Overview of What is Lortab 10 Mg-325 Mg Tablet
What is Lortab? Lortab is a drug narcotic made up of the two medications, hydrocodone, and acetaminophen. Hydrocodone is a powerful substance that is used to treat pain, but because it is classified as an opioid, it can be highly addictive and abused. Acetaminophen is also known as Tylenol and is used to treat pain, but it is not as strong as hydrocodone. The combination of the two can be extremely potent, which makes Lortab highly addictive, and you could potentially overdose while taking it.
Lortab can come as a tablet, a capsule, a syrup, a solution (clear liquid), an extended-release (long-acting) capsule, and an extended-release (long-acting) suspension (liquid) to take by mouth.
Side Effects of Using Lortab
If you have taken Lortab, you have probably experienced one or more of the side effects listed below. Not everyone will, and some of the side effects may decrease the longer you are taking it. The typical side effects are:
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Drowsiness
If any of these side effects are persistent or get worse, it’s important to tell your doctor right away.
Lortab is Acetaminophen and Hydrocodone for Pain
What is in Lortab? The combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone are good at treating pain in patients. The acetaminophen in Lortab merely enhances the effects for pain relief with the relaxing effects of hydrocodone.
Because it contains hydrocodone, it is also used to treat a cough in specific patients. It is typically used for short-term use for you if you have mild to moderate pain that has resulted from an injury, dental procedure, or surgery.
Prescribing Lortab Medicine
The safest way to get prescribed Lortab is through a physician or doctor, and for necessary reasons such as for pain relief from a surgery or dental work.
“FDA is requiring drug manufacturers for all opioid pain relievers and medicines to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) to add new recommendations about naloxone to the prescribing information. This will help ensure that health care professionals discuss the availability of naloxone and assess each patient’s need for a naloxone prescription when opioid pain relievers or medicines to treat OUD are being prescribed or renewed.” (Medline Plus, 2020).
Because of the newest guidelines, it could be more challenging to get prescribed Lortab, but this is to ensure your safety and health when taking specific medications. A doctor will prescribe opioid pain medications when it is necessary to do so.
Who Should Not Use Lortab Medications?
For some people, it can be dangerous to take Lortab due to certain medical conditions that you may have. If you have a history of a head injury or seizures, a blockage in the intestines or stomach, or if you have experience with a mental illness, it is best to speak with your doctor before taking Lortab. Other medical conditions that exclude you from taking Lortab include:
- Anyone with a history of abusing drugs or alcohol or addiction problems
- People with a condition called paralytic ileus, which is a bowel obstruction
- People with breathing problems or asthma
There is not enough research or evidence to show that it safe to take Lortab during pregnancy, so it is best to avoid it. There are studies that have shown that women who have taken hydrocodone by itself during pregnancy, result in a baby that could be dependent on it after they are born.
How Does Lortab Work?
Lortab is classified as an opioid and works by binding to the opioid receptors in your central nervous system. Once it passes through the body and into the blood-brain barrier it begins to increase the amount of dopamine that your body produces.
When it is combined with the pain relieving affects of acetaminophen, it is particularly good at treating pain and making you feel better. The downside of this medication is the chance for addiction or overdose. Even when taken as they are prescribed, there is a chance for opioid dependence and abuse, so it is best to be careful if you need to take it.
Overdosing on Lortab
An overdose occurs when someone takes more of a drug than has been prescribed either accidentally or on purpose. Acetaminophen and hydrocodone can both be harmful to the body if taken in large doses or quantities.
Symptoms of an Overdose
- Bluish-colored fingernails and lips
- Difficulties with breathing
- Coma
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Lightheadedness
- Liver failure (from acetaminophen overdose), causing yellow skin and eyes (jaundice)
- Loss of consciousness
- Low blood pressure
- Muscle twitches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Tiny pupils
- Seizures
- Spasms of the stomach and intestines
- Weakness
Health Risks, Interactions and Precautions When Taking Lortab
Some of the most common risks that are involved when taking any drug is an overdose, dependence or an addiction problem that can occur. Lortab contains acetaminophen and if taken in large doses or for a prolonged period, it can cause liver damage.
If you take hydrocodone-based medications along with other drugs such as benzodiazepines, alcohol, or other central nervous depressants, it can cause dangerous interactions such as overdose or other life-threatening side effects. Before you take a drug such as Lortab, it’s important to understand the risks and only take it as prescribed by your doctor.
Addiction to Lortab Drugs
When you are taking Lortab for a medical condition, injury or surgery and are using it as prescribed, there is a low risk for developing an addiction to it. Typically, if you are using the drug past when it is necessary for your pain relief, are taking it in higher doses than prescribed or for a longer duration than prescribed, it could begin to indicate that you have a problem.
Once you are taking more than the recommended dose, Lortab will stay in your system, and your body begins to build a tolerance to the drug, making it so you will need more and more of it to feel the same effects of the drug. If you are consistently taking Lortab, you will become tolerant to it and could start to depend on it to feel stable and normal.
If you stop using Lortab abruptly, you will begin to detox and potentially develop uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms that are unfavorable. If you are addicted to it, you will develop psychological and physical symptoms when you detox, or stop using, causing you to compulsively use, to avoid these symptoms.
AToN Center’s opioid drug rehab center in California, specializes in treating drug addiction in our resort-style, plush, and supportive environment. If you or a loved one believe you have a problem with Lortab, please ask our center right away to discuss your options. The first step is to give us a call.
Treatment for Lortab Drug Addiction at AToN Center
AToN Center’s highly educated, licensed clinicians and trained staff bring years of firsthand experience, with the grips of addiction and how it can affect your or your loved one’s life. We understand how difficult that first step can be to get help for an addiction problem.
Our program components are catered specifically to meet your individual needs, with multiple levels of care, no matter what type of addiction treatment method you feel is best for your unique situation. We don’t have one program method that we use for every case, and we believe it’s important to get to know all our clients to ensure that the best treatment options are a good fit for them.
Types of Treatment
At AToN Center there is no one size fits all method for treating our clients. We meet every family where they are at and get to know each one of our clients to figure out the best course of addiction treatment for you or your loved one.
12-Step Program
We offer a traditional, 12-step program for our clients who choose to go this route. Although, 12-step program meetings are offered at our center, they are not required to attend by our clients. Individuals do not routinely work the 12 Steps in our program but may choose to do so during their individual therapy with experienced counselors.
Non 12-Step Program
Our program was funded on the principles of a Non 12-step model of treatment for addiction. Therefore, we were designed as an evidence-based best practice model for treatment of addiction free from the barriers many people experience with 12 Step only treatment programs.
Holistic Care
Because we often work with clients without a typical 12-step model, we offer many alternative modes of therapy for addiction. Some of the cutting-edge, non-12 step offerings we have include acupuncture, meditation, EMDR, yoga, family therapy, SMART recovery tools, assertiveness training, physical fitness, and relapse prevention.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, reach out to one of the caring support coordinators at AToN Center and get the help you need to get clean and remain free from drugs or alcohol.
References
Medline Plus. (2020, July 23). Hydrocodone Combination Products. National Institutes of Health.
