A medication drug, Vicodin 5-500 mg, is administered by doctors for treating moderate or severe pain in people. This medicine is a combination of two generic drugs, Hydrocodone (5 mg) and Acetaminophen (500 mg). Hydrocodone works as an opioid receptor in the brain and blocks pain perception. Whereas Acetaminophen promotes the effects of Hydrocodone. Vicodin 5 mg / 500 mg tablets are recommended to be taken after a prescription from the concerned healthcare expert. Abbott manufactures Vicodin tablets.

Treatment and Dosages

Typically, optimal dosages of Vicodin 5-500 mg tablets are administered by doctors to their patients. This medicine can be taken with or without a meal, apart from being recommended by the healthcare expert. The actual dosage strength that has to be given is determined after medical examinations of patients. It is administered for acute pain and not for chronic pain.

• A basic dose of Vicodin generally contains 5 mg of Hydrocodone and 500 mg of acetaminophen. Adults are recommended to take 1 to 2 tablets at a time every 4 to 6 hours. The daily dose shouldn’t exceed 8 tablets.
• An individual’s step-up dose is made of 7.5 mg of Hydrocodone and 750 mg of acetaminophen. It is a daily single-dose medication for adults. In general, it must be taken every 4 to 6 hours intervals. This shouldn’t exceed the 6-tablet limit per day mark.
• The highest dose of Vicodin contains 10 mg of Hydrocodone and 300 mg of acetaminophen. Doctors recommend adults take one tablet at a time every 4 to 6 hours. The maximum limit is 6 tablets per day.

Effectiveness

Vicodin may start to show its efficacy within or after an hour. The peak concentrations of this medication drug may reach after an hour or two. Vicodin’s efficacy may vary from individual to individual. In the bloodstream, a Vicodin 5-500 mg tablet may remain for up to 12 hours. This medication drug must not be stopped suddenly. Otherwise, serious health complications may occur.

Side Effects of Vicodin 5-500 mg Tablets

Side effects or health complications may occur in persons after taking Vicodin tablets. Some of these side effects are constipation, dizziness, seizures, rashes, itches, difficulty breathing, confusion, agitation, dry mouth, blurred vision, impotence, pain in the abdomen, sweating, hallucination, and shivering.

Apart from them, other health complications may also occur in individuals after taking Vicodin 5-500 mg tablets.

Precautions

Precautions are needed to be taken while taking Vicodin 5 mg / 500 mg tablets. Alcohol must not be consumed during the course of this medication drug. Apart from these, people should avoid certain drugs (interaction drugs). They must also avoid driving or operating heavy machinery while using Vicodin tablets.

Products Similar to Vicodin 5-500 mg

Vicodin is a specific brand name used by the manufacturer. Other brand names for medicines that contain hydrocodone and acetaminophen mixture include:

• Lortab
• Lorcet-HD
• Hycodan
• Tussionex
• Vicoprofen
• Vicodin ES
• Vicodin HP
• Vituz
• Xodol
• Zolvit. etc.
• Zutipro
• Zydone

At times the following medicines are also prescribed by the doctor as a replacement for Vicodin:

• Norco Tablets: It contains the same amounts of hydrocodone but a higher amount of acetaminophen.
• Percocet Tablets: It is a combination of acetaminophen and Oxycodone drugs.
• Tramadol Tablets: It has additional effects that make them different from most opioids. It is less addictive compared to Vicodin, though it still has the potential for abuse.
• Oxycodone Tablets: Oxycodone is another type of opioid that is used as a pain medication. Like hydrocodone, it is sometimes also combined with other drugs such as acetaminophen. It is considered to have a higher potential for abuse compared to Vicodin 5-500 mg pills.
• Lortab Pills: is another brand name for the combination of acetaminophen and Hydrocodone.

Interactions with Other Drugs

Several drugs should be avoided while using Vicodin 5-500 mg medicine due to adverse interactions. Vicodin medication should never be taken with alcohol, as it is also a CNS depressant and can increase its side effects, making it easier to overdose. Similarly, Vicodin should not be mixed with benzodiazepines (e.g; Valium, Klonopin, Xanax, Ativan, etc. ).

Vicodin 5-500 mg and other drugs that affect neurotransmitters in the brain should not be mixed. Or else they must be closely monitored when mixed with:

• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
• Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
• Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs),

Vicodin 5-550 mg tablets are commonly combined with other addictive drugs when used for recreational purposes. While certain interactions are unknown, such as Adderall and Vicodin. Combining drugs in the absence of medical supervision can be dangerous. Many cases of drug overdose involve the use of more than one drug at a time.