Norco is a prescription, brand-name drug made with a combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen. There are other brand-name versions of the hydrocodone and acetaminophen mix, including Vicodin, Lorcet and Lortab. Norco dosages can look different from one another. Most Norco dosages are oval-shaped with scoring on one side and imprints of either Norco or Watson on the other.
What Is Norco Used For?
What is Norco used for? Norco is an opioid drug that treats moderate to severe pain. Opioids help treat pain by affecting the transmission of pain signals to the brain and changing the emotional response someone has to pain. While hydrocodone and other opioids can be effective at relieving pain, they can also be very addictive.
Acetaminophen is an over-the-counter pain reliever, found in brand-name Tylenol. Acetaminophen can be combined with opioids to increase their ability to relieve pain. While acetaminophen is relatively safe, doses that are too high can cause liver damage or failure. Because of this, Norco has a maximum acetaminophen dosage of 325 mg.
Norco is a controlled substance due to the inclusion of hydrocodone. A controlled substance is one that’s federally regulated because of the risks of addiction, dependence, and overdose. There are increasingly stringent guidelines for prescribing opioids like Norco as well, due to the effects of the opioid epidemic.
Norco is only available under a program called the Opioid Analgesic Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS). This program aims to limit the prescribing, use, and distribution of Norco and other potent opioids.
Norco Overdose
There is the potential for a Norco overdose to occur, and doctors have to keep this in mind when prescribing it. When someone takes a dose of Norco that’s too high, the hydrocodone slows their central nervous system. When the central nervous system slows too much, a person may experience slowed breathing and other potentially deadly side effects.
The use of Norco with other central nervous system depressants further increases the risk of respiratory depression, sedation, and death. Benzodiazepines like Xanax are central nervous system depressants, as is alcohol.
Symptoms of a Norco overdose include:
- Slow, irregular or stopped breathing
- Bluish lips or fingernails
- Cold, clammy skin
- Pinpoint pupils
- Extreme drowsiness or nodding off
- Loss of consciousness
Norco Images
Norco images show how the variations of the drug look slightly different based on dosage. It’s important to know what Norco looks like to prevent children and other people in a home from using it. Additionally, there is an increasing number of stories about people buying what they thought was Norco on the streets. Counterfeit Norco is often made of even stronger opioids like fentanyl. Even tiny amounts of fentanyl can lead to fatal overdoses.
There are resources to find Norco images and dosages, which are described below and available on sites like Drugs.com.
Norco 539
Norco 539 looks like a yellow oval-shaped pill. It’s scored on one side and is printed with Norco above the number 539. The Norco with this imprint is a 10 mg dose of hydrocodone with a 325 mg dose of acetaminophen in one tablet.
Watson 729
Norco with 7.5 mg of hydrocodone and 325 mg of acetaminophen is orange and oval-shaped. One version of this dosage is printed with Watson 729.
Norco 729
There is the same dosage of 7.5 mg of hydrocodone and 325 mg of acetaminophen with the Norco 729 print. This capsule is orange with scoring on the opposite side of the Norco imprint.
Watson 913
With 5 mg of hydrocodone and 325 mg of acetaminophen, this dosage is capsule-shaped and either white or orange. On one scored side there is the imprint of Watson and on the other is the imprint 913.
Norco 539
This dosage of Norco is a 10 mg hydrocodone dosage with 325 mg of acetaminophen. On one side is printed Norco 539, and the other side is scored. The capsule is white.
Norco 071
This dosage of Norco is 5 mg of hydrocodone and 325 mg of acetaminophen, imprinted with Norco 071. It’s white and capsule-shaped.
If you or someone you love is struggling with Norco or other opioids, contact The Recovery Village to learn about our treatment programs and options. We’re here to help you live a life free from drug addiction and misuse.
GoodRX. “Norco, Lortab.” Accessed April 26, 2019.
Drugs.com. “Norco Images.” Accessed April 26, 2019.
Medlineplus.gov. “Hydrocodone Combination Products.” National Institutes of Health, January 15, 2021. Accessed May 14, 2021.
FDA. “NORCO®.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2019. Accessed May 14, 2021.
NIH. “Medication Guide NORCO®.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, March 2021. Accessed May 14, 2021.
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