Side Effects of Lortab Abuse
Lortab is one of many brand names of prescription drugs used to relieve severe pain. One of the key components of Lortab is hydrocodone, which is an opioid and is therefore habit-forming. Lortab abuse can occur even in an individual who started taking it for a legitimate reason (i.e., a prescription for pain). However, Lortab and similar drugs can also be found on the illicit drug market.
Understanding the symptoms and side effects of Lortab abuse can help you identify the signs of drug abuse and seek treatment for Lortab addiction before it’s too late.
Are you or a loved one facing a substance use addiction? Zinnia Health offers caring, confidential treatment from experienced professionals. Call our helpline at (855) 430-9439 to learn more.
What Are The Common Side Effects of Lortab?
Lortab is a combination of two drugs: acetaminophen and hydrocodone. Acetaminophen is used to relieve minor pain and reduce fever, and it is not habit-forming even when taken for long periods. However, hydrocodone is a narcotic, and it is considered highly addictive because it interacts with the central nervous system (CNS) to change how pain signals are transmitted in the body.
Therefore, people addicted to Lortab are usually actually addicted to hydrocodone. However, the combination can mean that a person abusing Lortab is at risk of both an acetaminophen overdose and a hydrocodone overdose. This makes a Lortab addiction particularly dangerous.
Even when taken as prescribed, Lortab can lead to a handful of side effects, including:
- Lightheadedness
- Drowsiness
- Headache
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Blurred vision
- Dry mouth
These symptoms are considered typical. However, long-term use of Lortab and/or taking a higher-than-prescribed dose can lead to additional side effects.
What Are The Short-Term Side Effects of Lortab Abuse?
The short-term side effects of Lortab abuse can begin from the first time an individual takes Lortab at a higher dose than prescribed or by tampering with the medication.
Lortab abuse may lead to short-term side effects such as:
- Slowed heart rate
- Slowed breathing
- Increased anxiety
- Depressed mood
- Irrational fear
The most dangerous short-term side effects of Lortab abuse are slowed breathing and slowed heart rate, which can lead to oxygen deprivation, fainting, coma, or even death. If a person’s heart rate and/or breathing slows too much, it can lead to permanent organ damage. Multiple episodes of Lortab abuse can become life-threatening for this reason alone.
If you or someone you love is facing substance abuse, you don’t have to go it alone. Zinnia Health can walk you through your options, just call our helpline at (855) 430-9439 to learn more.
What Are The Long-Term Side Effects of Lortab Abuse?
With continued Lortab abuse, the side effects grow more severe. Long-term side effects of Lortab abuse include:
- Fainting
- Jaundice
- High blood pressure
- Declining mental health
- Worsening depression
- Mood swings
- Drug cravings
- Liver damage
- Liver failure
Continuously using Lortab can rapidly lead to physical dependence. In turn, the addiction cycle will cause a person to increase their dose more and more or combine Lortab with other substances in order to continue feeling the same effects. This cycle can lead to accidental Lortab overdose, which can be deadly.
Addiction on its own also leads to Lortab withdrawal symptoms, which an individual will experience between every dose of the drug and when trying to detox. Withdrawal symptoms can grow so intense that they cause an individual to take the drug sooner or in a higher dose, which worsens the addiction cycle and increases the risk of overdose even further.
For all of these reasons, Lortab abuse is not something that cannot be ignored. If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use, seeking help from a team of addiction treatment professionals is the right next step. Contact Zinnia Health today to learn more.
Does Lortab Affect Your Personality?
Lortab abuse can impact mental health and change an individual’s personality. In general, drug addiction can also lead to major personality changes as drug addiction changes the brain’s chemistry.
When someone addicted to a certain drug doesn’t take it, their brain is wired to seek it out, which can lead to aggression and impulsive behavior, among other things.
Some of the other ways Lortab abuse can affect your personality include:
- Feeling depressed
- Feeling anxious
- Having mood swings
- Losing interest in passions
- Wanting to spend time away from friends and family members
- Withdrawing from hobbies and activities
With continued drug abuse, impacts on mental and behavioral health could be long-term, if not permanent. The right treatment center will address all of these side effects in tandem to help you recover fully from drug addiction.
What Substances and Supplements Interact with Lortab?
Lortab is a narcotic medication, also known as an opioid. Like other opioids, Lortab can interact with other substances, leading to potentially deadly side effects. You should avoid Lortab if you are taking:
- Any other narcotics/opioids (i.e., certain prescription pain medications and cough medications)
- Any drugs that slow your breathing or make you sleepy, including muscle relaxers, sedatives, and antipsychotic medications
- Any drugs that affect your body’s serotonin production, including medications used for depression, migraines, and serious infections
Get Help With Lortab Abuse
Lortab abuse can turn deadly without warning. Understanding the signs and symptoms of addiction is the first step to getting help, but when you’re ready to take action, it’s important to talk to a trusted team.
Once you understand the treatment programs you have to choose from, such as an inpatient treatment facility versus a hospital setting, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about what the best choice is for your lifestyle.
Do you need help deciding? Zinnia Health can provide the customized treatment plan you need to recover from Lortab abuse or any other substance use disorder. Call our helpline at (855) 430-9439 to explore your options today.
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