Hydrocodone Detox Programs and What to Expect

Hydrocodone is a semi-synthetic opiate medication which comes from codeine and thebaine and is used to treat pain and other conditions as necessary. The drug is only available when combined with other ingredients and the different combinations are prescribed to people for different reasons. Some hydrocodone products are used for pain relief, others are prescribed for controlling chronic cough. The drug is available in liquid, tablets and capsules and is marketed under a variety of different trademarks such as Vicodin, Anexsia, Dicodid, Hycodan, Lorcet, Lortab, Norco, Zydone and many more.

Hydrocodone was first manufactured in Germany during the 1920s and was approved for distribution in the US in 1943. The drug was favored for those individuals that needed a fast acting analgesic and strong cough suppressant, but were allergic to codeine. However, it was soon discovered the drug had a highly addictive quality and when mixed with alcohol, it can produce feelings of intense drowsiness. Certain research studies have shown hydrocodone is stronger than codeine, but not as powerful as morphine. The drug can be habit forming and cause a psychological and physical dependency, which is why it should only be used as prescribed and never misused. When someone has an addiction to hydrocodone, it is best to get help from a hydrocodone detox program to handle the problem effectively.

The potential for someone to develop an addiction to hydrocodone varies from person to person and can depend upon many different factors. Production and sales of the drug has increased in recent times due to pharmaceutical diversion and illicit misuse. Mixing the drug with alcohol, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, amphetamines, cocaine, methylphenidate, and other drugs can be very dangerous and result in respiratory depression, pulmonary failure, liver and kidney damage, jaundice, heart attack, amnesia, hallucinations, seizures, blackout, coma and death. The risks for negative consequences are high and even knowing these things is not enough to deter someone with an addiction, the only thing that matters is using and abusing the drug, nothing else.

There are very high risks when mixing hydrocodone with alcohol, the consequences to health are observed within the liver. All of the compounds contained in hydrocodone prescribed in America contain secondary analgesics; the drug may have acetaminophen which is metabolized in the liver. When mixing hydrocodone with alcohol, is can increase the risk of overdose due to hepatotoxicity and can also cause stomach, liver and kidney problems. Other effects of mixing hydrocodone with alcohol can include coma, respiratory problems and damage to the central nervous system. The potential for damage and destruction by mixing hydrocodone with alcohol are very high, which is why a person needs to get help from a hydrocodone detox program to get clean.

Besides all of the consequences to a person when mixed with alcohol, the drug can also produce some common side effects in the user. Some of the most commonly witnessed effects of using hydrocodone can include; constipation, vomiting, euphoria, nausea, sweating, itching, lightheadedness, dizziness, drowsiness and constipation. There are also a variety of less common side effects which can be experienced which can include; difficulty urination, ureter problems, anxiety, lethargy, mental cloudiness, rapid heartbeat, mood swings, blood disorders, irregular respiration and rashes. The drug is very dangerous when misused and if someone is abusing the medication and wants to get clean, the best way to get help is from contacting a hydrocodone detox program in Florida.

Another danger of misusing hydrocodone is the potential for overdose which is something every addict faces. Addiction causes physical dependency and tolerance and more of the drug must be used in order to achieve the desired high and at increased doses, hydrocodone is highly dangerous. Some of the symptoms of an overdose include the following; respiratory depression, extreme lethargy, blue, cyanotic skin color, widened pupils, seizures, coma, cardiac arrest and eventual death. When someone is suffering from an addiction to hydrocodone, it is something which has the potential to kill so it is very important the individual admits to the addiction and agrees to seek professional help.

Hydrocodone is one of the most commonly misused of all recreational prescription drugs in America, next to Oxycodone. Because drugs in the opiate family cause euphoria, sedation and somnolence, people will want to use again and again because of how it makes them feel. Recreational use of hydrocodone is particularly popular among teens and young adults because the drug is so easy to find. Long term use of hydrocodone causes the body to become physically dependent and once tolerance sets in, an addiction takes over and nothing is ever the same. When dealing with a hydrocodone addiction, if a person desires to get clean it is imperative to check into a hydrocodone detox Florida program to get the right kind of help.

Dealing with a physical dependency upon hydrocodone means a person must continue using the drug or else face going through withdrawal symptoms when the substance is discontinued. Some of the most common withdrawal symptoms caused by hydrocodone can include the following; severe pain, profuse sweating, pins and needles sensations all over the body, anxiety, restlessness, sneezing, watery eyes, fever, mental depression, drug cravings, tremors and much more. When abused, hydrocodone can be crushed and snorted or a user will even go so far as to use extraction methods to remove the acetaminophen from the drug and use the hydrocodone straight. When taken in large amounts over time, it can be very hard for a person to get clean, which is why help from a hydrocodone detoxification program is so important.

When a person has been suffering from a prolonged addiction to hydrocodone, the effects can not only be mentally damaging, but also physically devastating as well. Friends and family members of an addict are often the first to notice something is seriously wrong, but no amount of confrontation or pleading with the person will make a difference. Addiction happens to anybody and admitting the problem is never easy because of feelings of inadequacy, failure, guilt, shame and remorse. An addict may want to get clean at some point in time, but be unable to do so because hydrocodone causes such a strong dependency and the drug cravings can seem impossible to deal with. The best way to approach a hydrocodone addiction is to get help from a detox program and prepare for the transition into a rehabilitation program for long term treatment.

Hydrocodone addiction is a common problem all over the United States and what may start as a genuine need for pain relief, can quickly become something more. Because of how good the drug makes a person feel, it becomes easy to use it as an escape or coping mechanism when something stressful happens. People mistakenly think that using drugs is the answer to stress and the more common use becomes and the more often a person turns to the substance, the more serious the problem becomes and the harder it is to make it stop. Being consumed by a hydrocodone addiction causes serious problems not only for the addict, but also for those that love the person as well. When desiring to get clean and break the chains of addiction, the best choice a person can ever make is to seek professional help from a hydrocodone detoxification program.

Addiction is a grueling disease from which there can seem to be no escape; people will be at a complete loss as to know where to turn or what to do. Only after realizing the importance for professional help can a person learn how to make better decisions and resume a healthy, normal life again. A hydrocodone detox program is not a cure for addiction, but rather a place where the discomfort of withdrawal can be monitored and a person can prepare themselves for entering into a long term drug rehab facility. Seeking help from a detox program should never be viewed as a last resort, but rather the best way possible to handle addiction in a positive and effective way.

Having help from a hydrocodone detoxification program in Florida is one of the most life changing decisions a person can ever make. With professional help, medical supervision and guidance, a person can emerge from the shadow of hydrocodone addiction and become clean. When addicted, the world can seem like a dark and desolate place, devoid of meaning and purpose, but with help from a detoxification program things can change for the better. Never feel as if an addiction is like a life sentence, with the right detox program and a firm commitment to living a sober life it is possible for anybody to overcome hydrocodone dependency.

Stop the treachery and leave the uncertain world of addiction behind right now and find the courage needed to reach out and get help. Overcoming an addiction to hydrocodone is the only way a person can hold out hope for a normal life again, but until an addict is ready to change, nothing will get better. Contacting a professional detoxification program is the first step on the road to recovery and gives a person the chance to heal and recover from the ravages of hydrocodone addiction once and for all. Finding a hydrocodone detox program and making the decision to get help allows an addict to put the pieces of life back together again and brings permanent closure to the nightmare of addiction.