Medical Question

[Odon]

I've got a question about this. I'm apperently allergic to Codeine all tho I can't ever recall taking it, my mother has always sworn I am. I'm sitting on the phone with my Pharmacy trying to get through and these fuckers won't pick up. Anyone know if

Apap/hydrocodone Bitartrate Vicoden, is safe to take?

Strength(s)

500 MG-7.5 MG

Imprint

M 358

Or know of another place I can call and find out?

Thanks.

[Devek]

They are 100% safe so go ahead and take them.

I am absolutely not qualified to answer that and I really don't know. I just wanna see what happens.

[Exoduso]

mmmmmm Vicodin.








What? >.>

[Swampthing]

I searched webMD and I found this, it may be helpful.

WebMD, speaking about Vicodin in general:

Before taking this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other narcotics (e.g. morphine, codeine)

They specifically mention codeine, so it may not be safe.

[MF Perm]

I searched webMD and I found this, it may be helpful.

WebMD, speaking about Vicodin in general:

Before taking this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other narcotics (e.g. morphine, codeine)

They specifically mention codeine, so it may not be safe.

Codeine is an ingredient in Vicoden.

edit: maybe not ingredient but the chemical properties are very similair. I believe codeine is the generic chemical relative of what's used in vicodin. Something along those lines. My friend is a bio-chemist for some pharm company let me double-check with him.

[Swampthing]

I searched webMD and I found this, it may be helpful.

WebMD, speaking about Vicodin in general:

Before taking this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other narcotics (e.g. morphine, codeine)

They specifically mention codeine, so it may not be safe.

Codeine is an ingredient in Vicoden.

Thus, if he is allergic to Vicodin, then...? He shouldn't take the Vicodin :D

[Odon]

Yeah, that Web MD thing was why I was asking, I saw that and got a little worried. I was under the impression that Vicodin/Hydrocodone was a synthetic and not actually codeine.. It would be really fuckin easy to just ask the pharmacy, but they STILL are not picking up..

[Swampthing]

I hate that ><

Have you tried calling different pharmacies? Or your doctor actually? My mom is the office manager of a family practice, I could shoot her an email and have her ask the doctor specifically for you?

[Devek]

How will you know for CERTAIN that you are allergic to anything at all unless you try it for yourself?

Has your mom always told you the truth? What ever happened to Santa Clause anyway?

[Odon]

How will you know for CERTAIN that you are allergic to anything at all unless you try it for yourself?

Has your mom always told you the truth? What ever happened to Santa Clause anyway?

Exactly.

[RuBP]

http://sg.answers.yahoo.com/question/in ... 257AABzOTQ

[DarktaruFM]

How will you know for CERTAIN that you are allergic to anything at all unless you try it for yourself?

Has your mom always told you the truth? What ever happened to Santa Clause anyway?

Exactly.

if you want to enter into an allergic shock and possibly die, you follow that advice. You shouldnt mess with allergic drugs if youre not sure. If you really want to know, theres tests specifically made to know what youre allergic to, i suggest you do one of those first before trying vicodin if someone said youre allergic to it.

[Galen]

It would be very helpful to ask your mom what this "allergy" consisted of. If the allergy was an upset stomach, this is not considered a true drug allergy. If you went into anaphylaxis (stopped breathing, throat closed up, etc.), this is considered a drug allergy and needs to be taken seriously.
Did you tell your Dr. that you had a possible allergy to codeine before he/she prescribed this?


Taken from a reputable medical source called Lexi-Comp:

Contraindications Hypersensitivity to hydrocodone, acetaminophen, or any component of the formulation; CNS depression; severe respiratory depression

Warnings/Precautions Use with caution in patients with hypersensitivity reactions to other phenanthrene derivative opioid agonists (morphine, hydromorphone, levorphanol, oxycodone, oxymorphone); tolerance or drug dependence may result from extended use.


To be on the safe side, definitely call your mom, doctor, and pharmacist. If you decide that you are going to take this medication, be aware of potentially lethal reactions. If you have trouble breathing, call 911. I don't know what you're taking this for, but you might be able to get by without an opioid, such as taking a high dose (but no greater than 4 grams/day) of an acetaminophen product, or a naproxen product (but no greater than 1500 mg/day).

~Future PharmD

[Allundaria]

Err you should probably check with a certified pharmacist or physician before proceeding, and not just going by what we say here on the forums. Medical allergies are often too complicated to predict with a simple "X is derived from Y" equation.

For example my friend is highly allergic to amoxycillin, which is an antibiotic derivative of penicillin. He seems to be ok with penicillin though, as well as some of the other funkier types prescribed in lieu of amoxycillin like erythromycin.

[Devek]

How will you know for CERTAIN that you are allergic to anything at all unless you try it for yourself?

Has your mom always told you the truth? What ever happened to Santa Clause anyway?

Exactly.

if you want to enter into an allergic shock and possibly die, you follow that advice. You shouldnt mess with allergic drugs if youre not sure. If you really want to know, theres tests specifically made to know what youre allergic to, i suggest you do one of those first before trying vicodin if someone said youre allergic to it.

Lol, you need to stop being a robot and repeating everything you hear on Fox News like some sort of parrot.

Seriously.. why would a doctor prescribe something that is dangerous and could kill someone? Doctors are here to help people.

I am tired of ambulance chasing lawyers second guessing our good doctors and raising our insurance premiums.

hehehe, sorry

[Artful Dodger]

How will you know for CERTAIN that you are allergic to anything at all unless you try it for yourself?

Has your mom always told you the truth? What ever happened to Santa Clause anyway?

Exactly.

if you want to enter into an allergic shock and possibly die, you follow that advice. You shouldnt mess with allergic drugs if youre not sure. If you really want to know, theres tests specifically made to know what youre allergic to, i suggest you do one of those first before trying vicodin if someone said youre allergic to it.

Lol, you need to stop being a robot and repeating everything you hear on Fox News like some sort of parrot.

Seriously.. why would a doctor prescribe something that is dangerous and could kill someone? Doctors are here to help people.

I am tired of ambulance chasing lawyers second guessing our good doctors and raising our insurance premiums.

hehehe, sorry

because not all patients are allergic to every thing down the board.
some people who are allergic to ibuprofen are also allergic to things like naproxen or meloxicam. people who are allergic to penicillin, have a 10% chance of being allergic to cephalosporins as well, and some arent. The same holds for pain medicine.

I would ask if the OP got the prescription filled yet, and if not, make certain that you tell the pharmacy that you are allergic. Chances are that you may experience some allergic reaction, especially if you are white(10-20% of whites are allergic to opiate analgesics).

Just talk to your doctor and see if he may want to switch pain medications, especially if when you took codeine you had a violent allergic reaction. It also depends why you are taking this medicine, you may want to try a different approach, or see if you can take something like tramadol, and im not sure, but i think propoxyphene is in a different chemical class and may be ok to take also(vs morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone), but im not sure on that one.

[Lasitha]

I assume you want to take this medication for pain issues? If such have you considered the possibility of not taking an Opiate based narcotic and switching to a Non-opium derived painkiller? Like Ketorolaco Trometamine. I don't know what it's commercial name in English is. Perhaps Mavidol or something along those lines. Or Paracetamol works too, like Tylex. These are (from personal experience) lesser in potency. But if the pain you're feeling is not too intense these will do and you won't have to worry about allergic reactions. Unless of course you are allergic to these as well.


EDIT:

I suggest not risking it, painkillers are known to have reactions from anywhere as a simple headache all the way to Anaphylaxis. Just play it safe, I don't think anyone here is qualified to give you a correct assessment. Ask your Pharmacy or Doctor.