Norco Addiction

With all controlled substances, including Norco (hydrocodone/APAP), addiction is a potential risk. Common signs of an addiction include secluded behavior, changes in social circles, and unexplained changes in mood or behaviors. Healthcare providers who prescribe or dispense the drug also watch for certain signs of Norco addiction, such as going through prescriptions too quickly, "doctor shopping," or repeated reports of stolen prescriptions.

 

An Overview of Norco Addiction

Norco® (hydrocodone/APAP) is a prescription pain medication. As a narcotic, it is a highly desired drug of abuse, and Norco addiction can be a significant problem for many people. However, signs of Norco addiction may be difficult to distinguish from other problems, such as mental illness or inadequate pain control.
 

Common Signs of Norco Addiction

Friends and family can keep an eye out for other signs of Norco addiction, such as:
 
  • Secluded behavior, often needing to spend large amounts of time alone
  • Stealing, lying, or other dishonest behavior
  • An unexplainable lack of money
  • Changes in social circles, such as abandoning good friends and replacing them with new ones
  • Unexplained changes in mood or behaviors.
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Most healthcare providers who prescribe or dispense Norco also watch for certain signs of addiction, such as:
 
  • "Doctor shopping," which is seeing several different healthcare providers to obtain Norco prescriptions or switching from one provider to another
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  • Going through a Norco prescription too quickly
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  • Repeated reports of losing a prescription, having a prescription stolen, or needing a prescription early to go on vacation
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  • Having a specific "favorite" narcotic drug (such as Norco), and nothing else will do (or reporting "allergies" to all other alternatives).
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There are also physical symptoms of Norco addiction, but these are nearly impossible to distinguish from the normal symptoms of simple Norco dependence, which will occur with all cases of long-term Norco use, including legitimate, non-abusive Norco use.
 
(Norco Addiction Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;