Mixing hydrocodone with alcohol can lead to a host of severe health problems ranging from hearing loss and lack of motor control to heart failure and coma.
Abusinghydrocodoneon its own is dangerous. Mixing it withalcoholcan be deadly. There are reasons why medical professionals prescribing hydrocodonecaution againstdrinking while taking these highly addictive opioid pills. Mixing hydrocodone (an opioid painkiller) with alcohol can lead to a host of severe health problems ranging from lack of motor control to heart failure and coma. Combining these substances is a gamble that could cost you your life.
If you have found yourself unable to quit a drug habit, don’t try to go it alone. It’s imperative that you seek medically assisted treatment to fully detox from these substances and cope with the withdrawal symptoms. Learn more about the dangers of mixing these substances below. Knowing this valuable information could save your life or that of a friend.
What Is Hydrocodone?
Hydrocodone is a highly addictive opioid drug that has earned the reputation of the most prescribed opioid painkiller in America. By any name —Vicodin, Lorcet orLortab— you may receive hydrocodone for chronic pain, unmanageable coughing or after major surgery. Following your doctor’s instructions for taking it is imperative. This Schedule II drug connects to your brain’s opioid receptors, creating a high that is all too easy to become hooked on. Abusing opioids comes with its own set of problems that areoftenexacerbated when you add alcohol to the mix.
What Are the Side Effects of Hydrocodone and Alcohol?
Being addicted tohydrocodone by itself or only alcohol are both extremely dangerous scenarios. When mixed together and abused over a long period of time, these substances can wreak havoc on your body, causing irreparable damage. Some short-term and lasting side effects of combining hydrocodone and alcohol include:
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- Shallow breathing
- Slow heartbeat
- Extreme drowsiness
- Impaired judgment
- Liver damage
- Hearing loss
- Seizures
- Heart failure
- Overdose
- Coma
Dangers of Mixing Hydrocodone and Alcohol
At first,mixing hydrocodone with alcoholcan produce pleasurable effects such as slight drowsiness, numbness and euphoria. But while you’re riding this high, these substances are damaging your body in ways you cannot feel or see initially. When taken together, each drug exacerbates the effects of the other, and you will likely lose control of your motor skills and judgment faster than you thought possible. Both drugs are depressants, which inhibit your central nervous system. When this system is depressed, your heart rate and breathing can slow to extremely dangerous levels, increasing the likelihood of unconsciousness and coma.
Mixing hydrocodone with alcohol is specifically dangerous as this opioid also suppresses the inhibitions associated with drinking. This can lead to drinking too much, taking too many pills, and in many cases, overdose and death. Additionally, since hydrocodone is generally formulated with acetaminophen, extended use of this drug can be toxic to the liver and lead to internal bleeding and ulcers. Over time, using these drugs together can damage your body in irreparable ways. That’s why it’s so important to seek treatment when you realize you’ve lost control over your addiction. Help is closer than you think. The first step is reaching out.
Treatment for Hydrocodone and Alcohol
If you or a loved one have been abusing hydrocodone and alcohol, know that you are not alone and that recovery is achievable. However, attempting todetoxon your own can be calamitous and will likely land you right back where you started. Safely getting off a long-term drug habit takes a village — a team of caring doctors and clinicians who will work with you one-on-one to see you through the detox and inpatient treatment process.
No matter how long you’ve been taking hydrocodone and alcohol, you’re never far from hope. Healing can start with contacting us.CallThe Recovery Village today to talk with a representative about your options for treatment and start on the path to drug-free living.
