Do you feel anxious about getting your prescription filled before it runs out? Do you need to take more pills than before to achieve the effect you desire? Do you get your prescriptions from many doctors? Perhaps you are, like many others, a sufferer of a drug addiction. One of the most common addictions in the American society today is a relatively unheard of drug called hydrocodone. So, why haven't you heard of it before? Because, pure hydrocodone is seldom sold on its own.

Why is hydrocodone addiction so common?

Evidence shows that hydrocodone addiction is increasing amongst habitual users in the United States. Perhaps one of the most important factors causing this alarming rise is the fact that hydrocodone is consumed with drugs whose use and distribution is not as severely restricted. Pure hydrocodone is classified as a Schedule II substance, whereas when it is mixed with other non-narcotic ingredients to create other medicines, it is classified as a Schedule III drug. Schedule III drugs, such as Vicodin and Lortab, which contain hydrocodone, are not as strictly restricted as pure hydrocodone would be if it was sold as is. Thus its easy availability becomes one of the root causes for its devastating addiction. The lack of regulation makes these drugs susceptible to misuse and addiction.

Painkillers containing hydrocodone are available in tablet, capsule and syrup forms. Chief sources of hydrocodone's easy availability can be traced to forged prescriptions, large scale thefts at pharmacies and deviations by unprincipled pharmacists from ethical medical standards.

Treating Hydrocodone Addiction

The good news is that hydrocodone addiction is definitely treatable. Methods for treating hydrocodone drug addicts are similar to treatment given to heroin addicts. In most cases long-term abuse of the drug changes the brain in a fundamental manner in that the drug starts controlling the brain's role in establishing pleasure and motivational hierarchy. The drug effectively moves itself to the highest priority in the person's motivational hierarchy, superseding all other drives. Thus a person feels compelled to use the drug to derive pleasure and this slowly leads to a persistent addiction. It is in this state that people may start pretending to be ill to obtain prescriptions, steal from pharmacies and even go "doctor shopping". So, much so that it may become impossible to quit the drug on one's own accord and the person may have to resort to undergoing treatment to get cured.

Fortunately, there are a number of treatment options to treat hydrocodone addiction and to help mange the withdrawal symptoms associated with the treatment. These options include medications, such as methadone, levo-alpha-acetyl-methadol (LAAM), and counseling. Usually, a patient is detoxified prior to any treatment for hydrocodone addiction. This, although not a treatment in itself, can help to alleviate the withdrawal symptoms while the patient learns to live a drug free life.

Commonly prescribed for its effectiveness as an analgesic or pain reliever, addiction to hydrocodone is today being viewed as a mounting crisis. While addiction to illicit drugs, like cocaine, marijuana and heroin that claim national headlines ever so often, is widely talked about, we scarcely know about hydrocodone abuse and addiction. For instance, did you know that hydrocodone is perhaps the most widely abused prescription drug in the United States of America? Or, that nationwide its use has quadrupled over the last decade?

Sales and production of hydrocodone have been rising significantly in the past few years. Presently, in the United States alone about 20 tons of hydrocodone products are manufactured and sold.

What is Hydrocodone?

Simply put, hydrocodone is an effective anti-cough agent. It is also an opiate, due to which it is of often prescribed for mild to moderate pain control. Often weighed against morphine for its pain control abilities, many studies have shown that when hydrocodone is taken within the prescription parameters, it is considered safe and seldom causes any addiction. In fact, under these conditions it can be used to mange pain quite successfully. Hydrocodone is sold under several brand names such as Anexsia, Hycodan, Hycomine, Lorcet, Lortab, Tussionex, Tylox, Vicodin, and Vicoprofen. It is available as tablets, capsules, and/or syrups. By and large, it is abused orally rather than by intravenous administration.

Why is Hydrocodone addictive?

Narcotics like hydrocodone act by attaching themselves to particular proteins called opioid receptors. When they attach themselves to receptors in the brain, spinal cord and gastrointestinal tract, they have the ability to alter the manner in which a person feels pain. Drugs such as hydrocodone also have the ability to affect parts of the brain that control sensory perceptions such as pleasure, which results in the initial feeling of euphoria that is produced.

