How Long Does Norco Stay In Your System?

Norco is a prescription drug containing both hydrocodone and acetaminophen. Hydrocodone is a strong opioid used to treat moderate to severe pain. Acetaminophen is a mild over-the-counter pain reliever, more commonly known as Tylenol.

Hydrocodone and acetaminophen are also found in several other brand-name drugs, such as Vicodin, Lorcet, and Lortab. Although these drugs contain the same active ingredients as Norco, the amounts of hydrocodone and acetaminophen vary between brands.

If you have been prescribed Norco or are struggling with drug use, you may be wondering about the amount of time Norco stays in your system. Norco is usually eliminated from your system within 20 hours of ingestion, although many factors can affect the length of time. 

Eliminating Hydrocodone From Your System

Norco tablets are taken orally and must pass through your digestive system before you start to feel its effects. The acetaminophen in Norco is usually absorbed quicker, but you should start to feel the effects of both active ingredients in under an hour. 

When it comes to drug testing and concern for opioid addiction, you want to focus on the hydrocodone component. 

After the onset of pain relief, hydrocodone continues to be metabolized until it reaches peak concentration levels (also known as Tmax) in your system. Peak concentration level is the highest percentage of the drug in your bloodstream for that dose. 

When taken in liquid form, hydrocodone reaches its peak levels after about 90 minutes. When hydrocodone is taken in tablet form (Norco), it reaches its peak concentration levels in your system after about 14-16 hours. 

The effects of hydrocodone will start to decrease after it reaches peak levels in your bloodstream. Even though you no longer feel the effects once it has left your system, there are still detectable amounts in your hair, blood, and urine. 

Half-life Of Norco

Half-life refers to the time it takes the amount of the drug in your body to decrease by half. A drug’s half-life is a number that can be used to determine how long it will take to be eliminated from your body. 

Even though half the concentration of the drug is eliminated at first, less of the drug is eliminated with each subsequent half-life. 

The half-life for hydrocodone tablets is about 3.8 hours. It takes about five half-lives for a drug to be eliminated from your body. This means it takes about 20 hours for hydrocodone to be eliminated from your system. 

Factors In Elimination Times

Norco comes as tablets and is passed through the digestive tract. Hydrocodone is metabolized by the liver into two different metabolites: hydromorphone and dihydrocodeine. These metabolites remain traceable immediately after elimination and up to 90 days in hair follicle tests. 

These factors affect elimination time:

• age
• genetics
• liver damage
• dose
• frequency of use

Drug Testing For Norco

Hydrocodone is one of the many drugs focused on in the opioid epidemic in the United States. As a schedule II controlled substance, it has a high potential for abuse. There are several reasons for taking a drug test for a controlled substance, even if it is a legally prescribed drug.

The hydrocodone in Norco is detected in drug tests via:

• urine tests
• blood tests
• saliva swabs
• hair samples

Urine tests are most commonly used and can detect hydrocodone for up to four days after the last dose. Hair follicle tests are expensive but can detect the drug for up to 90 days. 

Side Effects Of Norco

Even when you take Norco as prescribed, you may experience side effects from the hydrocodone. Hydrocodone binds to opioid receptors in your central nervous system (CNS), and impacts your perception of pain. 

One of the most common concerns with hydrocodone addiction is the euphoric effect of opioid pain relievers. 

You may also experience other side effects:

• dizziness
• vomiting
• lightheadedness 
• drowsiness
• constipation 

If you use Norco in ways other than prescribed or without a prescription, you may develop hydrocodone addiction.

Norco Addiction Treatment

You may need inpatient detox when you first start your treatment for hydrocodone addiction. In detox, you may be given medications to ease withdrawal symptoms. 

Depending on what is best for your treatment plan, you may follow detox with a residential or outpatient program. Detox mainly focuses on the physical aspect of addiction and residential and outpatient programs focus on treating the behavioral and mental health aspects. 

If you or a loved one is addicted to hydrocodone or any other opiates, please contact a specialist today for treatment options.