LortabPaige Smith

Lortab is a prescription pain medication approved to treat moderate to severe pain.

Since Lortab is a narcotic, it is classified as a controlled substance and has special laws and regulations that control its sale and use.

What is Lortab?

Lortab comes from an opium plant

Lortab is considered a Schedule II controlled substance in the United States

This means it is possible to abuse this drug and it may also cause dependence

About Lortab

Sports injuries

People who recently had surgery

People with arthritis

Given by dentists after oral surgery

Lortab is Prescribed For…

“As needed” meaning you only take the medication when you are experiencing pain

“Scheduled use” meaning you take the medication on schedule even if you are not experiencing pain

How Should It Be Taken?

All Lortab products are marketed by: UCB Pharma, Inc.

Lortab 5/500 & 10/500 are made by: Mallinckrodt

Lortab 2.5/500, 7.5/500 & Lortab Elixir are made by: Mikart, Inc.

Who Makes It?

Lortab 2.5/500 & 5/500: ◦ 1 to 2 tablets every 4 to 6 hours as needed

Lortab 7.5/500 & 10/500: ◦ 1 tablet every 4 to 6 hours as needed

Lortab 7.5 Elixir:◦ 1 Tablespoonful every 4 to 6 hours as needed

The maximum recommended amount for an adult is: 1,000 mg per dose & 4,000 mg in one day

Dosage

Lortab contains two different pain medications: Hydrocodone & Acetaminophen

Hydrocodone is a semi-synthetic narcotic opioid pain reliever

Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and fever reducer (commonly found in Tylenol)

Ingredients

Addictive, narcotic drugs, like Lortab, work on the neurons in the human brain

Hydrocodone works on the opiate receptors in the brain to provide pain relief while acetaminophen increases the effects of Hydrocodone.

Hydrocodone is the narcotic component of the drug which attaches to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord to block pain

How Lortab Works In the Brain

Physical dependence is not a sign of abuse, it is a predictable, physical response to long term use of the narcotic.

People can be physically dependent on this drug without abusing it as well. The body becomes tolerant to the effects of Lortab and higher doses are necessary to produce the same pain-relieving effects.

Physical Dependence

Taking high doses of a narcotic can result in breathing problems, extreme drowsiness, coma and even death.

Taking high doses of acetaminophen can likely cause liver failure and death.

Physical Consequences

Since the 1900’s, the average intake of Lortab and other Hydrocodone drugs has increased by about 300% throughout the United States.

Users can become easily dependent on this drug due to the feeling it produces.

Many people who struggle with abuse of this drug often obtain other different prescription medications to help them support their abuse of Lortab.

Lortab Abuse

Lortab is abused in many other ways rather than in pill form:

◦Swallowed◦Chewed◦Crushed into powder to inhale◦Snorted like cocaine◦Dissolved in water to be injected

How Is It Abused?

Lortab can impair motor skills which can affect your reaction time.

It also causes changes in mood and thought processes.

Lortab abuse can reduce the user’s consciousness levels, ability to think, and awareness.

Effects of Abuse

People that use this drug to get high use higher doses than prescribed.

Whether a person is prescribed this medication or not, they can develop an opiate tolerance quickly.

If your prescription is not strong enough for the amount of pain you are having, you may show changes in behavior due to the pain you are experiencing or you may take Lortab more often than prescribed.

Many people use insufficient pain control as an excuse to receive more Lortab medication.

Addiction

Signs Of Addiction

Healthcare Providers Notice… Friends & Family Notice…

Going through Lortab prescriptions too quickly

“Doctor Shopping” seeing many different doctors to receive prescription

Reports of losing prescription

Having it stolen Needing medication early

to go on vacation

Stealing, lying, dishonest behavior

Lack of money Secluded behavior,

needing time alone Abandoning good

friends & replacing them with new ones

Changes in mood and behavior

If you crush, chew or snort opiate drugs it can lead to severe side effects and in some cases overdose.

Side effects that may occur when taking this medication:

◦ Drowsiness◦ Dizziness◦ Anxiety◦ Constipation ◦ Mental clouding◦ Restlessness

Side Effects

Both Hydrocodone and acetaminophen create a serious risk and can lead to Lortab death with overdose.

Overdose occurs when someone takes a higher amount than their body can handle.

Lortab addiction abuse can easily make a person fall asleep making it hard to tell whether they are high or overdosing.

Overdose

The Hydrocodone in Lortab can produce overdose symptoms such as:

◦ Extreme drowsiness◦ Fainting◦ Coma◦ Clammy skin◦ Slow heart rate ◦ Low blood pressure◦ Blue lips◦ Difficulty breathing◦ Cardiac arrest ◦ Muscle spasticity ◦ Death

Hydrocodone Overdose Symptoms

The acetaminophen in Lortab can produce overdose symptoms such as:

◦ Jaundice◦ Vomiting◦ Nausea◦ Irritability◦ Confusion◦ Liver failure◦ Sweating◦ Loss of appetite ◦ Dark urine◦ Bleeding ◦ Diarrhea◦ Death

Acetaminophen Overdose Symptoms

Lortab overdose treatment would include taking certain medicines, forcing the person to vomit, inducing activated charcoal or pumping the stomach.

Treatment also includes other types of care and support that consist of treating the symptoms of overdose.

Treatment

Editorial Board. "Increasing Incidence Of Lortab Abuse." Suboxone. Soft Landing Recovery, 10 June 2007. Web. 30 Oct. 2011. <http://www.softlandingrecovery.com/articles/lortab_abuse.html>.

Medication Withdrawal Center. "Lortab Overdose." Alternative to Meds Center. Alternative to Meds Center for Medication Withdrawal Help and Treatment, 2007. Web. 29 Oct. 2011. <http://www.medicationwithdrawal.com/articles/lortab-overdose.html>.

Monson, Kristi, and Arthur Schoenstadt. "Lortab Abuse." Pain Home Page. Clinaero Inc., 2006. Web. 29 Oct. 2011. <http://pain.emedtv.com/lortab/lortab-abuse.html>.

Monson, Kristi, and Arthur Schoenstadt. "Lortab Addiction." Pain Home Page. Clinaero Inc., 2006. Web. 29 Oct. 2011. <http://pain.emedtv.com/lortab/lortab-addiction.html>.

Monson, Kristi, and Arthur Schoenstadt. "Lortab Dosage." Pain Home Page. Clinaero Inc., 2006. Web. 30 Oct. 2011. <http://pain.emedtv.com/lortab/lortab-dosage.html>.

Monson, Kristi, and Arthur Schoenstadt. "Lortab Overdose." Pain Home Page. Clinaero Inc., 2006. Web. 30 Oct. 2011. <http://pain.emedtv.com/lortab/lortab-overdose.html>.

Monson, Kristi, and Arthur Schoenstadt. "Lortab." Pain Home Page. Clinaero Inc., 2006. Web. 29 Oct. 2011. <http://pain.emedtv.com/lortab/lortab.html>.

Waismann Method. "Lortab." Rapid Detox Treatment from Opiate Addiction Under Sedation - Waismann Method. Anesthesia Assisted Medical Opiate Detoxification, Inc., 1997. Web. 29 Oct. 2011. <http://www.opiates.com/lortab/>.

Works Cited