It is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress while using hydrocodone and acetaminophen, especially within the first 24 to 72 hours of treatment. This will allow your doctor to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you or your child should continue to take it. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.
Do not use hydrocodone and acetaminophen if you are using or have used an MAO inhibitor (eg, isocarboxazid [Marplan®], linezolid [Zyvox®], phenelzine [Nardil®], selegiline [Eldepryl®], tranylcypromine [Parnate®]) within the past 14 days.
It is against the law and dangerous for anyone else to use your medicine. Keep your unused tablets in a safe and secure place. People who are addicted to drugs might want to steal hydrocodone and acetaminophen.
Hydrocodone and acetaminophen will add to the effects of alcohol and other CNS depressants (medicines that can make you drowsy or less alert). Some examples of CNS depressants are antihistamines or medicine for allergies or colds, sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medicine, other prescription pain medicine or narcotics, medicine for seizures or barbiturates, muscle relaxants, or anesthetics (numbing medicines), including some dental anesthetics. Also, there may be a greater risk of liver damage if you drink three or more alcoholic beverages while you are taking acetaminophen. Do not drink alcoholic beverages, and check with your doctor before taking any of these medicines while you are using hydrocodone and acetaminophen.
Hydrocodone and acetaminophen may be habit-forming. If you feel that the medicine is not working as well, do not use more than your prescribed dose.
If you think you or someone else may have taken an overdose of hydrocodone and acetaminophen, get emergency help at once. Signs of an overdose include: dark urine, difficult or trouble breathing, irregular, fast or slow, or shallow breathing, nausea, vomiting, pain in the upper stomach, pale or blue lips, fingernails, or skin, pinpoint pupils of the eyes, or yellow eyes or skin.
Hydrocodone and acetaminophen may cause sleep-related breathing problems (eg, sleep apnea, sleep-related hypoxemia). Your doctor may decrease your dose if you have sleep apnea (stop breathing for short periods during sleep) while using hydrocodone and acetaminophen.
Check with your doctor right away if you have pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, unusual tiredness or weakness, or yellow eyes or skin. These could be symptoms of a serious liver problem.
Serious skin reactions can occur with hydrocodone and acetaminophen. Check with your doctor right away if you have blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, red skin lesions, severe acne or skin rash, sores or ulcers on the skin, or fever or chills while you are using hydrocodone and acetaminophen.
Hydrocodone and acetaminophen may cause a serious type of allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, hoarseness, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth while you are using hydrocodone and acetaminophen.
Hydrocodone and acetaminophen may make you dizzy, drowsy, or lightheaded. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how hydrocodone and acetaminophen affects you.
Using narcotics for a long time can cause severe constipation. To prevent this, your doctor may direct you or your child to take laxatives, drink a lot of fluids, or increase the amount of fiber in your diet. Be sure to follow the directions carefully, because continuing constipation can lead to more serious problems.
Before you or your child have any medical tests, tell the medical doctor in charge that you are taking hydrocodone and acetaminophen. The results of certain tests may be affected by hydrocodone and acetaminophen.
Do not change your dose or suddenly stop using hydrocodone and acetaminophen without first checking with your doctor. Your doctor may want you or your child to gradually reduce the amount you are using before stopping it completely. This may help prevent worsening of your condition and reduce the possibility of withdrawal symptoms, such as stomach cramps, anxiety, fever, nausea, runny nose, sweating, tremors, or trouble with sleeping.
Using hydrocodone and acetaminophen while you are pregnant may cause serious unwanted effects, including neonatal withdrawal syndrome in your newborn baby. Tell your doctor right away if your child has the following symptoms: an abnormal sleep pattern, diarrhea, a high-pitched cry, irritability, shakiness or tremors, sneezing, weight loss, vomiting, yawning, or failure to gain weight. Check with your doctor right away if you think you are pregnant or if you plan to become pregnant while using hydrocodone and acetaminophen.
Check with your doctor right away if you have anxiety, restlessness, a fast heartbeat, fever, sweating, muscle spasms, twitching, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or see or hear things that are not there. These may be symptoms of a serious condition called serotonin syndrome. Your risk may be higher if you also take certain other medicines that affect serotonin levels in your body.
Using too much of hydrocodone and acetaminophen may cause infertility (unable to have children). Talk with your doctor before using hydrocodone and acetaminophen if you plan to have children.
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.
