Symptoms of Vicodin Addiction

Understanding Vicodin Addiction

Vicodin is a powerful pain reliever prescribed to injured people or those who have undergone surgery. It is a combination of Acetaminophen or Tylenol with Hydrocodone. Hydrocodone is synthesized codeine and is the addictive agent.

Vicodin is an opiod and has the same effect as other medications such as Loricet, Percodan, Loritab and Oxycotin. These medications block receptors in your brain that allow you to feel pain, which is why people feel relaxed, and pain free. When you take these medications, you initially feel much better from your pain, which is what makes you want to take it. Over time, your body becomes immune to the dose that you take and you will need to take more to achieve the same effect, this is when addiction can occur.

What are the Symptoms of Vicodin Addiction?

• Develop immunity

Your body starts to tolerate the drug and you need to take more to feel the same effects.

• Physical pain

You start to feel physical effects such as muscle pain, night sweats, insomnia and bone pain.

• Feelings of guilt or shame

You start feeling as if you can't live without it and feel guilty or ashamed about it.

• Amount and duration

How many pills you take and how long you take them is a sign of dependence. People who take 20 to 40 pills everyday for a long time are dependent.

• Interferes with friends and family

Your family or friends know you are addicted but you are in denial, which causes arguments between you and your loved ones. This can cause you to feel depressed and angry.

• Cravings are out of control

Abuse of this prescription drug can interfere with reasonable thinking and judgments. You crave the drug and will do anything to get it even if it means buying it illegally. This also includes switching doctors so you can ask for a prescription. You feel anxious or panic at the possibility that you won't have enough for your next dose.

Withdrawal Symptoms

People who are addicted will feel withdrawal symptoms anywhere from 6 to 12 hours after cessation of the pills. These symptoms are not life threatening but are bothersome to the individual. The duration of the symptoms depends on how many you were taking and how long you have abused the drug. Here is a list of symptoms you go through when experiencing withdrawal:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Anger
• Involuntary movement of legs
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Sweating
• Chills
• Cold flashes
• Cravings
• Bone and muscle pain
• Vomiting
• Cold symptoms (runny nose, watery eyes)
• Gastrointestinal problems (diarrhea)

Effects of Continued Use

If you continue to use Vicodin, you place yourself at risk for many future health problems. The drug can affect your kidneys and lead to liver disease. As you take more medication to get the same effects your body will start to react by making you feel worse (bone and muscle pain, insomnia and sweats). You also put yourself at risk for overdose as you increase the number of pills you take each day. You will feel mental health effects such as anxiety, depression, guilt, and anger that can cause you to lose your job, family, and friends.

Getting the Help you Need

The symptoms of Vicodin addiction are difficult to face. You may wonder how you ever reached this point and wonder if you will ever be able to stop. There is support out there for you if you need that extra help with stopping your use of this drug. The withdrawal symptoms, for some, can be difficult to deal with and some people will need medications such as Methadone and LAAM to get through them. Consult with your local substance abuse agency for more information on how you can stop this prescription drug addiction.