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Vicodin is a combination medication of an opioid called hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen and was created to relieve pain in moderate to difficult situations. However, Vicodin has become increasingly popular among people addicted to opioids because it provides them with a rush of dopamine similar to the high they get from heroin or oxycodone when abused.While Vicodin can be beneficial when taken under supervision by your doctor, Vicodin abuse can lead to serious health problems, including respiratory distress, ulcers, liver damage, and even death. Due to the strong potential for addiction, understanding the risks and the detox process is vital.

How to use Vicodin

Before taking Vicodin, make sure to read the medication guide and talk to your doctor. Always follow the instructions on the prescription, and if you are unsure of anything, call your doctor or pharmacist. Vicodin is typically consumed orally as a pill and is typically taken every six hours as needed; you should never consume over eight pills in a day. You should not chew Vicodin pills, cut them into pieces, or dissolve them in water before consumption because this can increase the risk of overdose and other health problems such as liver damage. If you find Vicodin isn’t working for you anymore, call your doctor immediately so they can look at ways to taper off Vicodin use safely.

How Long Vicodin Stays in Your System

The amount of time Vicodin will stay in your system depends on several factors, including how much you took, when you last consumed it, and what type of drug test you are taking (blood, urine). On average, Vicodin takes one to two days after use to clear from the body.

Signs and Symptoms of Vicodin Addiction

Vicodin is a powerful painkiller and can be highly addictive when taken over time. Vicodin addiction often increases dosage or frequency of use, leading to serious health consequences, primarily if Vicodin was taken with alcohol or other drugs.If you suspect that you are addicted to Vicodin, several signs and symptoms may indicate your problem, including:

  • Mood swings
  • Severe anxiety/nervousness
  • Sweating excessively
  • Nausea/vomiting after not taking Vicodin for some time (withdrawal)

If you experience any of these symptoms, contact the professional staff of Windward Way Recovery.

Detoxing Vicodin

To safely detox from Vicodin, it is essential to understand the risks during withdrawal. Patients who take the drug as directed often do not even realize they are having withdrawals. Instead, they report having flu-like symptoms.Here are some things to consider when detoxing from Vicodin:

  • Be aware that you can become dependent on Vicodin after only a few uses, so do not stop taking Vicodin without consulting your doctor first.
  • The detoxing process may be uncomfortable but is a relatively safe process. The primary time someone will experience severe health risks is to begin retaking Vicodin or substitute Vicodin with another substance or drug.

It would be best if you detoxed from Vicodin under the supervision of a doctor or treatment professional such as Windward Way Recovery. Detoxing Vicodin can take as little as one week with proper medical care and medication to help you through Vicodin withdrawal symptoms.

Symptoms During the Withdrawal Period

During Vicodin withdrawals, symptoms include but are not limited to:

  • nausea and vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • chills or goosebumps
  • muscle pain or aches in joints (or bones)
  • restlessness including pacing, insomnia, or difficulty sleeping due to anxiety about symptoms worsening
  • fatigue
  • irritability or outbursts of anger

The severity of withdrawal symptoms is determined by how frequently it was used and how long a person has been taking it. Even when following a doctor’s orders and taking only the advised quantity each time, it’s possible to become dependent on Vicodin. The more medication a person relying on, the worse their withdrawal symptoms are likely to be. After just a few days of using Vicodin, some persons may experience mild withdrawal symptoms.

Vicodin Withdrawal Timeline

If Vicodin withdrawal symptoms are not too severe, it may be possible to taper Vicodin instead of quitting cold turkey. Vicodin should never be stopped suddenly without medical supervision because this can increase the risk of seizures or other serious health side effects. The ideal way is to do so under a doctor’s care who will gradually decrease the Vicodin prescription until you no longer need it for pain management at all.These are the primary factors that determine the length and severity of the withdrawal period:

  1. Length of time Vicodin was used: What was the length of your Vicodin use? People who have taken Vicodin for a longer duration have been linked to a more challenging withdrawal process. When you administer the drug for an extended period, your nervous system becomes used to receiving it. You shouldn’t have as much trouble resuming normal function following removal if you took Vicodin just for a short time.
  2. Dosage and tolerance: What dose of the drug did you take? Those who took higher doses are likely to have developed tolerance and difficulty dealing with withdrawal symptoms. The lower the dosage and the less frequently you administer it, the easier it should be to withdraw.
  3. The severity of addiction: It’s also been suggested that “opioid replacement therapy” might be another good option for those addicted. It is simple for people with an addiction to develop a very high tolerance fast. These people may require additional psychological assistance to withdraw from this medication successfully.
  4. Cold turkey versus tapering off: A tapering regimen will allow your nervous system to get used to life without the drug. If done gradually enough, most of the withdrawal symptoms should subside. The faster a person tapers or stops using drugs, the more likely they have severe symptoms.
  5. Personal situations: Many factors such as genetics, sensitivity to drug withdrawal, and habits can affect recovery. Two people may consume the exact amount of the substance for the same length of time, and one person may have stronger withdrawal symptoms.

