# Lortabs and itchy nose **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 10, 2004, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lortabs-and-itchy-nose/223792 "2004-01-10T05:56:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jplacer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85f322/32.png) [@Jplacer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jplacer)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lortabs-and-itchy-nose/223792/1 "2004-01-10T05:56:04Z")
I broke two ribs last week and I was prescribed 10/500m Lortab for pain. After taking two as directed, the inside of my nose is very itchy. It is driving me crazy. Is this a common side-effect? What can I do to make it stop itching? ---
**Author:** ![Calliope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Calliope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calliope)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lortabs-and-itchy-nose/223792/2 "2004-01-10T06:09:11Z")
Yes, itching is a very common side effect of opiate drugs. Ask your doctor if you can take benadryl to counter the itching or if perhaps another medication should be used. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lortabs-and-itchy-nose/223792/3 "2004-01-10T06:10:45Z")
Lortab has hydrocodone in it, which is a narcotic analgesic. [http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugs\_concern/hydrocodone/summary.htm](http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugs_concern/hydrocodone/summary.htm) > [@](#): > > Hydrocodone is an effective antitussive (anti-cough) agent, and as an opiate it is also an effective analgesic for mild to moderate pain control. Five mg of hydrocodone is equivalent to 30 mg of codeine when administered orally. Early comparisons concluded that hydrocodone and morphine were equipotent for pain control in humans. However, it is now considered that a dose of 15 mg (1/4 gr) of hydrocodone is equivalent to 10 mg (1/6 gr) of morphine. Hydrocodone is considered to be morphine-like in all respects. > > \< snip \> > > There are over 200 products containing hydrocodone in the U.S. In its most usual product forms hydrocodone is combined with acetaminophen (Vicodin, Lortab), but it is also combined with aspirin (Lortab ASA), ibuprofen (Vicoprofen), and antihistamines (Hycomine). Both tablet and liquid forms of hydrocodone are available (e.g., Tussionex) Under “side effects for hydrocodone” I see “Dermatological: Skin rash, pruritus.” > **[RxList Page Not Found](https://www.rxlist.com/script/main/notfoundstatic.asp?refurl=%2Fcgi%2Fgeneric%2Fhydrocod_ad.htm)** > > The Page on RxList Cannot Be Found. So, yeah, it looks to me like the pills are making your nose itch. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lortabs-and-itchy-nose/223792/4 "2004-01-10T15:36:46Z")
Yeah, no question that hydrocodone makes you itchy. Myself, I’ve only found it’s a problem when I take enough that, paradoxically, I no longer give a crap about being itchy, but that’s one of it’s most common side effects. It makes me itchy all over, though. If it’s intolerable, talk to your doc about another med. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lortabs-and-itchy-nose/223792/5 "2004-01-10T19:48:18Z")
I am not a doctor, but I know opioids pretty well, and I agree, they can cause itchiness in high doses. I’ve found that hydrocodone specifically causes more itchiness than other opioids, too, so I’m not surprised that you’re experiencing this. And, you were prescribed Lortab 10/500 (10mg hydrocodone, 500mg acetaminophen) and you are supposed to take two at a time? That’s a pretty high dose. Usually, even if the prescription allowed taking two 10mg Lortabs at a time, it would say something like “take 1-2 as needed for pain.” For opioid-intolerant people (i.e., assuming you aren’t a regular user) 10mg of hydrocodone is almost always more than enough to relieve moderate to severe pain, and even 5mg should be enough. So, you may want to see if just one tablet, or even half of one, is sufficient to relieve the pain from your broken ribs. That should keep your nose from itching. Of course, if you find it is insufficient for pain relief, you may just have to put up with the itchy nose. Anti-itching creams like Cortisone 10 or Benadryl Cream can sometimes help in those cases, but not always. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lortabs-and-itchy-nose/223792/6 "2004-01-10T20:19:14Z")
Does the same exact thing to me. Particularly, the bridge of the nose, and often nowhere else, will itch like crazy. Don’t know why that spot is the focus, but there you go. ---
**Author:** ![Jplacer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85f322/32.png) [@Jplacer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jplacer)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lortabs-and-itchy-nose/223792/7 "2004-01-10T22:53:12Z")
Thanks everyone. I would rather have an itchy nose, than blinding pain from broken ribs.