How to Treat Hydrocodone Addiction

January 22nd, 2009

With highly addictive painkillers like Hydrocodone available, addiction to the drugs have increased in the past couple of years. This continues as doctors usually prescribe these drugs for people who suffer from chronic pain and post operation recovery. Even though these drugs can be very effective, in the long-term they can pose a problem. Because they are highly addictive, trying to stop using the drug should be done carefully.

Hydrocodone in general dampens the body’s response to pain. This is why it is not recommended to quit cold turkey as it will have an opposite reaction. People who take this drug will have withdrawal symptoms and this can range from mild, moderate and severe. Everyone will go through it and that is why it is important for people who take Hydrocodone to follow the doctor’s instructions very carefully.

For people who have become addicted to this drug, getting this out of the body can be problematic. Addiction to Hydrocodone is very hard process as people have become emotionally attached and dependent on the drug. Cravings can arise at any time and that is why there need to be a systematic approach to treating the addiction. For people who are dependent, treatment for Hydrocodone addiction is often done from a psychological perspective. This is done with a combination of counseling and other methods that are able to treat the system properly.

The first step in treating Hydrocodone addiction is to get in touch with a rehab center that is located in your area. Here you should be able to get an idea of the programs that are available and which one will be most effective in treating the addiction.

How Long Does Hydrocodone Stay in the System

January 22nd, 2009

Q: People for wide for a wide variety of reasons want to know how long Hydrocodone will stay in their system after they take it?

A: There is not one given answer to this question, however; the drug can be detected in urine for up to 10 days, depending on how much Hydrocodone you have taken. Hydrocodone will stay in the blood for up to 30 days and in the hair for up to six months.

Hydrocodone is most like any form of codeine, Vicodin, Lortab, Lorcet, etc. The amount of hydrocodone that will stay in the blood system and urine will often depend on weight and a host of other factors

FDA Pulls Unapproved Cough Medications From Shelves

January 11th, 2009

The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has made it is duty to remove all unapproved cough syrups that contain hydrocodone. The FDA will put the focus on the manufacturers of the products and enforce that they stop production of them. This move by the FDA is there step up to fight against drugs that have not been approved by them.

The Hydrocodone is found in many of these cough syrups is a very powerful drug, which is often prescribed as pain medication or used in cough suppressants. Statistics presented by the FDA shows that hydrocodone is an active ingredient in over 200 prescription cough medications. With this high number of products available, only a small amount has been approved for use by the agency.

Hydrocodone is very addictive drug and abuse of the this product has caused injury and even death. Many people who take this medication and have an overdose, often will have problems breathing and there is the possibility of a heart attack.

The FDA has indicated that many of the unapproved cough medications that contain hydrocodone do not have the proper labels on them. They are also said to be very similar to their approved counterparts. Another concern that the FDA has regarding the use of these cough suppressants is the labeling and children. The FDA has not authorized the use of hydrocodone in products that were intended for children who were under the age of two. The unapproved cough suppressants that contain the drug are often labeled as being appropriate for young children.

The FDA gave orders to these companies that were making the unapproved cough suppressants specific bid to stop manufacturing and distribution of these products. This had a far reaching effect, especially to those companies who were marketing their product to young children.

This move by the FDA is a new effort by the agency to put a stop to those companies that are marketing these products that contain unapproved prescription drugs in them.

Increase in Theft of Hydrocodone

January 5th, 2009

Hydrocodone is a legitimate prescription drug that is generally prescribed for pain. The drug provides a very happy and euphoric feeling that can often last many hours, while at the same time it is very effective at treating pain. Hydrocodone is highly addictive and many people have turned towards abusing it.

There is a new trend of people taking this prescription medication as a recreational drug. It is almost at the top of the list for the most abused drug in America. Many people will take it in its regular pill form, while others will snort it.

Over the past couple of years the popularity of the drug has increased ten-fold. It can be found easily on the streets and there are countless websites that make it possible to get hydrocodone without a prescription. Many people looking for the drug will also forge prescriptions, lie to doctors and even steal the drug to ensure that they get their fix.

There have been many cases where people who work at drug stores will steal hydrocodone and dispense it to their friends or customers. Police have began cracking down on these individuals and have gone as far to charge these people with many felony crimes, such as drug trafficking.

Many employees are resorting to stealing and selling hydrocodone pills because it can be very profitable. On the street, these pills often sell from $10-$25 for one. The demand is so great and it is so easy to get, many people just steal from the stores.

Many of the pharmacies where these thefts occur often state that it is not a big problem. They stress that the people who are employed often know about the different policies that are in place. They also understand the various consequences and risks that are associated with these illegal activities.

Most pharmacies where these hydrocodone thefts have occurred state that there is no isolated problem associated with this activity. They say that the stealing of hydrocodone is on the same level as theft by employees.

Some pharmacies however are changing their policies. They have removed hydrocodone and other opiates from their stores due to continued theft. It is just not worth the headache to these places.

With so many problems associated with hydrocodone, many people say the best way to fight this drug abuse is through education. If people understand the negatives associated with this product, then there is one way of informing people about the dangers.

Hydrocodone Abuse is Becoming More Widespread

January 2nd, 2009

Hydrocodone is a dangerous street drug and it can be found in medicine cabinets all across America. It is one of the most widely prescribed medications available and aside from being very good for the treatment of pain, it is also highly addictive.

Over the past 10 years, statistics have shown that there has been a 400% increase in the use of the drug. During this same period of time, emergency room visits associated with hydrocodone has gone up by 500%. It is said that hydrocodone is the prescription drug that is abused the most in the America.

Hydrocodone addiction can occur in a wide variety of ways. People who are legitimately taking control to cope with pain may become addicted by accident.  People who take this pain medication may feel the euphoric feelings that the drug produces. As a result of this, after the prescription has been ended, they may feel that they need to continue using the drug as they have become dependent on it. Other people who are addicted to the drug often do it for recreational purposes. These individuals often steal or purchase the drug off the street.

The drug is not confined to any social groups and abusers can be found from all walks of life. Hydrocodone Is slowly becoming one of the most abused drugs in the country. Because of its abundance and ease of access, it is very hard to truly know how many people are addicted to this prescription medication.

Scientific evidence has shown that people who take heavy amounts of hydrocodone will ultimately suffer from damage of the liver. Mixing hydrocodone with alcohol has also proven to be a very dangerous cocktail and can sometimes lead to death. Every month there are deaths associated with the drug or with people mixing it with alcohol.

Hydrocodone addicts who want their product will often go to a doctor to get a prescription for this drug. As a way to avoid suspicion, people will go to different drug stores to have their prescriptions filled.  Addicts will also purchase it off the street as it is readily available and it is cheap.

The dependence on the drug quickly goes from that euphoric feeling, to more helping the body from feeling sick.

Video About FDA Action Against Companies Who Products Contain Hydrocodone

December 28th, 2008

This video will highlight the moves that the FDA will be partaking in to remove products from the shelves that contain hydrocodone. They will especially be targetting those products that are produced for children and containt the product in them. A very informative video for people who want detailed information on this product.