Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Difference btw hydrocodone and oxycodone?

What is the exact difference between hydrocodone/Vicodin/ loratab and oxycodone/ Percocet? I know Percocet is supposed to be lil stronger but what is the real difference? Does one work better on other pains? What's the difference btw hydro and oxy? Thanks!!
33 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
vicodin, lortab, lorcet - all contain the narcotic HYDROCODONE while percocet contains the narcotic OXYCODONE.  They have different chemical make-ups.  All of the hydrocodone meds I listed also contain acetaminophen (tylenol).  As far as I'm aware, they do not make a hydrocodone pill that does NOT contain acetaminophen.

Percocet also contains acetaminophen, however, you can get oxycodone alone wthout the acetaminophen in it.  Oxycodone can also be obtained in a long-acting formula called Oxycontin.

Since everyone is different and their pain is also different, it's impossible for anyone to say whether one is better than the other.  I'd suggest talking with your doctor about pain control if you require it and let him/her suggest/prescribe what he/she thinks is most appropriate for you.

Best of luck!
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
This is 2016. But I have
been taking oxycodone for four years, and there is no acetaminophen added.
1331804 tn?1336867358
Geminigirl explained the differences between Percocet and Vicodin very clearly.  I would just add that based on pharmacology, hydrocodone (contained in vicodin, lortab, norco) is about 0.6 times the strength of morphine (i.e., 10 mg of morphine equals 16 mg of hydrocodone).  Oxycodone (contained in percocet, roxicodone, oxycontin) is about 2 times the strength of morphine (i.e., 10 mg of morphine equals 5 mg of oxycodone).  Therefore, 5 mg of oxycodone is about 16 mg of hydrocodone so oxycodone is about 3 times stronger than hydrocodone.  However, geminigirl is right in that everyone is different.  I have read that some say hydrocodone works better for their pain than percocet and viceversa.  For me, percocet works a lot better for my pain.

Hydrocodone does not come without acetaminophen...yet.  There is a drug in development called, Zohydro that would be a long-acting form of hydrocodone without acetaminophen.  Clinical trials are underway but the drug won't be on the consumer market until probably early 2014.

femmy
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank Femmy! That's basically the answer I wanted! I knew all the other info that Geminigirl said but I just wanted to know the pharmaceutical info detail. Like why is oxy stronger and what makes it oxy and what makes it hydro... I know their synthetic derivatives of codeine. I've taken both. Oxy is a lil stronger but makes me itch more and makes me agitated. Thanks both of y'all!;)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I acctually did hear about the new Vicodin coming out with just hydro in it! It's about freaking time!!! Lol
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm still not sure of the exact difference in the oxy and hydro. Years ago when I started to PM my PC was giving me the hydro, and because I was not getting the best relief on the hydro, they started me off on Percocet and I understood that it was stronger, They had to take it out of a locked box at the pharmacy and all that, so I thought I would finally get some relief, but low and behold, it barely did anything, and caused me to itch, so they changed me back to hydro. I am 10 yrs later and still using the Norco 10/325 and it does still work amazingly pretty good, but my now pain mgnt doctor gives me 5 mg oxydodone twice a day in addition to the Norco for more relief. I didn't realize it at the time but that is Percocet which I took yrs ago, and I noticed when I got this that it didn't seem to help much at all. But my real question here is why does it make me itch? The hydrocodone does not. I didn't notice it last month that much, but this month it has been bad on the itching.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I itch with all narcotics. They cause a histamine release so usually taking Benadryl will help if it isn't a severe itch I can't have morphine because I literally rub my face and arms raw and Benadryl does nothing.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hydrocodone can be found without acetaminophen. There is a combination of hydrocodone and ibuprofen which is called vicoprofen. Just an FYI.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I can't take any anti-inflammatory meds, boy, you talk about a stomach ache!
And,I'm sorry that I can't, because with this arthritis it would help. I am still struggling with this oxycodone thing just not seeming to do anything for my pain. Everybody keeps saying how much stronger it is but I can honestly say I can't tell that it does anything for me. I get 5 mgs twice a day, and even taking them together, nothing. I am to see my pain doctor Monday and I am going to plead with him to just give me back an extra hydrocodone like I use to be on. I know they fear for the   acetaminophen affects on the liver, but it is pretty much a waste of money. Does anyone have any idea why it just doesn't work?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
One thing I have not see anyone say about the differences in hydrocodone and oxycodone is that hydrocodone is schedule III while oxycodone is a scheduled II...... I am a nurse who also suffers chronic pain due to 3 spinal surgeries & I am a chronic pain sufferer activist, and the reason many doctors will write hydrocodone and not oxycodone is due that difference in scheduling, unfortunately the DEA frowns upon doctors who write for pain meds as the war on rugs I actually a war on he pain patient an the doctors who treat them
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
If I understand what you are saying dmoe32 I agree with you.  I too am in chronic pain because of a twisted spine caused by polio.  I've tried everything and the only thing that helps at all is narcotic pain meds.  With the government involvement it is getting harder and harder to get the meds I need to function.  I wish there was some way to convince the powers that be that at my age it doesn't really matter if I am dependent on meds as long as I can still function.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
I am taking Hydrocodon-acetami 10-325. I take one at 3:30 am, another at 7;00 am another at i;00 pm and the last at 7;00 pm. That does not relive the pain. If I go into store to shop after about walking about 100 feet my left side of my back starts hurting. If I contemned to walk the pain goes all cross my entire back then the left hip in center starts hurting and very soon my right hip starts hurting. If I centennially walking the  calves on both legs starts hurting, then I have stop for about 10 mins holding on a basket. Then I can start walking again for a short way then it all begins all over again. The only releaf I can get is setting on a heating pad. In fact the doctor has told me I've used a heating pad so much I have cook my back. But what else can I do for the easement of pain. It's sure not much of a life living this way.
Avatar universal
  Itching is common for ppl on opiates. Its often due to an allergy to something in the medication. It could be to the hydro itself or to one of the inactive ingredients in the pill. Only by experimenting with different meds can you narrow it down to exactly what U R allergic to.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I agree.  At my age and health, what is the problem with being addicted?  I have arithiritic, which grows spurs and have permanent back problems.  I need 2 knee replacements.  I can't funtion without pain medicine and I am almost 70. Just let me be comfortable for what time I have left!!!!!  I have degenerative disc and bone disease, am diabetic, have migraines, I can hardly walk because of severe knee pain.  Daddysgirl600
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Here is an article about the subject
http://ethehealthadvisor.com/oxycodone-vs-hydrocodone/

