Q. Can consumption of Hydrocodone for seven years damage the liver?

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

I have reviewed your case history in detail and attached laboratory investigations as well (attachment removed to protect the patient's identity). Your liver function tests are normal. All the levels are normal. The serum albumin levels are normal as well, suggestive of normal liver function, and no evidence of chronic liver disease at the moment. With these liver function test reports, your right upper abdominal pain would not be due to a liver condition. I hope you have already done your abdomen ultrasound to look for gall bladder and biliary ducts. The current medication dose is relatively safe and has nothing to do with your liver. Were you using hydrocodone because of a persistent cough? If yes, persistent cough is a risk factor for intercostal neuralgia.

Kindly revert for more queries.

Thank you.

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

As you mentioned previously, I am happy that you have been off drugs and alcohol for the last two months.

1) Your liver function tests are normal; another important investigation for the right-sided upper abdominal pain is abdominal ultrasound to see the structure of the liver, any lesions, your gall bladder, biliary ducts, and a general review of other structures like spleen, etc.

If your abdominal ultrasound has already been done and it was normal, too, then the chances of this pain coming from the liver or gall bladder are less likely.

2) Chest x-ray to evaluate right-sided lung base, rib structure, or any bone deformity.

3) I hope there is no history of trauma or over-stretching of right-sided chest muscles.

4) If the above points are already covered and normal, I would go with an intercostal neuralgia diagnosis and would like to give you some simple painkillers, especially for neurological pain.

5) If your pain does not settle even with painkillers, then one should move on for further evaluation to see other possible causes (not related to the liver).

I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Same symptoms doesn’t mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Ghulam Fareed

Experience: 4 + Yrs

Medical Gastroenterology

---

Related Questions:
Effects of External Factors on Neonatal Development: Depression, Drug Abuse, and Smoking

Introduction Women with a history of drug abuse, especially opioid abuse, have exponentially increased in the last couple of years ... Drugs like cocaine, opioids, m...   Read full

Skin Changes Due to Drug Abuse

Introduction Drug abuse is associated with severe health problems in the body's essential organs like the skin, liver, kidneys, bladder, and stomach ...   Read full

Can taking Thyronorm for hypothyroidism cause weakness and dizziness?

.. your hypothyroidism without medicines naturally with lifestyle and diet. Do the correct basic tests for thyroid function which is seven in number. If you have done only the total T4, total T3 and TSH, it is incorrect. These three tests are commonl...   Read full