What Factors Affect How Long Vicodin Stays in Your System?
Sadly, there are countless people all over the world who struggle with chronic pain for one reason or another. A person may suffer from pain as a result of an injury that they sustained or it could be a factor in an illness that they have. Therefore, there are many doctors who make the decision to prescribe Vicodin to their clients. One of the common questions that you may have when you’re first starting with this medication is how long does Vicodin stay in your system? The answer is important because it will dictate how often you need to take this medication.
On average, Vicodin will stay in your system for approximately four hours. However, there are several factors that may change how long Vicodin will stay in your system such as:
- Age
- Body mass
- Weight
- Amount last taken
- Liver health
- Other drugs that may be in your system
- The severity of your substance abuse
When you or your family initially reach out to our recovery team, it’s important that these details are shared with us so that we can properly prepare for your time at our treatment facility. The first step will be to go through detox in many cases which is one of the main reasons why this is information that we need to know as soon as possible.
Different Drug Tests Used to Detect Vicodin in The Body
Depending on the type of drug test that is given, Vicodin may be detected for longer or shorter periods of time. Some common types of drug tests are urine analysis, blood testing, saliva testing, and hair follicle testing. Each of these tests can detect the drug within the body for different lengths of time.
- Urine Analysis: Up to 4 days following the last use
- Blood Testing: Up to 24 hours
- Saliva Testing: Up to 36 hours
- Hair Follicle Testing: Up to 90 days since the last use
Why Medically-Assisted Detox from Vicodin is Crucial
Before you can truly commit yourself to an addiction treatment program, you will need to remove the influence of Vicodin from your mind and body. This is something that is initially done through drug detox. The reason why drug detox is so important is that it provides you with the environment that you need to get help as you begin to experience withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms are unpredictable but could be potentially deadly. A person struggling with Vicodin addiction will generally begin to experience withdrawal symptoms within the first few hours from the last time they took this substance. Withdrawal symptoms can include:
- Extreme pain
- Nausea
- Cravings
- Shakiness
- Sweating
- Muscle aches
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Anxiety
While it may seem appealing to attempt to go through the withdrawal process in the comfort of familiar settings, this is a potentially deadly mistake. Therefore, it’s strongly recommended that you or a family member reach out as soon as possible to coordinate a plan to get you into drug detox so that you receive the immediate help and care that you need.
How Long Does Vicodin Detox Last?
Another question that many people have regarding drug detox revolves around how long they will need to spend in this type of program. In most cases, you will need to spend at least seven days in drug detox. You will experience the height of your withdrawal symptoms within the first 72 hours from the last time that you consumed Vicodin. It’s important that you reach out to our recovery team as soon as possible so that we can ensure that you receive the help and care that you need immediately.
The Importance of the Full Continuum of Care for Vicodin Addiction Treatment
Once you complete your time in drug detox, you should make plans to transition into a Vicodin addiction treatment program. There are many people who mistakenly think that all they need to do is go through the detox process and that they will be fine. However, there is not only a physical element to addiction but there is a psychological one as well. Therefore, it’s critical that you make plans to commit to a comprehensive addiction treatment program so that you can overcome your Vicodin addiction once and for all.
An inpatient treatment program is an example of an addiction treatment program that could greatly benefit you if you feel as though you’re struggling with the people, places, and things around you that could be triggering your addiction. During inpatient treatment, you will have the opportunity to exclusively focus on yourself and your needs. You will be able to live on our beautiful treatment campus and receive the around-the-clock care that you may need as you begin to heal from your substance abuse issues. Not only will you have unlimited access to our treatment team, but you will also be able to interact with other people who are also working through their own treatment programs. You will have ample opportunity to ask questions if you’re still concerned about how long Vicodin stays in your system and truly explore the root causes of your addiction so that you can heal in a holistic manner.
In some cases, there are people who don’t feel comfortable with the premise of inpatient treatment. They feel as though it’s too restrictive and, therefore, would not be helpful in their overall recovery process. There are many other people who simply cannot commit to an inpatient program due to work or school responsibilities. If you feel as though you fall into either one of these categories, then the best option for you may be one of our outpatient programs. An outpatient program such as a partial hospitalization program or an intensive outpatient program is more flexible in the sense that you will be able to live at home and come and go from our treatment facility around your recovery schedule. If your work or school schedule changes, then all you need to do is let our treatment team know and we will make adjustments to your treatment plan to accommodate.
A key aspect of your overall recovery journey is to determine the root cause of your addiction. This is something that is challenging for certain people as the root cause of substance abuse is often something that is painful to think about. There are some people who aren’t actively aware of the root cause of their addiction. During the course of your inpatient or outpatient program, you will participate in different types of addiction therapy so that you can heal from the root cause of your addiction as well as any other contributing factors.
At TruPath, we also offer aftercare programs that will help to keep you focused on the goals that you have for your overall recovery including sober living options. Our team will speak with you in more detail regarding these treatment options once you come to the end of your initial treatment. We will also strongly encourage you to commit to going to Narcotics Anonymous meetings as often as possible to reinforce what you have learned during treatment and grow your support system.
Reach Out To the TruPath Intake Team
The TruPath team is available around the clock to provide you with the care that you need to ensure that you receive the help that you need to work through your Vicodin addiction. Regardless of whether you have questions regarding how long Vicodin stay in your system or you’re ready to make the change that you need to make in your life, you can take comfort in the fact that our team of addiction experts will be here for you and with you every step of the way. Don’t live another day lost in the continuous trap of addiction. Get in touch with us today and take back control of your life!