Hydrocodone Addiction

Two major pharmaceutical companies manufacture liquid hydrocodone — Pharmaceutical Associates Inc. and Par Pharmaceuticals. The medications are yellow and red, respectively.

• Vicodin
• Anexsia
• Norco
• Xodol
• Lortab
• Zolvit
• Vicoprofen
• Lorcet
• Panacet

You may hear hydrocodone referred by other street names or slang terms, including:

• Hydros
• Tabs
• Watsons
• Vics
• Vicos
• Vikes
• 357s
• Lorris/Loris
• Nirco
• Perks

Doctors prescribe hydrocodone to manage severe pain or suppress coughs. Patients who receive hydrocodone often have persistent cough, chronic pain, or may have recently undergone surgery.

The drug has such a high potential for dependence that users who start with a medical need for the drug often become addicted. As a result, to fuel addictions, many prescriptions are continued longer than necessary or diverted to abusers.

Due to its highly addictive potential, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration classifies hydrocodone as a controlled substance — a Schedule II drug. The five drug schedules are determined based on a drug’s medical uses and its potential for abuse or addiction. Although hydrocodone presents a high risk, it does have legitimate medical uses, so it’s a Schedule II drug.

Some short-term side effects of hydrocodone abuse include:

• Drowsiness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Slowed breathing
• Slowed or irregular heartbeat
• Dizziness
• Allergic reaction, such as swelling, itching or rash
• Fatigue

When hydrocodone abuse is prolonged, the short-term side effects make way for more serious damage.

Long-term side effects of hydrocodone abuse include:

• Hearing loss
• Ringing in the ears
• Liver damage
• Depression
• Seizures
• Blurred vision
• Addiction

Some common hydrocodone combinations include:

• Hydrocodone and Alcohol – The biggest risk from mixing hydrocodone and alcohol is liver damage because both drugs leave the body through the liver. When used together, the liver works twice as hard to expel both drugs at once, causing the side effects from each to last longer. This buildup of toxins in the liver can quickly damage the organ. Both drugs also impact the central nervous system, potentially causing amnesia, coma, and heart failure.  
• Hydrocodone and Marijuana – Using cannabis and hydrocodone together may amplify side effects of the drugs — especially drowsiness, confusion, difficulty concentrating, motor coordination, and judgement. People who have smoked cannabis and are using hydrocodone should avoid driving a vehicle and other tasks that require judgement and coordination.
• Hydrocodone and Benzos – Studies show the combined use of hydrocodone and benzodiazepines is deadly. According to a British Medical Journal report, 49% of the 2,400 veterans who were prescribed opioid painkillers and died of a drug overdose were also prescribed benzos.

Symptoms of hydrocodone overdose include:

• Difficulty breathing or no breathing
• Low blood pressure
• Weak pulse
• Loss of consciousness
• Coma
• Fingernails or lips turning blue
• Nausea and vomiting

Some significant hydrocodone abuse statistics include:

• Between 2006–2010, hydrocodone was the most distributed prescription drug in the U.S.
• 82,500 emergency room visits in 2011 were related to hydrocodone abuse
• Hydrocodone was a contributing factor in 431 deaths in Florida in 2013 during a six-month period
• 4.8% of high school seniors surveyed in 2014 said they used Vicodin, a popular brand name prescription of hydrocodone, in the past year
• Vicodin costs around $9 for 30 pills at the pharmacy, and roughly $20 for one pill on the streets

Hydrocodone has made headlines through the years as celebrities like Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson, and Brittany Murphy have been found dead after using the drug. Rocker Courtney Love was famously arrested and charged for illegal possession of hydrocodone and other painkillers.

“Friends” star Matthew Perry checked himself into rehab for a hydrocodone addiction in 1997. Getting hooked on the drug also extends past the glitz and glam of Hollywood. Anyone can become addicted to hydrocodone. While on the presidential campaign trail for her husband, Sen. John McCain, Cindy McCain spoke to the nation about her former Vicodin addiction that started after two back surgeries.