Brand Names: Lorcet, Xodol, Hycet, Maxidone, Zydone, Cogesic, Zolvit, Liquicet, Stagesic, Zamicet, Vicodin, Norco, Lortab
This is a narcotic (psychoactive) pain reliever used to treat moderate to severe pain. It combines hydrocodone and acetaminophen.
Hydrocodone
- A narcotic (psychoactive) pain reliever
- Derived from codeine.. which is derived from morphine… derived from opium… derived from the poppy plant. Basically, it is a synthetic opiate.
- Only used in combination with other drugs
Acetaminophen
- A pain reliever
- Reduces fever (even though fevers are your body’s way of healing)
- Known to cause serious (even fatal) liver disease if you take too much
- Acetaminophen was derived from a by-product of coal-tar distillation
Hydrocodone AND Acetaminophen
- There are no adequet studies done on pregnant women!
- You can get addicted to it
- You can experience withdrawal reactions (such as restlessness, watering eyes, runny nose, nausea, sweating, muscle aches)
- It stops being effective over time
- The medication passes into breast milk and unto your baby
- Common side effects include: Nausea, vomiting, constipation, lightheadedness, dizziness, and drowsiness
- Dangerous side effects include: fainting, seizure, slow/shallow breathing, unusual drowsiness/difficulty waking up
- Allergic reactions are possible and symptoms include: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing
It is advised to tell your doctor your personal and family history of any of these conditions:
- mental/mood disorders (such as confusion,depression)
- stomach/intestinal problems (such as blockage, constipation, diarrhea due to infection, paralytic ileus)
- personal or family history of regular use/abuse of drugs/alcohol
- brain disorders (such as head injury, tumor, seizures)
- breathing problems (such as asthma, sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-COPD)
- kidney disease
- liver disease
- difficulty urinating (such as due to enlarged prostate)
- gallbladder disease
- disease of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
Possible Dangerous Drug Interactions include:
- Pain medications (mixed narcotic agonist/antagonists such as pentazocine, nalbuphine, butorphanol)
- Narcotic antagonists (such as naltrexone)
- MAO inhibitors (isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue, moclobemide, phenelzine, procarbazine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine)
REFERENCES
“Hydrocodone-acetaminophen Oral : Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing – WebMD.” WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 22 July 2013. <http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-251-Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen Oral.aspx?drugid=251>.
“New York Magazine.” NYMag.com. NY Magazine, 2 July 2009. Web. 22 July 2013. <http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/topic/57770/>.
“Hydrocodone: MedlinePlus Drug Information.” U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 22 July 2013. <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a601006.html>.
Ogbru, Omudhome, PharmD, and Jay W. Marks, MD. “Hydrocondone/ Acetaminophen (Vicodin, Vicodin ES) – Drug Class, Medical Uses, Medication Side Effects, and Drug Interactions by MedicineNet.com.” MedicineNet. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 July 2013. <http://www.medicinenet.com/hydrocodoneacetaminophen/article.htm>.
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