There are several variables attempting to calculate “how long does vicodin stay in your system”. The main variables to consider when figuring out how long vicodin stays in your system are the person’s weight body mass index, metabolic rate, the amount of vicodin ingested, the frequency of use, the length of consistent use, and finally the strength of the vicodin.

Vicodin is an opiate which is a narcotic painkiller containing hydrocodone and acetaminophen.  Some better known opiates are Percocet, Morphine, Codeine, Heroin, Hydrocodone, Demerol, Lortab, Oxicodone, OxiContin, Percodan, Fentanyl, Dilaudid, and Methadone. These are all prescribed narcotic pain killers.

Opiates are water soluble which is very significant when considering how long evidence of their use will stay in your system.  When a substance is water soluble thins means that vicodin will breaks down and dissolve in water easily. All substances that go through the metabolic process end up having their byproducts stored in the bodies fat cells prior to removal through the body’s excretory system, via urine, sweat, saliva and feces.

A person’s body mass index is a major factor when considering how long vicodin stays in your system. People with a high percentage of body fat will continue to excrete evidence of vicodin usage for significantly longer than someone with a low percentage of body fat.

The number of vicodin taken, frequency of vicodin use, length of consistent use, and the strength of the vicodin are to also be considered when calculating how long vicodin stays in your system. The more vicodin a person uses will result in a greater number of metabolites produced, increasing the length of detection time. Frequent usage of vicodin will cause a constant supply of metabolites to be stored in the body’s fat cells. Also, if vicodin is used often and on a consistent basis, evidence of vicodin use will continue to be detectable for longer periods of time compared to an infrequent user. The more potent the vicodin is, the longer it will stay in your system. Most vicodin contains only 5 milligrams of hydrocodone, though some vicodin has up to 10 milligrams and is sold as “Vicodin HP”

Taking these factors into consideration, we can estimate how long vicodin will stay in your system. The common perception is that vicodin will only stay in your system for 48 to 72 hours, and this is true in most cases. However, if the above criteria is meet vicodin can still remain in your system for up to 14 days.