Pharmacy Editor: Omudhome Ogbru, PharmD
Vicodin (hydrocodone/acetaminophen) is a combination of the narcotic hydrocodone and non-narcotic pain reliever acetaminophen used for the relief of moderate to moderately severe pain. Vicodin is available in generic form. Common side effects of Vicodin include:
- lightheadedness,
- dizziness,
- anxiety,
- nausea,
- vomiting,
- upset stomach,
- drowsiness,
- constipation,
- headache,
- mood changes,
- blurred vision,
- ringing in your ears,
- dry mouth, and
- difficulty urinating.
Vicodin may interact with other narcotic pain medications, sedatives, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, other medicines that can make you sleepy or slow your breathing, antidepressants, MAO inhibitors, atropine, benztropine, dimenhydrinate, glycopyrrolate, mepenzolate, methscopolamine, scopolamine, bladder or urinary medications, bronchodilators, or irritable bowel medications. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. It is unknown if Vicodin is harmful to a fetus, but it could cause breathing problems or addiction/withdrawal symptoms in a newborn. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using Vicodin. Both medications in Vicodin (acetaminophen and hydrocodone) pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding. Withdrawal symptoms may occur if you suddenly stop taking Vicodin. The usual dose of Vicodin for adults is 1 to 2 tablets or capsules every 4 to 6 hours as needed.
Our Vicodin Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
- shallow breathing, slow heartbeat;
- feeling light-headed, fainting;
- confusion, fear, unusual thoughts or behavior;
- seizure (convulsions);
- problems with urination; or
- nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
Less serious side effects may include:
- anxiety, dizziness, drowsiness;
- mild nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, constipation;
- headache, mood changes;
- blurred vision;
- ringing in your ears; or
- dry mouth.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Read the entire detailed patient monograph for Vicodin (Hydrocodone Bitartrate and Acetaminophen)
SIDE EFFECTS
The most frequently reported adverse reactions are lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, nausea and vomiting. These effects seem to be more prominent in ambulatory than in nonambulatory patients, and some of these adverse reactions may be alleviated if the patient lies down.
Other adverse reactions include:
Central Nervous System
Drowsiness, mental clouding, lethargy, impairment of mental and physical performance, anxiety, fear, dysphoria, psychic dependence, mood changes.
Gastrointestinal System
Prolonged administration of hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen tablets may produce constipation.
Genitourinary System
Ureteral spasm, spasm of vesical sphincters and urinary retention have been reported with opiates.
Respiratory Depression
Hydrocodone bitartrate may produce dose-related respiratory depression by acting directly on the brain stem respiratory centers (see OVERDOSAGE).
Special Senses
Cases of hearing impairment or permanent loss have been reported predominantly in patients with chronic overdose.
Dermatological
Skin rash, pruritus.
The following adverse drug events may be borne in mind as potential effects of acetaminophen: allergic reactions, rash, thrombocytopenia, agranulocytosis.
Potential effects of high dosage are listed in the OVERDOSAGE section.
Drug Abuse And Dependence
Controlled Substance
Hydrocone bitartrate and acetaminophen tablets is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance.
Abuse and Dependence
Psychic dependence, physical dependence, and tolerance may develop upon repeated administration of narcotics; therefore, this product should be prescribed and administered with caution. However, psychic dependence is unlikely to develop when hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen tablets are used for a short time for the treatment of pain.
Physical dependence, the condition in which continued administration of the drug is required to prevent the appearance of a withdrawal syndrome, assumes clinically significant proportions only after several weeks of continued narcotic use, although some mild degree of physical dependence may develop after a few days of narcotic therapy. Tolerance, in which increasingly large doses are required in order to produce the same degree of analgesia, is manifested initially by a shortened duration of analgesic effect, and subsequently by decreases in the intensity of analgesia. The rate of development of tolerance varies among patients.
Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Vicodin (Hydrocodone Bitartrate and Acetaminophen)
Read the Vicodin User Reviews »
© Vicodin Patient Information is supplied by Cerner Multum, Inc. and Vicodin Consumer information is supplied by First Databank, Inc., used under license and subject to their respective copyrights.