Lortab

Lortab is a pain reliever drug. That is used in treating several pain conditions, like back pain, Arthritis pain, moderate to severe pain, etc. People can buy Lortab online or at any pharmacy after a doctor’s consultation.

The drug is a prescription-only medicine therefore it should be consumed after getting a prescription from a certified doctor. The medicine contains active and inactive key ingredients like magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide, Stearic Acid, croscarmellose sodium, etc.

There are multiple other drugs as well, which are also effective in reducing pain in the patients. For Example, Gabapentin, Tramadol, Oxycodone including Lortab drugs.

The Function of Lortab Drug:

This medicine comprises hydrocodone and acetaminophen generic drugs as active ingredients. It belongs to the drug class of narcotic analgesic combination. Lortab works in the brain of an individual.  It changes emotions and responds to the pain. This medicine stays active in the body for up to 4 hours to provide relaxation to moderate to severe pain.

Doses:

• Lortab 10-325 mg (oral oval white tablet), Imprint: G037
• Lortab 5-325 mg (oral White oval tablet), Imprint: G035
• Lortab 7.5-325 mg (White oral oval tablet), Imprint: G036

Use of Lortab Drug:

Lortab is used to treat pain in moderate to severe individuals. This pain relief medicine works of a person’s  brain to change emotions and respond to the pain

Lortab Side Effects:

Here, are some side effects of using Lortab tablets that are mentioned below:

• Dry Mouth
• Hair Fall
• Dark urine
• Burning Sensation during urination
• Dizziness
• Light-headedness
• Loss of appetite
• Weakness in body
• Nausea
• Fever
• Hot and cold sweating
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

Precautions:

Following are the precautions of Lortab drug that patients should keep in mind while using this medicine.

• Do not stop suddenly from taking this narcotic drug.
• Avoid consuming alcohol.
•  If you are below 18 years old, do not use this medicine.
• Ignore heavy work or activity which requires consciousness.
• Do not use other medicines with this drug without informing your doctor.
• Asthma patients do not use the medication.
• Do not give this Lortab drug to other people without a prescription.
• Pregnant women must avoid taking Lortab. It can harm the unborn baby.

Important Safety Information

Lortab is a brand name for hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen — a Schedule II controlled substance combining an opioid with a non-opioid pain reliever (see our full breakdown of hydrocodone and acetaminophen as the two components). Before anything else on this page, three FDA-labeled risks apply to every strength of Lortab:

• Addiction, abuse, and misuse, which can lead to overdose and death, even when Lortab is taken exactly as prescribed.
• Life-threatening respiratory depression — slowed or stopped breathing — with risk highest when starting treatment, after a dose increase, or when combined with alcohol or other sedating medications.
• Acetaminophen-related liver damage. Acetaminophen is the second active ingredient in every Lortab tablet, and taking more than the labeled daily limit — including by accidentally combining Lortab with another acetaminophen-containing product like a cold/flu remedy — can cause severe, sometimes fatal liver injury.

A fourth risk applies specifically during pregnancy: prolonged Lortab use can cause neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, a withdrawal reaction in the newborn that can be life-threatening if not recognized and treated. Anyone who is pregnant or becomes pregnant while taking Lortab should contact their prescriber rather than stopping the medication abruptly on their own.

Is Lortab the Same as Vicodin or Norco?

This is one of the most common points of confusion, so it’s worth answering directly: yes, in terms of active ingredients. Lortab, Vicodin, and Norco are all brand names for the same combination — hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen — made by different manufacturers, sometimes at different strength ratios. None of these brands is a stronger or “better” version of the others; the active ingredients and the risks they carry are the same.

Because the ingredients are identical, switching from one brand to another (or to the generic, “hydrocodone/acetaminophen”) isn’t a meaningful change in what you’re taking — the safety information on this page applies equally to all of them. For a deeper side-by-side, see our full comparisons: Lortab vs. Vicodin, Vicodin vs. Norco, and Lortab vs. oxycodone if you’re weighing a different opioid entirely.

Who Should Not Take Lortab

Your doctor will generally avoid prescribing Lortab, or use extra caution, if you have:

• Significant breathing problems — severe asthma, slowed or shallow breathing, or a serious lung condition. The opioid component suppresses the brain’s drive to breathe, which compounds these conditions.
• A bowel obstruction or paralytic ileus — hydrocodone slows gut motility and can worsen an existing blockage.
• Active liver disease or heavy alcohol use. Because acetaminophen is metabolized by the liver, existing liver impairment or regular heavy drinking substantially raises the risk of acetaminophen-related liver injury at doses that would otherwise be considered safe.
• A known allergy to hydrocodone, acetaminophen, or any inactive ingredient in the tablet.
• Current or recent MAOI use — taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor within the past 14 days is generally treated as a contraindication.

