The drug was a success and since then has become one of the most commonly prescribed narcotics in the medical world, as well as one of the most abused. The appearance of Vicodin can vary, but most of the time it is available as a white, oval-shaped pill. The pill will have the milligram dosage imprinted on it, and in some cases will have a perforated line on one side. The reason for this line is to make the pill easier to split into two parts for situations where a full pill is a larger dose than a doctor is prescribing.
When taken illicitly, it is common for users to crush the pill into a powder so it can be snorted or mixed with liquid for intravenous use. The reason for doing either option is to speed up the effects of Vicodin. This is extremely dangerous because it makes it increases the chance of accidental overdose or adverse side effects taking effect.
Since taking Vicodin without a legitimate prescription is illegal, drug dealers and users have developed a variety of street names that they use to refer to the drug without drawing attention. The reason for doing this to avoid police and any other individuals that users want to hide their use from, such as family members. It is important to keep in mind that this list is not static and new nicknames are always being developed to make illicit use more difficult to spot.
As a result, just because someone is not using a name from this list, does not guarantee that they are not using Vicodin.
Its position in this class is because it presents a high addictive risk, but also has valuable medical uses. The key reason that Vicodin is so addictive stems from the semi-synthetic opioid hydrocodone that is used to make it. This substance is a risk on its own and continues to be one when mixed with other chemicals. Hydrocodone is habit-forming because when taken in a strong dose, it creates a euphoric rush in the body by prompting the brain to release a flood of pleasure chemicals.
These chemicals are found naturally within the body and are normally released in response to positive stimuli like achieving a goal.
However, the normal amounts are minimal compared to what hydrocodone makes the body release, thus overwhelming the central nervous system. Since the body is an adaptive system, repeated Vicodin use alters the brain and body to handle the rush more effectively.
The process of doing this is known as developing a tolerance, and when this happens it will require a user to take more hydrocodone over time to achieve the same effects. Doing this increases the risks that come with the drug, and eventually leads to the body forming a dependence, a process where the body comes to rely on it the substance function properly.
When this happens, withdrawal symptoms can take effect if a person has gone too long without using hydrocodone, making it harder to quit and rewiring the brain to recognize drug use as an instinctual act, rather than a conscious choice.
In many cases, a person with a Vicodin addiction may not realize they have a problem, or they may choose to hide it out of shame, fear or simply a desire to continue using the drug. In these cases, knowing the side effects of the drug beyond pain relief and the euphoric high is a valuable way to help spot when a person is abusing Vicodin. At later stages or during an overdose, several of these may even become permanent.
It can be useful to know some of the statistics for Vicodin to better understand the drug and the risks associated with it. There was, however, a problem with hydrocodone.
It created a tremendous euphoric effect in the animals studied. Eddy felt that the drug was powerful, but that it also held the potential to be highly addictive. In fact, he went on to say that it would be possible for an individual to become addicted to hydrocodone without even realizing it.
In the years that followed, the product, as in the case of Vicodin, grew in popularity as a pain reliever despite its addictive potential.
Currently, doctors face stiff penalties if incorrectly prescribing hydrocodone. Physicians are also coping with an addicted patient base, many of whom will lie about illnesses or doctor shop in order to gain access to additional prescriptions for the drug. Vicodin is a brand name for a narcotic pain reliever. This same blend of medications is found in other similar brand-name pain relievers such as Lortab, Lorcet, Norco, Hycet, and Xodol.
As a pain relieving drug, Vicodin is designed to treat moderate to moderately severe physical pain. It is also known to suppress coughs and reduce fevers. Like all pain relievers, Vicodin blocks the nerve cell receptors in your brain that cause the feeling of pain. In other words, it stimulates the nerves that are responsible for pain to increase your tolerance. While Vicodin certainly has its benefits, it has been under a very watchful eye over the past decade or two due to its side effects and possible dangers.
In small doses, you are unlikely to experience any noticeable symptoms after using Vicodin. However, you should still use caution and avoid driving or using any other large types of machinery. Side effects may include:. And because of the last two symptoms, people began to become very cautious about the use of Vicodin. In , the same organization requested that manufacturers limit the strength of all acetaminophen products. Vicodin, obviously, is one of the most popular medications that contains acetaminophen.
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