Pain Meds

[Sweetchic5517]

Why is it when I take a norco, vistril or anything like that before I go to bed at night, I wake up in the morning with a really bad headache. Almost feels like I have a hangover

[philnoir]

Let me put it this way.

While all medications work in ways specific to their design, most medication work in other ways that are less desirable. We call these side-effects.

You are hungover because one of the side effects of both  Norco (hydrocodone) and Vistaril (hydroxyzine) is depression of the central nervous system, meaning they reduce activity in your brain and spinal cord. This is why they make you drowsy an hour or two after you take them.

And by the way, don't mix these medications with alcohol in any form -- you'll feel worse.

When you take these medications, your liver acts to metabolize them into molecules that can be used by your body, hopefully to some medical benefit, like the relief of pain, or the easing of anxiety.

At the same time, your excretory system works to eliminate these chemicals and other byproducts of their metabolism from your body. This all takes time -- generally 24-48 hours or more before all these molecules are completely out of your system.

When you wake up in the morning, your body still contains an effective amount of both medications, and your nervous system is still being affected. As your day progresses, your body is working all the time to eliminate these molecules, and perhaps after 24 hours, you'll have excreted enough of them to be free of these side effects.

Every medical treatment has both a benefit and a risk. One risk, or negative consequence of using these medications is this hangover. Is the benefit worth the risk?

That's a question that can only be answered by you and your doctor.

Best wishes.

[Tuckamore]

Hi Sweetchic,

Welcome to our Pain Management Community. I'm glad you found us and took the time to begin a new thread.

Both of the meds you mentioned can produce that "hangover" effect in some ppl. I can't take most muscle relaxers due to the same feeling. My physician told me it was just the way my system utilized the drugs - or a better word may be metabolized.

In your case your system may not be handling some medications the way most ppls systems utilize them. I'd keep working with your physician in an attempt to find a drug in the same family that doesn't give you that hangover feeling or a headache.

I wish you well in your search. Other members may offer different suggestions or better. Please keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.

Take Care and Best of Luck,
~Tuck