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I Have Been Taking 10/325 Hydrocodone For Severe Back Pain For A While Now. I Have Normally Been Given This RX Made By Watson. But Now This Brand Doesn't Seem To Be Carried By Pharmacies Anymore So My RX Is Made By Someone Else And Even Though It Is The Same Strength, It Gives Me Bad Headaches, Why?
Question: I have been taking 10/325 hydrocodone for severe back pain for a while now. I have normally been given this RX made by Watson. But now this brand doesn't seem to be carried by pharmacies anymore so my RX is made by someone else and even though it is the same strength, it gives me bad headaches, Why?
Brief Answer:
You are going to get mad at me if I say coincedence.
Detailed Answer:
There are a lot of common reasons for headache that do not have anything to do with medications at all. Sinus infection, allergy, migraine, tension, etc. Merely being concerned about a change in medication can cause headaches. But, reasonably, you would want to know about drug related causes.
The manufacture of narcotics is very closely monitored and regulated. Generics are closely watched to make sure they are quite similar to the non-generic. HOWEVER, there are differences that just cannot be controlled. WHile the same amount of each drug is in the tablet within 10% and while the identical amount gets in within 10%, how fast the drug gets in and out is NOT REGULATED BY THE FDA AND WILL VARY.
The effective duration of the drug can change by 30% easily. Not having a narcotic there when you are expecting it there or having it's level go up and down faster like a roller coaster is known to trigger headache. This is not related to addiction nor to drug withdrawal nor dependency. This is not a psychological effect. It is a well-recognized thing that happens with narcotics. It can be treated with migraine pills with pretty good success rates and low cost and risk.
Thanks.
You are going to get mad at me if I say coincedence.
Detailed Answer:
There are a lot of common reasons for headache that do not have anything to do with medications at all. Sinus infection, allergy, migraine, tension, etc. Merely being concerned about a change in medication can cause headaches. But, reasonably, you would want to know about drug related causes.
The manufacture of narcotics is very closely monitored and regulated. Generics are closely watched to make sure they are quite similar to the non-generic. HOWEVER, there are differences that just cannot be controlled. WHile the same amount of each drug is in the tablet within 10% and while the identical amount gets in within 10%, how fast the drug gets in and out is NOT REGULATED BY THE FDA AND WILL VARY.
The effective duration of the drug can change by 30% easily. Not having a narcotic there when you are expecting it there or having it's level go up and down faster like a roller coaster is known to trigger headache. This is not related to addiction nor to drug withdrawal nor dependency. This is not a psychological effect. It is a well-recognized thing that happens with narcotics. It can be treated with migraine pills with pretty good success rates and low cost and risk.
Thanks.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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