Hydrocodone

Basics, side effects, reviews & more

Hydrocodone Basics

What is Hydrocodone Used For?

It is used to relieve coughing.
Children:
This drug is not for use in children younger than 18 years of age. The benefits of taking this drug for a cough due to allergies, a cold, or other infection do not outweigh the risks in children. If your child has been given this drug or if you have any questions, talk with your child's doctor.
The use of hydrocodone in children younger than 6 years has led to deadly breathing problems. Talk with the doctor.

Pronunciation

(hye droe KOE done & hoe MA troe peen)

Common Brands

Hycodan, Hydromet

Drug Class

Opioid Agonist

Controlled Substance Classification

SCHEDULE II

Pharmacist tips for Hydrocodone

Use this drug as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely. Take with or without food. Take with food if it causes an upset stomach. Take by mouth only. Drink lots of noncaffeine liquids unless told to drink less liquid by your doctor. Measure liquid doses carefully. Use the measuring device that comes with this drug. If there is none, ask the pharmacist for a device to measure this drug. Do not use a household teaspoon or tablespoon to measure this drug. Doing so could lead to the dose being too high. Rinse the measuring device with water after each use.
If you take this drug on a regular basis, take a missed dose as soon as you think about it. If it is close to the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your normal time. Do not take 2 doses at the same time or extra doses. Many times this drug is taken on an as needed basis. Do not take more often than told by the doctor.
Store at room temperature protected from light. Store in a dry place. Do not store in a bathroom. Keep lid tightly closed. Store this drug in a safe place where children cannot see or reach it, and where other people cannot get to it. A locked box or area may help keep this drug safe. Keep all drugs away from pets. Throw away unused or expired drugs. Do not flush down a toilet or pour down a drain unless you are told to do so. Check with your pharmacist if you have questions about the best way to throw out drugs. There may be drug take-back programs in your area.
If your symptoms or health problems do not get better or if they become worse, call your doctor. Do not share your drugs with others and do not take anyone else's drugs. This drug comes with an extra patient fact sheet called a Medication Guide. Read it with care. Read it again each time this drug is refilled. If you have any questions about this drug, please talk with the doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider. If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

What are the side effects of Hydrocodone?

With any medication, there are risks and benefits. Even if the medication is working, you may experience some unwanted side effects.

WARNING/CAUTION: Even though it may be rare, some people may have very bad and sometimes deadly side effects when taking a drug. Tell your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms that may be related to a very bad side effect:Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever; wheezing; tightness in the chest or throat; trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking; unusual hoarseness; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.Signs of high or low blood pressure like very bad headache or dizziness, passing out, or change in eyesight.Signs of a pancreas problem (pancreatitis) like very bad stomach pain, very bad back pain, or very bad upset stomach or throwing up.Chest pain or pressure.Fast or abnormal heartbeat.Feeling confused.Seizures.Severe constipation or stomach pain. These may be signs of a severe bowel problem.Change in eyesight.Feeling very tired or weak.Trouble passing urine.Mood changes.Taking an opioid drug like this drug may lead to a rare but very bad adrenal gland problem. Call your doctor right away if you have very bad dizziness or passing out, very bad upset stomach or throwing up, or if you feel less hungry, very tired, or very weak.A severe and sometimes deadly problem called serotonin syndrome may happen if you take this drug with certain other drugs. Call your doctor right away if you have agitation; change in balance; confusion; hallucinations; fever; fast or abnormal heartbeat; flushing; muscle twitching or stiffness; seizures; shivering or shaking; sweating a lot; severe diarrhea, upset stomach, or throwing up; or severe headache.

All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away:
Feeling sleepy.
Dizziness.
Headache.
Dry mouth.
Upset stomach or throwing up.
Constipation.
These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-332-1088. You may also report side effects at https://www.fda.gov/medwatch.

What are the risks and warnings for Hydrocodone?

This drug has an opioid drug in it. Opioid drugs can put you at risk for addiction, abuse, and misuse. Misuse or abuse of this drug can lead to overdose and death. If you have questions, talk with your doctor. This drug has an opioid drug in it. Severe side effects have happened when opioid drugs were used with benzodiazepines or other drugs that may make you drowsy or slow your actions. This includes slow or troubled breathing and death. Benzodiazepines include drugs like alprazolam, diazepam, and lorazepam. Benzodiazepines may be used to treat many health problems like anxiety, trouble sleeping, or seizures. If you have questions, talk with your doctor. Many drugs interact with this drug and can raise the chance of side effects like deadly breathing problems. Talk with your doctor and pharmacist to make sure it is safe to use this drug with all of your drugs. Do not take with alcohol or products that have alcohol. Unsafe and sometimes deadly effects may happen. Get medical help right away if you feel very sleepy, very dizzy, or if you pass out. Caregivers or others need to get medical help right away if the patient does not respond, does not answer or react like normal, or will not wake up. This drug may cause very bad and sometimes deadly breathing problems. Call your doctor right away if you have slow, shallow, or trouble breathing. Even one dose of this drug may be deadly if it is taken by someone else or by accident, especially in children. If this drug is taken by someone else or by accident, get medical help right away. Keep all drugs in a safe place. Keep all drugs out of the reach of children and pets. Do not take if you are pregnant. Using this drug for a long time during pregnancy may lead to withdrawal in the newborn baby. This can be life-threatening. Talk with the doctor. Be sure that you know your dose and how to take this drug. Dosing errors can lead to accidental overdose and death. If you have any questions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

If you have an allergy to hydrocodone, homatropine, or any other part of this drug.
If you are allergic to this drug; any part of this drug; or any other drugs, foods, or substances. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had.
If you have any of these health problems: Lung or breathing problems like asthma, trouble breathing, or sleep apnea; high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood; or stomach or bowel block or narrowing.
If you have a cough with a lot of mucus.
If you have a long-term cough caused by smoking or being around smoke, or lung problems like asthma or emphysema.
If you have had a recent head injury, brain injury or tumor, or raised pressure in the brain.
If you have taken certain drugs for depression or Parkinson's disease in the last 14 days. This includes isocarboxazid, phenelzine, tranylcypromine, selegiline, or rasagiline. Very high blood pressure may happen.
If you are taking any of these drugs: Linezolid or methylene blue.
If you are breast-feeding. Do not breast-feed while you take this drug.
This is not a list of all drugs or health problems that interact with this drug.
Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of your drugs (prescription or OTC, natural products, vitamins) and health problems. You must check to make sure that it is safe for you to take this drug with all of your drugs and health problems. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor.

How much does alprazolam (Xanax) cost?

Alprazolam (Xanax) is available as a generic medication and may be significantly cheaper compared to the brand version. Unless there is a specific reason you need the brand, the generic medication will be a better value. For even more savings, use a GoodRx coupon and pay just a fraction of the retail price.

Lowest GoodRx Price
Xanax, Xanax XR (brand)

$203.80

Lowest GoodRx Price
alprazolam (generic)

$8.40

Pricing based on most commonly-filled versions: 30 tablets of alprazolam 0.5mg