Your doctor may also prescribe you naloxone if you are living in a household where there are small children or someone who has abused street or prescription drugs. You should make sure that you and your family members, caregivers, or the people who spend time with you know how to recognize an overdose, how to use naloxone, and what to do until emergency medical help arrives. Your doctor or pharmacist will show you and your family members how to use the medication. Ask your pharmacist for the instructions or visit the manufacturer’s website to get the instructions. If symptoms of an overdose occur, a friend or family member should give the first dose of naloxone, call 911 immediately, and stay with you and watch you closely until emergency medical help arrives. Your symptoms may return within a few minutes after you receive naloxone.
What should be considered before taking hydrocodone?
These may be symptoms of a serious medical problem and should be checked by a doctor. If you are using a liquid form, use a medication-measuring device or spoon to carefully measure the prescribed dose. Do not use a household spoon because you may not get the correct dose. If your liquid form is a suspension, shake the bottle well before each dose. Be sure to schedule appointments with your doctor on a regular basis so that you do not run out of hydrocodone if your doctor wants you to continue taking this medication. If you continue to have pain after you finish your hydrocodone prescription, call your doctor.
Vicodin HP 10 Mg-300 Mg Tablet – Uses, Side Effects, and More
Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially confusion, dizziness, drowsiness, slow/shallow breathing, QT prolongation (see above). Keep this medication in a safe place to prevent theft, misuse, or abuse. If someone accidentally swallows this drug, get medical help right away.
Medical Professionals
Before you start using this medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist if you should stop or change how you use your other opioid medication(s). Other pain relievers (such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen) may also be prescribed. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about using hydrocodone safely with other drugs. If the patient who has overdosed becomes very low in oxygen pupils may become very dilated instead of constricted pupils. Vicodin should only be used in pregnancy if the benefits outweigh the risks. Using Vicodin during pregnancy for a prolonged period can cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn baby.
Generic Name(S): hydrocodone bitartrate
Monitor patients receiving hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen and any CYP3A4 inhibitor or inducer for signs of respiratory depression or sedation. Accidental ingestion of hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen, especially by children, can result in a fatal overdose of hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen. Medicines that interact with hydrocodone may either decrease its effect, affect how long it works, increase side effects, or have less of an effect when taken with hydrocodone. An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of the medications; however, sometimes it does. Speak to your doctor about how drug interactions should be managed. Before taking hydrocodone, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other opioids (such as benzhydrocodone, codeine, hydromorphone); or if you have any other allergies.
Hydrocodone
Limit dosages and durations to the minimum required and follow patients for signs and symptoms of respiratory depression vicodin addiction and sedation. The Vicodin brand has been discontinued in the United States. Hydrocodone comes as extended-release tablets and capsules.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Seek emergency care (call 911) if you experience life-threatening symptoms, such as difficulty breathing; chest pain; loss of consciousness; sudden vision changes; or swelling of the face, mouth, tongue or throat. The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor’s orders or the directions on the label.
- If you think you’ve taken too much of this drug, call 911 or seek emergency help.
- Also, do not drink alcohol or use any product that contains alcohol while taking this medication.
- Hydrocodone can cause serious unwanted effects or fatal overdose if taken by children, pets, or adults who are not used to strong opioid pain medicines.
- Infants born to mothers physically dependent on opioids will also be physically dependent and mayexhibit respiratory difficulties and withdrawal signs see PRECAUTIONS; Pregnancy.
Keep this medicine in a safe place to prevent theft, misuse, or abuse. Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Serum acetaminophen levels should be obtainedimmediately if the patient presents 4 hours or more after ingestion to assess potential risk ofhepatotoxicity; acetaminophen levels drawn less than 4 hours post-ingestion may be misleading. Toobtain the best possible outcome, NAC should be administered as soon as possible where impending orevolving liver injury is suspected.
- Additional doses may be given every 2 to 3 minutes, if symptoms return before medical help arrives.
- You should not drink alcohol with hydrocodone, especially with the extended-release capsules.
- If you have ongoing pain (such as due to cancer), your doctor may direct you to also take long-acting opioid medications.
- They can assess your care plan and determine whether it’s appropriate to increase your use or begin to taper off the medication.
- Follow the patient for signs and symptoms ofopioid withdrawal.
Tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal
See also How to Use section for more information about addiction. Patients with hepatic impairment may have higher plasma hydrocodone concentrations than those withnormal function. Use a low initial dose of hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen tablets in patientswith hepatic impairment and follow closely for adverse events such as respiratory depression andsedation.