Lortab Withdrawal
Some of the more frequent symptoms of Lortab or hydrocodone/APAP withdrawal include sweating, agitation, vomiting and nausea. While these symptoms can be uncomfortable, the withdrawal itself is not dangerous. Your doctor may choose to slowly reduce the dosage of your Lortab prescription to reduce the chances that you will suffer from withdrawal symptoms.
An Overview of Lortab Withdrawal Symptoms
Lortab, also known as hydrocodone/APAP is a medication that is used to in the treatment of pain. It is only available through a prescription. This medication is a narcotic and like all medicines of this kind, it has been shown to cause symptoms of withdrawal if it is stopped abruptly. While these
symptoms of Lortab withdrawal can be unpleasant and make a person uncomfortable, they are not life threatening.
Lortab is an opiate and a narcotic drug:
- Painkiller that is semi-synthetic
- Made of two opiates that are naturally occurring: codeine and thebaine
- The narcotic hydrocodone makes it a compound substance
- Like all narcotics, it is habit forming
- Can cause morphine-type physical and psychological dependence
- When stopped abruptly, will trigger usual opiate withdrawal symptoms
Common Lortab Withdrawal Symptoms
If a person who has been regularly using Lortab for a long time stops using or dramatically decreases their dosage of this medication, they will begin to feel symptoms of Lortab withdrawal. These symptoms are most often not life threatening, the severity of the symptoms will help to determine how addicted a person is. Some of the common symptoms of Lortab withdrawal are:
- Intense physical and psychological cravings for the upcoming dose of the medication
- Uncharacteristic irritability that is extreme
- Vomiting and nausea
- Muscle and bone aches and pains
- Diarhea
- Dilated pupils
- Runny nose and watering eyes
- Fever
- Cold sweats
- Yawning
Withdrawal symptoms from Lortab will generally become worse during the first 24 to 72 hours after not taking the medication and will gradually decrease over the following week to month.
Why Do People Suffer from Withdrawal?
When Lortab is taken over a period of time, the body becomes used to the effects of this drug. When it is stopped quickly, or when the dosage is reduced too much too fast, a person may experience withdrawal symptoms. This can happen whether the drug has been used correctly over time, or in the case of
Lortab Abuse. Withdrawal from this drug is predictable and normal and is a response to stopping taking a narcotic, not just a sign of abuse.
When a drug known as nalaxone or Narcan is given, it can also cause withdrawal symptoms, even if the dosage of Lortab has been lowered. Naloxone prevents opiates like Lortab from binding to the body's receptors.
Reducing Symptoms of Withdrawal
Even though Lortab withdrawal symptoms are not dangerous, they can be very uncomfortable. It can cause a person to feel so bad that they start taking Lortab again in an effort to ease the withdrawal symptoms. It is possible to ease withdrawal symptoms by avoiding stopping too abruptly or "cold turkey." Talk to your doctor to help you by slowly decreasing your dosage in a way to help minimize any symptoms of withdrawal that you might experience. Keep in mind that even if you have not been abusing Lortab, you might still experience withdrawal symptoms, so you should ask your health care provider for help getting off of this medication.
