Lortab vs Percocet: strength, uses, and side effects

Lortab vs Percocet at a glance

If you only read one section on Lortab vs Percocet, make it this table. It lines up the facts that matter most when you compare the two medicines.

Feature	Lortab	Percocet
Opioid ingredient	Hydrocodone bitartrate	Oxycodone hydrochloride
Non-opioid ingredient	Acetaminophen 325 mg per tablet	Acetaminophen 325 mg per tablet
Tablet strengths (opioid/acetaminophen)	5/325, 7.5/325, 10/325	2.5/325, 5/325, 7.5/325, 10/325
CDC conversion factor (MME)	1	1.5
Federal schedule	Schedule II (since October 2014)	Schedule II
Refills	None; new prescription each time	None; new prescription each time
Main liver enzymes	CYP3A4 and CYP2D6	Mainly CYP3A4
Brand status	Brand discontinued in the U.S.; generics common	Mostly dispensed as generic oxycodone/acetaminophen

One quick note on the brand names. According to Drugs.com, the Lortab brand has been discontinued in the United States. People still say “Lortab,” though, and pharmacies dispense generic hydrocodone with acetaminophen (and brands like Norco) in the same strengths. Percocet is also usually filled as a generic. Your label will most likely list the chemical names, not the brand.

Is Percocet stronger than Lortab? The strength deep-dive

Yes, on a milligram basis. But “stronger” can be misleading, so it helps to see how doctors measure it.

How morphine milligram equivalents work

Different opioids have different potency. To compare them on one scale, clinicians use morphine milligram equivalents, or MME. Each opioid gets a conversion factor that estimates how much morphine would produce a similar effect.

The CDC 2022 Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain lists hydrocodone at a factor of 1 and oxycodone at 1.5. In plain terms, 10 mg of oxycodone counts as about 15 MME, while 10 mg of hydrocodone counts as about 10 MME.

A worked example: Percocet 10/325 vs Lortab 10/325

Let’s run the numbers on the two tablets people compare most often.

• One Lortab 10/325: 10 mg hydrocodone × 1 = about 10 MME.
• One Percocet 10/325: 10 mg oxycodone × 1.5 = about 15 MME.
• One Percocet 5/325: 5 mg oxycodone × 1.5 = about 7.5 MME, which is close to one Lortab 7.5/325.

So the same “10” on the label does not mean the same strength. The acetaminophen half of the tablet is identical in both, at 325 mg. Only the opioid half differs.

Why the math is only a starting point

MME numbers are population averages. They are useful for spotting risky total doses, but they cannot predict how your own body will respond. Genes, liver function, age, other medicines, and past opioid use all shift the picture.

Some people get excellent relief from hydrocodone and feel foggy on oxycodone. Others find the reverse. The CDC itself cautions that these conversion factors are estimates and should not be used as a simple recipe to switch someone from one opioid to another. We will come back to that in the switching section.

Strengths and daily label limits side by side

In any Lortab vs Percocet comparison, the daily caps deserve attention. Both medicines come with a maximum number of tablets per day in the prescribing information. Those caps exist for two reasons: to limit opioid exposure and to keep total acetaminophen under the adult ceiling of 4,000 mg per day from all sources.

The table below uses the label figures. Your own prescription may set a lower limit, and some generic labels list different caps. Always follow your bottle and your prescriber.

Tablet	Usual label dosing	Label max tablets/day	Acetaminophen at max
Lortab 5/325	1 to 2 tablets every 4 to 6 hours as needed	12	3,900 mg
Lortab 7.5/325	1 tablet every 4 to 6 hours as needed	6	1,950 mg
Lortab 10/325	1 tablet every 4 to 6 hours as needed	6	1,950 mg
Percocet 2.5/325	1 to 2 tablets every 6 hours as needed	12	3,900 mg
Percocet 5/325	1 tablet every 6 hours as needed	12	3,900 mg
Percocet 7.5/325	1 tablet every 6 hours as needed	8	2,600 mg
Percocet 10/325	1 tablet every 6 hours as needed	6	1,950 mg

Notice the dosing rhythm. Lortab labels allow a dose every 4 to 6 hours, while Percocet labels usually say every 6 hours. That does not mean oxycodone lasts much longer in practice. It simply reflects how each label was written. Your prescriber will tell you the interval that fits your situation.

