Vicodin contains a combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone. Both medicines are pain killers. Hydrocodone is an opioid pain medication. An opioid is sometimes called a narcotic. Acetaminophen is a less potent pain reliever that increases the effects of hydrocodone.
Vicodin is used to relieve moderate to severe pain.
You should not use Vicodin if you have recently used alcohol, sedatives, tranquilizers, or other narcotic medications.
Hydrocodone can slow or stop your breathing.Never use Vicodin in larger amounts, or for longer than prescribed. Narcotic pain medicine may be habit-forming, even at regular doses. Never share Vicodin with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it.
Do not take more Vicodin than is recommended.An overdose of acetaminophen can damage your liver or cause death. Call your doctor at once if you have nausea, pain in your upper stomach, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice (yellowing of your skin or eyes).
Do not use Vicodin if you have taken an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine.
It is not known whether Vicodin is harmful to an unborn baby. If you use narcotic medicine while you are pregnant, your baby could become dependent on the drug. This can cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the baby after it is born. Babies born dependent on habit-forming medicine may need medical treatment for several weeks. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.
Acetaminophen and hydrocodone can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while using this medicine.
Common Vicodin side effects include:
- drowsiness;
- upset stomach, constipation;
- headache;
- blurred vision; or
- dry mouth.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. So you MUST Call you doctor when you begin to see any side effects of the drug.
Keep all drugs away from the reach of children… Store drugs is a cool and dry place.