This is a general list, not a substitute for a full medical history review — always give your prescriber a complete rundown of your conditions and current medications, and never take Lortab from a shared or leftover prescription, since a contraindication that applies to you may not apply to whoever it was originally prescribed for.

Side Effects: What’s Common vs. What Needs Emergency Care

Most commonly reported (typically mild and may ease as your body adjusts): constipation, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, and mild itching. We’ve written full breakdowns of several of these individually, with guidance on managing each: constipation*, nausea*, dry mouth*, and itching*.

Less common, worth mentioning to your prescriber if they persist: mood changes including anxiety or low mood, disrupted sleep, sweating, and appetite or weight changes. See our articles on hydrocodone and anxiety*, hydrocodone and depression*, and hydrocodone and insomnia* for more detail on each. In the meantime, our general guide on what helps with constipation is live today if that’s the side effect you’re dealing with right now.

Seek emergency medical care immediately if you experience:

• Slow, shallow, or stopped breathing; extreme drowsiness or difficulty waking up
• Signs of an allergic reaction — swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat; hives; difficulty breathing
• Signs of liver injury — yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, unusual fatigue, or pain in the upper right abdomen
• Confusion, severe dizziness, or fainting
• A seizure

This list is a summary, not a complete accounting of every possible reaction — read the full prescribing information that comes with your prescription and report any new or worsening symptom to your prescriber or pharmacist.

*Asterisked links point to articles already drafted in this project (the hydrocodone side-effects series) but not yet published on your site — confirm they’re live before publishing this page.

Drug Interactions

The FDA carries a specific boxed warning about combining opioids like Lortab with benzodiazepines (such as Xanax, Ativan, or Valium) or other central nervous system depressants, including alcohol, sleep medications, and muscle relaxants — the combination can cause profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death.

Beyond that headline interaction, be cautious combining Lortab with:

• Tramadol. This comes up often enough as its own search question that we’ve answered it directly: can you take tramadol with Lortab? — both affect the central nervous system and combining opioids should always go through your prescriber first.
• Other acetaminophen-containing products. This is the interaction people miss most often with a combination drug like Lortab — many OTC cold, flu, and pain products (and other prescription combination painkillers) also contain acetaminophen, and doubling up can push you over the daily liver-safe limit without realizing it.
• MAOIs, both current use and within the prior 14 days.
• Serotonergic medications (certain antidepressants, migraine medications), which combined with hydrocodone can, in rare cases, contribute to serotonin syndrome.
• Anticholinergic medications, which can compound side effects like dry mouth and constipation.

Give your pharmacist a full list of everything you take, including OTC products and supplements — they’re often better positioned than a product label to catch an acetaminophen overlap you wouldn’t think to flag.

Tolerance, Dependence & Withdrawal

These three terms get used interchangeably but mean different things. Tolerance is your body needing more of the drug over time to get the same pain relief — a normal pharmacological adaptation, not a sign of a problem, and one reason your dose is periodically reviewed rather than self-adjusted. Physical dependence means your body has adjusted to Lortab being present and will react if it’s removed suddenly; this can happen with entirely appropriate, as-prescribed use and is distinct from addiction, which involves compulsive use despite harm. Lortab is, in the FDA’s own labeling language, habit-forming.

Withdrawal happens if Lortab is stopped abruptly or reduced too quickly after regular use. Commonly reported symptoms include restlessness, watery eyes, runny nose, sweating, muscle aches, irritability, trouble sleeping, nausea, and a faster heart rate. Never stop Lortab on your own after taking it regularly, even if you feel ready — your prescriber can taper the dose down gradually, which substantially reduces or prevents withdrawal. For a broader look at dependency risk, see our hydrocodone addiction guide.

Missed a Dose?

Take it as soon as you remember. If it’s close to your next scheduled dose, skip the missed one and resume your normal schedule — never take two doses together to “catch up,” since Lortab’s acetaminophen component has its own daily ceiling that doubling up can push past. If you’re missing doses often enough that it’s becoming a pattern, that’s worth flagging to your prescriber rather than solving with reminders alone; it may mean your dosing schedule needs adjusting. For a fuller walkthrough, see missed a dose of hydrocodone*.

Special Populations

Pregnancy. Regular use during pregnancy can cause neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome in the newborn. Contact your doctor immediately if you become pregnant, or think you might be, rather than stopping on your own.

Breastfeeding. Hydrocodone passes into breast milk. If breastfeeding can’t be avoided, watch the infant closely for excessive sleepiness, feeding difficulty, limpness, or breathing trouble, and seek emergency care if any appear.

Older adults. Age-related declines in liver, kidney, heart, and lung function make older adults more sensitive to both the opioid and the acetaminophen component, raising the risk of side effects at standard doses. See our full guide on hydrocodone use in older adults* for dosing and caregiver guidance.

