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Side Effects
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:
- Any loss of hearing
- Bloody urine
- Cold, clammy skin
- Confusion (severe)
- Convulsions (seizures)
- Diarrhea (severe or continuing)
- Dizziness or light-headedness (severe)
- Drowsiness (severe)
- Excitement, nervousness, or restlessness (severe)
- Fever
- Hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there)
- Headache (severe or continuing)
- Increased sweating
- Increased thirst
- Low blood pressure
- Nausea or vomiting (severe or continuing)
- Pinpoint pupils of eyes
- Ringing or buzzing in the ears
- Shortness of breath or unusually slow or troubled breathing
- Stomach pain (severe or continuing)
- Uncontrollable flapping movements of the hands (especially in elderly patients)
- Weakness (severe)
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty nursing
- Increased sleepiness (more than usual)
- Limpness
If you are a nursing mother and you notice any of the following symptoms of overdose in your baby, get emergency help immediately:
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
Less common or rare- Bloody or black, tarry stools
- Confusion
- Dark urine
- Fast, slow, or pounding heartbeat
- Increased sweating (more common with hydrocodone)
- Irregular breathing
- Mental depression
- Pale stools
- Redness or flushing of face (more common with hydrocodone)
- Skin rash, hives, or itching
- Stomach pain (severe)
- Swelling of face
- Tightness in chest or wheezing
- Trembling or uncontrolled muscle movements
- Unusual excitement (especially in children)
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
- Vomiting of blood or material that looks like coffee grounds
- Yellow eyes or skin
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common- Dizziness, light-headedness, or feeling faint
- Drowsiness
- Heartburn or indigestion
- Nausea or vomiting
- Stomach pain (mild)
- Blurred or double vision or other changes in vision
- Constipation (more common with long-term use and with codeine)
- Difficult, painful, or decreased urination
- Dryness of mouth
- False sense of well-being
- Frequent urge to urinate
- General feeling of discomfort or illness
- Headache
- Loss of appetite
- Nervousness or restlessness
- Nightmares or unusual dreams
- Trouble in sleeping
- Unusual tiredness
- Unusual weakness
Although not all of the side effects listed above have been reported for all of these medicines, they have been reported for at least one of them. However, since all of the narcotic analgesics are very similar, any of the above side effects may occur with any of these medicines.
After you stop using this medicine, your body may need time to adjust. The length of time this takes depends on which of these medicines you were taking, the amount of medicine you were using, and how long you used it. During this period of time check with your doctor if you notice any of the following side effects:
- Body aches
- Diarrhea
- Fever, runny nose, or sneezing
- Gooseflesh
- Increased sweating
- Increased yawning
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea or vomiting
- Nervousness, restlessness, or irritability
- Shivering or trembling
- Stomach cramps
- Trouble in sleeping
- Weakness
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
