Treatment for alcohol and substance addiction may vary between people, facilities, and programs. It may include counseling, medication, and regular visits to a support group or treatment facility. We also look at treatment for a person who has taken both alcohol and opioids, treatment options for alcohol use disorder and opioid use disorder, and how to find these treatment options. By Ayesha Gulzar, PharmDAyesha Gulzar is a clinical pharmacist interested in medical research, pharmacy practice, and medication therapy management.
This is especially true when opioids are mixed with alcohol, another CNS depressant. Ultimately, Vicodin or other hydrocodone-based medications should only be treated as short-term solutions. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals.
- Many people with opioid use disorders started with a prescription medication for pain management as a result of an injury or health condition.
- Never crush or break a hydrocodone pill to inhale the powder or mix it into a liquid to inject the drug into your vein.
- It should only be used when prescribed and closely monitored by a healthcare provider.
- Opioids work by attaching to proteins called opioid receptors in the brain, spinal cord, gastrointestinal tract, and other body parts.
- The person needs emergency medical attention to survive and mitigate long-term damage.
It is generally prescribed for pain relief, but can be misused because of its euphoric capabilities. With its inclusion of hydrocodone, Vicodin is classified as an opioid medication and poses serious risk of dependence. This adaptation results in what is known as tolerance—where the user will be required to increase the amount of drugs used or begin to use them more frequently to approximate the initial high. An additional risk of this concurrent use is the impact on the liver. Concurrent use of alcohol additionally lowers the threshold for acetaminophen’s liver toxicity. If you or a loved one have been abusing hydrocodone and alcohol, know that you are not alone and that recovery is achievable.
Lethal potential of opioids and alcohol when taken together
Is it bad to have a drink from time to time if you have chronic pain? As long as you are not taking medications that interact with alcohol, probably not. However, moderate to heavy drinkers should definitely consider breaking the habit.
Protect yourself by avoiding alcohol if you are taking a medication and don’t know its effect. To learn more about a medicine and whether it will interact with alcohol, talk to your pharmacist or other health care provider. Other outcomes from mixing opioids with alcohol include extreme sedation, confusion and sleepiness.
Is It Safe to Mix Painkillers and Alcohol?
Any prolonged use will cause severe liver damage, as both alcohol and opioids are processed in the liver. Continued use will also cause reoccurring stress to the lungs and long-term damage. As mentioned above, the hydrocodone found in Vicodin is an opioid, which is classified as https://soberhome.net/ a depressant. It’s generally prescribed for moderate to severe short-term pain. Depressants slow the central nervous system (CNS)—the parts responsible for sending signals across the spinal cord and brain. In simpler words, it moderates breathing, heart rate and brain function.
Harmful Interactions
You might feel dizzy or faint, or you might have a fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat. Make sure your doctor knows if you or anyone in your family has ever had a heart rhythm problem including QT prolongation. If the person has had a seizure, collapsed, does not wake up immediately, cold turkey crack or has trouble breathing, immediately call emergency services. Hydrocodone is traditionally dosed at milligrams (mg) every 12 or 24 hours, based on the administrative form used. Taking hydrocodone for a more extended period, such as months or years, is likely to develop tolerance.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions on how to take this or other medications you are prescribed. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medication without first talking to your doctor.
When prescribed, hydrocodone can come in immediate-release or extended-release versions. Immediate-release hydrocodone treats pain very quickly, typically lasting between four and six hours. Extended-release versions are intended to treat chronic pain, and effects from these medicines can last up to 12 hours, giving full-day relief. When stopping hydrocodone, your healthcare provider will gradually decrease the dose. Follow the directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides.
A person caring for you should give naloxone and/or seek emergency medical attention if you have slow breathing with long pauses, blue colored lips, or if you are hard to wake up. When you recommend or prescribe a medication that can interact with alcohol, this scenario presents a natural opening to review or inquire about a patient’s alcohol intake. The potential for a harmful interaction may provide a compelling reason for patients to cut down or quit drinking when warranted (see Core articles on screening and brief intervention). Mixing alcohol and medicines puts you at risk for dangerous reactions.
Finally, hydrocodone may be present in your urine for two to four days, in saliva for hours, and in your hair for 90 days. It is the strongest warning the Food and Drug Administration assigned to bring attention to the significant risks of the drug. When used in combination products, it relieves cough by decreasing brain activity in the specific part that causes coughing. It relieves pain by changing the response of the brain and nervous system to pain.
Then you can present this information to your teens so they might be less likely to simultaneously use these substances. Elderly people were most likely to experience respiratory effects after mixing opioids and alcohol, the report found. Consuming a single Vicodin pill with a small amount of alcohol can result in respiratory depression. A 2017 study published in the journal Anesthesiology found that mixing painkillers and ethanol, the intoxicating ingredient in alcohol, can cause dangerous breathing problems.
Prolonged use of hydrocodone during pregnancy can cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the infant if not treated. As a result, people may require higher doses to get the desired effect, and the drug may stay in their system longer. Hydrocodone is also available in combination with other ingredients prescribed for different uses.
