Lortab, its Use and Abuse
Background:
Hydrocodone or dihydrocodeinone is an opioid that is used as a painkiller and cough medicine. Pure hydrocodone is a Schedule II substance in the US, while combination medicines containing hydrocodone are classifies as Schedule III substances. Like other opioid narcotics, the drug has a potential for abuse and can cause physical and psychological addiction. Hydrocodone is combined with acetaminophen, not only to augment each other’s analgesic property, but also to discourage users of the drug from taking excessive doses of the drug due to acetaminophen’s hepatotoxic properties. Hydrocodone is marketed under the brand names Lortab by UCB Pharma, Vicodin by Abbott Laboratories, and Norco/Maxidone by Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Proper Dosage and Use:
Lortab is prescribed as an analgesic to manage moderate to severe pain. Lortab tablets are available in doses ranging from 2.5mg, 5mg, 7.5mg, and 10mg, which are all combined with 500mg of acetaminophen. The 2.5mg-7.5mg doses of Lortab appear as white tablets, while the 10 mg Lortab is in the form of a pink tablet. Lortab is also available in liquid form, with concentrations set at 7.5mg hydrocodone with 500mg acetaminophen per 15ml.
The use of Lortab as an antiussive or analgesic should be done exactly as the doctor instructed. Due to acetaminophen’s hepatotoxicity, it is important not to take higher doses of Lortab than necessary. The maximum intake of acetaminophen for adults per dose should not exceed 1000mg, and no more than 4000mg per day. Lortab should be taken with a glass of water. Lortab may be taken with or without food.
Lortab also interacts with other drugs, so always check with your doctor before using Lortab in conjunction with other drugs. Acetaminophen is usually a component in non-prescription drugs, so it is important to consult with your doctor before taking other drugs together with Lortab.
It is also imperative that you avoid drinking alcohol while using Lortab. The acetaminophen content of Lortab together with alcohol may cause serious liver damage. Acetaminophen is metabolized purely by the liver and alcohol can augment hepatotoxicity of the substance, which lead to deadly liver damage and failure.
Side Effects:
Lortab is known to cause the following side effects:
- Dizziness, euphoria, drowsiness, headache
- Nausea, vomiting, constipation, loss of appetite
- Decreased urine output
- Itching
The following are severe reactions to Lortab and needs immediate medical attention.
- Any allergic reaction, such as swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat, difficulty of breathing, and hives.
- Seizures
- Confusion
- Shallow breathing
- Bradycardia
- Cold. Clammy skin
- Coma
Lortab Addiction and Abuse:
Like most narcotics, there is a potential for abuse due to Lortab’s euphoria-inducing properties. Manufacturers of the drug try to counteract this by combining acetaminophen with Lortab’s active ingredient, hydrocodone. This barrier, however, is either bypassed by substance abusers by trying to extract Lortab’s hydrocodone content, or is totally ignored due to the drug-induced euphoria. Cases involving Lortab abuse have been documented to end with severe liver damage, circulatory collapse, cardiac arrest, and even death. Also, most substance abusers use a cocktail of drugs to augment the high they receive from the drugs. This practice is very dangerous because these drugs interact with each other, which increase the chances of a deadly overdose.
Lortab Addiction Rehabilitation:
Addiction is not only a physical but also a psychological condition which must be addressed as soon as possible. The first step to rehabilitation is detoxification. The process of detoxification should be done under the guidance of a medical practitioner, because Lortab has some withdrawal symptoms like intense craving, irritability, nausea and vomiting, muscle aches, fevers, and a lot of others. The intensity of the withdrawal symptoms may vary depending on how long was the drug being abused and how much of the drug was being used.
After detoxification, it is important for the patient to undergo counseling and/or group therapy to bolster the rehabilitation and have a lasting management. Counseling also addresses underlying reasons why the addiction occurred, making it possible for the intervention to address the root of the problem.
What Lortab Addiction Rehabilitation Patients say about Malibu Horizon
The identities of the people writing these testimonials have been withheld to protect their inalienable right to privacy. The names that follow are fictional names of the author’s choosing.
"I suffer chronic pain due to an accident I had when I was young. To control the pain, I used Lortab. Time came that the drugs was not only acting on the pain, but also controlling me. I’d crave for the pills and was not eating right. I needed help. That is what Malibu Horizon was able to free me from. They also helped me discover other pain management methods and, now, I’m drug-free." –Kent
"The things that matter most in life are lost when you’re under the influence. Drugs, alcohol, I used to do them all. Coming to Malibu Horizon was the best thing that I did coz, now, I’m able to enjoy the things that should matter." –Kurt
"I used to take Vicodin for the high it gives me. Well, that’s in the past now. I know that drug dependence destroys lives and I’m one of the lucky ones, thanks to Malibu Horizon." –Kevin
"I’m very active in the club scene, and occasionally, my friends and I used Lortab tablets just to boost the experience. We did get high and did stupid things. Really stupid things. The pills affected me in more ways than I can imagine and I’ve had enough. I tried breaking the habit on my own, but soon I knew I can’t go at it alone. That’s when I decided to go to Malibu Horizon for help. Now, I’m still active in my night life but I enjoy it without the help of drugs." –Tracy
"I live in a tough neighborhood, and to keep up, I got into the wrong crowd. We did E, and Vicodin, and did the most idiotic things while we were high. One time, one of my friends was so high and he started convulsing and I was scared silly. He didn’t make it in time to the hospital and I knew that if I didn’t come clean, I just might end up like him. So I came to Malibu Horizon and things are all the better." -Tom