Hydrocodone, also known by the trade names Vicodin®, Lortab®, Lorcet®, Hycodan® and Vicoprofen®, as well as the street names Vikes, Hydro and Norco. Most widely known as Vicodin, this drug is an analgesic and antitussive (cough suppressive) agent similar in structure to codeine, although effects of the drug are more like that of morphine.
Often prescribed as a pain medication, Vicodin is made of acetaminophen (Tylenol) and hydrocodone. Vicodin is one of the most widely prescribed pain relievers and has also become one of the most frequently abused.
Abuses of Hydrocodon/Vicodin
Hydrocodone, or its more popular form, Vicodin, is abused for its opioid effects. It is associated with tolerance, dependence and addiction. As Vicodin also contains acetaminophen, it carries an additional risk of liver toxicity when the drug is abused as the user will ingest high, acute doses.
Vicodin is most often abused in the form of a pill taken orally, most often in combination with alcohol. A person can develop a physical dependence on Vicodin after taking it only for a few weeks. It is also a highly psychologically addictive substance as it affects the user’s brain by stopping it from producing endorphins. Over time, a Vicodin abuser will find it more difficult to function without the drug.
Effects of Hydrocodon/Vicodin
Vicodin is often prescribed for an individual following surgery, an injury or for chronic pain. A person using Vicodin can feel sluggish while also experiencing such effects as anxiety, constricted pupils, drowsiness, euphoria, inability to concentrate, lethargy and a sense of relaxation.
The effects of the drug can be felt almost immediately. As the pill is not time released, those who have an addiction or abuse the drug often find themselves taking more and more of it to achieve the desired effect. Some patients have been documented for taking as many as 100 pills a day or more.
Withdrawal of Hydrocodon/Vicodin
Feelings of withdrawal from Vicodin can begin right away in patients taking significant amounts of the drug to achieve the desired effect. Withdrawal of this drug puts an immense amount of strain on the body, causing the individual severe pain and psychological distress in the process.
Withdrawal symptoms associated with cessation of Vicodin can include, but are not limited to:
Treatment of Hydrocodon/Vicodin
Due to the intense pain and psychological distress that Vicodin cessation can cause, it is recommended that users taper off the medication slowly under the care of a board-certified physician and board-certified addiction psychiatrist. Entering a detox center for 24/7 treatment will ensure the individual rids their body of the drug completely.
A quality treatment center will do a full physical on a patient to determine the right medications for a method called comfortable detox. This method is used to correct the chemical imbalances in the individual suffering with a Vicodin addiction and should be combined with psychological evaluations and other medical care to address cravings for the drug. With this method, the center can treat the whole person and not just the addiction.