People can develop a dependency on many drugs, and hydrocodone is no different. This drug is a prescription painkiller that doctors give to people after an accident or a surgery. Despite physicians commonly prescribing this drug, it’s highly addictive and has a number of bad side effects. These side effects get worse when people abuse the drug.
What Is Hydrocodone?
Hydrocodone is a prescription opioid that comes from thebaine and codeine. It offers relief from both mild and severe pain. Doctors generally prescribe tablets or capsules. Regardless of how people take the drug, studies show that it’s extremely habit-forming.
A number of brand names are available, but the most popular is Vicodin. Each brand typically contains other drugs as well. For example, Vicodin also contains acetaminophen, which most people know as Tylenol. Together these drugs work to limit pain signals in the brain.
To kill pain, this drug binds to the natural pain relievers in the brain. This drug works well with acetaminophen because it lowers the chemical that the brain produces to stimulate pain nerves.
Side Effects
Like most prescription drugs, hydrocodone has a number of side effects. These side effects vary from person to person and tend to get worse with higher doses. Some general side effects of this drug include:
- Feeling lightheaded
- Dizziness
- Sedation
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Once again, these side effects vary in degree depending on how much people take. With that said, people usually find the side effects mild unless they abuse the drug. Once individuals begin on the course of drug abuse, dependency often isn’t far away.
Dependency
Dependence, or addiction, is a common problem for people who start abusing prescription drugs. Hydrocodone dependency happens often because of the addictive nature of the drug. In fact, the high that people get from it is much like the high that they get from heroin. Most people who are dependent do not realize that they are addicted until it is too late.
Once a person starts abusing the drug, they will soon need to take higher and higher amounts of hydrocodone. Many people even switch to stronger drugs like Oxycodone to achieve the same high as before. They seek out doctors and pharmacies that can give them hydrocodone because their own doctors stopped prescribing it to them due to the fact that they are developing a dependency.
A person can develop an addiction like this after just one pill. Typically, however, people feel the effects of taking the drug for several days before they start craving it regularly.
After individuals become dependent on the drug, it’s easy for them to overdose since the body develops a tolerance for the drug. Some symptoms of overdose include going into a coma, slowed breathing and, in severe cases, death.
Dependency Signs
Getting help for hydrocodone dependency is very important. In fact, the sooner that people get help, the better chances that they have of recovering. When people know the signs to look for, they can get help for their friends and family members sooner.
People with drug problems eventually start to suffer physical and mental changes when they stop taking drugs. These withdrawal symptoms can help onlookers spot people who are dependent on drugs.
More dependency signs include:
- Lying about the amount of medications consumed
- Feeling agitated because their medication has been cut off
- Using higher doses than prescribed because it does not give them the same effect as before
- Taking hydrocodone in combination with other drugs
- Getting high from taking the medication in different ways, for example crushing and snorting
Once they run out, people with a dependency will do anything that they can to get their hands on more drugs. Requesting more refills for the drug is one sign. Those who abuse these drugs usually run out of the drug quicker than they expect because they don’t follow their prescriptions.
Get Help From a Hydrocodone Rehab Center in Portland
At Crestview Recovery, we pride ourselves on giving our patients the help that they need to overcome drug dependency. We place a big focus on individual support, which is why our facility offers only 30 beds. Our friendly staff helps both men and women learn to live sober lives.
We offer addiction programs for all drug dependencies. Some of the different programs that we offer include:
- 90-day treatment
- Partial hospitalization program
- Individual and group therapy
- Dual diagnosis therapy
Master-level therapists handle all of our therapy sessions. These professionals ensure that everyone gets the help that they need to address the root cause of their dependency. We also offer fun activities that our guests can enjoy. These activities include skiing, water rafting, and snowboarding.
Overcome your drug dependency with the help of substance abuse treatment. Let Crestview Recovery show you the road to sobriety so that you can take your life back. Reach out to us today at 866.262.0531.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
