Hydrocodone Side Effects: Common, Severe, Long Term

For most pain conditions, properly dosed OTC medications provide equivalent pain relief to prescription opioids with dramatically better safety profiles and lower costs. Therefore, with the recommended dosing of Norco, it is unlikely that the acetaminophen is actively contributing to your pain relief. Some side effects of acetaminophen / hydrocodone may occur that usually do not need medical attention.

Oxycodone

Assess each patient’s risk before prescribing, and monitor for development of these behaviors and conditions. Procedures to limit the continuing absorption of the drug must be readily performed since the hepatic injury is dose dependent and occurs early in the course of intoxication. NORCO, like other opioids, can be diverted for non-medical use into illicit channels of distribution. Careful record-keeping of prescribing information, including quantity, frequency, and renewal requests, as required by state and federal law, is strongly advised. Prescription drug abuse is the intentional non-therapeutic use of a prescription drug, even once, for its rewarding psychological or physiological effects. Special Senses – Cases of hearing impairment or permanent loss have been reported predominantly in patients with chronic overdose.

If concomitant use is warranted, follow patients for signs of diminished diuresis and/or effects on blood pressure and increase the dosage of the diuretic as needed. Educate patients and caregivers on how to recognize respiratory depression and emphasize the importance of calling 911 or getting emergency medical help right away in the event of a known or suspected overdose see WARNINGS; Life-Threatening Respiratory Depression. Follow such patients for signs of sedation and respiratory depression, particularly when initiating therapy with NORCO Tablets. Educate patients and caregivers on how to recognize respiratory depression and emphasize the importance of calling 911 or getting emergency medical help right away in the event of a known or suspected overdose see PRECAUTIONS; Information for Patients. Consider norco and alcohol food interactions prescribing naloxone when the patient has household members (including children) or other close contacts at risk for accidental ingestion or overdose. The first signs of an acetaminophen overdose include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, sweating, and confusion or weakness.

¿Cuál es la información más importante que debo saber sobre acetaminophen and hydrocodone?

For more information about hydrocodone and acetaminophen talk to your doctor pharmacist or other heath care professional. Acetaminophen and hydrocodone can pass into breast milk and cause drowsiness, breathing problems, or death in a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you drink more than three alcoholic beverages per day or if you have ever had alcoholic liver disease (cirrhosis). You may not be able to take medication that contains acetaminophen. Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use Norco only for the indication prescribed. Cyclobenzaprine is a muscle relaxant and works by blocking pain sensations.

For healthcare professionals

• These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine.
• Please share what my pharmacy can do to get the brand for my condition.
• In general, use caution when selecting a dosage for an elderly patient, usually starting at the low end of the dosing range, reflecting the greater frequency of decreased hepatic, renal, or cardiac function and of concomitant disease or other drug therapy.
• Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use acetaminophen or hydrocodone only for the indication prescribed.
• For most pain conditions, properly dosed OTC medications provide equivalent pain relief to prescription opioids with dramatically better safety profiles and lower costs.

Patients who have been taking opioids for briefer periods of time may tolerate a more rapid taper. Other drugs may interact with acetaminophen and hydrocodone, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. To check for interactions with hydrocodone and acetaminophen, click the link below. Prior to prescribing hydrocodone, assess each patient’s risk for opioid addiction, abuse, and misuse, and regularly monitor all patients for opioid addiction behaviors or conditions. For chronic non-cancer pain, a meta-analysis of 46 studies found no significant difference in pain relief between opioids and other treatments (NSAIDs, physical therapy, psychotherapy). The research does not support opioids as preferred treatment, instead recommending combination approaches like physical therapy plus NSAIDs.

• NORCO is not recommended for use in pregnant women during or immediately prior to labor, when other analgesic techniques are more appropriate.
• There are no standard opioid tapering schedules that are suitable for all patients.
• If you have this type of reaction, you should never again take any medicine that contains acetaminophen.
• Always check your bottle to make sure you have received the correct pills (same brand and type) of medicine prescribed by your doctor.
• Although the risk of addiction in any individual is unknown, it can occur in patients appropriately prescribed NORCO.

The use of NORCO Tablets in patients with acute or severe bronchial asthma in an unmonitored setting or in the absence of resuscitative equipment is contraindicated. Therapeutic doses of acetaminophen have negligible effects on the cardiovascular or respiratory systems; however, toxic doses may cause circulatory failure and rapid, shallow breathing. Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use acetaminophen or hydrocodone only for the indication prescribed. Long-term use of opioid medication may affect fertility (ability to have children) in men or women. It is not known whether opioid effects on fertility are permanent.

What strength is hydrocodone and acetaminophen tablets available as?

Reserve concomitant prescribing for patients with inadequate alternative treatment options, limit dosage and duration to the minimum required, and monitor for respiratory depression and sedation. Hydrocodone is also semi-synthetic but derived from codeine, and while more potent than codeine, still retains cough suppressant properties. It is more commonly found in combination with other nonopioid analgesics (for example acetaminophen), although abuse-deterrent formulations of just hydrocodone are available. Check with your doctor right away if you have anxiety, restlessness, a fast heartbeat, fever, sweating, muscle spasms, twitching, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or see or hear things that are not there. These may be symptoms of a serious condition called serotonin syndrome. Your risk may be higher if you also take certain other medicines that affect serotonin levels in your body.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter OTC) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements. Check with your doctor right away if you have pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, unusual tiredness or weakness, or yellow eyes or skin. Serious, life-threatening, or fatal respiratory depression may occur.

Life-Threatening Respiratory Depression

There are no standard opioid tapering schedules that are suitable for all patients. Good clinical practice dictates a patient-specific plan to taper the dose of the opioid gradually. For patients on NORCO who are physically opioid-dependent, initiate the taper by a small enough increment (e.g., no greater than 10% to 25% of the total daily dose) to avoid withdrawal symptoms, and proceed with dose-lowering at an interval of every 2 to 4 weeks.

Avoid drinking alcohol or taking illegal or recreational drugs while taking Norco. If you need surgery or medical tests, tell the doctor ahead of time that you are using this medicine. Use the dosing syringe provided, or use a medicine dose-measuring device (not a kitchen spoon). Hydrocodone may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Acetaminophen and hydrocodone can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.