If you want a closer look at each hydrocodone tablet, our guide to Lortab strengths breaks down every option and the acetaminophen math behind it.

Why both stop at 325 mg of acetaminophen

Older Lortab tablets once held 500 mg of acetaminophen. In 2011 the FDA asked drugmakers to cap prescription combination products at 325 mg per tablet, and in 2014 it asked prescribers and pharmacists to stop using higher amounts. The agency found no clear benefit from the extra acetaminophen that outweighed the added liver risk. That is why Lortab and Percocet now share the same 325 mg number.

Lortab or Percocet for pain: who gets which, and why

Both medicines are meant for pain severe enough to need an opioid when other options have not worked well enough or are not suitable. They are not first-line choices for headaches, back strain, or everyday aches. Within that narrow lane, here is what often guides the choice.

The type and expected length of pain

For short bursts of acute pain, such as after a dental extraction, a fracture, or minor surgery, many prescribers start with the lower-potency option. Hydrocodone fits that role often. After bigger operations, like joint replacement or abdominal surgery, a surgeon may choose oxycodone for its higher potency per tablet. Neither rule is fixed.

How you responded before

Your history matters a lot. If hydrocodone gave you good relief with mild side effects last time, a clinician may reach for it again. If it caused heavy nausea or did little for your pain, they may try oxycodone instead. Tell your prescriber what worked and what did not.

Allergies and sensitivities

True allergies to opioids are uncommon. Many reactions people call allergies, like itching or an upset stomach, are side effects. Still, if you had a real allergic reaction to one drug, your prescriber will weigh that carefully before choosing the other.

Insurance, cost, and prescriber habit

Practical factors shape the decision too. Some health plans prefer one generic over the other. Some hospitals use standard order sets after certain surgeries. And some clinicians simply have more experience with one drug. None of these mean one medicine is better for you.

For broader comparisons that include other brands, see Vicodin vs Percocet and our sibling article on Lortab vs Norco.

Lortab vs Percocet side effects compared

When people compare Lortab vs Percocet, side effects are often the first worry. Because both drugs act on the same mu-opioid receptors and both carry acetaminophen, their side effect lists overlap almost completely. The differences people describe are mostly personal and anecdotal.

Side effects they share

• Constipation, which often does not fade with time
• Drowsiness and slowed thinking
• Nausea and sometimes vomiting
• Dizziness or lightheadedness, especially when standing up fast
• Itching
• Dry mouth
• Headache
• Trouble urinating

Most of these are strongest in the first few days. Constipation is the exception. It tends to stick around for as long as you take an opioid, so ask about a stool softener or laxative plan early.

Serious risks they share

Both carry the same family of boxed warnings. These include addiction and misuse, life-threatening slowed breathing, danger from accidental swallowing (especially by children), neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome with use in pregnancy, liver injury from acetaminophen, and serious risk when combined with benzodiazepines or other sedating drugs. You can read the full warning set on the hydrocodone and acetaminophen tablet label on DailyMed.

Rare but serious acetaminophen skin reactions can happen with either medicine too. Stop and get care right away if you notice a spreading rash, blisters, or peeling skin.

What people report (anecdotal differences)

You may hear that oxycodone feels “cleaner” or that hydrocodone causes more itching. These are personal impressions, not findings from strong head-to-head research. At equal pain-relieving doses, the two drugs behave very similarly. If one tablet seems to bother you more, the cause may be the dose, the timing, or simply your own biology.

For the full list of hydrocodone effects and when to call a doctor, see our guide to Lortab side effects.

Hydrocodone vs oxycodone: metabolism and interactions

Here is where the two drugs quietly part ways. Your liver breaks down each one through a slightly different route, and that changes which other medicines can cause trouble.

How your body processes hydrocodone

Hydrocodone is handled by two liver enzymes. CYP3A4 turns it into norhydrocodone. CYP2D6 turns a smaller share into hydromorphone, a more potent opioid. Hydrocodone has a half-life of about 4 hours in most adults.

Because CYP2D6 activity varies from person to person by genetics, some people convert more hydrocodone to hydromorphone than others. That is one reason the same dose can feel different between two people.

How your body processes oxycodone

Oxycodone leans mainly on CYP3A4. CYP2D6 plays a smaller role. In practice, CYP3A4 is the enzyme to watch for both drugs.

