Hydrocodone is an opiate-like analgesic drug that can be bought over-the-counter. It has been the subject of ongoing debate as to its safety and effectiveness, especially when it is used as a cough suppressant. Hydrocodone is categorized under the group of medicines known as narcotic analgesics. It works by relieving pain through the central nervous system.
What are Hydrocodones?
Hydrocodones are normally opioiods used as pain medication. Hydrocodone is a combination of two opioids, hydrocodine and hydrocodone hydrochloride, that can be purchased by prescription from a pharmacy or doctor’s office. Hydrocodone is a pain relief medication that works by altering the way the brain responds to pain. It can be used to relieve moderate and severe pain.
How to use Hydrocodone
Just as with every other medication, it is very important to read the medication guide or the leaflet which indicates how the medication can be used. Hydrocodone is normally taken by mouth and can either come in liquid and capsule forms. It is also important to use a medical measuring device if you are taking the liquid form of the medication. This will be helpful to get the correct dose.
The dosage is usually based on your condition and response to therapy. It can also be changed for children. Do not increase or take it more frequently than needed.If you have ongoing pain, your doctor may order long-acting opioid medications for use as needed. These drugs may be used for sudden pain relief only.
This medication can cause withdrawal if it is stopped suddenly. If it is stopped, tell your doctor right away about any withdrawal symptoms.
Although this medication can help many people, it can also cause addiction if used for long periods of time. This risk is higher for people with substance use disorder.
Hydrocodone is a long-acting tablet and aerated capsule. Take it at the same time each day. Use one capsule or tablet at a time, with plenty of water. Your doctor may start you on a low dose or increase it gradually to help control your pain. If you start taking hydrocodone for a long time, it may become used to the medicine.
If suddenly stop taking hydrocodone, it may cause withdrawal symptoms such as crying, shaking, and sweating. You may also experience other withdrawal symptoms such as muscle pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Thinks to consider before taking hydrocodone
If you are allergic to hydrocodone or any other drugs, tell your doctor or pharmacist about all the active ingredients in hydrocodone-containing products you are allergic to. Inform your doctor and pharmacist about all the medications and supplements that you are taking. They will be glad to discuss them with you and to avoid any complications.
Some medications are also known to interact with hydrocodone. Be sure to tell your doctor about all of the medications that you are taking, even those that are not on the guide list. If you are having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist that you are on hydrocodone.
If you have or have ever had any of these conditions like, seizures, pancreas, blood pressure, thyroid, gall bladder, liver, or kidney disease inform your doctor about them and the medicines you took for these conditions.
Also, tell your doctor if you have had colon cancer, esophageal cancer, or heart failure.
Getting too much of a lie down while taking hydrocodone can cause dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting. This usually occurs when you start taking the medicine.
You should talk to your doctor about starting or stopping hydrocodone to prevent constipation. It can also help treat this condition by changing your diet and medications.
Somethings to be Cautioned about when using Hydrocodone
- Never share opioid medicine with someone who has a history of addiction or abuse.
- Since many people who use opioid pain medicine have had a similar experience, their dose needs may vary. Talk to your doctor if they are not sure about your body’s tolerance to the pain.
- Never crush or break an extended-release hydrocodone pill to avoid a fatal dose.
- Do not stop using hydrocodone suddenly if you have a serious withdrawal problem.
- Store at room temperature, away from light, heat and moisture.
- Never keep unused opioid drugs in your home. They can cause accidental or improper use and death.
Children may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially slow/shallow breathing.
Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially confusion, dizziness, drowsiness, and slow/shallow breathing.
During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. It may harm an unborn baby. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.
This medication passes into breast milk and may have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Tell the doctor right away if your baby develops unusual sleepiness, difficulty feeding, or trouble breathing. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
Some Side Effects that may occur when taking Hydrocodone
Possible side effects of this medication include nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, or dizziness. They can also decrease after being used for a while. To prevent constipation, eat healthy food and drink enough water. Also, exercise regularly.
