What Withdrawal From Hydrocodone Involves

Hydrocodone is a Schedule II/IIN Controlled Substance, so it has a high potential for abuse. Substances in this classification also have a high probability of leading users to severe physical or psychological dependence.

A person is physically dependent when he or she needs to use the substance in order to function throughout the day. If the person does not receive his usual dose of hydrocodone, he will experience hydrocodone withdrawal.

Users can also develop a substance use disorder (SUD) or addiction to hydrocodone. When someone is described as having a SUD, the medical community is referring to the long-term behavioral changes that occur while the person is having a problem with the medication. Social changes and physical changes can also occur at this time.

Hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms may include:

• Thoughts of suicide
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Dilated pupils
• Sweating
• Runny nose, chills, and fever
• Changes in appetite
• Fatigue
• Diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea
• Body aches
• Irritability
• Insomnia
• Mood swings
• Intense cravings

When the body becomes dependent on hydrocodone, this changes the brain’s neurons so that they don’t work properly if the person doesn’t take the substance. If a person is addicted, she cannot control her cravings even though using the substance is causing harmful consequences for her. At either of these points, users begin to experience the withdrawal symptoms listed above if they are not receiving their dosages of hydrocodone.

Hydrocodone Detox

The first part of treatment for a hydrocodone use disorder is the detoxification process. Because this substance produces withdrawal symptoms if you stop ingesting your daily dose of hydrocodone, you or your loved one will be advised to enter a treatment facility.

In medication-assisted treatment (MAT), the physicians at the treatment center will closely supervise the client. This is only the beginning of the treatment process. After it is complete, the individual must continue on to an inpatient or outpatient treatment program for continued therapy. Anyone in treatment who fails to do this is likely to return to hydrocodone use.

In treatment with MAT, the client may receive buprenorphine. This opioid medication is the preferred drug to replace hydrocodone because it is a partial opioid agonist. This means it is a substance that partially stimulates the brain’s opioid receptors. Overdose deaths have been shown to be greatly reduced by the use of buprenorphine, and many people have been able to return to their lives again after being treated with this medication.

Another medication that you or your loved one may receive is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone that is called Suboxone. This drug binds to the brain’s opioid receptors and reduces the intoxicating effects of other opioids. It also keeps people from experiencing cravings so that they can resume their normal lives and regular activities.

Because you will be treated with the medications listed above, you will be able to tolerate the time that your body needs to flush the presence of hydrocodone from your system. Detoxification does not help you with the behavioral, social, or psychological issues of drug use, so detox alone will not lead to a long-lasting recovery. The next step after the detoxification process is admission to a treatment center or psychological therapy.

The Hydrocodone Withdrawal Timeline

The hydrocodone withdrawal timeline follows the pattern below:

The First 48 Hours

After the last dose of hydrocodone, most people start to experience withdrawal symptoms in eight to 24 hours. The first two to three days are the most challenging period for many people because they have to deal with peaking withdrawal symptoms that include intense cravings and anxiety.

Day 4 to Day 5

During this period, you may begin to experience vomiting, nausea, goosebumps, dilated pupils, diarrhea, and abdominal cramping. On the fifth day, these symptoms will begin to subside. The diarrhea and the abdominal pain will also start to go away at this time.

Day 6 to Day 14

By this time, the physical symptoms should have subsided, and you will be feeling better. However, you may still be experiencing anxiety, depression, or agitation. Some people begin to feel ashamed of the things that they said or did while under the influence of hydrocodone.

After the First Two Weeks

Symptoms at this time will depend on the person. You may experience anxiety or intermittent waves of depression or bouts of insomnia. If you’re one of the people whose withdrawal is protracted, symptoms could continue for as long as six months.

Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome

Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) is a syndrome of symptoms that linger after someone refrains from using substances. The symptoms that last beyond two weeks after hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms have passed are included in this definition. The symptoms of PAWS include increased levels of anxiety, insomnia, and mood swings.

It is common for PAWS symptoms to present themselves after someone withdraws from the use of hydrocodone and other opioids. As a matter of fact, approximately 90% of former opioid users experience this syndrome. Scientists believe that PAWS presents itself because of the time the user spent ingesting hydrocodone. During this time, the drug caused changes in the brain that, in turn, caused an increased form of tolerance to develop and the symptoms to recur as well.

