This medicine may interact with the following medications:

-alcohol or any product that contains alcohol
-antihistamines for allergy, cough and cold
-antiviral medicines for HIV or AIDS
-atropine
-certain antibiotics like clarithromycin, erythromycin
-certain medicines for anxiety or sleep
-certain medicines for bladder problems like oxybutynin, tolterodine
-certain medicines for depression like amitriptyline, fluoxetine, sertraline
-certain medicines for fungal infections like ketoconazole and itraconazole
-certain medicines for migraine headache like almotriptan, eletriptan, frovatriptan, naratriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, zolmitriptan
-certain medicines for Parkinson''s disease like benztropine, trihexyphenidyl
-certain medicines for seizures like carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone
-certain medicines for stomach problems like dicyclomine, hyoscyamine
-certain medicines for travel sickness like scopolamine
-diuretics
-general anesthetics like halothane, isoflurane, methoxyflurane, propofol
-ipratropium
-local anesthetics like lidocaine, pramoxine, tetracaine
-MAOIs like Carbex, Eldepryl, Marplan, Nardil, and Parnate
-medicines that relax muscles for surgery
-other narcotic medicines for pain or cough
-phenothiazines like chlorpromazine, mesoridazine, prochlorperazine, thioridazine
-rifampin

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

-gallbladder disease
-head injury
-heart disease
-history of a drug or alcohol abuse problem
-history of irregular heartbeat
-if you often drink alcohol
-kidney disease
-liver disease
-lung or breathing disease, like asthma
-mental illness
-pancreatic disease
-seizures
-stomach or intestine problems
-thyroid disease
-trouble passing urine
-an unusual or allergic reaction to hydrocodone, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
-pregnant or trying to get pregnant
-breast-feeding

Tell your health care provider if your pain does not go away, if it gets worse, or if you have new or a different type of pain. You may develop tolerance to this drug. Tolerance means that you will need a higher dose of the drug for pain relief. Tolerance is normal and is expected if you take this drug for a long time.

Do not suddenly stop taking your drug because you may develop a severe reaction. Your body becomes used to the drug. This does NOT mean you are addicted. Addiction is a behavior related to getting and using a drug for a nonmedical reason. If you have pain, you have a medical reason to take pain drug. Your health care provider will tell you how much drug to take. If your health care provider wants you to stop the drug, the dose will be slowly lowered over time to avoid any side effects.

If you take other drugs that also cause drowsiness like other narcotic pain drugs, benzodiazepines, or other drugs for sleep, you may have more side effects. Give your health care provider a list of all drugs you use. He or she will tell you how much drug to take. Do not take more drug than directed. Get emergency help right away if you have trouble breathing, are unusually tired or sleepy, or are not being able to respond or wake up.

Talk to your health care provider about naloxone and how to get it. Naloxone is an emergency drug used for an opioid overdose. An overdose can happen if you take too much opioid. It can also happen if an opioid is taken with some other drugs or substances, like alcohol. Know the symptoms of an overdose, like trouble breathing, unusually tired or sleepy, or not being able to respond or wake up. Make sure to tell caregivers and close contacts where it is stored. Make sure they know how to use it. After naloxone is given, you must get emergency help right away. Naloxone is a temporary treatment. Repeat doses may be needed.

You may get drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how this drug affects you. Do not stand up or sit up quickly, especially if you are an older patient. This reduces the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Alcohol may interfere with the effect of this medicine. Avoid alcoholic drinks.

This drug will cause constipation. If you do not have a bowel movement for 3 days, call your health care provider.

Your mouth may get dry. Chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard candy and drinking plenty of water may help. Contact your health care provider if the problem does not go away or is severe.

Keep out of the reach of children. This medicine can be abused. Keep your medicine in a safe place to protect it from theft. Do not share this medicine with anyone. Selling or giving away this medicine is dangerous and against the law.

Store at room temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C (59 and 86 degrees F). Protect from light. Keep container tightly closed.

This medicine may cause harm and death if it is taken by other adults, children, or pets. Return medicine that has not been used to an official disposal site. Contact the DEA at 1-800-882-9539 or your city/county government to find a site. If you cannot return the medicine, flush it down the toilet. Do not use the medicine after the expiration date.