What is Lorcet?
The drug Lorcet is a combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone very similar to Vicodin and Norco. This drug is designed to help patients recover from painful injuries or surgeries by lessening the pain experienced during the time spent healing. Lorcet is available in pill or liquid form by prescription only from a pharmacist.
How does Lorcet work?
Lorcet is an opiate, and like other opiates like oxycodone and morphine, it works by attaching itself to the opioid receptors in the brain, spinal cord and gastrointestinal system and giving the user a sensation of pleasure rather than pain. Users often experience a sense of euphoria after taking the drug. Because of the sensations of pleasure users frequently experience, Lorcet is a schedule II drug and can only obtained by prescription so that doctors may carefully monitor their patient’s tolerance level due to the fact that patients can easily become addicted to the painkiller.
Can patients become addicted to Lorcet?
Many times, Lorcet addicts began as patients that had legitimate need for pain relief, but when their tolerance levels surpass the amount that a doctor is willing to prescribe, they begin to search out the drug through illicit sources or attempt a process called “doctor shopping” in which they will obtain the same prescriptions from several doctors around town to get enough Lorcet to feed their addiction.
Because most of the hydrocodone and oxycodone pills on the market have coatings that are designed to release the opiates slowly into the user’s system many recreational users and patients with a high tolerance for the drug will crush the pills into a fine powder and then either inject the drug directly into their veins or inhale the drug through their nose (also called “tooting”). This gives the user an immediate “rush” of euphoria without having to wait for the coating to slowly disperse the drug through the body.
What are the common side effects of Lorcet?
Even prescription drugs have side effects and common side effects of Lorcet with even normal usage of the drug are dizziness, drowsiness and constipation. Once addicted to Lorcet, a person will begin to exhibit even more side effects, some of which are long-term. These side effects include nausea, lethargy, irregular heartbeats, anxiety and depressed breathing.
Despite these side effects, the popularity of prescription drugs as recreational drugs is becoming more prevalent in the United States each year. In fact, a 2009 SAMHSA survey showed that prescription drugs like Lorcet were the second most commonly abused drugs, with marijuana being ranked as the first. The reason for this is likely due to the ease of obtaining painkillers from friends or family.
What is the treatment for recovery from Lorcet addiction?
When a Lorcet addict decides to seek help for their problem, it is recommended that they check into a medical treatment facility so they can be monitored during withdrawal. The symptoms for withdrawal from Lorcet are similar to other opiates and they include vomiting, diarrhea, involuntary leg movements, muscle and bone pain and insomnia.
Recovering addicts may also choose to undergo a course of methadone treatment, which is a medical supplement to opiates like Lorcet. Methadone allows the body’s chemistry to slowly return to normal by giving the user a heavily monitored time release dose of an opioid. It, however, does not produce any feelings of euphoria or cause the side effects that are seen with Lorcet use.
Lorcet Addiction Treatment at Challenges
At Challenges, we’re recognized around the country as center for the treatment of substance abuse, addictions, dual diagnoses and relapse prevention. Our treatment programs are specifically designed with the needs of the individual patient in mind.
We have a wide variety of treatment programs available, including neurofeedback, massage, yoga, group sessions, full day/PHP Treatment, with or without structured living, extended care transitional treatment and intensive outpatient treatment, and ongoing alumni services and technology-enhanced aftercare to ensure continued recovery and support.
We want to provide our clients with the tools they need to identify their own trigger mechanisms and warning signs. We also help them prepare a concrete plan for success as they move out of the program and into the future.
Our mantra is that “Relapse Ends Here!”