With so many variables determining the timeframe for detox, it is difficult to identify precisely how long a detox period will be. However, typically symptoms during Vicodin withdrawal will peak during days three to five after stopping Vicodin. Some people may experience mild symptoms for several weeks or even months as it takes time for your body to return to normal once you stop using Vicodin.If you are experiencing symptoms that extend beyond the 1-2 week window, it is highly recommended that you contact Windward Way Recovery today. The team of health professionals has experience dealing with situations that you may not be able to handle on your own. Vicodin withdrawal symptoms are uncomfortable, but they will eventually subside if you give it time and follow the course of treatment provided by a medical professional at Windward Way Recovery.

Safe Ways of Detoxing From Vicodin

There are many ways that you can cope with detox symptoms and effects. Taking naloxone1https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/naloxone is considered safe. It can be used to reverse the effects of narcotic overdoses and alcohol withdrawal symptoms like restlessness and agitation. Buprenorphine2https://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment/medications-counseling-related-conditions/buprenorphine (Subutex) and Buprenorphine/Naltrexone are two types of drugs that might help with Vicodin withdrawal. Buprenorphine/Naltrexone3https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310658/ may be administered initially and then tapered off gradually over weeks or months.Here are some of the standard and safe methods of detoxing from Vicodin.

  • Exercising
  • Drinking lots
  • Eating healthy foods that are rich in nutrients such as fruits and vegetables
  • Spending time with friends and family that you trust
  • Slow breathing techniques and meditation
  • Yoga

Here are some other Helpful Tips for Detoxing from Vicodin

When you’re feeling restless and anxious, take a hot bath with Epsom salt, which is known to relieve muscle aches and pains and provide relief for other Vicodin detox symptoms, including anxiety (another sign of Vicodin addiction). Aromatherapy has also been used to help people relax during Vicodin withdrawals. Lavender oil is especially effective because it promotes relaxation, easing tension and stress that often comes up when coping with Vicodin cravings and withdrawal effects.If relaxation and taking your mind off the detox symptoms are simply not working, reaching out to a professional treatment center such as Windward Way Recovery is recommended. At Windward Way Recovery, there are various ways to detox Vicodin, including medications that help reduce the severity and length of Vicodin cravings, anxiety, or depression symptoms, along with other effects you may be experiencing.

Avoiding Vicodin Withdrawal Symptoms

To prevent Vicodin addiction altogether, there are some tips that you can follow:

  • Avoid taking Vicodin more often than directed by your doctor or recommended on the package label. If Vicodin is being used regularly without any break periods between prescriptions, it increases the risk of becoming dependent on this medication even more so. This also puts users at increased risk of experiencing severe side effects during the Vicodin withdrawal period.
  • Taking Vicodin for more than a few days consecutively, such as taking it three or four days in a row (or even longer), can also increase the risk of Vicodin side effects and addiction.
  • Avoid drinking alcohol while using Vicodin because this increases your chances of experiencing negative Vicodin withdrawal symptoms.
  • Do not take Vicodin if you are pregnant or breastfeeding without speaking with your doctor about possible risks to yourself and your baby. This is especially important because Vicodin use during pregnancy has been shown to cause congenital disabilities and other problems in newborn babies. Some examples include heart abnormalities, facial malformations, or skeletal issues.

Long-Term Treatment

Treating Vicodin addiction is more than just detoxing from Vicodin.If Vicodin dependency has gone on for a long time, it’s possible that the Vicodin effects are all you know and can remember. This makes treatment extremely difficult because, without help to get through withdrawal symptoms, you will end up using again in an attempt to cope with the pain of Vicodin cravings.Fortunately, there are many treatment facilities available today. Individuals who have been addicted to Vicodin or other drugs/narcotics can receive professional care during their recovery process. The primary goal of these centers is to make sure that patients do not relapse once they return home after completing residential treatment, so they remain Vicodin free and continue on the Vicodin detox process.It’s important to remember that Vicodin cravings can begin again if you do not remain Vicodin-free throughout your withdrawal period. Due to this, recovering patients should seek out a sound support system either in person or online, such as at Windward Way Recovery. At Windward Way Recovery, there are tons of valuable resources available to help assist individuals who have become addicted to Vicodin but need help getting through their Vicodin withdrawals without relapse.Windward Way Recovery also offers many treatment plans based on each individual’s specific needs, ranging from residential care facilities where patients can go during their Vicodin detox period up to aftercare.

Safely Detoxing from Vicodin

Vicodin is generally a safe drug to take to help with pain and relief from medium to severe pain levels. However, like any opioid, addiction is possible, and getting off of Vicodin can be a challenging process.While you are primarily safe during the detox process, there are many considerations to be made in the best detox approach for you.The best thing to do is contact a doctor and stop Vicodin use as soon as possible before Vicodin addiction has the chance to take hold of your life and cause you more pain than ever before.There are Vicodin detox methods you can use to help cope with Vicodin withdrawal symptoms once you have stopped using Vicodin. However, it’s important to remember that the only way to recover from Vicodin addiction safely is through professional treatment at a reputable treatment center such as Windward Way Recovery, where there are tons of resources available for Vicodin detoxing and recovery.Reach out to the Windward Way Recovery team today to see how we can help.

  • 1
    https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/naloxone
  • 2
    https://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment/medications-counseling-related-conditions/buprenorphine
  • 3
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310658/