Meth Addiction Resource Center

• Nov
  02

  What Is Lortab?

  

  Lortab is another brand name for a prescription drug that contains Hydrocodone Bitartrate and Acetaminophen; the drug is available in tablet and liquid form. When it is prescribed in liquid form, it may also have alcohol added to it. Bitartrate is a form of salt with a specific chemical composition. The Codeine or Thebaine is combined with the Bitartrate and Acetaminophen, a drug that is used as a substitute for aspirin. All these ingredients together make a medication that be used to treat several conditions.

  Lorcet is a drug containing Hydrocodone Bitartrate and Acetaminophen. Hydrocodone is derived by the synthesizing of either Codeine or Thebaine. Codeine is derived from the sap of the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). Thebaine comes from the same plant, but is an alkaloid that is found in the plant. For this reason, Lortab is considered one of the many opioid drugs.

  Why Is Lortab Prescribed?

  Lortab is most commonly prescribed for pain relief. It works well; in fact, according to addiction recovery specialists, it has almost exactly the same effect as Morphine. This is why it is often prescribed for pain relief in-patients who have undergone surgery or those who have suffered a serious injury or have an illness that can cause pain. In some instances, Lortab can be prescribed as a cough suppressant; however, this may only be done when other non-narcotic or narcotic cough suppressants simply will not provide the necessary relief.

  Statistics Relating To Lortab

  Products containing Hydrocodone and other medication combinations, of which Lortab is one, are some of the most widely prescribed drugs. There were at least 136 incidences where Hydrocodone combination products were prescribed in 2008 alone, according to addiction recovery specialists. This is a marked increase from 2000, when 88 million incidences occurred. The figures quoted above only cite the number of times drugs containing Hydrocodone and other medications (remember, Lortab is just one brand name for Hydrocodone combination drugs) was legally prescribed.

  Unfortunately, Lortab is also one of the most widely abused prescription drugs. In 2009, according to addiction recovery specialists, the number of people in the United States aged 12 and older, who used Hydrocodone without having a medical need for it was 9.3% or 23.5 million people. To break this down further, addiction recovery specialists also report that in 2010, 2.7% of 8th graders, 7.7% of 10th graders, and 8.0% of 12 graders used Hydrocodone without having a medical reason for doing so.

  In addition, addiction recovery specialists also report that the incidences of poisoning occurring from the use of Hydrocodone products amounted to 27,753. Further, 31 deaths were associated with Hydrocodone use.

  How Is Lortab Abused?

  Lortab can be abused many ways. These can include taking more of the drug than the prescription calls for, taking the drug more often than prescription directions dictate, and, of course, using Lortab when there is no medical indication that it is necessary.

  In addition, abuse can occur when Lortab is taken into the body in another manner other than taking it by mouth (the most common way of taking it). Some people who abuse Lortab may crush the medication if it is in tablet form or, if it comes in capsules, empty the powder or pellets out of the capsule. They then dissolve the medication, usually in water, and then inject it either under the skin or directly into a vein.

  Lortab works in much the same way as Morphine does, by the opioids in the medication attaching themselves to receptors found in the brain, spinal cord, and even in the digestive system area specifically, the gastrointestinal tract). Once this occurs, the body's perception of the amount of pain being felt is changed, the brain does not communicate pain feelings in the same way, and that portion of the brain which records pleasure signals is changed, also. All of these together serve to cause a feeling of euphoria ("all is right with the world"). Lortab can also cause drowsiness and dizziness.

  When Lortab is abused, all of the above effects listed, as well as any others that are experienced, are heightened. Many people enjoy these enhanced feelings, so they continue to abuse Lortab in an effort to replicate them as often and as much as possible. Unfortunately, as abuse continues, it takes more Lortab to achieve the feelings, and this is when addiction can occur.

  Lortab Addiction Treatment Options

  Treatment options can include substituting a non-narcotic medication, especially if the condition being treated is a severe cough. Additionally, as soon as pain management or complete cessation of pain has been achieved, Lortab can be discontinued. Also, a drug rehab center can provide addiction recovery solutions for those with trouble abusing this prescription drug.

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  Posted on November 2nd, 2015

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