Your doctor has decided to use this medication based on the benefit it provides to you. However, it’s not uncommon for people to use this medication without serious effects. Tell your doctor about any serious side effects, including sleep deprivation, hallucinations, mental/mood changes, abdominal pain, and unusual weight loss.
If you have any serious side effects like severe drowsiness seizure, fainting, poor breathing, get medical help right away. Serious allergic reactions are rare. If they do occur, seek medical attention right away.
Some analgesic effect of using hydrocodone may occur and usually wears off within four to five hours. However, the drug can still be detected in the urine for up to 12 hours, in the blood for up to six days, and in the cheek for up to 90 days after the final dose. The drug is also a substance that crosses the blood-brain barrier and travels to the brain, where it exerts its effects on neurotransmitters involved in controlling mood.
Other side effects may include tiredness, back pain, headache, muscle tightening, dry mouth, difficulties in Urinating, swollen ankles, ringing in the ears, and difficulties swallowing. This may not contain all the side effects of hydrocodone, if you experience other side effects, you will have to inform your doctor immediately.
What other drugs can interact with hydrocodone?
Drug interactions can change the way your medication works. To avoid getting sick, keep a list of all the products that you use and share it with your doctor.
Some products such as pain killers may interact with hydrocodone.
If you are taking this medication for sleep or anxiety, tell your doctor if you are also taking other products that can cause similar side effects. These include benzodiazepines, muscle relaxants, and opioid pain relievers.
Look for the labels of all your medicines to make sure they do not contain ingredients that can cause drowsiness. Make sure they’re not containing dangerous ingredients.
Other drugs can also affect the way hydrocodone/acetaminophen works or removed from the body. Some of these include antibiotics, antifungals, and HIV medications. Others may include medications for seizure.
This medication can affect certain laboratory tests, such as those related to amylase and lipase levels.
Medications for common illnesses such as irritable bowel syndrome, motion sickness, and overactive bladder.
A class of drugs that can induce a deep sleep. They include Valium, Xanax, and other drugs that can make you sleepy or slow down your breathing.
Serotonin drugs that are used to treat depression, migraines, or nausea and vomiting.
Long Term Effect of Taking Hydrocodone
When using hydrocodone as a pharmaceutical agent, it is given in dosages of twelve to thirty milligrams per dose, depending on the weight and size of the patient. A single dose of the opioid pain medicine can prevent a migraine attack; however, taking larger doses over time can cause dependence, which is why it is so important to be sure you know what is going into your body when you decide to take this type of medication. Also, some people experience a decrease in their ability to become physically active after taking too much hydrocodone.
As a side note, long-term use of hydrocodone can also lead to problems with depression. Because of this, the dosage will have to be reduced gradually as the patient continues to get better. The long-term risks of this type of drug include liver damage, as well as dehydration, gastrointestinal complications and even liver failure. Before beginning any program involving lower doses, it is strongly recommended that anyone using hydrocodone consult with their doctor to get current information about its possible side effects. Also, anyone considering reducing their current dosage should speak with their medical practitioner first. This is especially true for patients who currently have an addiction problem or are experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
Hydrocodone is a narcotic, meaning that once it enters the system, it can get active immediately. However, over a long time, a person who takes small to moderate doses of this medication may begin to experience drowsiness, fatigue, nausea, anxiety, depression and irritability. These feelings and reactions occur from the buildup of chemical receptors in the brain. Because these are commonly associated with depression, it is often believed that reducing the dosage of the medication will correct the problem. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and can actually result in more problems than before.
In addition, long time use of hydrocodone can cause severe dehydration, which can result in nausea and vomiting, as well as diarrhea. This is a dangerous complication that should be handled with immediate care. If the patient does not receive proper medical care for this complication, it could result in permanent damage to the kidneys and respiratory failure. Because of this, even low dosages of this medication may cause withdrawal symptoms and can result in death if not treated properly.
