10 Hydrocodone Withdrawal Symptoms
Hydrocodone use that persists for more than a few days can lead to an increase in tolerance and a subsequent physical dependence which causes a number of adverse symptoms when the user tries to quit. These Hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms are often the reason behind a user’s continued use of the drug despite a lack of purpose of need to take this powerful painkiller. Some of the most common Hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms, though not life-threatening, are very challenging to cope with.
1. Fever & chills
Detoxing from Hydrocodone involves temporary adverse symptoms such as sweating, anxiety, and panic attacks.
When a user first stops taking Hydrocodone, he or she may feel chills. Chills are often the result of fever associated with Hydrocodone withdrawal. While fever is not always a danger, if Hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms such as fever persist or if fever spikes there are potentially serious health consequences which may occur.
2. Sweating
Sweating is the result of the body’s attempt to detoxify. When Hydrocodone is no longer being used, the body goes into survival mode and attempts to get rid of the drug through sweat. Sweating must be counteracted by staying hydrated and drinking a lot of fluids to ensure continued safety during withdrawal.
3. Nausea & Vomiting
Hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms rarely pose life threatening risk but vomiting that persists for more than a few days or that occurs anytime food or drink is taken in can pose serious health threats. Nausea is another common withdrawal symptom and, while not life threatening, can make recovery a challenge at best.
4. Bone or Joint Pain
Maybe the user started taking Hydrocodone as a result of legitimate pain and is now feeling the pain again or maybe there is phantom pain. Likewise, Hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms often include bone or joint pain similar to arthritis. This usually goes away within a few days but can be very challenging to cope with in the meantime.
5. Cravings
Cravings for Hydrocodone often persist for many weeks or even months after the user stops taking the drug. Unfortunately, the best thing to get rid of cravings is continued abstinence from drug use and time.
6. Depression
People who use drugs often slip into bouts of deep depression when they quit. Hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms such as depression are very common, especially in those who have taken the drug for a very long time or who suffer from underlying mental illness already.
7. Anxiety
When Hydrocodone use stops, the addict will often feel heightened anxiety. Many people who take Hydrocodone report feeling relaxed and comfortable while under the influence but when the drug use stops they feel very anxiety. This is one of the most commonly felt Hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms report by users who try to quit.
8. Insomnia
Difficulty sleeping, patterns of poor sleep, feeling awake and unable to fall asleep are all common withdrawal symptoms that occur when a user stops taking Hydrocodone. Insomnia may last for a few days or weeks and often comes in spurts followed by periods of deep depression.
9. Panic Attacks
Severe anxiety, that interferes with an individual’s life and routines are called panic attacks. Panic attacks are very common when Hydrocodone use stops after a prolonged period of time. These panic attacks are very common in users who already suffer from anxiety but they also occur in those who never had any problems with anxiety prior to their drug use.
10. Seizures
Uncontrollable shaking, loss of consciousness, suffering from a seizure that could potentially be deadly—these are all common symptoms of Hydrocodone withdrawal that should not be overlooked. Seizures, though not highly common for those who do not take Hydrocodone for a very long time, are one of the more dangerous symptoms of withdrawal that require prompt medical attention to ensure the safety of the recovering addict.