Kidney or liver impairment. Both hydrocodone and acetaminophen are processed by the liver, and hydrocodone is cleared through the kidneys. Impairment in either organ can cause the drug to build up, and liver impairment specifically raises acetaminophen toxicity risk at doses that would otherwise be considered safe — anyone with significant kidney or liver disease should be on a reduced dose with closer monitoring.

How to Tell If Your Pills Are Genuine

Lortab tablets are typically imprinted with codes like G035, G036, or G037 depending on strength — these imprints, along with the tablet’s shape and color, are how pharmacists and patients verify a legitimate pill. This matters more than it used to: the DEA has warned that counterfeit prescription pills, including fake hydrocodone/acetaminophen tablets, are circulating that are made to closely resemble the real thing but may contain fentanyl or other unlisted substances instead, at unpredictable and potentially lethal doses.

Only take Lortab dispensed directly by a licensed pharmacy from your own prescription. If a pill doesn’t match the expected imprint, color, or shape for your prescribed strength, or if you obtained it from any source other than a licensed pharmacy, don’t take it — check with your pharmacist, and consider a fentanyl test strip as an added precaution if there’s any doubt about a pill’s origin. Counterfeit pills cannot be reliably identified by appearance alone.

Storage & Disposal

Storage: Keep Lortab in its original container, out of sight and reach of children, guests, and pets, ideally in a locked cabinet or lockbox. Because acetaminophen overdose is a real risk even for people it isn’t prescribed to, secure storage matters for this medication specifically, not just because it’s an opioid.

Disposal: Hydrocodone/acetaminophen combination tablets are on the FDA’s flush list — if a drug take-back location or mail-back envelope isn’t immediately available, the FDA specifically recommends flushing unused Lortab rather than leaving it in the home, since the accidental-ingestion and misuse risk outweighs the environmental concern for this drug. A take-back option is still the preferred first choice whenever one is accessible. Never keep leftover Lortab “just in case” once your treatment course ends. For the full walkthrough, see safe disposal of unused hydrocodone*.

FAQs

Is Lortab still available, or has it been discontinued?

Availability varies by manufacturer, pharmacy, and region, and has fluctuated in recent years. The medication itself — hydrocodone/acetaminophen — remains widely available under other brand names (Norco, Vicodin) and as a generic even during periods when the Lortab-branded product specifically is harder to find at a given pharmacy. If you have a prescription written for Lortab specifically and your pharmacy is out of stock, ask your pharmacist about the generic or an equivalent brand — it’s the same medication.

How long does Lortab stay in your system?

This depends on what’s being tested; we’ve covered detection windows in detail in how long does Lortab stay in your urine? Generally, hydrocodone clears from urine within a few days of last use, though individual factors like dose, frequency of use, metabolism, and kidney/liver function all shift that window.

How long does it take for Lortab to start working, and how long does it last?

Hydrocodone in immediate-release combination products like Lortab typically begins working within 20 to 30 minutes, with peak effect around 1 to 1.5 hours, and pain relief generally lasting about 4 to 6 hours per dose. For the hydrocodone-specific version of this question, see how long does it take for hydrocodone to kick in?

Can I drink alcohol while taking Lortab?

No. Alcohol and Lortab are both central nervous system depressants, and combining them raises the risk of severe drowsiness, dangerously slowed or stopped breathing, and death — on top of alcohol’s own strain on the liver, which compounds the acetaminophen risk in Lortab specifically.

Can I take Tylenol along with Lortab?

Generally no, not without checking with your pharmacist first — Lortab already contains acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol), and adding more separately is one of the easiest ways to unintentionally exceed the daily acetaminophen limit and risk liver injury.

What’s the difference between the 5/325, 7.5/325, and 10/325 strengths?

The first number is the hydrocodone dose in milligrams; the second is the acetaminophen dose, which is held at 325mg across all three — Lortab 5/325, Lortab 7.5/325, and Lortab 10/325 — per the FDA’s limit on acetaminophen content in combination prescription products. Only the opioid portion changes between strengths — your prescriber selects the strength based on your pain severity and prior opioid exposure, not something to adjust on your own.

Is Lortab stronger than oxycodone?

They’re different opioids from different chemical classes, and published potency comparisons vary by source and clinical context, so we won’t print a specific milligram-for-milligram ratio here — that conversion should come from your prescriber. We’ve written a full comparison at Lortab vs. oxycodone if you’re weighing the two.

Will Lortab show up on a drug test?

Yes. Hydrocodone is detectable on standard urine, saliva, blood, and hair drug tests within typical opioid detection windows (see the detection-window question linked above). Some basic opiate immunoassay panels are calibrated for older opiates like morphine and codeine and can under-detect semi-synthetic opioids like hydrocodone unless the panel specifically screens for it — worth knowing if a result seems inconsistent with actual use.