Interactions that matter for both

Drug or substance	Why it matters
CYP3A4 inhibitors (some antibiotics like clarithromycin, azole antifungals, some HIV medicines, grapefruit)	Can raise opioid levels and lead to dangerous sedation or slowed breathing
CYP3A4 inducers (such as rifampin, carbamazepine, phenytoin)	Can lower opioid levels; stopping the inducer later can cause levels to climb
Benzodiazepines and sleep medicines	Combined sedation can stop breathing
Alcohol	Adds to sedation and stresses the liver alongside acetaminophen
Gabapentin or pregabalin	Can deepen drowsiness and slow breathing
Other acetaminophen products	Easy to exceed 4,000 mg per day without realizing it
Serotonergic drugs (some antidepressants, triptans)	Rare risk of serotonin syndrome
MAO inhibitors	Should not be combined; ask your prescriber about timing

Drinking on either medicine deserves special caution. Our article on hydrocodone and alcohol explains why the mix is risky for both breathing and the liver.

Bring a full list of your medicines and supplements to every appointment. A pharmacist can scan it for interactions in a few minutes.

Misuse, dependence, and addiction risk

Both hydrocodone and oxycodone can lead to physical dependence and to opioid use disorder. That is why the DEA lists both as Schedule II drugs. Hydrocodone combination products, including Lortab, moved from Schedule III to Schedule II on October 6, 2014, according to the DEA final rule in the Federal Register. Oxycodone products were already in that category.

In practice, that means no refills. Each fill needs a new prescription. It also means pharmacies track these medicines closely.

Dependence is not the same as addiction

Physical dependence means your body has adjusted to the drug, so stopping suddenly causes withdrawal. It can happen to anyone who takes an opioid daily for a while, even exactly as prescribed. Addiction, or opioid use disorder, involves cravings, loss of control, and continued use despite harm.

Is one of these drugs “more addictive”? Some research and clinical experience suggest oxycodone may carry a somewhat higher misuse potential, likely tied to its potency. But the risk with either drug rises with higher doses, longer use, a personal or family history of substance use, and certain mental health conditions. The safest habits are the same for both:

• Take the lowest dose that controls your pain, for the shortest time needed.
• Never take extra doses for sleep, stress, or mood.
• Store tablets locked up and count them.
• Dispose of leftovers through a take-back program.
• Keep naloxone at home if you live with someone at risk.

If you have been taking either drug daily for weeks, do not stop all at once. The FDA has reported serious harm from sudden discontinuation in people who are physically dependent, including severe withdrawal, uncontrolled pain, and suicide. Read the FDA safety communication on sudden opioid discontinuation and ask your prescriber about a gradual taper.

Switching between Lortab vs Percocet: never one-for-one

This is the section that matters most if you have both medicines at home. Swapping one tablet of Percocet 10/325 for one tablet of Lortab 10/325 is not an even trade. The Percocet tablet delivers roughly 50% more opioid effect.

Why prescribers adjust down when switching

When a clinician changes someone from one opioid to another, they usually start the new drug below the calculated equivalent dose. The reason is called incomplete cross-tolerance. Your body may have adapted to the first opioid more than to the second, so a “matched” dose of the new drug can hit harder than expected.

Your prescriber will also think about your kidney and liver health, your age, other sedating medicines, and how long you have been on opioids. That is far more than a conversion table can capture.

Safe habits if your prescription changes

1. Ask your prescriber to state clearly whether the new drug replaces the old one or adds to it.
2. Do not finish an old bottle “on the side” while starting the new one.
3. Count your total acetaminophen across both, if both are ever in use.
4. Watch for extra sleepiness during the first few days on the new drug.
5. Bring leftover tablets of the old medicine to a take-back site.

Switching is also a good moment to ask whether you still need an opioid at all. For many people, pain eases enough after a few days that acetaminophen or an anti-inflammatory alone does the job, if those are safe for you.

For the bigger picture on the two opioid molecules, see oxycodone vs hydrocodone, Percocet vs hydrocodone, and Lortab vs oxycodone. If you want to understand plain oxycodone compared with the combination tablet, read Percocet vs oxycodone.

How long each one shows up

People often ask about drug screens when they switch from one of these medicines to the other. Hydrocodone and oxycodone are different molecules, and many standard opiate screens detect hydrocodone more reliably than oxycodone. Oxycodone often needs a specific test.

