Administering naloxone may help to stop opioid-caused symptoms, but the person may still suffer due to excessive alcohol consumption. Alcohol and prescription drugs are two of the most common substances in the United States. Hydrocodone and alcohol carry a risk of tolerance, abuse and dependence, especially with long-term use. 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.
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. Appropriate what is whipit studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of hydrocodone in the elderly. When prescribed, hydrocodone can come in immediate-release or extended-release versions.
Drug Interactions
Sometimes called downers, depressants slow brain activity and reduce anxiety. Combining downers such as hydrocodone and alcohol can inhibit breathing and lower your heart rate, which can be fatal. Both hydrocodone and alcohol cause similar effects in the brain, so they can what happens if i report a drug dealer to the police compound each other’s intoxication, making a person feel very high or drunk. When these substances are used in combination, risk of overdose and death is very high. Your doctor may recommend you get naloxone (a medicine to reverse an opioid overdose) and keep it with you at all times.
- You should be aware if anyone is using it improperly or without a prescription.
- If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.
- Be sure to follow the directions carefully, because continuing constipation can lead to more serious problems.
- Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur.
International Patients
Just one dose can cause death in someone using this medicine accidentally or improperly. Ask your pharmacist where to locate a drug take-back disposal program. If there is no take-back program, flush the unused medicine down the toilet. Do not stop using this medicine suddenly after long-term use, or you could have serious withdrawal symptoms. Ask a doctor before using hydrocodone if you are breastfeeding.
Continued use will also cause reoccurring stress to the lungs and long-term damage. Vicodin is a pharmaceutical drug and a composite mixture of hydrocodone and acetaminophen. It is generally prescribed for pain relief, but can be misused because of its euphoric capabilities. With its inclusion of hydrocodone, Vicodin is classified as an opioid medication and poses serious risk of dependence. If your loved one experiences breathing problems after combining hydrocodone and alcohol, call 911 immediately.
Hydrocodone Is Risky by Itself
Knowing this valuable information could save your life or that of a friend. The CDC and many other science organizations believe that the steep rise of prescription narcotics fed the epidemic of addiction and overdose. This medicine may cause a serious difference between na and aa type of allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines.
Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Other outcomes from mixing opioids with alcohol include extreme sedation, confusion and sleepiness. Any prolonged use will cause severe liver damage, as both alcohol and opioids are processed in the liver.
Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how hydrocodone will affect you. Dizziness or drowsiness can cause falls, accidents, or severe injuries. Anyone can buy naloxone from a pharmacy or local health department. Make sure any person caring for you knows where you keep naloxone and how to use it. Extended-release hydrocodone is not for use on an as-needed basis for pain.
Combining more than one substance (also known as polysubstance use) can put a person at risk for life-threatening side effects. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. This is especially important for elderly patients, who may be more sensitive to the effects of pain medicines. If too much of this medicine is taken for a long time, it may become habit-forming (causing mental or physical dependence) or cause an overdose.