Hydrocodone and Addictions
Hydrocodone works by binding to the pain receptors in the brain, which are known as mu Opioid receptors. When used as directed, this drug blocks or weakens the signals that are produced by these receptors. The sensation people get from taking hydrocodone can easily push them to take the drug again which may lead to addiction.
Most of the time, people try to stop taking Hydrocodone or reduce their usage due to the effects of its addictiveness. In reality, their bodies have become dependent on the Painkiller.
Most people who abuse hydrocodone drugs start by misusing a prescription. This can be hard to see if they have an opioid problem. As a result, many people who abuse them often take many pills at once.
A person with Hydrocodone addiction may exhibit signs of mild to severe dependence. Most people with this condition will require higher doses to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Long-term abuse of Hydrocodone can have a lasting effect on the brain. It can cause insomnia, depression, and anxiety. Many people who abuse this drug for a long time are prone to experiencing these conditions.
Taking too much of the drug can result in an overdose. In just a few minutes, a person’s breathing will stop. It can also cause their heart rate to go down.
One of the main problems associated with this type of drug is that it can cause the addiction to stronger pain killers, such as Oxycotin, Demerol and Codeine, which can prove problematic for those who depend on these drugs for their medical treatment. The hydrocodone abuse can also be attributed to the euphoric state the user experiences when using the drug, which can make the person more receptive to addictive behaviors, such as the purchase of larger doses, even though they are unaware of the consequences.
Hydrocodone is an addictive substance, so the dosage must be reduced slowly to avoid the possibility of addiction. By doing this, the user will need to take the medication throughout the day, rather than just before bedtime, as is often the case with other types of prescription medications.
There are several different ways in which a person could become opioid tolerant, but they all begin with small dosages. For example, someone who starts out with a half-milligram hydrocodone pill, may then take two or three times that amount every day, or even twice a day. Over time, the dose becomes smaller, and eventually the person may not need hydrocodone at all. In order to keep the doses within the proper range, a patient must maintain regular dosages, in order to keep the symptoms under control. If someone needs larger amounts of hydrocodone than they were taking previously, they should talk to their physician to see if a reduction in dosage can help them.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I overdose?
In case of an overdosed and with serious symptoms, call 911. If the person has respiratory distress, call a poison control center. Over DOSE Emergencies can also be initiated by calling a poison control center.
If the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, or can’t be awakened, then call 911. Symptoms of overdose include slow heart rate, muscle weakness, or coma.
If you are on taking hydrocodone, talk to your doctor about getting a rescue medication known as naloxone. This drug can reverse the effects of an overdose.
Your doctor may also give you the opioid antidote naloxone if you are in a household where someone has abused drugs or is a young child. You should also make sure that everyone in the household knows how to use it.
Your doctor or pharmacist can help you safely use the medication. They can also give you the instructions on how to use it. If you or a loved one experience an overdose, call 911 immediately and stay with them until emergency medical help arrive.
What happens if you miss a dose?
If you take this product on a schedule and miss a dose, skip the missed dose and wait for the next schedule. Do not take more than one hydrocodone extended-release tablet in a 24 hour period. Never double dosage to catch up for a missed dose.
EndNote
Hydrocodone is also used to relieve pain associated with arthritis and chronic migraines. Although the FDA has approved this medication for these uses, it is important to consult with a qualified physician before taking this type of medication. If you are suffering from an accident or are having a painful reaction to a past drug accident, you may want to consult your doctor and ask about the possibility of reducing the amount of the pain killers you are currently taking to alleviate your symptoms. Your doctor can determine how much is enough for you to take on a daily basis to alleviate your symptoms and safely reduce the number of times you take the medication. When in doubt, get professional advice from your doctor before reducing the amount of Hydrocodone you are currently taking in order to minimize the risk of addiction and its negative side effects.
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