Alcohol and prescription drugs are two of the most common substances in the United States. However, medical professionals typically recommend, and warning labels on the medications reinforce, to avoid mixing opioid drugs like hydrocodone with other depressant drugs like alcohol. The combined use of Norco with other sedatives and central nervous system depressants can increase the chance of dangerous complications. Norco should not be mixed with other opioids, benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepine sedative/hypnotics, anticonvulsants, psychotropics, or MAO inhibitors. Mixing alcohol with Norco increases the risk of acute liver failure and the likelihood of life-threatening respiratory depression. Adolescents experiencing addiction have an increased risk for mixing drugs and alcohol.
Located in the Pacific Northwest, The Recovery Village Ridgefield provides various treatment levels designed to meet your specific needs. We offer residential treatment programs with around-the-clock medical support and outpatient treatment programs for those needing less intense care. We also connect you with long-term aftercare designed to aid in your transition back to everyday life. Our addiction specialists will assess your unique situation and recommend the appropriate level of care for you.
- Many people mix drugs to experience a more intense high or to alleviate the effects of one substance by adding another.
- We also connect you with long-term aftercare designed to aid in your transition back to everyday life.
- 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.
- The pain-relieving effects of Norco are primarily due to how the drug binds to opioid receptors in the brain.
- Someone should not take Norco with other narcotics, sedatives, or MAO Inhibitors.
If you have access to naloxone, also known as Narcan, this would be the time to use it. It may help the individual stay more alert until they can get additional help. Even if you do use Narcan, the person should still be checked out by a medical professional as soon as possible. If you don’t have eco sober house price it on hand, ensure emergency services know this is an opioid-related event so that they can have a dose of Narcan ready to administer as soon as they arrive. Each substance releases a neurochemical in the brain called dopamine. Simultaneously using multiple substances exacerbates these problems.
Norco Overdose Amount, Signs & Treatment
Low blood pressure, slow heart rate (bradycardia), muscle limpness, and cold, clammy skin may also occur. Hydrocodone is a synthetic analgesic opioid that’s commonly used for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. Norco and other synthetic opioids can be highly https://sober-house.net/ addictive and carry a high risk of overdose. In 2015 alone, over 33,000 Americans died from an opioid overdose, including prescription painkillers like Norco. Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects.
Children may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially slow/shallow breathing. Daily alcohol use, especially when combined with acetaminophen, may damage your liver. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. Remember that this medication has been prescribed because your doctor has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Pain medications work best if they are used as the first signs of pain occur.
Whenever a patient starts taking a medication, it is important to review any drugs or substances that may have an adverse interaction. Doctors will normally provide a list explaining what not to eat/take with the prescription before giving it to their patients. For the patient, it is important to let their doctor know if they drink alcohol regularly or take other drugs, as many medications can cause potentially fatal overdoses. Before using this medication, women of childbearing age should talk with their doctor(s) about the risks and benefits. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or if you plan to become pregnant.
What Happens When You Mix Hydrocodone and Alcohol?
If you are struggling from addiction to Norco or alcohol, you are not alone. Contact a representative of The Recovery Village today to begin your path to recovery. If you or a loved one is struggling with opioid misuse or abuse, The Recovery Village is here to help. This medication has been prescribed for your current condition only. Do not use it later for another condition unless your doctor directs you to do so.
Hydrocodone inhibits the respiratory center in the brain, causing slow and ineffective breathing. Norco is the brand name of the combination of hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen and is a commonly prescribed opioid pain reliever. This drug combination was the most frequently prescribed drug in ten American states in 2017. Older people are at particularly high risk for harmful alcohol–medication interactions. Aging slows the body’s ability to break down alcohol, so alcohol remains in a person’s system longer. Older people also are more likely to take a medication that interacts with alcohol—in fact, they often need to take more than one of these medications.
Note that this list is not all-inclusive and includes only common medications that may interact with Norco. You should refer to the prescribing information for Norco for a complete list of interactions. Check the labels on all your medicines (such as allergy or cough-and-cold products) because they may contain ingredients that cause drowsiness. Read the Medication Guide and, if available, the Patient Information Leaflet provided by your pharmacist before you start taking this medication and each time you get a refill. If you or someone you love is struggling with hydrocodone or alcohol addiction, The Recovery Village Ridgefield is here to help. Contact us today to speak with a representative and learn more about addiction treatment programs that can work well for your situation.
Sometimes, people look for ways to enhance the effects of a medication like hydrocodone and begin to take other substances, such as alcohol. Combining more than one substance (also known as polysubstance use) can put a person at risk for life-threatening side effects. Like many other opiates commonly mixed with alcohol, hydrocodone is a depressant.
This can cause trouble with concentrating and difficulty with coordination. If you have found your teen abusing Norco and alcohol together, you are not alone. However, now you know the signs and effects of combining these substances, as well as what addiction looks like, so you know what to look for. Hydrocodone, a powerful opioid painkiller medication, is prescribed to treat severe pain.
Hydrocodone Is Risky by Itself
The statistics for both alcohol addiction and Norco addiction are startling. In the United States, approximately 1.8 million people are addicted to hydrocodone, such as in the case of Norco. It is among the top most used and abused prescription medications. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reports that close to 2 million Americans struggled with addiction involving an opioid pain reliever in 2016. Adding alcohol to the mix can amplify the side effects of hydrocodone and raise the odds for addiction as well. Other dangerous combinations with hydrocodone include drugs that interact with the brain’s serotonin system.
Concurrent use of alcohol and hydrocodone can complicate and intensify not only drug dependence but also withdrawal symptoms. Insomnia, flu-like symptoms, anxiety, and depression are common side effects of both alcohol and opioid withdrawal. Pinpoint pupils, severely decreased level of consciousness, and extreme respiratory depression are the three primary signs of opioid overdose. In the event of an overdose, patients rapidly deteriorate -going from answering questions in complete sentences to being unresponsive.
Symptoms of Norco Overdose
We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers.
Concurrent alcohol and Norco abuse occurs when someone is using both Norco and alcohol. While there are strict guidelines against using these substances together, many people still do. Not only is this extremely dangerous for your health and your life, but it can increase your risk for substance abuse and addiction (Kreek, 1984). Overdose can occur more quickly when these two substances are combined than if one or the other is taken on its own. Mixing alcohol and hydrocodone can also raise the level of drug dependence more rapidly. When someone is dependent on hydrocodone, drug cravings and significant withdrawal symptoms can occur when the drug isn’t active in the bloodstream.
Polydrug abuse, especially involving two depressants like hydrocodone and alcohol, is extremely dangerous. The risk of a fatal overdose is much higher when drugs are combined to get high. If a person struggles with alcohol abuse, opioid addiction, or both, they need medically supervised detox and evidence-based rehabilitation to overcome these dangerous conditions.