Both are usually detectable in urine for roughly one to three days after the last dose, though heavy or long-term use can stretch that. Tell the testing lab about any prescriptions you have. Our guide on how long Percocet stays in your system covers the details.

Questions to ask your prescriber about Lortab vs Percocet

A short conversation at the start of treatment can prevent most mix-ups. Write these down and bring them to your appointment or ask at the pharmacy counter when you pick up the bottle.

• Why did you choose this opioid for me instead of the other one?
• How many days do you expect I will need it?
• What is the most I should take in 24 hours, and how far apart should doses be?
• Which over-the-counter pain relievers can I safely use alongside it?
• Do any of my current medicines or supplements interact with it?
• What should I do with leftover tablets when my pain improves?
• Should I keep naloxone at home?

If you have used one of these medicines before, share how it went. Knowing that Lortab made you nauseated, or that Percocet left you too drowsy to work, helps your prescriber pick the better fit the second time around. The Lortab vs Percocet decision is rarely about which drug is “best.” It is about which one is best for you, at the lowest effective dose.

Lortab vs Percocet: frequently asked questions

Is Percocet stronger than Lortab?

Yes, milligram for milligram. The CDC rates oxycodone at 1.5 morphine milligram equivalents per milligram and hydrocodone at 1. So a Percocet 10/325 tablet carries about 15 MME, while a Lortab 10/325 tablet carries about 10 MME. Individual response still varies.

Is Percocet 10/325 the same as Lortab 10/325?

No. Both contain 325 mg of acetaminophen, but the “10” refers to different opioids. Percocet 10/325 has 10 mg of oxycodone, and Lortab 10/325 has 10 mg of hydrocodone. The Percocet tablet is roughly one and a half times as potent.

Can I take Lortab and Percocet together?

Not unless your prescriber has specifically told you to, which is very unusual. Combining two opioids raises the risk of dangerous sedation and slowed breathing. It also doubles up on acetaminophen, which can push you past the safe daily limit.

Which is better for pain, Lortab or Percocet?

Neither is better for everyone. Both work well for severe short-term pain when used at the right dose. Your prescriber picks based on the type of pain, your past response, other medicines, and practical factors like insurance.

Do Lortab and Percocet have the same side effects?

Mostly, yes. Both commonly cause constipation, drowsiness, nausea, dizziness, and itching, and both carry boxed warnings for slowed breathing, addiction, and liver injury from acetaminophen. Differences people describe between them are largely personal and anecdotal.

Is Lortab still available?

The Lortab brand has been discontinued in the United States, according to Drugs.com. Generic hydrocodone with acetaminophen in the same strengths is widely dispensed, along with brands like Norco. Your label will usually show the generic names.

Will my drug test show the difference between them?

It can. Hydrocodone and oxycodone are different drugs, and many basic opiate screens detect hydrocodone more readily than oxycodone, which often needs its own test. Tell the testing site about every prescription you take so results are read correctly.

How many Percocet equal one Lortab?

There is no safe tablet-for-tablet swap. On paper, 2 mg of hydrocodone is about equal to 1.33 mg of oxycodone, but real conversions are adjusted downward for safety. Only your prescriber should change which opioid you take or how much.

The takeaway on Lortab vs Percocet

Lortab and Percocet look like twins on paper, with the same 325 mg of acetaminophen and similar numbers on the label. The real difference is the opioid. Oxycodone in Percocet is about 1.5 times as potent as hydrocodone in Lortab, so a matching number does not mean a matching dose.

Both drugs share the same side effects, the same Schedule II rules, and the same serious risks. Take only what is prescribed, keep track of all acetaminophen, never swap one for the other on your own, and keep naloxone nearby if anyone at home is at risk.

This article is for education only and is not medical advice. Do not start, stop, or change any medicine without talking to your prescriber. Lortab, Percocet, and their generics are controlled substances and should be used only with a valid prescription. If you think someone is having an overdose, call 911 right away. For acetaminophen overdose questions, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. If you or someone you love is struggling with opioid use, call the free, confidential SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.

Sources

• CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain, United States, 2022
• Drugs.com: Lortab
• DailyMed: Hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen tablets, prescribing information
• DEA: Rescheduling of hydrocodone combination products to Schedule II (Federal Register, 2014)
• FDA: Harm reported from sudden discontinuation of opioid pain medicines (2019)
• SAMHSA National Helpline