Hydrocodone Side Effects: Risks, Benefits of Hydrocodone Therapy

Hydrocodone is a semi-synthetic narcotic analgesic. It is believed to be the most commonly prescribed opiate in the United States and United Kingdom (www.bluelight.ru) It is a schedule III controlled substance. (Source: DEA Diversions) The symptoms for which it is prescribed include mild to moderate post-operative pain, pain from traumatic injuries, and the chronic pain of cancer and other ailments. It is also prescribed as a cough-suppressant, and in my experience, it is more effective than dextromethorphan or codeine when used for this purpose.

In my experience, hydrocodone side effects at low doses (when tolerance is not present) include mild sedation, euphoria, loss of appetite, and slight itching. The most common forms of hydrocodone tablets, including Vicodin, Lortab, and various generic versions of these drugs all have acetaminophen (Tylenol) in them. This is perhaps the most physically dangerous element of common hydrocodone preparations, due to its liver-toxicity. While acetaminophen is safe for most (but not all) users at low doses, when it is taken at higher than recommended dosages repeatedly, it can cause severe liver damage. As is the case with all opiates, hydrocodone has abuse and addiction potential. Abusers and addicts are at risk from the acetaminophen content of Vicodin or similar products, although the risk of an actual overdose of hydrocodone is fairly low when alcohol or other sedatives are not present.

At higher doses, I've experienced "nodding out," sexual dysfunction and impotence, and nausea and vomiting. Hydrocodone side effects become more severe when it is mixed with alcohol or benzodiazepines such as Valium or Xanax. Some of the hydrocodone side effects I've experienced when taking benzodiazepines or drinking have been loss of motor coordination, extreme sedation, and unconsciousness. In extreme cases, especially when the user has been drinking heavily, death from respiratory depression has occurred. When it is prescribed in conjunction with other opiates, as it is to some cancer patients, nausea and vomiting can occur. I experienced vomiting from the combination of orally ingested hydrocodone and morphine on one occasion.

For the management of hydrocodone side effects, I recommend careful control of dosage. The amount of the substance taken, as well as the frequency of doses should be recorded by the patient or the professional administering the medication carefully. Avoid using sedative drugs or alcohol entirely when taking hydrocodone. Caffeine is usually effective for countering the sedating side-effects of hydrocodone at moderate doses; marijuana can counter the nausea caused by both opiates, and the other chemicals that are often present (like cancer chemotherapy compounds) when opiates are administered. For those with legal or moral objections to medical marijuana, the prescription drug Marinol, which contains pure pharmaceutical grade THC (the active ingredient in marijuana), can be prescribed. The sexual side-effects of opiates generally subside as soon as opiate use is discontinued.

Opiates are some of the most useful and least physically damaging drugs known to medicine, but they are not without risks, the largest of which is opiate addiction. However, in my opinion opiate dependency is the lesser evil for persons in severe chronic pain, and if the painful medical condition is successfully treated, or simply goes into remission, as is often the case with cancer, fairly simple and standardized medical treatments for opiate dependency are available. As with all drugs, it is best to use hydrocodone and other narcotic-analgesics with moderation, caution, and respect.

The above, except where otherwise noticed, is based on my own experiences with hydrocodone, and the experiences of people I have known.

References:

http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/schedules/listby_sched/sched3.htm

www.bluelight.ru/vb/archive/index.php/t-278573.html