Hydrocodone Detox

If you are addicted to painkillers such as hydrocodone and you want to make a change in your life then you have to go through the process of getting off of them. This is generally known as detox and depending on how you go about doing it the experience can be either mildly unpleasant or it can be extremely unpleasant when going through the actual hydrocodone withdrawal. This is due to the nature of withdrawal from opiates and a whole host of potential detox symptoms that can send just about any user running back to their drug of choice.

With hydrocodone detox this is no different. If an addict has been taking a fairly high dosage every day, then their body is accustomed to that and it will be a bit of a challenge to get them off the medication and fully detoxed in some cases. This will of course depend on a number of factors, none of which are set in stone for this formula, including the length of their use, how much they take on a daily basis, what route they typically take the drug by, and so on. For example, the severity of the dependence would be greater if someone was taking larger amounts of the drug for a greater length of time (like over several years) and using the drug intravenously (instead of say, orally). Now this is not to say that you cannot have addicts who take lessor amounts of the drug for a shorter duration by mouth. Just that the severity of the detox they will go through can and will depend a bit on those factors. Also, a person's body type and metabolism can play a big factor in how their detox goes.

It is very possible to simply stop taking hydrocodone and within a week or even less you will be feeling fairly normal again. However, depending on the severity and the factors discussed above, you might have a very nasty hydrocodone withdrawal with which to deal with. In most cases, anyone who is really addicted to opiates is going to seek relief from those withdrawal symptoms by taking more of their drug. This is the obvious solution that unfortunately perpetuates the cycle of addiction.

If you choose to go to treatment or to a drug rehab center of some sort, they will most likely help you through this withdrawal period by giving you certain medications which can ease your withdrawal symptoms. This is usually done with a partial synthetic opiate known as Buprenorphine. Without really getting an addict high, this medication can be carefully administered in small doses to alleviate withdrawal symptoms that an addict might be going through. The medical staff there can also give other medications that can treat specific withdrawal symptoms such as naseua, vomiting, tremors, sweats and chills, bone and joint aches, restlessness, and anxiety. Generally what happens is that the medical staff in a detox center will assess your withdrawal symptoms, then give you the appropriate medications to help you get through those symptoms. It is not a perfect system in all cases but it is a heck of a lot better than detoxing cold turkey on your couch at home. In most cases people will agree that they had to endure very little pain and discomfort thanks to the care of the detox center and the medications.

Going to treatment in order to get help with your withdrawal symptoms has an added bonus that might make the difference in your long term success: residential treatment.  Now not all detox centers will have a residential program incorporated with them but most do.  So if you happen to go to detox in a place like this then chances are pretty good that you will attend residential treatment as well and have a chance to learn about a new way to live without drugs.  This part of the experience will generally consist of groups, lectures, videos, activities, group therapy, and usually 12 step meetings such as AA or NA.  Not everyone will go through residential treatment but those who do take advantage of this idea will have a greater chance of staying clean in the long run. 

You can get clean and sober outside of a treatment center but if you have the opportunity then it is probably best for you to investigate your treatment options.  Sometimes people cannot go to detox because they cannot afford it or have no way of paying for it.  Other times insurance will cover it or they might get a grant through the government to attend treatment for free.  All it takes is a simply phone call to your local treatment center to find out what your options are.  In some cases people can attend treatment for free and they did not even realize this at first, so it pays to investigate.