Many people may be more familiar with the brand names of drugs that contain hydrocodone, such as Vicodin, Lortab, Lorcet or Norco. Vicodin, Lortab and Lorcet contain acetaminophen, a substance used to treat minor aches and pains. When mixed with alcohol, acetaminophen breaks down into a toxic product that can lead to liver damage. Hydrocodone can be found in popular painkiller brands such as Vicodin, Lortab and Lorcet. Do not drink alcohol while using these medications, and ask your doctor about other substances that may interact with hydrocodone.
- If you feel that the medicine is not working as well, do not use more than your prescribed dose.
- Do not suddenly stop or change your dose without first checking with your doctor.
- Combining downers such as hydrocodone and alcohol can inhibit breathing and lower your heart rate, which can be fatal.
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They found that many individuals who combined opioids and alcohol felt like they were in a dreamlike trance or not in control of their thoughts. Each substance releases a neurochemical in the brain called dopamine. Simultaneously using multiple substances exacerbates these problems.
For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Never share opioid medicine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Follow the directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides.
Avoid drinking alcohol or taking illegal or recreational drugs while taking hydrocodone. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. Buprenorphine is also found combined with naloxone (Suboxone, Zubsolv) used to treat narcotic (opiate) addiction. Suboxone and other buprenorphine products indicated for opiate addiction are NOT approved by the FDA as pain medications, but some doctors may prescribe it off-label for this use. Coupled with the fact that alcohol lowers the threshold at which the acetaminophen in Norco becomes toxic to the liver, the combination of Norco and alcohol can be extremely dangerous. The study found that when a person combines alcohol with oxycodone, the number of times they temporarily stop breathing increases significantly, especially in elderly participants.
Alcohol, like some medicines, can make you sleepy, drowsy, or lightheaded. Drinking alcohol while taking medicines can intensify these effects. You may have trouble concentrating or performing mechanical skills. Small amounts of alcohol can make it dangerous to drive, and when you mix alcohol with certain medicines you put yourself at even greater risk. Combining alcohol with some medicines can lead to falls and serious injuries, especially among older people. Narcotic analgesic combinations contain a narcotic analgesic, such as hydrocodone or codeine, with one or What Is the Trauma of Having an Alcoholic Parent more other analgesics, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), aspirin, or ibuprofen (NSAIDs).
Can You Overdose on Hydrocodone and Alcohol?
All opioids act on the same opioid receptors in the brain, the central nervous system (CNS) and the digestive system. Once ingested, opioids like hydrocodone bind to opioid receptors in these regions and act as a CNS depressant. In other words, opioids decrease the activity of the CNS, including breathing functions. Many people mix drugs to experience a more intense high or to alleviate the effects of one substance by adding another. Using multiple drugs at the same time is particularly common among high school and college students at parties or other social gatherings. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reported that, in 2015, there were more than 16 million people who struggled with just alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Nationwide Hydrocodone Hotline – Get Admitted Today
The formulation of acetaminophen with hydrocodone may enhance the effects of hydrocodone taken alone, but also increases the health risks of abusing drugs like Norco. A person can speak with a doctor about keeping a rescue medication called naloxone (Narcan) to take in case of an overdose of opioids. This medication can block the effects of opioids, which may relieve some of the symptoms of overdose.
Combining downers such as hydrocodone and alcohol can inhibit breathing and lower your heart rate, which can be fatal. With so many people struggling with opioid and alcohol abuse, it is likely that these two conditions will overlap. This form of polydrug abuse is extremely risky and puts the person at great risk of death from overdose. If any warning signs are present, loved ones should reach out to professionals for help.
Your doctor may recommend you get naloxone (a medicine to reverse an opioid overdose) and keep it with you at all times. A person caring for you can give the naloxone if you stop breathing or don’t wake up. Your caregiver must still get emergency medical help and may need to perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) on you while waiting for help to arrive.
Alcohol and opioids are both depressants, meaning they lead to relaxation, pleasure, changes to breathing and heart rate, and trouble thinking clearly or remembering events. When two drugs both cause these as side effects, mixing them increases the likelihood that a person will pass out, stop breathing, or suffer heart failure and die. Both hydrocodone and alcohol cause similar effects in the brain, so they can compound each other’s intoxication, making a person feel very high or drunk. When these substances are used in combination, risk of overdose and death is very high.
Read the label on the medication bottle to find out exactly what ingredients a medicine contains. Ask your pharmacist if you have any questions about how alcohol might interact with a drug you are taking. Some medicines that you might never have suspected can react with alcohol, including many medications which can be purchased “over-the-counter”—that is, without a prescription. Even some herbal remedies can have harmful effects when combined with alcohol.
