Hydrocodone (Vicodin) Withdrawal Symptoms: How Long Do They Last?

Hydrocodone, also known by its brand name Vicodin, is a type of medication made out of opioids and acetaminophen. Each year, doctors hand out millions of prescriptions for the pills to those who suffer from health issues that cause pain.

Unfortunately, the opioids in hydrocodone are highly addictive. If a person forms an addiction to or dependence on hydrocodone and tries to stop taking their prescription, they can experience pain and other uncomfortable symptoms as part of the withdrawal process.

Effective treatment for opioid use disorder, including behavioral therapy and FDA-approved medications, is now widely available and has been shown to significantly reduce overdose risk, cravings, and relapse.

How Long Does Hydrocodone Withdrawal Last?

Hydrocodone has a half-life of about six hours in the body. If a person doesn’t take more of the medication within 12 hours of the last dose, they will start to feel some discomfort.

The most severe hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms begin after 72 hours of discontinuing the medication. This severe stage of the hydrocodone withdrawal timeline usually lasts for about one or two weeks.

The amount of time that it takes for a person to get through hydrocodone withdrawal can vary depending on how long they took the medication, the dose that they were given, and whether they were using any other drugs along with it.

What Are the Symptoms Of Hydrocodone (Vicodin) Withdrawal?

The following is a list of the physical, psychological, and behavioral hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms that occur during the hydrocodone withdrawal timeline:

Physical Symptoms:

• muscle aches and pain
• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• fever
• dry mouth
• fatigue
• seizures
• dizziness
• sweating
• runny nose
• high blood pressure
• insomnia
• tremors
• tachycardia
• dehydration

Psychological Symptoms:

• apathy
• trouble concentrating
• mood swings
• irritability
• psychosis
• aggression
• depression and anxiety
• suicidal thoughts and actions
• constant cravings

Behavioral Symptoms:

• lying or stealing to get more of the medication
• going to different doctors in different cities for extra hydrocodone prescriptions
• taking more than the prescribed amount
• avoiding friends and family members
• struggling at work or school
• committing crimes to acquire the medication
• buying hydrocodone from drug dealers

How To Cope With Hydrocodone Withdrawal Symptoms

Getting through the withdrawal process for any opiate isn’t easy because of how quickly the body becomes dependent on it. Opioids suppress the central nervous system, meaning they lower heart rate and blood pressure, decrease body temperature, and increase fatigue and drowsiness.

When medications that contain opioids are suddenly stopped, it takes time for the central nervous system to start functioning normally without them.

In some people, symptoms such as mood instability, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and intermittent cravings can persist for months after acute withdrawal ends.

This is known as post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS), a recognized neurological process as the brain recalibrates after opioid dependence. Understanding PAWS can help people in recovery recognize these experiences as temporary rather than signs of treatment failure.

Medically Assisted Detox Programs

Because withdrawing from opioids causes serious physical and psychological symptoms, anyone who is addicted to hydrocodone should detox in a medical facility that can help them get through the process safely by monitoring their health and giving them medications to reduce the severity of their symptoms.

Otherwise, there is a chance they could become very ill or even die from dehydration caused by vomiting and diarrhea (the flu-like symptoms experienced at the height of hydrocodone withdrawal).

If hallucinations, severe depression, or suicidal thoughts develop, these could also be dangerous for someone to go through alone because they may attempt to harm themselves or others.

If suicidal thoughts develop during hydrocodone withdrawal, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. This is a medical symptom of withdrawal that requires immediate attention. Do not attempt to manage it alone

Medication-Assisted Treatment

Getting help for hydrocodone withdrawal at a rehab facility means a person has access to medical care as well as medication to stave off cravings and ease pain and discomfort. Some of the types of medications that doctors can give to ease the symptoms of withdrawal from hydrocodone include:

Buprenorphine

Buprenorphine affects the same opioid receptors as hydrocodone, but with a greatly reduced effect. Because of this, medications that contain the substance are called partial opioid agonists.

The way that buprenorphine works is by tricking the body into thinking that it is still getting a constant supply of opioids. This doesn’t mean that a person can get high from taking a large dose of the substance, though. One of the best features of buprenorphine is that its effects can only reach a certain limit in the body.

Naloxone

Naloxone is an opioid antagonist that rapidly reverses opioid overdose by blocking opioid receptors. It is available as a standalone overdose reversal medication (Narcan) and is also included in Suboxone alongside buprenorphine, primarily to deter misuse.

When Suboxone is taken as directed under the tongue, the naloxone component has minimal effect. If injected, it triggers rapid withdrawal, making misuse significantly less appealing.

Naltrexone

Another opioid antagonist is naltrexone. It is added to brand-name medications, like Vivitrol, that are given to people who have made it through the worst phase of the opiate-withdrawal process because it helps prevent relapses from occurring.

Naltrexone must only be started after a person is fully opioid-free, typically at least 7 to 10 days after the last opioid dose. Beginning naltrexone too early precipitates severe withdrawal. There’s also extended-release injectable naltrexone (Vivitrol), which is administered monthly. This removes the need for daily dosing and reduces the risk of missed doses during early recovery

Methadone

Methadone is an opioid, too, which means that it can potentially be misused. Since it affects the body and brain in the same way as morphine, it is sometimes used as a substitute to help alleviate the withdrawal symptoms that people have from hydrocodone.

Potential Fentanyl Contamination

People who obtain hydrocodone outside of a licensed pharmacy should be aware that counterfeit hydrocodone pills, including fake Vicodin tablets, are frequently pressed with illicitly manufactured fentanyl.

These pills are visually indistinguishable from legitimate prescriptions but can contain lethal amounts of fentanyl. Fentanyl test strips and naloxone are strongly recommended for anyone using pills obtained from non-pharmacy sources.

Treatment For Hydrocodone Withdrawal And Abuse

Drug treatment for hydrocodone misuse begins with helping a person get through the physical symptoms of withdrawal. Once this inpatient portion is completed, outpatient treatment that involves cognitive behavioral therapy and medications to help alleviate any depression and anxiety due to withdrawal can begin.

Browse our directory or reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for more information about addiction recovery.

Written by the Addiction Resource Editorial Staff