Lortab is a brand name in the United States of a combination of the generic drugs hydrocodone and acetaminophen. Both of these medications are used to help relieve pain. Hydrocodone is a narcotic analgesic, while acetaminophen is another type of pain reliever. Drugs.com states that acetaminophen accentuates the effects of hydrocodone and increases them. Lortab is a prescription-level medication.
Withdrawal
As with all opioid analgesics, hydrocodone is addictive. Stopping the medication can send you into withdrawal, which can produce such symptoms as diarrhea or loose stools, excessive sweating, irritability, vomiting and fevers. According to Addictionca.com, a conglomerate of drug rehabilitation and addiction treatment centers, Lortab makes you feel very well, even if your circumstances do not back that up. So, stopping it can make you feel quite ill until your body readjusts to not having it.
Drowsiness and Dizziness
The most common side effect associated with Lortab use is drowsiness. The narcotic in the medication acts upon your central nervous system, making you feel euphoric. This also can lead to feeling sleepy. Lortab also can make you feel as if you are spinning, throwing you off balance. These effects should go away upon further use of the medication, so they are not considered serious.
Visual Side Effects
Another common and temporary side effect of Lortab is difficulty focusing. This blurring of your vision should not continue for long after you start taking the drug. Temporary side effects such as this tend to last a few days or a week. Tell your physician if it lasts longer, however.
Abdominal and Lung Side Effects
You may feel nauseous when you take Lortab, and you may throw up because of this feeling. The pain killer also may have the temporary effect of reducing the fluid in your stools, causing you to have problems with bowel movements. This constipation should be temporary at the beginning of treatment with Lortab. The drug also may make it difficult for you to breathe at the start of use, Drugs.com states. This, too, only requires medical aid if it persists after a few days to a week.
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