how long does Vicodin stick around?

[cowprintrabbit]

I have just been prescribed Vicodin for back pain that sometimes makes it hard for me to sleep. Do I need to worry about taking it the night before a dive and having the side effects come back at depth?

I would like to be able to take it and dive well-rested; the alternatives are not sleeping well and diving tired and cranky, or having a few drinks to fall alseep (bad.)

 

[GoBlue!]

I'm not a dive physician, but I'd definitely attempt to use a non-narcotic compound if at all possible the night before a dive. The narcotic compound in Vicodin (hydrocodone) has a 3.8hr half-life (assuming normal kidneys/liver), so it will be nearly 20hrs before essentially all of the parent compound is out of the system. Of course, the metabolites can still be around, and are active. Hydrocodone metabolites have been detected up to 72hrs after a single dose in some people.

Granted, while we can talk about the presence of the compound and/or its metabolites, the important thing is weather or not they are having a clinical EFFECT on the day of the dive. But, assuming that you're headed out on a boat within 12 hrs of a dose, nearly 15% of the PARENT drug may still be around, and even that may be a bit too much for me to feel comfortable recommending taking Vicodin the night before a dive.

I'd be curious how some of our PharmD's & dive physicians would feel.

Jim

 

[cowprintrabbit]

I'd be curious how some of our PharmD's & dive physicians would feel.

Jim

I think they must have all gone on vaca already

Darn Celebrex & Vioxx! They would be the perfect solution, but I don't want to have a heart attack underwater, either :11:

 

[Ondeen]

I think they must have all gone on vaca already

Darn Celebrex & Vioxx! They would be the perfect solution, but I don't want to have a heart attack underwater, either :11:

My husband and my son both have back problems. Having observed both, I'd be very concerned about the effects of toting scuba tanks on present and potentially future back problems. I suspect you are on top of this as no one with back problems wants to acerbate them if they can help it.

 

[cowprintrabbit]

My husband and my son both have back problems. Having observed both, I'd be very concerned about the effects of toting scuba tanks on present and potentially future back problems. I suspect you are on top of this as no one with back problems wants to acerbate them if they can help it.

I was toughing it out, doing the "I am just as strong and capable as anyone else" bit, but you can see where that got me - on Vicodin. On my Dr's advice, I am going to start asking to gear up as close to the exit point of the boat as possible, and ask hubby to carry my gear for me. If conditions permit, I will try gearing up in the water, too.

I guess I will just have to get over feeling like a wimp