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Hydrocodone - Uses - Dosages - Side Effects - Precautions

Hydrocodone: Frequently Asked Questions Answered

What is Hydrocodone?

Hydrocodone is a generic medicine approved by the FDA and sold under the Norco and Vicodin brand names. It is an opioid drug used to treat moderate to severe pain in humans. It contains an opioid component called Hydrocodone and a non-opioid component called Acetaminophen. Hydrocodone affects the brain and spinal cord by blocking the pain signals, while Acetaminophen helps reduce the fever. The dosage depends on your overall health condition, age, pregnancy, and response to the treatment.

What are the uses of Hydrocodone?

The medication works effectively during the early signs of pain. The drug is available as tablets, capsules, or syrup for oral consumption. Patients who experience chronic pain due to cancer, surgeries, accidents, or other injuries, are prescribed long-acting opioid drugs under careful medical guidance. The hydrocodone-based drugs are recommended only when alternate painkillers are ineffective. Do not start, stop, or increase the drug dosage without the doctor’s advice.

Consult a specialist at Yashoda Hospitals to know more about Hydrocodone treatment and its effects.

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What are the side effects of Hydrocodone?

The most common side effects of the drug are nausea, headache, and constipation. Some serious adverse effects include –

  • Lower pulse rate
  • Dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Abdominal pain
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Respiratory and urinary tract infections
  • Fatal withdrawal symptoms in the unborn or new babies, if the mother is a long-term hydrocodone user

Higher doses of Hydrocodone for a long duration can cause addiction, abuse, overdose problems, and severe withdrawal symptoms.

Get a medical opinion at Yashoda Hospitals about other medications, possible pregnancy, and underlying health conditions before taking Hydrocodone.

 

Frequently Asked Questions about Hydrocodone

1. Can Hydrocodone get you high?

Since Hydrocodone is an opioid-based drug, overdosing can make you feel euphoric or "high" after consuming it. You may experience drowsiness, a relaxed state, low blood pressure, mood swings, slurred speech, and a weak pulse. A person addicted to Hydrocodone also experiences withdrawal symptoms like agitation, anxiety, and insomnia.

2. How long does Hydrocodone stay in your urine?

The time taken for the Hydrocodone to leave the body varies in each person due to the dosage, age, enzymes, and the frequency of medicine intake. Though the effect of pain relief wears off after five to six hours, the drug can be detected in the urine for up to four days.

3. Is Hydrocodone Vicodin?

Vicodin is a brand name for the drug containing Acetaminophen and Hydrocodone. Hydrocodone is an opioid-based analgesic (pain reliever), and Acetaminophen is a non-opioid, antipyretic (fever reducer) component. Other brand names are Lortab, Norco, and Zohydro.

4. Can you take Ibuprofen with Hydrocodone?

Yes. A combination of Hydrocodone and Ibuprofen is used to treat acute pain only if the other painkillers are ineffective. However, consult your doctor before mixing the two medicines. Proper dosage for a short period is usually recommended, rather than long-term usage.

5. Is Hydrocodone a blood thinner?

No, Hydrocodone is an opioid analgesic, and Acetaminophen is a fever reliever. Though painkillers like aspirin are considered blood thinners, Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen are not. Do not take the opioid painkiller without consulting your doctor if you have heart problems.

6. Is Hydrocodone an opiate?

Yes, Hydrocodone is a powerful pain-reducing opioid drug used for medical purposes. In combination with other active components, it can be used to treat patients who suffer from surgical pain, cancer treatment, or grave injuries. Other opioid-based drugs include oxycodone and morphine.

7. Is Tramadol stronger than Hydrocodone?

Both Tramadol and Hydrocodone are used as opioid analgesics and are available only through medical prescription. Hydrocodone is more powerful than Tramadol in its usual dosage for treating severe pains in patients suffering from accidents or surgical wounds. Do not mix the medication without consultancy.

8. Is Hydrocodone the same as oxycodone?

Hydrocodone and oxycodone belong to the same class of narcotic drugs used to treat severe pains in patients. However, studies show that Oxycodone and Acetaminophen combination is stronger than hydrocodone and acetaminophen drugs in equal doses. Both are capable of inducing addiction problems in people.

9. How long does it take for Hydrocodone to kick in?

Once you take the hydrocodone medicine, the peak effects are observed after 30 to 60 minutes. The pain-relieving effects roughly last between four and eight hours, depending upon the pain intensity. Avoid taking medicines after every eight hours unless the doctor recommends it.

10. Does Hydrocodone make you sleepy?

Hydrocodone is an opiate drug that affects the pain receptors in the brain and spinal cord. After ingesting it, you may feel relaxed, sedated, or dizzy. Avoid going out, driving, or any rigorous activities after taking Hydrocodone. The drug also has numerous other side effects.

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Disclaimer: The information provided herein is accurate, updated and complete as per the best practices of the Company. Please note that this information should not be treated as a replacement for physical medical consultation or advice. We do not guarantee the accuracy and the completeness of the information so provided. The absence of any information and/or warning to any drug shall not be considered and assumed as an implied assurance of the Company. We do not take any responsibility for the consequences arising out of the aforementioned information and strongly recommend you for a physical consultation in case of any queries or doubts.