In this article, I’m going to educate you on the subject of mixing Norco and alcohol. Taking Norco and alcohol together is a bad idea. Back in my “party days” I combined Norco and alcohol along with marijuana on a regular basis.
This made me feel “oh so good,” but I was in my 20’s and didn’t value my health as I do today.
Over the past few decades, there has been a superabundance of teenagers and adults that have mixed Norco and alcohol and died as a result of this potentially lethal combination.
I’ll provide you with information on why this drug combo could be potentially dangerous for you in multiple ways in the next section…
Norco and Alcohol – A Potentially Harmful Combination
I’ll never forget the first time I washed a few Norco down with a six pack of beers. It made me feel so euphoric.
I was seriously on “Cloud 9. ”
It was pure bliss.
However, these days I’m over six years clean off opiates, and I really value my physical, mental, and emotional health so much that I don’t do anything to jeopardize them.
Why is the combination of Norco and alcohol not recommended?
There are two main reasons.
Norco and Alcohol Danger #1:
- For starters, both drugs are central nervous system (CNS) depressants.
- Norco’s main ingredient, hydrocodone, is an opiate.
- Alone, both Norco and alcohol have the ability to cause significant respiratory depression. Used together, this combination results in synergy.
- Norco/alcohol synergy is when the combined effect is greater than the sum of the effects of these two CNS depressants.
When you combine two CNS depressants, in this case, Norco and alcohol, this significantly increases the chances of respiratory depression and can ultimately lead to death from your body not breathing anymore.
Norco and Alcohol Danger #2:
- Norco contains acetaminophen and drinking alcohol along with acetaminophen has been shown to be undesirable to both the liver and kidneys.
- Studies have shown an increased risk of liver and kidney problems when combing acetaminophen with alcohol on a regular basis.
Norco and Alcohol – Final Thoughts
Honestly, if you just take one Norco with a beer or glass of wine one time or once in a blue moon, this probably won’t lead to significant negative consequences.
However, if you’ve never used this combination before, the synergy may really affect you and it could cause some problems if you’re driving, taking care of children, operating heavy machinery, etc.
As a former substance abuse counselor at an Opiate Treatment Program (OTP) and a current Opiate Recovery Coach, I’ve always been outspoken about the potential dangers of mixing opioids with other CNS depressants.
There is even a warning label on the Norco prescription to inform you that you’re not supposed to mix the medication with alcoholic beverages.
If you have any comments or questions about the topic of mixing Norco and alcohol, please post them in the comment box below. Be safe, and take care of yourself.
This sounds good. Very good. I want to stop taking Subutex more than anything. I am down to 1mg in the AM and 1mg in the PM. It supresses my appetite and it messes up my defecating regularity. ( It’s quite bad)