Sleeping pills work by slowing down the body’s central nervous system. In the right dose, they will send you to sleep. But the sleep they produce is different from natural sleep. Because abnormal rations of two phrase (orthodox and REM) are produced. Also the effect of the drug can last for several hours after you have woke up.

In addition, your body may gradually get used to the drug, so that you have to take more to have same effect. You may also find it difficult to stop taking these drugs because without them it can take days or even weeks for normal sleep patterns to return. And it is quite likely that you will sleep badly and perhaps get nightmares during that time.

Sleeping pills may make you drowsy the next morning, which can be dangerous it you operate machinery or drive a car. They can react badly if taken with some drugs. And they must not be mixed with alcohol. This combination can even kill you.

The most common sleeping pills and tranquillizers are barbiturates and benzodiazepines. Barbiturates and non-barbiturates Doriden and Mandrax are the most likely to suppress REM sleep and become additive. They also have more side effects and are much more dangerous if overdose is taken than benzodiazepines and other non-barbiturates. Because of these problems, many doctors have now stopped prescribing barbiturates. But the benzodiazepines and other non-barbiturates also interfere with the normal phases of sleep and can still cause some of the same problems.

Sleeping pills may be useful in some situation, perhaps to see through a bad period of stress. But insomnia almost always had a cause, and sleeping pills do not do anything to deal with it permanently. So avoid sleeping pills if you possible can.

Constipation is a possible side effect of narcotics that does not go away with continued use. In other words, someone who has been using Vicodin for years is just as likely to have constipation due to the drug as someone who just started taking it. The body never adjusts or adapts to the effects of Vicodin that cause constipation.

Preventing and Treating Constipation With Vicodin

Although non-drug treatments for constipation, such as exercise and increased fiber and water intake, may help a little, most healthcare providers agree that a laxative is necessary to prevent and treat constipation due to Vicodin. Although stool softeners, such as docusate (Colace^® and others), may provide some relief, stimulant laxatives are often necessary. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist to recommend a laxative that is best for your situation (don’t forget to mention that you are taking Vicodin).

The use of laxatives to prevent and treat constipation due to Vicodin is extremely important in some situations, such as after a heart attack or after delivering a baby. In these situations, constipation can be extremely painful (after having a baby) and even life-threatening (after having a heart attack — when straining should be avoided).

Constipation is a predictable, expected side effect of Vicodin. It is so predictable that many healthcare providers recommend that people who take Vicodin also take a laxative before any problems occur. Contact your healthcare provider right away if your constipation becomes severe or does not respond to laxatives.

Vicodin^® (hydrocodone/APAP) is a prescription pain medication. It contains acetaminophen (also known as Tylenol^® and often abbreviated as “APAP”) and hydrocodone, an opiate narcotic. As a narcotic, Vicodin is likely to cause constipation. Although you may avoid this side effect if you take Vicodin for just a few days (or if you only take it now and then), the majority of people who take the drug will develop some degree of constipation.

concerning those who suffer from drug addiction and alcohol abuse.