Hydrocodone is the generic name for pain medication used to treat constant severe pain. If you are using the drug and considering giving it up, you may wonder how long does Hydrocodone stay in your system? You may also wonder what the withdrawal symptoms are for this drug.
How Long Does Hydrocodone Stay in Your System?
How long does Hydrocodone stay in your system depends on your metabolism, weight, hydration level, health conditions, and many other factors. Because there are so many factors, all that can be given are general timelines for detection.
Ten milligrams of Hydrocodone have a half-life of 3.8 hours. This means it takes almost four hours for the body to process the drug and drop half of the chemicals from the body. But how long does Hydrocodone stay in your system after the first half of the chemicals are eliminated? This is where drug testing times come into play.
Drug Screening for Hydrocodone
There are several methods to screen for drugs. Here are four main tests used to find if Hydrocodone has been taken.
Urine Test: A urine test shows the answer to how long does Hydrocodone stay in your system to be 3-4 days.
Blood Test: A blood test shows the answer to how long does Hydrocodone stay in your system to be up to 24 hours.
Saliva Test: A saliva test shows the answer to how long does Hydrocodone stay in your system to be 1-4 days.
Hair Test: A hair test shows the answer to how long does Hydrocodone stay in your system to be up to 90 days.
While these tests can detect drug use up to 90 days, the best detection is often withdrawal symptoms. For someone who does not continue drug therapy, withdrawal symptoms will start within 6-12 hours after the last dose. If taking another dose of Hydrocodone stops the symptoms of withdrawal, then dependence on the drug has been established and you need to seek help to detox.
What are Hydrocodone Withdrawal Symptoms?
Withdrawal symptoms are common and occur when ending drug treatment. But, some withdrawal symptoms can be severe if a drug has been abused. Hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms include:
- Abdominal Cramps
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Diarrhea
- Dilated Pupils
- Excessive Sweating
- Fever
- High Blood Pressure
- Muscle Aches and Pain
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Rapid Breathing and Pulse
- Runny Nose
- Tremors
- Yawning and Sleeplessness
If you experience any of these symptoms when discontinuing Hydrocodone use, call your doctor. If the symptoms are severe, go to your local emergency room. Consider attending an inpatient detox center to watch your symptoms and help you through cleansing your body of the drug.
After detox, you will need supportive therapies to help you manage pain and stay off Hydrocodone.
Looking for Help to Recover from Hydrocodone Use?
If you or a loved one is looking to safely detox from Hydrocodone, call Northlake Recovery at (561)-770-6616. We can help you answer the question of how long does Hydrocodone stay in your system while giving you peace of mind that detox can be safe and less stressful that once believed.
Recent Comments