Vicodin can you drink alcohol

When a doctor prescribes hydrocodone to treat a particular medical problem, he or she knows important specifics about the patient, such as weight, current condition, medical history, any particular allergies or sensitivities, and can prescribe the appropriate dose and form of the drug, warn of side effects, and monitor progress.

When a person uses hydrocodone in a different form and dosage than a doctor has prescribed with or without a prescription or mixes it with other substances like alcohol, serious problems can occur. What are the possible signs of trouble? Get emergency medical help if you observe any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.

The medication can suppress your respiration rate, making you breathe slower than you normally would. This can diminish the amount of oxygen that you get. You may feel drowsy and sluggish during the day. When you add alcohol into the mix, your respiration rate can fall to dangerous levels. Alcohol makes your neurotransmitters fire more slowly and affects almost every organ, including the lungs.

Sometimes, people experience shortness of breath, chest pain or a stuffy nose when they drink alcohol. Drinking regularly can even increase your risk of developing life-threatening respiratory diseases, such as pneumonia and COPD. Some people consume Vicodin and alcohol together because both substances can temporarily relieve pain. Adding another chemical to the mix can make you feel better, but it may have disastrous results. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads.

Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Vicodin is a powerful pain reliever for moderate to severe pain.

It is a combination product that includes the opioid narcotic hydrocodone bitartrate along with the nonnarcotic pain reliever acetaminophen. Vicodin is a very effective pain killer but care needs to be taken to use this drug safely.

Additionally, there are risks of dangerous interactions with other medications and substances you may be taking.

Knowing how long Vicodin stays active in your system can help you avoid these dangerous reactions or an accidental overdose. Vicodin contains hydrocodone, which is synthesized from codeine, one of the opioids found in the opium poppy plant. So, it is essential not to drink alcohol or take street drugs while taking Vicodin. Additionally, harmful interactions can occur with drugs that affect a component of liver metabolism, CYP3A4.

Using, changing the dosage, or stopping these drugs can cause dangerous changes to the amount of hydrocodone in your system even if you are continuing with the same dose of Vicodin.

Overdosing on the acetaminophen in the Vicodin tablet is also a potential risk. To avoid liver damage, the National Institutes of Health NIH recommends that adults should not exceed 3, mg of acetaminophen a day. If you drink alcohol, there is an even greater risk of harm to your liver. The NIH also states that an overdose and possible death can occur when taking 7, mg or more of acetaminophen.

The side effects of Vicodin are a combination of the side effects of both hydrocodone and acetaminophen. According to MedlinePlus, the side effects of hydrocodone include:. Acetaminophen is commonly used as an over-the-counter OTC medication under the brand name Tylenol. People who drink alcohol to excess are more likely to have this problem. Some side effects of hydrocodone are similar to those of alcohol, such as drowsiness, slowed breathing, impaired coordination, confused thinking, and sleeping issues.

When you mix alcohol and Vicodin, you are more likely to experience severe side effects. Some of these side effects can lead to injury or other bodily harm. The dangers of mixing alcohol and Vicodin can even be deadly if you are elderly or have pre-existing respiratory issues. If you are taking Vicodin for pain, alcohol can interfere with the effectiveness of your medication. You might take more Vicodin to compensate for a lower response to your prescribed dose while under the influence of alcohol.

Taking acetaminophen in excess on its own can lead to liver damage.