Is there any harm in using vicodin for many years other than needing to take more to get the same effect? Can it cause other physical problems, such as liver, respiratory, stomach or digestive issues? Is there another pain medication to take that would be comparable?
Other than the addictive nature and the side effects of addiction, the only other potential long term side effect would be potential liver damage. The liver damage would not come from the vicodin itself, but rather from the acetaminophen which is usually combined with vicodin. Acetaminophen is highly toxic to the liver and taking several vicodin a day could produce toxic results over the long term.
A possible alternative to vicodin that is effective for moderate to strong pain is tramadol. Tramadol is an atypical opioid which is a centrally acting analgesic.
Though some controversy exists concerning it's potential for dependency, it is considered an opioid with a lower risk of opioid dependence than that of traditional opioids, claiming little evidence of such dependence in clinical trials.
A possible alternative to vicodin that is effective for moderate to strong pain is tramadol. Tramadol is an atypical opioid which is a centrally acting analgesic.
Though some controversy exists concerning it's potential for dependency, it is considered an opioid with a lower risk of opioid dependence than that of traditional opioids, claiming little evidence of such dependence in clinical trials.