Ask a doctor before using hydrocodone if you are breastfeeding.

Hydrocodone side effects

Consuming painkillers and alcohol together produces sedative effects, causing people famous high functioning alcoholics to feel extremely tired. There are many brand-name medications that contain hydrocodone, but this chemical itself is an opioid painkiller. Originally thought to be less addictive than oxycodone, hydrocodone has since been moved up to Schedule II in the Controlled Substances List from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). It is still very important in treating serious pain, but it has an elevated risk of addiction. Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children, and in a location that is not easily accessible by others, including visitors to the home.

There is no specific limit to how much this could be because it depends on how large the dose is per pill or how the drug is consumed. If a person overdoses on hydrocodone, it is extremely important to call 911. The person needs emergency medical attention to survive and mitigate long-term damage.

Other uses for this medicine

If you have found yourself unable to quit a drug habit, don’t try to go it alone. It’s imperative that you seek medically assisted treatment to fully detox from these substances and cope with the withdrawal symptoms. Knowing this valuable information could save your life or that of a friend. Your doctor may adjust your dose of hydrocodone during your treatment, depending on how well your pain is controlled and on the side effects that you experience. Talk to your doctor about how you are feeling during your treatment with hydrocodone.

It is dangerous to operate heavy machinery after consuming alcohol and opioids separately, and it is even more dangerous after consuming them together. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, mixing alcohol with prescription opioids, such as hydrocodone, can also what does ketoacidosis smell like result in overdose. An overdose occurs when someone experiences harmful reactions caused by taking too much of a substance. Sometimes called downers, depressants slow brain activity and reduce anxiety.

  1. Never crush or break a hydrocodone pill to inhale the powder or mix it into a liquid to inject the drug into your vein.
  2. Avoid drinking alcohol or taking illegal or recreational drugs while taking hydrocodone.
  3. In recognizing the basic brain science of addiction, you can understand that drug dependence is no one’s fault.
  4. The mother said her children had never before been in trouble for drinking or using drugs.

You might feel dizzy or faint, or you might have a fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat. Make sure your doctor knows if you or anyone in your family has ever had a heart rhythm problem including QT prolongation. Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how hydrocodone will affect you. Dizziness or drowsiness can cause falls, accidents, or severe injuries. Anyone can buy naloxone from a pharmacy or local health department.

But, when the CNS slows too much, overdose and other dangerous health consequences can result. This is especially true when opioids are mixed with alcohol, another CNS depressant. Ultimately, Vicodin or other hydrocodone-based medications should only be treated as short-term solutions. Alcohol and prescription drugs are two of the most common substances in the United States. In the US, it is legal for adults over the age of 21 to consume alcohol within reasonable limits, and with a doctor’s prescription and oversight, it is legal to take opioid painkillers like hydrocodone. However, medical professionals typically recommend, and warning labels on the medications reinforce, to avoid mixing opioid drugs like hydrocodone with other depressant drugs like alcohol.

Medical Professionals

Make sure any person caring for you knows where you keep naloxone and how to use it. Before having any laboratory test (especially those that involve methylene blue), tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you are taking hydrocodone. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication. Using too much of this medicine may cause infertility (unable to have children).

With its inclusion of hydrocodone, Vicodin is classified as an opioid medication and poses serious risk of dependence. Other dangerous combinations with hydrocodone include drugs that interact with the brain’s serotonin system. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter produced by the brain that helps to regulate moods. In 2016, more than 40,000 Americans died from a drug overdose involving an opioid drug, the U.S. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) explains that close to a third of all opioid overdose deaths involve a benzodiazepine drug as well.

Concerns of Mixing Alcohol with Other Opiates

Following your doctor’s instructions for taking it is imperative. This Schedule II drug connects to your brain’s opioid receptors, creating a high that is all too easy to become hooked on. Abusing opioids comes with its own set of problems that are often exacerbated when you add alcohol to the mix. Do not suddenly stop or change your dose without first checking with your doctor. Other drugs may interact with hydrocodone, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Never share opioid medicine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction.