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Hydrocodone vs Vicodin For Pain Relief: Key Differences, Uses, & Side Effects

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Hydrocodone vs Vicodin

Today, there is a wide range of options available to choose from the group of Opioids for getting relief from pain. Due to increased options, people sometimes get confused while choosing between a single opioid and the combination product available of that opioid. This is exactly the case for Hydrocodone and Vicodin, where Vicodin, being a combination product of Hydrocodone, is often mistaken for Hydrocodone itself. This mistake may appear to be tiny, but it will cost you your life. So, this blog focuses on Hydrocodone vs Vicodin to help you choose the appropriate drug for your treatment.

Distinguishing Between Hydrocodone vs Vicodin: Formulations, Dosage, & Potency

Overview Of Hydrocodone

The Opioid Hydrocodone is used by individuals suffering from severe pain who require Opioids to heal. In some cases, the combination of Hydrocodone is used by individuals to treat cough. Being an Opioid, the Hydrocodone acts on the central nervous system and binds to the opioid receptor to alter the pain signals. Hydrocodone is highly addictive and increases the rate of dependency even in individuals who take the drug as part of their prescription. This property is the reason why Hydrocodone is kept under the category of a Schedule II drug and must be used very carefully.

Various underlying conditions make an individual ineligible for Hydrocodone. Tell the doctor if you already have any health conditions so that they can treat you accordingly. The conditions are

  • Brain tumor
  • Alcohol addict
  • Head injury
  • Heart disease
  • Kidney disease
  • Liver disease
  • Seizures
  • Pregnant
  • Breastfeeding
  • Stomach problems

Overview Of Vicodin

Patients use Vicodin, an opioid analgesic, to treat pain that ranges from moderate to severe. This drug is a combination of Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen. The presence of Hydrocodone increases the potency of the drug and hence is placed under the category of Schedule III drugs. Vicodin is often misused by individuals as a source of entertainment, which results in increased addiction and dependency. The high potency of the drug makes it unsuitable to be use by every individual. People who cannot use the drugs are:

  • Liver disease
  • Breathing disorder
  • Kidney disease
  • Urinary problems
  • Thyroid
  • Gallbladder problem
  • Brain tumors
  • Substance use disorder

Onset Of Action and Half-Life

The onset of Hydrocodone, or the time taken to begin the effect of the drug in the body, is 10 to 20 minutes after the last intake. The maximum effects can be noticed in the body at around one hour. Hydrocodone takes around 3.8 hours to be reduced to half of its total amount. Since Hydrocodone is the major product in Vicodin, the onset of action and half-life of Vicodin are similar to those of Hydrocodone.

Is Hydrocodone And Vicodin The Same Thing?

Hydrocodone and Vicodin are two different categories of drugs, even if they appear to be quite similar to each other. Hydrocodone is an opioid drug, and Vicodin is one of the brand names of Hydrocodone, which is also one of the ingredients present in it. You should be very careful while choosing between the drugs and must not confuse yourself. Due to the difference in their potencies, if you take the wrong one, then you may face various health difficulties.

What Is The Difference Between Hydrocodone and Vicodin?

So, if Hydrocodone and Vicodin are not the same drugs, then there must be several factors that separate them from each other. We will discuss all those factors so that we won’t get confused while choosing the exact one for our condition.

Formulations Of Hydrocodone vs Vicodin

Hydrocodone and Vicodin are available in the market for use in various forms. All the forms may also come in different strengths.

Hydrocodone

  • Hydrocodone is available for use in a variety of oral forms such as tablets, capsules, and solutions.
  • The 12-hour extended-release version of Hydrocodone capsule is available in the strengths of 10mg,15mg, 20mg, 30mg, 40mg, and 50 mg. Similarly, the 24-hour version is available in 20mg, 30mg, 40mg, 60mg, 80mg, 100mg, and 120 mg strengths.

Vicodin

  • The drug Vicodin is available in the market in the form of tablets and oral solutions.
  • The available strengths of this drug are in the combination of 2.5 mg/325 mg, 5 mg / 325 mg, 7.5 mg / 325 mg, and 10 mg / 325 mg.

Dosage Of Hydrocodone vs Vicodin

Similar to all other drugs, the initial doses of Hydrocodone and Vicodin must always be less to help the body adjust. Later, the drugs are given based on the conditions of the patients.

Hydrocodone Doses

  • The initial adult dose for the tablet is 1 or 2 tablets every 4 to 6 hours as needed.
  • For the solution, the initial dose is 1 tablespoon every 4 to 6 hours.

Vicodin Doses

  • The doses of tablet, syrup, and solution are taken every 4 to 6 hours as needed.

Potency

Since both drugs are quite similar to each other, you might wonder which is stronger, Vicodin or Hydrocodone? Comparing both these drugs by their strength is not valid since Vicodin is a combination product of Hydrocodone. But, hypothetically speaking, if the two drugs were supposed to be compared based on their strength, then Hydrocodone would be more potent than Vicodin. This is because Vicodin contains some portion of Hydrocodone, which would obviously have less strength as compared to the whole Hydrocodone.

Can You Mix Hydrocodone and Vicodin?

Mixing Hydrocodone and Vicodin must be strictly avoided to help the body from the harmful side effects. The after-effects of overdosing on Hydrocodone can be deadly, and most individuals won’t be able to tolerate it. As discussed above that Hydrocodone comes under the category of a Schedule II drug, which is an indication that it is highly vulnerable to addiction. Excessive overdosing on Hydrocodone also poses the risk of coma, as well as hindering daily life activities.

Side Effects of Hydrocodone and Vicodin

Individuals taking Hydrocodone, as well as any combination products of it, such as Vicodin, are bound to experience several side effects. These effects can be mild as well as severe.

The effects are:

  • stomach pain
  • headache
  • drowsiness
  • lightheadedness
  • fuzzy thinking
  • anxiety
  • abnormally happy or abnormally sad mood
  • dry mouth
  • chest pain
  • fast heartbeat
  • Rashes
  • Hallucinations
  • Slowed breathing
  • irregular menstruation

Conclusion

Thus, we can conclude that Hydrocodone and Vicodin are not the same and are apart from each other, so it’s better to be cautious before choosing them. Make sure to follow the doctor’s advice strictly and stick to the doses. Ask your doctor to adjust the doses if you feel uncomfortable with your current one. Since there is no chance that the doctor would recommend this combination, if you are planning to take this on your own for some other purposes, you’d better drop the plan. Make yourself aware of all the properties of drugs to stop making any mistake of choosing the wrong one.

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