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Prescription Drug Addiction: Hydrocodone With Acetaminophen 

Prescription drug addiction is on the rise. Hydrocodone with acetaminophen such as Lorcet, Lortab, Vicodin is a strong painkiller and as cough suppressant no wonder it can cause addiction swiftly.

When Hydrocodone is used in excess and without the doctor's advice, this medication can quickly develop tolerance, dependency and prescription drug addiction. The risk of abuse is lessen when patients follow the guidelines of using the medication.

Statistics of Hydrocodone abuse:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reported that Vicodin is used by 20 percent of the U.S. population for non-medical purposes. In 2013, a separate report from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) claimed that over 24 million Americans over the age of 12 have become dependent on Hydrocodone for recreational purposes.

Short-term effects of Hydrocodone:

Hydrocodone works by altering the brain receptors that instead of managing the pain, it changes how the individual perceives the pain. This leads to the person's drug-seeking behavior, particularly among patients who have been on the medication for a long period of time.

Other short-term effects of the medication include numbness, feeling sleepy or lethargic, less worry and stress and improved sense of well-being. Some patients taking it easily develop prescription drug addiction due to the desirable short-term effects of the medication.

Side effects of Hydrocodone:

Some patients may experience mild side effects of taking Hydrocodone. When Hydrocodone effect comes down, the side effects also diminish, including constipation, drowsiness, fatigue, dizziness, headache, nausea, sleeping difficulty, muscle weakness and itchiness.

Serious side effects of taking Hydrocodone include bowel obstruction, slowed or irregular heartbeat, breathing problems, trouble urinating, severe allergic reaction and vomiting. Some of the serious side effects of the medication are brought by its depressant property that can slow down breathing, body processes and other body functions.