How Long Does Vicodin Stay in Your System

How Long Does Vicodin Stay in Your System Addiction Drug Use Opioids Print How Long Does Vicodin Stay in Your System? By Buddy T facebook twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial policy Buddy T Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on December 13, 2015 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on September 17, 2019  STILLFX/Getty Images More in Addiction Drug Use Opioids Cocaine Heroin Marijuana Meth Ecstasy/MDMA Hallucinogens Prescription Medications Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery Vicodin is a pain reliever for moderate to severe pain. It is a combination product with the opioid narcotic hydrocodone bitartrate the nonnarcotic pain reliever acetaminophen.?? There are risks of interactions with other medications and substances you may be taking. If you learn how long Vicodin is active in your system, you may understand how to avoid these dangerous reactions and accidental overdose. Risks With Vicodin in Your System Vicodin contains hydrocodone, which is synthesized from codeine, one of the opioids found in opium poppies. Hydrocodone has the risk of dangerous interactions  with alcohol and other medications. If you mix alcohol or certain other drugs with hydrocodone, you may have breathing problems or sedation and risk falling into a coma.?? Do not drink alcohol or take street drugs while taking Vicodin. Discuss all of your prescription, non-prescription, and over-the-counter medications, supplements, and vitamins with your doctor or pharmacist. While many drugs interact with hydrocodone, the highest risks are with  benzodiazepines (Xanax, Librium, Klonopin, Diastat, Valium, Ativan, Restoril, Halcion, and others), muscle relaxants, sedatives, sleeping pills, tranquilizers, and medicines for mental illness or nausea.?? There are risks of interactions with drugs that affect a component of liver metabolism, CYP3A4. These medications include erythromycin, ketoconazole, and ritonavir as CYP3A4 inhibitors, and rifampin, carbamazepine, and phenytoin as inducers. Using, changing the dosage, or stopping these drugs can cause possibly dangerous changes to the amount of hydrocodone in your system even if you are continuing with the same dose of Vicodin. You also risk the possibility of deadly interactions with the acetaminophen in Vicodin. The problem is that the limit you can take each day without an increased risk of liver damage and possible death is 4,000 milligrams. You might be taking over-the-counter or prescription remedies that contain acetaminophen, such as Tylenol. Those can add up, and people have had serious liver damage due to an accidental overdose. If you drink alcohol, this is even more of a risk. It is important to review everything you take with your doctor or pharmacistâ€"not only drugs you are taking but also any you will be adding or stopping. How Long Vicodin Is Active and Detectable in Your System A dose of Vicodin provides pain relief for four to eight hours. This is due to both of the active ingredientsâ€"acetaminophen and hydrocodone.  Your Vicodin dosage schedule is designed so the blood levels of these two drugs are constant enough to provide continuous pain relief as the body breaks down and eliminates them.?? The acetaminophen in Vicodin has a half-life in the blood of 1.25 to three hours, depending on whether a person has a poor liver function. Most of it has passed out through the urine in 24 hours. Half of the dose of hydrocodone has been deactivated after four hours in your system, and it can be detected in the urine for up to three days. Vicodin can produce  withdrawal symptoms  if you have been taking it for several weeks and suddenly stop. These symptoms can come on within six to 12 hours of your last dose.?? Work with your doctor on ways to avoid withdrawal symptoms. While you are taking Vicodin, it is likely that you would test positive for opiates on a urine drug screening test for two to four days and a saliva drug test for 12 hours to three days. A hair follicle test may show Vicodin use for up to 90 days, although such tests are uncommon.  If you must take a drug screening test for employment, be sure to disclose your medications to the testing laboratory so they can interpret your test accurately. Signs of a Vicodin Overdose The following are some of the symptoms that can occur with a Vicodin overdose:?? Difficulty breathingSlowed or stopped breathingExcessive sleepinessSpasms of the stomach or intestinal tractDizzinessFaintingLimp or weak musclesLiver damage from acetaminophenNarrowing or widening of the pupilsCold, clammy skinSeizuresSlow or stopped heartbeatBlue color of skin, fingernails, lipsLoss of consciousness or coma If you suspect someone is suffering from a Vicodin overdose, call 9-1-1 immediately. If caught early enough, the overdose can be reversed with treatment of Narcan.