HELP FOR LORTAB ABUSE

Lortab is a combination medication prescribed for the treatment of moderate or severe pain.

The medication contains a semi-synthetic opioid (hydrocodone). Like all opioids, Lortab has the potential for misuse, abuse, and addiction. You should only use Lortab as directed by your prescribing doctor.

WHAT IS LORTAB?

Lortab is a prescription painkiller containing the following ingredients:

  • Hydrocodone: One of the most prescribed opioids for the treatment of moderate and severe pain.

  • Acetaminophen: A common ingredient in many OTC pain relievers. The effects of acetaminophen are intensified when the substance is combined with hydrocodone in the form of Lortab.

The two ingredients work to relieve pain in different ways. Hydrocodone blocks the CNS (central nervous system) from sending pain signals by binding to opioid receptors that occur naturally in the brain. Acetaminophen, by contrast, weakens the chemical in the brain responsible for stimulating pain nerves.

Lortab is available in liquid formulation. If you encounter any pills or tablets marked Lortab, these will not be legitimate.

Lortab oral elixir contains 10mg of hydrocodone and 300mg of acetaminophen per 15ml. The formulation also has a 7% alcohol content.

You can find tablet forms of combination medications containing hydrocodone and acetaminophen. Lortab 10, for instance, contains 10mg of hydrocodone and 500mg of acetaminophen.

Lortab is often misused and abused by any of the following methods:

  • Crushed into a powder and snorted.

  • Mixed with water and injected intravenously.

  • Used without a supporting prescription.

  • Taken in greater quantities than prescribed.

  • Black market Lortab products obtained without a prescription.

Snorting or injecting Lortab are both especially damaging routes of administration. Combining Lortab with Alcohol can be especially dangerous

CDC data shows that around one in twenty people prescribed opioid-based medications will abuse that medication and risk developing an addiction in the form of opioid use disorder.

If you use Lortab other than as directed, tolerance to the medication can rapidly form. When this occurs, you will require more of the medication to deliver the same rewarding and pain-relieving effects.

 Increasing the dosage or the frequency of dosages can accelerate the development of physical dependence. If you are dependent on Lortab, you will need the medication just to feel normal and you will experience intensely uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms without the substance in your system. 

Tolerance and withdrawal are both diagnostic criteria for addiction. In the event of opioid use disorder, you will compulsively use Lortab regardless of the adverse outcomes triggered.

LORTAB ABUSE: SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Abusing Lortab or any other opioid long-term is characterized by a variety of signs and symptoms, some physical and others psychological.

If you abuse Lortab, you will also increase your risk of experiencing a fatal opioid overdose.

These are the most common physical Lortab abuse symptoms:

  • Headaches

  • Drowsiness

  • Slurred speech

  • Low blood pressure levels

  • Dilated pupils

  • Slow body movements

  • Low body temperature

  • Reduced heart rate

  • Decreased sensitivity to pain

  • Nausea

  • Vomiting

  • Weight loss

  • Stomach cramps

  • Diarrhea

  • Muscle pain

  • Joint pain

  • Seizure

  • Coma

When you take an opioid-based medication like Lortab, it causes an increased dopamine release in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical messenger – a neurotransmitter – that stimulates pathways in the brain related to reward. This is responsible for the cravings associated with opioid abuse as your brain wants to reexperience the pleasurable feelings brought on by Lortab.

Over time, those pathways will be further damaged by opioids, resulting in permanent changes to this area of the brain.

These are the most common psychological Lortab abuse symptoms:

  • Pronounced mood swings

  • Depressive episodes

  • Anxiety

  • Disorientation

  • Confusion

  • Difficulty with focus

  • Noticeable behavioral changes

  • Altered perception of reality

  • Intense cravings for Lortab

  • Tolerance to opioids

  • Inability to control use of Lortab

  • Withdrawal symptoms when Lortab’s effects subside

DANGERS OF LORTAB ABUSE

If Lortab is used long-term, even for legitimate medical use, this will cause tolerance and physical dependence to form, as outlined above. This is perhaps the primary route to Lortab abuse.

When Lortab addiction develops, this is diagnosed as mild, moderate, or severe according to the number of criteria present from DSM5-TR .DSM5-TR is the most recent version of APA’s diagnostic tool (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).

While addiction is the leading risk associated with abusing opioids, the effects of Lortab abuse can also manifest both short-term and long-term.

SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM HEALTH EFFECTS OF LORTAB

CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) report that these are the most common short-term effects of opioid abuse:

  • Sedation

  • Lethargy

  • Nausea

  • Drowsiness

  • Respiratory depression

 

While the short-term effects of opioids can be dangerous in some situations – when driving or operating machinery, for example – it is the long-term effects that are most damaging.

Long-term Lortab abuse can prompt the following:

  • Problems in interpersonal relationships

  • Financial stress

  • Legal issues stemming from substance abuse

  • Cognitive impairment

  • Complications in personal and professional life

  • Lowered life expectancy

  • Opioid overdose

  • Addiction (opioid use disorder)

LORTAB OVERDOSE POTENTIAL

Overdosing on Lortab can induce respiratory depression. If this occurs, breathing will stop, either partially or completely. Respiratory depression is a form of suffocation that should be treated as a medical emergency.

Administering the FDA-approved opioid antagonist naloxone can reverse the effects of a Lortab overdose.