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
You know daddysgirl600 and savak, who cares if you're dependent on a medication prescribed by your doctor whether it's a narcotic or not, whether you take it and it makes you feel sleepy, or calm or even loopy. It doesn't necessarily mean you're addicted even medically speaking. Hear is the medical definition of addiction.

Habitual psychological and physiological dependence on a substance or practice beyond one's voluntary control.

I take solace in those last words in the definition. I am prescribed Norco 10mg/325. I have been taking hydrocodone for eight years regularly and much longer than that if I had an occasional severe pain situation. I didn't want to increase my refills from six months on average to every other month to monthly and increase my mg and dosage but my doctor and I felt it was the best option available to me and I am always allowed to take them as needed. I do have a withdrawal symptoms if I don't take one for a day or two, and the withdrawal strength can vary depending on if I took my full daily doses or needed less and if this was  for one day, or a week straight , I have never wanted to go and take a pain pill for NON PAIN withdrawal symptoms(unless I mistake them for candy, even for a second. But that's rare now that I don't  keep any pills in my pez dispensers lol:). Now, many of my family members are prescribed a wide assortment of medications, and if they miss one dosage on most of these and not just things that are obvious, like psyche-meds, but just maintanence type meds, like for cholesterol, blood pressure or blood thinners, their withdrawal symptoms are much more severe than my worst withdrawal session and it's definitely more mental addiction than what I deal with because if I can figure out what's wrong with that person and give them the dosage missed, they immediately have a reduction in symptoms. Even before that damn thing could hit their stomach they feel and act a major reduction in symptoms. Yep, mind over matter on that but they can't do it without having that pill head down their throat. So there you go, who gives a **** if people are addicted to something that will help them lead a better quality of life? As long as you aren't going rogue on your meds and trying to get a high, you are only trying to improve your quality of life, same thing doctors used to always be able to help us with without worrying about breaking a law, or more likely, not being able to get an HMO, or a medical insurance company, or maybe even a hospital bureaucracy to allow our doctors to do their job.
Sorry I went off about that, but I get a lot of guff from one person in my family for taking narcotic pain relievers and I don't think we should have to worry about 'addiction' and all the nastiness it entails when we aren't doing this to get by, be high or ignore life.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
All of you with itching caused by these or any drugs (and/or foods for that matter) PLEASE pay attention to your body's reaction...a little topical itching is one thing. But... as a rule of thumb, if you are itching on the outside, what is it doing to you on the inside?? A true allergic reaction can be life threatening. Sorry--the nurse in me just had to say that. And...Best of luck with your pain management!
Helpful - 0
7721494 tn?1431627964
All opioids cause a histamine release in mammals, which is dependent on dose, route of administration, and heterogeneity of the patient.

