Hydrocodone Addiction

Hydrocodone Addiction Statistics

Hydrocodone prescriptions have decreased in recent years, from 136.7 million prescriptions in 2013 to 83.6 million in 2017, but it is still the most commonly prescribed opioid in the United States. It is also one of the most widely abused prescription pain killers.

Data from 2017 shows that roughly 6.3 million people age 12 or older had misused hydrocodone in the past year in the United States—amazingly, that is 2.3 percent of the population. Most of these people acquired the drug from someone they trusted, such as a doctor or family member. Unfortunately, hydrocodone misuse can quickly develop to dependence and addiction. 

Causes of Hydrocodone Addiction

Anyone who is physically dependent on opioids will experience withdrawal if they abruptly discontinue their dose.

Symptoms can range from mild to severe, depending on how much you’ve been taking and for how long. If you are currently taking a high dose of hydrocodone, or a mix of hydrocodone and other opioids, then quitting "cold turkey" is going to be really difficult.

Even if you are on a lower, therapeutic dose of hydrocodone, the withdrawal is challenging—expect a feeling similar to having the flu (the severity will vary), plus extreme psychological distress. Without treatment, most people experience intense chills, cramps, and diarrhea, along with nausea, sweating, and agitation.

You might feel like your heart is pounding out of your chest or like you will never sleep again. Runny noses and teary eyes are common. Some people feel extremely anxious, and others feel intense despair and hopelessness. 

Opioid withdrawal isn’t easy, but it is quick. Symptoms typically subside within one week. Fortunately, there are medications that can get you through this period with minimal discomfort. 

Signs and Symptoms of Hydrocodone Addiction

Like all forms of opioid withdrawal, hydrocodone withdrawal is not simple. Experiences vary from person to person, but typically include some combination of physical and psychological symptoms. Your personal experience will be shaped by a number of factors, including:

• your current dose and how often you take it
• how long you have been using opioids or other drugs
• whether or not you are mixing hydrocodone with other drugs, such as heroin, Oxycontin, alcohol, or benzodiazepines
• your willingness to seek treatment and support
• your past experiences with substance abuse
• your physical and mental health

If you have been taking low doses of hydrocodone as directed by your doctor, then your withdrawal symptoms should be relatively mild. However, if you are a long-time poly-drug abuser, untreated withdrawal can be extremely uncomfortable. For most people, hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms start about eight to 24 hours after their last dose.

• Withdrawal will come on slower if you are also using extended release opioids, like methadone or Oxycontin.

Effects of Hydrocodone Addiction

Common hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms include any of the following:

• Muscle, bone, and joint aches and pain
• Flu-like feeling
• Sweating
• Runny nose
• Headache
• Chills
• Nausea or vomiting
• Cramping or diarrhea
• Insomnia or disturbed sleep
• Teary eyes
• Tremors
• Anxiety or restlessness
• Gooseflesh
• Heart pounding
• Agitation
• Skin-crawling

If you are looking for a better idea of how mild symptoms compare to intense symptoms, take a look at this opioid withdrawal scale. This is a tool that clinicians use to help them diagnose what stage of withdrawal their patients are in. For example, it shows that sweating can include anything from feeling flushed to sweat streaming down your face.

Opioid withdrawal symptoms typically peak on the second or third day after your last dose, then start getting better. Most people feel better after five to seven days.

Unfortunately, this isn’t always the end of it. Once acute withdrawal passes, some people experience something called protracted withdrawal, also known as post-acute-withdrawal syndrome (PAWS). Protracted withdrawal symptoms are much less severe and are mostly psychological in nature—meaning that you won’t be physically ill.

Instead, you may experience waves of depression that come and go or bouts of insomnia. Not everyone experiences protracted withdrawal, but those who do can expect symptoms to appear on and off for around six months.

Hydrocodone Addiction Treatment

If you have been using hydrocodone as directed for the treatment of pain, then your doctor can help you develop a tapering schedule. Tapering your medication means taking progressively smaller doses over a period of several weeks. By incrementally decreasing your dose, you give your body time to adjust. While you may experience some withdrawal symptoms each time the dose is reduced, they should be relatively mild.