These are the most common symptoms of opioid overdose:

  • Dizziness

  • Lightheadedness

  • Blue tinge to lips

  • Confusion

  • Pinprick pupils

  • Fatigue

  • Weakness

  • Drowsiness

  • Loss of consciousness

  • Nausea

  • Vomiting

  • Irregular or slow breathing

  • Stomach or muscle spasms

Lortab abuse and liver damage are also closely interrelated. Taking too much of this medication can cause liver damage due to the acetaminophen content.

LORTAB DETOX AND WITHDRAWAL

If it’s already too late and you are addicted to Lortab, it is generally advisable to engage with a supervised medical detox before an inpatient or outpatient treatment program.

Opioid detox can be uncomfortable and possibly even dangerous without medical supervision. Over the course of a week or so of hydrocodone withdrawal, any of the following symptoms may present:

  • Irritability

  • Restlessness

  • Insomnia

  • Chills

  • Anxiety

  • Congestion

  • Acute sensitivity to pain

  • Raised blood pressure levels

  • Nausea

  • Vomiting

  • Runny nose

  • Muscle aches

  • Fast heart beat

  • Tremors

  • Stomach upset

  • Sweating

Detoxing in a licensed medical detox center will streamline the severity of Lortab withdrawal symptoms and cravings. We can help you achieve this at Gratitude Lodge.

TREATMENT FOR LORTAB ADDICTION AT GRATITUDE LODGE

Here at Gratitude Lodge, we can help you fight back against the physical and psychological aspects of Lortab addiction at our three luxury rehabs in Southern California.

All of our treatment centers are inclusive, pet-friendly, and free of distractions or triggers. Take advantage of evidence-based treatment including:

  • MAT (medication-assisted treatment)

  • Counseling (individual and group)

  • Psychotherapy (CBT or DBT)

  • Family therapy

  • 12-step immersion program

  • Holistic therapies

For those who have a mild Lortab addiction and require more flexible programming than residential rehab, we also offer an IOP (intensive outpatient program) for Lortab addiction.

Reach out to admissions today for immediate help beating a Lortab addiction. Call 844-576-0144 right now.

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Drug detox can vary according to the patient’s addiction factors, including the substance abused, how long the addiction has lasted, the patient’s medical condition, if any other disorders are present, and more. Our skilled and credentialed team at Gratitude Lodge work closely with every patient going through drug detox, facilitating the beginnings of a successful recovery at our rehab addiction centers in Orange County, CA.

Drug detox can vary according to the patient’s addiction factors, including the substance abused, how long the addiction has lasted, the patient’s medical condition, if any other disorders are present, and more. Our skilled and credentialed team at Gratitude Lodge work closely with every patient going through drug detox.

Many patients don’t realize the toxicity of prolonged alcohol abuse and how it affects the body. Alcohol detox at the luxurious rehab addiction centers at Gratitude Lodge leeches your body of these toxins in preparation for successful treatment for drugs and alcohol abuse. Alcohol detox may not take as long or produce severe withdrawal symptoms, but it is still an essential beginning to your recovery.

Many patients don’t realize the toxicity of prolonged alcohol abuse and how it affects the body. Alcohol detox at the luxurious rehab addiction centers at Gratitude Lodge leeches your body of these toxins in preparation for successful treatment for drugs and alcohol abuse.
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Holistic Therapy

Our holistic therapy treatments offer a full-scope approach to recovery, addressing your mind, body, and emotions as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. This therapy is designed to help address underlying issues and integrate alternative therapies to promote overall health and well-being.
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Psychotherapy

An essential part of your treatment experience, we offer individual (CBT and DBT talk therapy) and group addiction treatment counseling to help you explore and address the emotional component of addiction, providing you with the tools, self-awareness, and empowerment you need to maintain recovery.
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Dual Diagnosis

Dual Diagnosis is a highly effective addiction treatment that addresses substance use and mental health disorders simultaneously. Often co-occurring, these disorders are best managed when treated together with specific and targeted therapy.
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Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)

Medication-Assisted Treatment provides you with FDA-approved medications to help ease the symptoms of withdrawal while you’re in treatment. This makes the detox process easier and safer, as well as increasing the chances of a successful recovery.
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Sober Living

Sober living provides a supportive and substance-free living environment for your ongoing recovery. We partner with a number of upscale and carefully vetted sober living homes that are available to our clients after inpatient alcohol and drug addiction treatment.
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Outpatient Treatment

Once detox and inpatient are complete, we provide an easy transition to outpatient care through our hand-selected partners. This program offers a more flexible approach, allowing you to ease back in to daily life while still receiving frequent & effective care.
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Inpatient Treatment

Inpatient treatment provides an intensive and comprehensive addiction treatment program in a structured environment. You will receive 24/7 expert care, therapy, and support as you build your foundation for long-term recovery.
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Drug & Alcohol Detox

A crucial first step in the recovery process, our detox program provides a comfortable, medically supervised environment that addresses the physical aspect of addiction and eliminates substances from your body.
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Jenni Bussi

Jenni Busse MS, LPCC

Jenni Busse MS, LPSS is the Clinical Director at Gratitude Lodge. Jenni oversees the clinical program and the clinical team at Gratitude Lodge as a whole. Jenni has worked in treatment for almost 14 years. Her background as a licensed therapist and her passion for helping others intersected with addiction recovery when she started working primarily in detox residential treatment.
Joe Gilmore

Joseph Gilmore

Joseph Gilmore has been working in the addiction industry for half a decade and has been writing about addiction and substance abuse treatment during that time. He has experience working for facilities all across the country. Connect with Joe on LinkedIn.

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