Author: Gary Jackson
Hydrocodone And Alcohol: Effects, Dangers, And Consequences
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. If a person takes these two drugs together, they are also at an increased risk of overdose. Overdose can occur more quickly when these two substances are combined than if one or the other is taken on its own. Mixing alcohol and hydrocodone can also raise the level of drug dependence more rapidly. When someone is dependent on hydrocodone, drug cravings and significant withdrawal symptoms can occur when the drug isn’t active in the bloodstream.
Elderly people were most likely to experience respiratory effects after mixing opioids and alcohol, the report found. Alcohol increases the effects of opioids on the central nervous system, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Consuming painkillers and alcohol together produces sedative effects, causing people to feel extremely tired. Do not suddenly stop or change your dose without first checking with your doctor. This medicine will add to the effects of alcohol and other CNS depressants.
Addiction
Alcohol withdrawal also can become life-threatening in the case of delirium tremens (DTs) which can include seizures, severe confusion, fever, agitation, and hallucinations. Cough syrup and laxatives may have some of the highest alcohol concentrations. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your body’s response to hydrocodone. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication. Using this medicine while you are pregnant may cause neonatal withdrawal syndrome in your newborn babies.
In severe cases, low blood pressure, respiratory distress, fainting, coma, or even death may occur. If you are taking certain long-acting formulations of hydrocodone, consumption of alcohol may also cause rapid release of the drug, resulting in high blood levels that may be potentially lethal. Likewise, you should avoid consuming grapefruit and grapefruit juice, as this may increase the blood levels and effects of hydrocodone. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions on how to take this or other medications you are prescribed.
Interaction of Hydrocodone and Other Substances
Alcohol, like some medicines, can make you sleepy, drowsy, or lightheaded. Drinking alcohol while taking medicines can intensify these effects. Small amounts of alcohol can make it dangerous to drive, and when you mix alcohol with certain medicines you put yourself at even greater risk. Combining alcohol with some medicines can lead to falls and serious injuries, especially among older people. Some medicines that you might never have suspected can react with alcohol, including many medications which can be purchased “over-the-counter”—that is, without a prescription.
Ask your pharmacist for the instructions or visit the manufacturer’s website to get the instructions. Your symptoms may return within a few minutes after you receive naloxone. If your symptoms return, the person should give you another dose of naloxone. Additional doses may be given every 2 to 3 minutes, if symptoms return before medical help arrives. Do not use alcohol or medications that contain alcohol while you are receiving treatment with HYDROcodone. This may increase nervous system side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadedness, difficulty concentrating, and impairment in thinking and judgment.