Persistent use of opioids leads to the body's increasing tolerance towards such medication. Thus higher doses have to be taken to achieve the same initial effect. Continuing use can also lead to physical addiction. Persons undergoing treatment using such drugs should be medically supervised during administration as well as appropriately overseen when discontinuing medication to avoid and reduce withdrawal symptoms associated with this drug.

Side Effects of Hydrocodone

There are many side-effects of hydrocodone. These include, but are not limited to, allergic reactions, such as hives, constipation, decreased mental and physical performance, lowered sex drive, breathing problems, dizziness, seizures and many more.

Methadone is a prescription medication that is used to treat severe pain. It also helps those addicted to heroin to cease their use of the drug without experiencing horrendous withdrawal symptoms. Since heroin causes an excess of dopamine to be released into the brain, addicts feel a constant need for the drug to maintain this high. Methadone satisfies this need for an opiate without the euphoria associated with heroin. While users of methadone are ultimately transferring their dependence from one drug to another, they become more stable and no longer experience urgent impulses to take heroin. Once the desire to take heroin is completely diminished, patients are then weaned off of the methadone, although this process can sometimes take several years to complete.

Effects of Methadone:

Methadone side effects can vary greatly and should be closely monitored. Symptoms that are typical of methadone users include upset stomach, headache, drowsiness, constipation, dry mouth, insomnia, decreased sex drive and excessive sweating. Severe side effects should be reported to your doctor. These methadone side effects include lightheadedness, swelling of extremities, rash, hives, itching, difficulty breathing and chest pain.

A methadone overdose can be very serious. Should someone you know exhibit the symptoms, call 911 or poison control immediately. Warning signs of a methadone overdose include loss of consciousness, coma, difficulty breathing, extremely small pupils, clammy skin and loss of muscle tone.

It should also be noted that methadone has a high interaction ratio with other drugs. For instance, Elavil is the brand name for amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant. Taking both Elavil and methadone can be potentially hazardous. A methadone interaction with Elavil could cause a dangerously high dose of methadone to be released into your system, causing an overdose. Should an overdose not occur, it is still highly likely that once the Elavil exits your system, withdrawal symptoms will be experienced for the high levels of methadone that were previously experienced.

Symptoms of methadone withdrawal include dilated pupils, irritability, stomach pain, fever, sweating, runny nose and eyes and nausea.

Signs of Methadone Addiction:

As with any addiction, someone with a methadone addiction will do whatever it takes to continue taking the drug. Some may make their doctors believe they require a higher dosage of methadone, while others may "double up" on their dosages. Still others may continue to take heroin and use methadone as a "topper" of sorts. Methadone is addictive, and most who begin taking methadone as a means of ceasing an addiction to heroin or another opiate become addicted to the new drug. Tolerance and dependence develops, creating the need for a methadone detox program, which can take much longer to complete than many other rehabilitation programs.

How To Test For Methadone Abuse:

Methadone drug testing is an invaluable resource for many individuals, including employers, parents and government agencies. While methadone does have its legitimate purposes, extremely high doses of the substance can create dangerous side effects and should be monitored. Methadone drug tests come in a variety of forms including urine drug tests, saliva drug tests and hair drug tests. Each of these methods works very well in detecting methadone in an individual's system. For a longer testing window, hair follicle methadone drug testing is the way to go. Results are achieved in a laboratory setting and can detect methadone use for up to the past 90 days.

Employers benefit from methadone drug tests, as they prevent potential drug-related liability claims, accidents and other misfortunes from occurring. Investing in a drug testing program helps to increase employee productivity and maintain the positive image you want for your company.

While methadone is a prescription substance, it can be obtained on the street illegally. Parents who are concerned about their children or teenager's behavior can benefit from methadone drug testing tremendously. Drug test kits put your mind at rest and allow you to either put the question of whether or not drug use is occurring in your house behind you or take the next step in getting your teen drug rehabilitation.