The brand-name medication Lortab combines the generic narcotic drug hydrocodone bitartrate with the non-narcotic analgesic acetaminophen. Doctors prescribe it to help relieve pain that ranges from moderate to severe, the Mayo Clinic reports. Both medicines in Lortab fight pain, and the combination fights it faster than either drug when taken on its own. Narcotics can cause addiction when used for a long time. Lortab tablets come in several dosages, including 7.5 milligrams.
Liver Damage
Acetaminophen, whether taken as Lortab or by itself, can induce damage to the liver if the user ingests too much of it, the Mayo Clinic reports. The liver helps with the digestion of food and eliminates toxins from the blood. When damage occurs, the liver cannot fulfill its normal function, resulting in a variety of problems for the person. Liver damage may be recognized most readily by a yellowing of the skin and eyes called jaundice.
Drowsiness
Drowsiness may occur with Lortab 7.5 mg because of the narcotic hydrocodone bitartrate it contains. This side effect occurs because narcotics function in the central nervous system to deaden pain. This produces reduced alertness and may make it difficult for the person using the medication to stay awake. This side effect may happen even if the person has rested and slept. The Mayo Clinic reports this as a non-serious, common side effect of Lortab 7.5 mg that will end as the person's body becomes acclimated to its use.
Blurry Vision
Lortab 7.5 mg, like other narcotic-containing medications, lessens the acuity of the person's nervous system and decreases muscle control. This may result in the non-serious, common side effect of vision blurring, or the inability to focus normally. Drugs.com states this side effect will be temporary in most people, continuing for a short time, such as two or three days, following the first use of the drug.
Breathing Difficulties
Narcotics also cause problems with the person's respiratory system they cause both voluntary and involuntary muscles to relax. The person's lungs may not move at their normal rate of expansion and contraction, causing problems with breathing, such as shortness of breath. Most often, this side effect is temporary and mild, but Drugs.com recommends consulting a physician if it continues or becomes severe.
Nausea and Vomiting
The imbalance of the body systems caused by the introduction of any new medication may induce difficulties in the person's digestive system. These most often manifest as stomach upset, such as nausea and the accompanying vomiting. It may also manifest as constipation with the addition of cramps in the abdomen.
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