This is why most people itch when taking opioids. Opioid-related itch can be treated with an oral antihistamine, for instance, 25-50mg of benedryl.

In extremely rare occasions, opioids can cause a true anaphylactic reaction that requires a full emergency response including airway management and treatment with injectable antihistamine and/or epinephrine.

Many people who have an allergic response to strong opiates like morphine but do not actually express a true immunoglobulin-mediated allergy, will show an intolerance to the drug. In this case, anesthesiologists will often substitute hydromorphone without incident.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Funny, I was just discussing this with my doctor yeterday.

I think its been well explained here that oxycodone is MUCH stronger than hydrocodone.   But if you really want to know, the only difference from a pharmacological point of view, is that on the 14th carbon, with Hydro, there is an 'H' atom, and with oxy, there is a hydroxyl group ("OH".)

I have a degree in pharmacology and am fascinated by how such a tiny change can have such an enormous effect on the human body.

In my state, a doctor can phone in a script for hydrocone.  But oxy?  NO way. You have to physically bring in the piece of paper yourself.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have been taken both hydrocodone and oxycodone for seven years the latter for 6 3/4 yrs the hydrocodone was just prescribed tome with slow release morphine pills. I have stop taking or I should miss taking my medication every once in a while and I get no mental withdraw problems but I do get extreme pain in my back ( I have 2 crushed disc in my back,and the only reason I don't have an operation is everyone I have talked to have been in worse shape than when they were before their operation,some needing several more of them with same results) but I have found the combination of the morphine pills and hydrocodone I take less pill and have less side effects like constipation . I like the oxycodone for keeping the pain away better but I would like to get one of these Meds without Tylenol because my liver enzymes have been going up had hepatitis c got rid of it and I don't want to get it again, the treatment almost killed me.
Helpful - 0
7721494 tn?1431627964
acetaminophen , in daily doses greater than 4 g / day can cause irreversible toxicity to the liver. and once the liver goes, you're only hope for survival is a transplant -- a proocedure with limited success.

Opioid pain medications combined with acetaminophen ha e changed recently -- these medications, like Vicodin and Norco, Percocet, and others now have 50% less acetaminophen than they once contained.

Still, anyone requiring large amounts of opioid pain releiver should be prescribed medications w/o acetaminophen (called paracetamol in Europe).

If you are requiring more than 10 pain pills per day containing this known liver poison, talk to your doctor about hepatotoxicity or liver damage caused by acetaminophen/paracetamol.
Helpful - 0
655875 tn?1295695107
Percocet works better for pain and it lasts longer in the body.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
There is a hydrocodone without acetaminophen in it.  I've been on & off it for years.  It's called Vicoprofen (with ibuprofen), so it's not nearly as hard on the liver.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank You.  Finally someone gave me the answer I was looking for.  Much appreciation for your knowledge and time.
Helpful - 0
547368 tn?1440541785
Tsat,

I'll glad this thread has given you a better understand of these two drugs. As with all old threads some of this information is old and no longer correct.

Hydrocodone for example is now the same Schedule as Oxycodone - or maybe better put it's considered "equal" by the DEA.

There are also some statements that are a bit off - remember we all have our own opinion and are entitled to it. There are no "experts" on this forum.

If you have a specific question I encourage you to begin a new thread - "question" - and obtain answers that are current and correct.

Take Care,
~Tuck
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Another chronic pain patient - severe degenerative disc disease - 4 fusions, L2-S1 and both SI joints. And access to narcotic pain relief to those who need it to at least have some quality of life is ridiculous! I've just had DNA testing for
Drug interactions due to cytochrome P450, which tells how you metabolize certain drugs, including opioids. It's been around for quite some time and neither pain clinic told me about it. I have defects on 3 and am a rapid metabolizer, which means for some drugs I've metabolized them out before I've gotten the effects - why some people need higher doses to work or why some pain meds work better than others. Hydrocodone 10/325 works great for me, hydromorphon, nothing, oxycontin, little. I just had to have bone shave in my shoulder and they gave me percocet, not really helping. Today they had to give me quite a bit of fentynal to get pain under control and I could tell nurse was concerned - but they obviously didn't look at the test results I gave them. Have to call doc tomorrow to let him know I need something different.
Helpful - 0
2
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Pain Management Community

Top Pain Answerers
Avatar universal
st. louis, MO
317787 tn?1473358451
DC
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
Could it be something you ate? Lack of sleep? Here are 11 migraine triggers to look out for.
Find out if PRP therapy right for you.
Tips for preventing one of the most common types of knee injury.
Here are 10 ways to stop headaches before they start.
Tips and moves to ease backaches