Ask your pharmacist for the instructions or visit the manufacturer’s website to get the instructions. If symptoms of an overdose occur, a friend or family member should give the first dose of naloxone, call 911 immediately, and stay with you and watch you closely until emergency medical help arrives. Your symptoms may return within a few minutes after you receive naloxone. If your symptoms return, the person should give you another dose of naloxone. Additional doses may be given every 2 to 3 minutes, if symptoms return before medical help arrives.

Common signs and symptoms of Vicodin addiction

Serious breathing problems may be more likely in older adults and in those who are debilitated or have wasting syndrome or chronic breathing disorders. Always check your bottle to make sure you have received the correct pills (same brand and type) of medicine prescribed by your doctor. Vicodin may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide. Monitor closely, especially upon initiation or following a dose increase. Assess each patient’s risk before prescribing, and monitor for development of these behaviors and conditions.

Serious side effects of hydrocodone

To lower your risk, your doctor should have you take the smallest dose of hydrocodone/acetaminophen that works, and take it for the shortest possible time. See also How to Use section for more information about addiction. 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 what is alcoholism APAP.

• During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed.
• Vicodin withdrawal can produce a wide range of physical symptoms which can occur when someone stops or dramatically reduces their use of the drug after heavy or prolonged use.
• Many people that become addicted to prescription opioids eventually start using illicit opioids like heroin, which is inherently dangerous.
• If you have been taking Vicodin for a while and have tried to stop, you may notice Vicodin withdrawal symptoms, which signal you have developed a dependence on the drug.
• Although the symptoms vary by person, most people experience some withdrawal discomfort when they attempt to quit or cut down.
• Do not use this medicine if you have taken a MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days.

What happens if I miss a dose?

If you choose to detox at home, enlist a strong support system. Ask a loved one or friend to stay with you during this time. Withdrawing from hydrocodone should be done slowly to avoid further health complications. The first stage begins within a day of last use and includes perspiration, agitation and muscle aches. During the middle phase, you might experience tremors, dilated pupils and restless sleep.

Your doctor may adjust your dose of hydrocodone during your treatment, depending on how well your pain is controlled and on the side effects that you experience. Talk to your doctor about how you are feeling during your treatment with hydrocodone. Tell your doctor if you feel that your pain is not controlled or if your pain increases, becomes worse, or if you have new pain or an increased sensitivity to pain during your treatment with hydrocodone. Do not take more of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of this medication. Contact The Recovery Village Ridgefield to speak with a representative about how professional addiction treatment can address a substance use disorder and any co-occurring mental health disorders.

• Before using this medication, women of childbearing age should talk with their doctor(s) about the risks and benefits.
• If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
• Reserve concomitant prescribing for patients with inadequate alternative treatment options, limit dosage and duration to the minimum required, and monitor for respiratory depression and sedation.

Do not use with any other drug containing acetaminophen without asking your doctor or pharmacist first. Acetaminophen is in many nonprescription and prescription medications (such as pain/fever drugs or cough-and-cold products). Check the labels on all your medicines to see if they contain acetaminophen, and ask your pharmacist if you are unsure. Hydrocodone/acetaminophen has a risk for abuse and addiction, which can lead to overdose and death. Hydrocodone/acetaminophen may also cause severe, possibly fatal, breathing problems.

Talk is vicodin addictive to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication. Hydrocodone comes as an extended-release (long-acting) capsule and an extended-release (long-acting) tablet to take by mouth. The extended-release capsule is usually taken once every 12 hours. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Swallow hydrocodone extended-release capsules or extended-release tablets whole; do not chew, break, divide, crush, or dissolve them.

Brand name medications include Vicodin and Lortab, and all of these medications are potentially addictive. This monograph only includes information about the use of hydrocodone alone. If you are taking a hydrocodone combination product, be sure to read information about all the ingredients in the hydrocodone-combination monograph and ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Babies born dependent on habit-forming medicine may need medical treatment for several weeks. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Some medicines can interact with hydrocodone and cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome.