The Signs of Lortab Addiction

Lortab is one of the most abused drugs in the United States. It is a prescription that doctors rarely prescribe to their patients to relieve pain. One of the ingredients of lortab is the hydrocodone which makes it similar to a popular drug called Vicodin. Just like the drugs that contain hydrocodone, the lortab drug is very addictive. The lortab addicts may really struggle to overcome the use of this drug. There are however a number of options available for addicts of lortab.

Lortab is addictive

Lortab is considered as one of the moderate addictive drug. Most of the lortab addicts started using the drug legitimately by prescription but later developed addiction after some time. The lortab drug is not available for recreational use. However, they are people who abuse this drug by using it to get high. This is one of the causes of addiction of this drug. Signs of lortab addiction include taking of the drug without prescription from a doctor or taking higher doses of lortab than what was prescribed. Some of the tactics that the lortab addicts use to get this drug is getting prescription from more than one doctor or tampering with a doctor's prescription so that he gets more drugs. There are however certain ways that people with lortab dependence can be taken through to stop this addiction.

Lortab dependence and tolerance

People who take lortab to control pain usually develop lortab dependence over time. The physical dependence on this drug is usually as a result of the brain receptors being stimulated by the lortab drug. People can develop lortab dependence after continuously using the drug for a few days. In most cases however, lortab dependence usually takes time. A lortab drug addict can also be emotionally or psychologically addicted to the drug. One of the signs of the psychological dependence is when the drug user feels that he cannot handle acute or chronic pain without taking the drug. The lortab tolerance becomes stronger over time and people might need more regular doses to manage the addiction. Different lortab users develop different lortab dependence and tolerance depending on their individual biochemistry.

The side effects of lortab

The side effects of lortab are a little bit moderate compared to some illicit drugs like marijuana, heroin and cocaine. One of the effects of lortab is that it causes sensations of well being and relaxation. Most users use it to get rid of the existing acute and chronic pains. Some of the side effects that are associated with this drug includes lightheadedness, dizziness and feeling sedated. Patients under this prescription have also vomited and experienced nausea as the other side effects. For people who take this drug to relieve themselves from chronic or acute pains they usually become increasingly restless as the dosage of the drug goes down.

Addiction of the lortab can lead to overdose which may cause blood pressure, irregular breathing patterns, death or even coma. Patients taking lortab for long periods have been reported to suffer from constipation. When lortab is combined with other drugs like barbiturates, benzodiazepines and alcohol they are known to cause very fatal breathing complications. When taken in high amounts the drug addict can suffer from the liver failure given the high amount of acetaminophen in lortab. The continued abuse of lortab can cause irreversible or sudden liver failure. The heart failure and some respiratory problems can also be caused by the high volumes of acetaminophen in the lortab.

Withdrawal and Detoxification

Complete withdrawal from this drug requires medication so that the craving that occurs when an addict stops taking the drug is brought under control. Some of the withdrawal effects of this drug includes rigid muscles, vomiting, hallucinations, insomnia, involuntary movements of the legs, restlessness, fever, runny nose, sneezing, shivering, rapid heartbeats and goose bumps. Detoxification can be used to reduce of prevent some of the withdrawal symptoms that is associated with the sudden stop of using the drug. Doctors will prescribe another drug to help the patient manage the withdrawal symptoms and prevent him from relapse. Lortab drug addicts are therefore advised to consult a doctor so that the withdrawal symptoms can be monitored and managed.

Treating the lortab addiction

When treating the lortab addiction there are some factors that should be taken in account. In most cases doctors will take into account the fact that prescription which they gave the patients.