With Vicodin or hydrocodone, the opioid depresses or slows the brain’s functioning which results in slower breathing and heart rate. But, when the CNS slows too much, overdose and other dangerous health consequences can result. This is especially true when opioids are mixed with alcohol, another CNS depressant. Ultimately, Vicodin or other hydrocodone-based medications should only be treated as short-term solutions. Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects.
Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication. Using this medicine while you are pregnant may cause neonatal withdrawal syndrome in your newborn babies. Tell your doctor right away if your baby has an abnormal sleep pattern, diarrhea, a high-pitched cry, irritability, shakiness or tremors, weight loss, vomiting, or fails to gain weight. Contact your doctor right away if you have any changes to your heart rhythm. You might feel dizzy or faint, or you might have a fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat. Make sure your doctor knows if you or anyone in your family has ever had a heart rhythm problem including QT prolongation.
Small amounts of alcohol can make it dangerous to drive, and when you mix alcohol with certain medicines you put yourself at steve harwell alcoholism even greater risk. Combining alcohol with some medicines can lead to falls and serious injuries, especially among older people. Acetaminophen and NSAIDs are available individually and in combination with other cough, cold and allergy products. They can also be found in prescription medications, sometimes combined with other types of pain relievers like opioids (narcotics). Treatment for alcohol and substance addiction may vary between people, facilities, and programs.
To learn more about the effects, dangers, and consequences of taking hydrocodone and alcohol, reach out to one of our treatment specialists today. When a person is taking regular doses of hydrocodone, their body will likely become dependent on the drug. When a person is drug-dependent, they require the substance in order to function normally. Hydrocodone can cause uncomfortable side effects, even if taken as prescribed. Mixing this drug with alcohol could cause a person to experience dangerous and uncomfortable symptoms. Hydrocodone is a partially synthetic opioid that closely resembles codeine.
Contact us today to speak with a representative and learn more about addiction treatment programs that can work well for your situation. To reduce the risk of dizziness and lightheadedness, get up slowly when rising from a sitting or lying position. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your body’s response to hydrocodone.
The most serious potential side effect is depressed breathing, which can result in death. If someone has mixed alcohol and opioids and appears to be at risk of complications, a person should call emergency services. If a person takes opioids and alcohol together, they may experience severe and dangerous consequences. A 2017 study found that taking even one tablet of the opioid oxycodone with a modest amount of alcohol can increase the risk of respiratory depression.
Over time, a person may need higher and higher doses to get the same effect as before. Sometimes, people look for ways to enhance the effects of a medication like hydrocodone and begin to take other substances, such as alcohol. Combining more than one substance (also known as polysubstance use) can put a person at risk for life-threatening side effects. But combining the prescription opioid hydrocodone with alcohol can produce a range of health effects, from drowsiness to severe liver problems.
Some of these side effects may decrease after you have been using this medication for a while. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. These may be symptoms of a serious condition called serotonin syndrome. Your risk may be higher if you also take certain other medicines that affect serotonin levels in your body. Hydrocodone is used to relieve pain in opioid-tolerant patients severe enough to require around-the-clock pain relief for a long period of time. It should not be used if you need pain medicine for just a short time, such as when recovering from surgery.
Aging slows the body’s ability to break down alcohol, so alcohol remains in a person’s system longer. Older people also are more likely to take a medication that interacts with alcohol—in fact, they often need to take more than one of these medications. If a person takes alcohol in combination with opioid medications, their breathing rate may become so depressed that their brain does not receive enough oxygen. If this happens, organs may begin to shut down, and the person may eventually experience brain complications, coma, or death.
Opioid pain relievers are generally safe when a doctor prescribes them, and a person takes them for a short amount of time. However, opioids can become addictive, as they produce a euphoric “high” feeling. This can lead to overdose and death if a person takes them regularly for nonmedical reasons.
Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, sweating, stomach/abdominal pain, extreme tiredness, yellowing eyes/skin, and dark urine. If any warning signs are present, loved ones should reach out to professionals for help. Licensed addiction specialists can address your specific concerns and identify options.
