When addiction takes hold, the physical, psychological, and behavioral consequences of abusing Vicodin are much more likely and could worsen over time, should the individual will keep using. A few examples are ice or heat therapy, physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, and nerve stimulation. Taking hydrocodone for a more extended period, such as months or years, is likely to develop tolerance. This may not be a complete list of drugs that interact with hydrocodone. Hydrocodone may cause drug-drug interactions when used with a few other medications.

Vicodin may also be prescribed to people who do not tolerate other medications well. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other cold, allergy, pain, or sleep medication. Acetaminophen (sometimes abbreviated as APAP) is contained in many combination medicines. Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much acetaminophen which can lead to a fatal overdose. Check the label to see if a medicine contains acetaminophen or APAP.

More about Vicodin (acetaminophen / hydrocodone)

This cycle of tolerance and increasing dosages can quickly lead to dependence. Vicodin is prescribed for use in people who deal with pain that is severe enough that other treatments don’t help them. Hydrocodone is a controlled substance, categorized as Schedule II.

When it’s time for you to stop taking opioids, ask for your healthcare professional’s help. Together you can create a plan to stop opioids slowly, called a taper. Tapering means slowly lowering over time https://ecosoberhouse.com/ the amount of opioid medicine you take until you stop completely. Although some people may experience depression or other uncomfortable effects, withdrawal symptoms are generally not life-threatening.

How Is Vicodin Abused?

She went from taking 5 milligrams of Vicodin to 30 milligrams of Oxycodone. When the pills couldn’t satisfy her growing hunger to get high, she turned to smoking pills and hid her addiction from her children. Do not stop using Vicodin suddenly after long-term use, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Ask a doctor before using opioid medicine if you are breastfeeding.

Osbourne wrote in her book Fierce that her Vicodin addiction started with a prescription. As her tolerance level rose, she was consuming up to 50 pills of Vicodin a day. Her friends and parents quickly noticed her symptoms — notably drowsiness and nodding off. Eventually, she pursued Vicodin addiction rehab and received the necessary treatment to begin a life of sobriety. Oftentimes, maintaining a full recovery requires ongoing medication-assisted therapy to prevent relapse.

Opioids are a class of drugs used to reduce pain.

They may exceed the amount of the drug the doctor is willing to prescribe and then start getting the drug illicitly. It is composed of the painkiller hydrocodone and acetaminophen in differing dosages. Hydrocodone is a strong opiate painkiller with highly addictive properties. The physical and psychological distress that comes along with the withdrawal process often leads to relapse.

• Vicodin withdrawal occurs when a person stops using it after they have developed a physiological dependence upon it.4 You do not have to be addicted to Vicodin to experience withdrawal symptoms.
• It is often used to treat moderate to severe pain, but it does have the potential for dependence and addiction.
• Kelly Osbourne is one of the most well-known celebrities to share her story about her battle with Vicodin.
• Withdrawal symptoms can make it difficult to stay clean and sober.

You may be tempted to take more opioid medicine than your taper recommends. Do not start taking any opioids you have at home that you received from other health professionals or visits to the emergency room. Extra opioids, alcohol and drugs can increase your risk of an overdose.