Alcohol-Medication Interactions: Potentially Dangerous Mixes National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIAAA

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Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions on how to take this or other medications you are prescribed. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medication without first talking to your doctor. 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.

As mentioned above, the hydrocodone found in Vicodin is an opioid, which is classified as a depressant. It’s generally prescribed for moderate to severe short-term pain. Depressants slow the central nervous system (CNS)—the parts responsible for sending signals across the spinal cord and brain.

  1. If you have a prescription for Vicodin, learn about the effects of mixing Vicodin and alcohol before you start drinking.
  2. In simpler words, it moderates breathing, heart rate and brain function.
  3. The list presented here does not include all the medicines that may interact harmfully with alcohol.
  4. This is one reason why unchecked Vicodin addiction can lead to death; your body may eventually need so much Vicodin that you overdose.

Your healthcare provider may prescribe a specific dose depending on your needs. They are also used to reduce pain after a significant injury or surgery, severe the dangers of drinking after work pain from health conditions like cancer, and chronic pain. Both alcohol and hydrocodone are relatively safe when used appropriately and in moderation.

Common Side Effects

Talk with your doctor before using this medicine if you plan to have children. Using this medicine while you are pregnant may cause neonatal withdrawal syndrome in your newborn babies. Tell your doctor right away if your baby has an abnormal sleep pattern, diarrhea, a high-pitched cry, irritability, shakiness or tremors, weight loss, vomiting, or fails to gain weight. Contact your doctor right away if you have any changes to your heart rhythm.

Interactions

When you call our team, you will speak to a Recovery Advocate who will answer any questions and perform a pre-assessment to determine your eligibility for treatment. If eligible, we will create a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. If The Recovery Village is not the right fit for you or your loved one, we will help refer you to a facility that is.

Hydrocodone and Alcohol

Opioids work by binding to opioid receptors, creating an analgesic effect by blocking pain signals to the brain. Alcohol works by spreading through the body via the bloodstream. When a person drinks alcohol, their bloodstream quickly distributes it to the brain, liver, kidneys, and lungs.

What Are the Side Effects of Hydrocodone and Alcohol?

My mother-in-law’s anguish before she died in July 2022 mirrors the broader struggle of countless individuals grappling with pain. I’m still haunted by the fact that my husband and I, both anesthesiologists and pain physicians who have made it our life’s benzo withdrawal timeline and symptoms work to alleviate the suffering of those in pain, could not help her. They do not understand why we, doctors whom they trust, send them on wild goose chases. They do not understand how pharmacies fail to provide the medications they need to function.

Alcohol works through the central nervous system and depresses or slows functioning of various parts of the brain. Because oxycodone can also cause sensations of pleasure or euphoria, it’s also highly addictive. Regulatory agencies have long been concerned by just how addictive it is. As far back as the 1960’s, organizations such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime classified it as a dangerous drug. Be sure to schedule appointments with your doctor on a regular basis so that you do not run out of hydrocodone if your doctor wants you to continue taking this medication.

This slow-acting medication is released into the bloodstream over time, helping treat several types of moderate to severe pain. Opioid medicine can slow or stop your breathing, and death may occur. A person caring for you should give naloxone and/or seek emergency medical attention if you have slow breathing with long pauses, blue colored lips, or if you are hard to wake up. Increased preventative measures like education and family communication can lead to lower levels of substance abuse in teens, including those of prescription opioids and alcohol. Even over-the-counter alternatives like acetaminophen (Tylenol) are dangerous. In fact, half of acute liver failure cases in the U.S. and 20% of liver transplants are due to people drinking while on acetaminophen.