Hydrocodone is a man-made opioid drug given by doctors to manage pain or suppress coughs. It is typically only prescribed by itself in an extended-release form for severe pain.
Hydrocodone is made from codeine, which comes from the opium poppy plant. When you take this powerful opioid, your body changes it to other forms, ending up as morphine.
Hydrocodone is used to manage pain. Typically, doses are increased as needed to help address additional pain. It has a similar chemical structure and similar effects to other opioids.
Talk to your doctor before taking any other drugs with hydrocodone. It can make you sleepy or affect your breathing when taken with:
- Drugs like Valium, Ativan, Xanax, Klonopin or Serax used to treat anxiety.
- Drugs used to treat depression, nerve pain and migraine headaches.
- Drugs used for mental health disorders like Butisol, Luminal, Fioricet, Brevital, Intermezzo and Ambien.
- Alcohol
These risks increase even more when you combine it with other opioids, especially with the elderly and patients with chronic lung issues. Taken alone, these drugs can make you sleepy. Combining it with other drugs increases the risk of side effects.
Serious reactions can also occur if hydrocodone is combined with:
- Drugs like Benadryl, Thorazine, Artane, Cogentin, Akineton.
- Drugs used to manage mental health issues like Serentil, Prolixin, Loxitane, Haldol and Moban.
A person taking this powerful opioid also runs the risk their breathing could stop in their sleep, causing them to slip into a coma, or even die.
The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers.