Signs of Hydrocodone Withdrawal You May be Overlooking

As one of many opiate-based drugs, hydrocodone offers an effective pain relief treatment for conditions involving moderate to severe pain symptoms. Hydrocodone brand names include –

• Lortab
• Vicodine
• Lorcet-HD

Most prescribed forms of hydrocodone include acetaminophen as an added ingredient. By combining the two substances, hydrocodone’s pain relieving effects become all the more powerful.

Signs of hydrocodone withdrawal can take shape during the course of following prescription guidelines. For people who use the drug for recreational purposes, signs of hydrocodone withdrawal develop at a much faster rate. In cases where a person stops taking the drug, signs of hydrocodone withdrawal come on in full force.

While the discomfort associated with withdrawal is normally hard to miss, some signs of hydrocodone withdrawal may be easy to overlook. This is especially the case for people who use the drug on a recreational basis.

Hydrocodone Aftereffects

Hydrocodone’s pain-relieving properties come with certain aftereffects that tend to encourage ongoing drug use. These aftereffects promote feelings of euphoria and well-being, which result from the drug’s effects on the brain’s neurotransmitter chemical levels.

Hydrocodone exerts a depressant or slowing effect on brain functions. It does this by increasing serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmitter secretions. Over time, the brain develops a tolerance for the drug so usual dosage amounts must be increased in order to produce the same desired effects, according to the U. S. National Library of Medicine. These processes take place regardless of whether a person uses hydrocodone for medical or recreational purposes.

As tolerance levels increase, the brain develops a dependency on hydrocodone. Signs of hydrocodone withdrawal result from the brain’s physical dependency on the drug’s effects.

Signs of Hydrocodone Withdrawal

Signs of hydrocodone withdrawal can happen while actively using as well as when detoxing from the drug. As brain cells become more so dependent on hydrocodone, they also start to deteriorate from overuse. In the process, a person moves closer and closer to addiction.

Hydrocodone withdrawal can take different forms depending on the overall health of a person and the length of time he or she has been using. The signs easiest to overlook are mostly physical in nature as chemical imbalances start to take shape in the brain. These signs include –

If you feel nauseous when you haven’t had hydrocodone in about a day you may be experiencing withdrawal.

• Nausea
• Headaches
• Diarrhea
• Muscle aches and pain
• Sadness or mild depression symptoms
• Restless sleep patterns
• Body temperature fluctuations

Signs can appear as soon as three to three hours after a person’s last dose. Over the course of time, these subtle signs grow more intense as brain cells continue to deteriorate from ongoing drug use.

Considerations

For people in recovery, signs of hydrocodone withdrawal can persist long after a person’s last drug use. These signs lean more towards the psychological aftereffects of long-term drug use.

When addicted, a person develops a psychological dependency on the drug. When this happens, the mind comes to depend on hydrocodone’s effects as a means for coping with everyday life.

For someone in recovery, the primary motivation in his or her life is gone, which can leave recovering addicts in a perpetual state of depression. Other signs, such as anxiety and intense drug cravings may also persist long into the recovery process.