There is no standard tapering schedule, so it is important to work with your doctor to develop a schedule that fits your needs. As you reduce your dose, you may find that your pain returns. If so, talk to your doctor about alternatives.

If you are struggling with an opioid addiction, however, attempts to taper your dose will most likely be unsuccessful. Evidence-based treatments for opioid detox include medication-assisted treatment and symptom management.

Medications like methadone and buprenorphine (Suboxone) can help prevent the symptoms of withdrawal and make it easier to get clean. These drugs are made with long-acting opioids that prevent withdrawal without getting you high. Suboxone contains a mix of buprenorphine and naltrexone, an opioid antagonist.

This means that it’s more or less impossible to abuse Suboxone to get high if injected. Suboxone can also prevent other opioids from getting you high, which reduces your chance of relapse.

Clonidine and lofexidine (Lucemyra) are two more prescription drugs used to treat the symptoms of hydrocodone withdrawal. Clonodine and Lucemyra, similar medications originally designed to treat high blood pressure, are used to treat symptoms like sweating, chills, rapid heart rate, and anxiety.

They can also help reduce drug cravings. Since they contain no opioids, any doctor can prescribe these medications. This makes them much easier to acquire than methadone and buprenorphine.

Over-the-counter (OTC) medications that may make you more comfortable during withdrawal include:

• OTC pain relievers (Tylenol, Advil, Aleve)
• anti-diarrhea medications (Imodium, loperamide)
• antihistamines to help you sleep (Benadryl)
• anti-nausea medications (Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate)
• nutritional supplements for anxiety (valerian root, chamomile)

You may have heard about another herbal medication called kratom that people buy online. Some opioid users have had success using kratom to treat the symptoms of withdrawal, but there are a number of risks involved. Doctors are just beginning to learn how kratom works, but it is already clear that kratom is essentially just another natural opioid (like opium).

In 2018, the FDA issued a warning against kratom, because they believe it has addictive and harmful properties. There have also been reports of contaminated batches making people ill.

Your treatment requirements will depend on the nature of your hydrocodone dependence. If you became dependent on opioids while taking them as prescribed by a doctor, you may not need any treatment after you get off the pills. If you are struggling with a substance use disorder, however, detox is only the first step on a long road.

If your goal is long-term sobriety, then you will need to put a lot of effort into relapse prevention. If you have tried to quit opioids before, then you know how easy it is to relapse after detox. Research shows that the best way to prevent relapse is a combination of medication and psychotherapy.

Preventing Relapse With Medication

Your long-term treatment plan may involve a maintenance dose of methadone or buprenorphine or a medication called naltrexone (Vivitrol). Naltrexone is only useful after you detox, once your body is free of opioids.

A Vivitrol injection taken once per month will prevent opioids from having an intoxicating effect. This discourages opioid use, because if you use, you will be wasting time and money for nothing. Naltrexone can also help ease opioid cravings.

Preventative Psychotherapy

Medication paves the way for the second leg of long-term treatment, psychotherapy. During talk therapy, you will learn to identify the thoughts, feelings, and actions that trigger your cravings. You will also develop the skills you need to handle those triggers in a healthy way.

Many people choose to continue taking their medication indefinitely, but you can also tapper off after a few months or years. Therapy can prepare you for that transition.

There are many different types of treatment with varying levels of intensity. Places you can find help include:

• addiction treatment centers
• residential programs
• community health clinics
• your primary care physician
• a psychiatrist
• a therapist in private practice
• methadone clinics
• doctors certified to prescribe buprenorphine (Suboxone)

An addict cannot get through it alone. Hydrocodone addiction treatment should be approached in holistic manner including intensive therapy, behavioral therapies and support that leading rehab centers provide. If you are fighting urges to use, even if you believe the problem is under control, call us right now at 855-706-9275. Our helpline representatives can answer your questions and provide you with tips for immediate treatment options at the appropriate recovery center in your area.