Hydrocodone
From Drug Rehab Wiki
Hydrocodone (pronounced "hye droe koe' done") is a narcotic pain killer made from synthetic opium. It is a Schedule 3 drug, which means it is regulated by the government for prescription use only. It is considered less addictive than Schedule 2 drug such as morphine and oxycodone. In chemical terms, hydrocodone is the codeine molecule with a hydrogen atom attached.
>Hydrocodone is sold as a pain killer and cough suppressant. It is always offered in combination with over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin, or with cough relievers, decongestants, expectorants, and anti-histamines. There are over 400 brand name drugs with hydrocodone in them, and most of them are pain killers or allergy and cold remedies. The ones most commonly sold are the trademarked painkillers, Vicodin and Lorcet. Other common brands containing hydrocodone are Anexsia, Dolorex, Hycet, Liquicet, Lortab, Maxidone, Norco, Stagesic, Xodol and Zydone.
Hydrocodone can have some side effects, especially for people allergic to it, that can include euphoria, chest pain, skin rashes, nausea, confusion, wheezing, difficulty breathing, and flu-like symptoms.
Because it is the easiest prescription painkiller to obtain, especially in its generic form, hydrocodone is among the most widely abused drugs in the United States. In some circles, hydrocodone abuse has become chic: you can even buy jewelry in the shape of Vicodin pills. Popular among young people, it is the third most abused drug among high school students, after alcohol and marijuana.
Hydrocodone can be extremely habit-forming. Usually what happens is the first time you take it, you feel euphoria and joy, but after a while, you develop a tolerance to it. Then you have to take more to achieve the same effect. If you stop using hydrocodone, you will go into withdrawal that may include unpleasant symptoms such as severe headaches, sweating, seizures, and vomiting.
The main danger of hydrocodone is that the acetaminophen (commonly known as the trademarked name "Tylenol") ingredient in most brands can cause liver and kidney damage. Abusers of pills that contain both hydrocodone and acetaminophen build up a tolerance to it, and then they have to take a larger dose than medically-recommended in order to achieve the effects they want. When they do this, they also take in dangerous levels of acetaminophen. For example, you should never take more than 1000 mg of acetaminophen at once, but if you take four Vicodin at once, you are getting more than 3000 mg of acetaminophen, which is enough to damage your liver permanently, especially if you mix it with alcohol. Likewise, if you take in too much aspirin, another common ingredient in hydrocodone remedies, you can damage your stomach.
The problem of liver and kidney damage from drugs containing hydrocodone has become so widespread that the Federal Drug Administration voted in January 2011 to limit the amounts of acetaminophen to 500 mg per pill.
People who abuse hydrocodone usually have to go into therapy or residential treatment to recover. Withdrawal from hydrocodone should be monitored by professionals because in rare cases, people have died or gone into comas when they try to do it suddenly by themselves. Hydrocodone creates a feeling of grogginess and enables people to "tune off" whatever is upsetting them. Hydrocodone abusers may appear to be in a stupor most of the day. In order to give up their psychological dependence on this drug, they usually need professional help to learn other healthier ways of coping with stress, and often they need help to become interested in their careers or education again.
