Norco Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Norco Tablet contains hydrocodone, an opioid, combined with acetaminophen, a non-opioid pain reliever. It is used for pain severe enough to require an opioid medicine when non-opioid pain relievers have not provided enough relief. It is a controlled substance because it carries a risk of misuse and dependence. The brand name Norco has been discontinued in the U.S., but generic hydrocodone/acetaminophen tablets remain available.

What is Norco Tablet

Norco is a combination medicine that contains hydrocodone, an opioid, and acetaminophen, a non-opioid pain reliever. It is a controlled substance because it can be misused and can lead to dependence. The brand name Norco has been discontinued in the U.S., but generic hydrocodone/acetaminophen tablets are still available.

Norco Tablet uses

• Pain that is severe enough to need an opioid medicine and that cannot be treated well enough with non-opioid pain medicines

Benefits of Norco Tablet

• Can help relieve pain that other medicines haven't controlled well enough
• Starts working within about 30 minutes

How Norco Tablet works

Norco combines two medicines that work differently to control pain: hydrocodone attaches to opioid receptors in the brain to lessen how much pain you feel, while acetaminophen blocks certain brain chemicals involved in pain.

Norco Tablet dosage

Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor; do not take more than prescribed or for longer than prescribed. Take your prescribed dose every four to six hours as needed for pain. Do not change your dose or stop taking it suddenly without talking to your prescriber first, as your dose may need to be lowered gradually to avoid withdrawal symptoms. If a dose is missed and you take this medicine on a schedule, take it when you remember unless it is almost time for the next dose — do not double up. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well, or if your pain gets worse. Older adults may be more sensitive to this medicine and are at higher risk of serious breathing problems.

Use exactly as prescribed by your doctor or pharmacist.

Available forms and strengths

• Tablet

Side effects of Norco Tablet

Common

• Dizziness
• Sleepiness/drowsiness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Itching
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Brain fog
• Stomach pain
• Changes in blood pressure
• Blurred vision
• Dry mouth

Serious

• Dangerously slow or difficult breathing; bluish-colored lips, fingers, or toes
• Signs of overdose: not responding to sound or touch, extreme sleepiness, cold or clammy skin, slow heartbeat
• Signs of liver damage: tiredness, dark urine, upset stomach, stomach pain, yellowing of skin or eyes
• Opioid withdrawal symptoms: anxiety, restlessness, runny nose, sweating, chills, irritability
• Serious allergic or skin reaction: rash, hives, blistering or peeling skin, swelling of face/lips/tongue, shortness of breath, fast heartbeat, dizziness
• Seizures
• Severe constipation or bowel blockage
• Low blood pressure, fainting, or feeling faint when standing up
• Signs of low adrenal hormone levels: tiredness, dizziness, weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting
• Signs of serotonin syndrome: agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, shivering, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

Warnings and precautions

• This medicine carries a risk of addiction, abuse, and misuse, which can lead to overdose and death. Take it exactly as prescribed and do not change the dose on your own.
• Serious, life-threatening, or fatal slowed breathing can occur, especially when starting the medicine or after a dose increase.
• Accidentally swallowing even one dose, especially by a child, can cause a fatal overdose.
• Using this medicine with benzodiazepines or other drugs that slow the central nervous system, including alcohol, can cause profound sedation, breathing problems, coma, and death.
• Taking too much acetaminophen can cause serious liver damage, including liver failure that may require a transplant or cause death. Do not take more than 4,000 mg of acetaminophen per day or combine with other acetaminophen-containing products.
• Long-term use during pregnancy can cause the baby to be born dependent on opioids, resulting in a potentially life-threatening withdrawal syndrome.
• Do not stop taking this medicine suddenly if you have been taking it regularly, as this can cause withdrawal symptoms; your doctor should gradually lower your dose instead.
• This medicine is contraindicated in people with significant breathing problems, severe asthma without monitoring, known or suspected stomach/intestinal blockage, or allergy to hydrocodone or acetaminophen.
• Never give this medicine to anyone else, as it could cause death; selling or giving it away is against the law.
• Using this medicine during pregnancy, especially for a long time, can cause the baby to become dependent on it, leading to life-threatening withdrawal symptoms after birth. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
• Ask your doctor before using this medicine if you are breastfeeding, since the opioid can pass into breast milk and may cause severe drowsiness or breathing problems in the nursing baby.
• People with kidney disease may have higher levels of the medicine in their body, so a lower starting dose and close monitoring are recommended.
• People with liver disease may have higher levels of the medicine in their body, so a lower starting dose and close monitoring are recommended. The acetaminophen in this medicine can also cause serious liver damage, especially with alcohol use or liver problems.
• Avoid drinking alcohol while taking this medicine. Alcohol increases the risk of severe drowsiness, dangerously slow breathing, and liver damage.
• This medicine can affect your thinking and reactions. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how it affects you.

Storage

• Store Norco at room temperature away from moisture and heat
• Keep track of how much medicine is used from each new bottle
• Dispose of any expired, unwanted, or unused medicine by promptly flushing it down the toilet if a drug take-back option is not readily available
• Store securely, out of sight and reach of children, and in a place not accessible to others, including visitors to the home

When to see a doctor

• Get emergency medical help right away for signs of an allergic reaction, such as hives, trouble breathing, or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Seek emergency help right away if breathing becomes slow with long pauses, lips turn blue, or the person is hard to wake up — these can be signs of an overdose.
• Stop taking this medicine and call your doctor right away if you notice skin redness or a rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling.
• Call your doctor right away if you have signs of liver problems, such as nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or yellowing of the skin or eyes.
• Call your doctor if you have signs of low cortisol levels, such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dizziness, or worsening tiredness or weakness.
• Call your doctor if you notice signs of high serotonin levels, such as agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, or loss of coordination.
• If someone has taken too much of this medicine, get emergency help right away; an overdose can be fatal.

Alternatives

• Naproxen
• Ibuprofen
• Paracetamol