The Signs and Symptoms of Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome

These PAWS symptoms tend to come and go, and they may worsen and get better as time goes by. The following are the most common symptoms:

• Depressed mood
• Panic or Anxiety
• Irritability
• Difficulties with memory, solving problems, learning, and other cognitive tasks

You may also experience many other PAWS symptoms, including the following:

• An increased sensitivity to stress
• Sleep disturbances
• Apathy
• Pessimism
• Cravings
• Difficulties with personal relationships
• Obsessive-compulsive behaviors

If you are experiencing PAWS, the symptoms may get worse during a particularly stressful time. The syndrome may also flare up for no reason at all. PAWS can result after someone has been using any substance, but hydrocodone use is one substance that can lead to symptoms of PAWS.

Treatment for Substance Use Disorder

The fact that you could experience the symptoms of PAWS may make it extremely difficult for to commence the hydrocodone withdrawal process on your own. You might be able to endure the withdrawal timeline listed above, but the symptoms that occur after that may make it more difficult for you to continue on the path to sobriety.

After the detox process, you or your loved one will have the opportunity to enter into an inpatient or outpatient treatment program at a treatment center. The inpatient program is considered to be the most advantageous because it takes the client one out of the former toxic environment and places the individual in an atmosphere that’s conducive to devoting full attention to overcoming the addiction for good.

The Inpatient treatment Program

In inpatient therapy, you will join the other residents in several therapeutic options, including music therapy, yoga, family therapy, group therapy, and individual therapy. The inpatient program is the right one for you if you believe that you would benefit from 24-hour care.

One example of a treatment program is the therapeutic community or TC. You would be able to remain at the treatment facility for at least six months or as long as 12 months. This type of program gives you the chance to learn how to socialize again among people with whom you have a lot in common. Along with the social aspect of living, you would be introduced to the ways in which you can strengthen yourself psychologically.

An inpatient program provides residents with the structure that they need to overcome their addictions. The activities that they will be introduced to will help them interact with other people in constructive ways while they learn not to engage in destructive behaviors. Most importantly, they learn what their destructive belief patterns are and how to change them.

The Short-Term Inpatient Program

The short-term inpatient program offers you the intensive therapy that you may need, but it doesn’t last as long as the long-term treatment program. Rather, this type of program lasts between three weeks and six weeks, and after it is over, you will be able to enter into an outpatient program.

Outpatient Treatment Programs

Several options are available for outpatient treatment.

Intensive Outpatient Treatment

The intensive outpatient treatment program or IOP is an option to consider if you do not need to go through the detoxification process and do not require 24-hour supervision. You will still receive the beneficial therapies that residential treatment programs offer you, including family therapy, group therapy, and individual therapy as well as psychoeducation.

IOP provides you with coping strategies and relapse management that helps you to keep from falling back into your hydrocodone use. You can rely on the support of your peers and healthcare professionals at these facilities, and you will receive direct attention for you own individual needs and symptoms.

The Outpatient Treatment Program

Outpatient treatment programs are an option that’s worth considering if you are unable to leave your family or your job to begin treatment in a residential facility. These programs accommodate your schedule by scheduling therapy sessions between three and five days a week. Some sessions may last all day, but other programs schedule sessions in the morning or the evening. The schedule is very flexible for parents or working individuals.

If you are not experiencing a mental health disorder and do not need medical detox, the outpatient treatment program may work for you.

Partial Hospitalization

The partial hospitalization program is more intensive than the outpatient programs described above. It is a day treatment program, so you or your loved one would be able to return home at night. It is a program designed to treat serious addictions but is a step below the inpatient treatment program. You will receive the maximum amount of attention from the addiction professionals at the treatment center.

In most cases, people are recommended for partial hospitalization if they have graduated from an inpatient treatment program. These individuals still need to continue with an intensive course of treatment before they move on to an outpatient treatment program. This program may require the client to visit the facility for at least 20 hours a week.

Aftercare Programs

Addiction is a chronic disorder that requires continuous treatment throughout the recovering person’s lifetime. After you have finished with inpatient and outpatient treatment, you will need an aftercare program that does everything possible to make sure that your recovery can last for the rest of your life. If you are comfortable living on your own, you may choose to receive aftercare in a support group. If you don’t feel that you want to risk living at home, a sober living home is another option to consider. Whatever path to sobriety you choose, know that a complete recovery leading to a happy, healthy life is possible.