Norco for Back Pain User Reviews

• Bwayne
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 12, 2021

"I had 2 back surgeries in 2017 due to an injury. My personal physician prescribed me Norco 10/325, which was working fantastic. However, I always had a problem getting a refill, and he always gave me the DEA story of how he didn't want to write the script. I finally went to a Pain Management clinic. Worst mistake I ever made! The pain management doctor treated me like an addict. I have never misused my pain medication. I got so frustrated that I stopped taking them. I have not had a good day since. And of course, the pain management clinic won't return my calls. It's very sad that because some people have misused this medication and the government has stuck their hands in the doctor's office, that people with legitimate pain have to suffer."

• Buffy
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 24, 2021

"What is going on with the Norco pills these days? I've been getting the name brand Norco made by Allergan in the 7.5. When I filled my script this month, I swear they have no opiate in them and it's straight Tylenol. I've been miserable this entire month, no relief at all, and I don't sleep at night due to RLS. Something isn't right. I used to take generic Watson, never had an issue, but when most pharmacies switched to that Mallinckrodt manufacturer, I had to quit taking due to severe allergic reactions. So, after reading these comments, I see I'm not the only one. Now I don't know where to get meds refilled. Pharmacies are doing something different for sure. These pills look the same, but something is off, and they thought people would not notice. Well, I did, right off the bat. Ridiculous."

• LAM
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 2, 2021

"CVS had generic Norco by Sun Pharma. No vomiting, migraines, upset stomach. CVS had Aurobindo generic, pain was 8; after 2 tablets a 7, nausea was bad. I wrote to the CVS CEO, and he told the pharmacist to order a brand that worked for me. The pharmacy manager got angry and refused to fill my pain medication; then she told my doctor. I had to go to a pain management doctor. On the first visit, the doctor came in and said, 'I read your chart, you’ve had everything done to try and help your pain, so why are you here?' I explained, 'I’m here because of a pharmacist.' I explained, and he was shocked that a pharmacist could do this with all my surgeries. A pharmacist would complain about four pain pills a day. The doctor wrote my prescription and added 'do not fill with Mallinckrodt, Aurobindo, or Amneal.' For 2 years, no problems, but in the last few months, CVS said no Sun, really!! Every pharmacy refuses to order other brands, and every pharmacy I call says we only carry Mallinckrodt. The FDA said if no one calls to complain, then things won’t change."

• Peggy...
• May 10, 2020

"2 years ago, I went to Walgreens instead of CVS and got my prescription filled that month for Norco 10/325. It was a pill that looked like my yellow ones, a little football, but it was white. Absolutely did not work. I'm 67 years old, and I had a horrible car accident 23 years ago. With the help of Norco, I live with the pain. The last few years, they're messing with the medicine - everybody - not just Walgreens. Walgreens is the worst, by the way. I believe that they are no longer putting opiate in their pills. I mean, if you get a 10/325, you shouldn't be able to break it so easily. It used to be so hard to break that little yellow pill in half. I mean, a lot of us are in pain. If you're in pain, why should we have to live in pain? I don't get it. Somebody needs to do something. I mean, if anyone wants to go in together, we find out how much it costs to test them. I'll go in one way to find out."

• Rosel...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 2, 2021

"I’m 72 years old with severe arthritis and sciatic nerve pain. I’ve been taking hydrocodone for over 20 years with excellent pain relief and able to live somewhat of a normal life. I cannot sleep on a regular mattress and for many years sleep in a recliner. Lately, I’ve been helping my son and daughter-in-law babysitting my 3 grandsons which is not easy. As most, the manufacturer is Mallinckrodt. The script I just had filled is way different! The pain doesn’t subside and I literally feel very sick! While I normally feel pain relief and also more alert, I now feel I can’t stay awake and honestly feel horrible! I’ve called all pharmacies and they all use nothing but Mallinckrodt! Also, none of them have the name brand Norco anymore! When I was getting Norco, when colored yellow that worked the best. Since the change to white, it’s never been the same."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 22, 2019

"I think I can help the government understand how patients feel about Norco Watson brand and the 'others'. It's like getting a pack of smokes and the store is out, so they hand you some snuff and say 'it's the same thing.' Or a doctor doing surgery and he asked for the knife and they hand him a steak knife and say 'it's the same thing.' Or you go to buy a diamond and they pull out a selection from 'Clairs' and say 'it's the same thing.' Do you get it now?"

• Johnny
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 26, 2020

"I screwed up my back pretty bad in 1993. The older I get, the worse the pain gets. Surgery is not an option. Used to get Watson and Qualitest brand acetaminophen/hydrocodone for the pain. It worked great. Then the pharmacies switched to Mallinckrodt. It either didn't work, made me itch, or gave me severe breathing problems depending on the lot number. My doctor switched me to Percocet. It didn't work at all! Then I checked the manufacturer, Mallinckrodt. If you can find a pharmacy that doesn't use Mallinckrodt, run, do not walk, to that pharmacy. I've had it with Mallinckrodt."

• Gman
• February 11, 2020

"Been on hydrocodone 20 years now. Life was great when six 10/325 yellow tabs worked 10-hour days. I was able to work and make great money (self-employed contractor in home improvements). Bills paid, child support paid, life was great. Then the proclaimed opioid crisis came. Pain management cut me down to four 10/325. Work went OK (only 7-hour days), then pain management cut me down again (against my will) to four 7.5/325, then down to three 7.5/325 a day. Now I can only work 3 days a week for 3 hours. I am now behind on support orders, house payments, bills, taxes, and mind you, never abused them, don't drink, never did drugs (street illicit). Always passed the urine tests for meds, always passed pill counts, perfect pain management role model. My pain is all due to 3 motorcycle crashes, fell off roof (24 feet), tree fell on me, ran over by truck in 9th grade, so yeah a long history of injuries. Now about to lose everything I worked for last 20 years. The newest generics prescribed to me is PAR Pharmaceutical 7.5/325 and I don't even think there is any active ingredient in them, god bless."

• Harve
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 4, 2020

"The generic Norco today will be ineffective due to the abuse deterrence altering the effectiveness of the pain pill. Most of the pharmaceutical companies have been instructed to do this to avoid abuse, all the while not receiving any relief for those in pain."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 21, 2023

"I have several medical issues and have been living with pain for 30 years. I take my medication as prescribed, and I try to take less when possible. However, the medication that is currently available is not working for me. I am 68 years old and trying to stay active, but this medication is causing me to be bedridden. The yellow generic for Norco used to work for me, but it is no longer available, and the current white pills are not providing any relief. I am tired of hearing people say that 'it's the same medicine' because it is not. I just want to be able to be up and active again. If anyone knows of a lawsuit, I would be interested in joining."

• MissN...
• February 17, 2020

"I was given Norco because of stenosis and a herniated disc which happened on the job, and because I'm in a program of recovery, I did not want to take it. However, the pain became too great, and I was getting a great generic version of Norco, acetaminophen/hydrocodone. Now the only thing that is available is Mallinckrodt, and before that, I had a manufacturer, Eywa... (THOSE ARE AWFUL) However, Mallinckrodt is the best I can come up with because Watson no longer makes this medication, and the looks from the pharmacy just because it doesn't look like I have anything wrong doesn't mean that there isn't. My doctor has shared with me that he won't increase my dosage, even though my condition is chronic, nor will he change it to Percocet because I would have to go to a hearing. I don't know if anyone has ever heard of any of these things, but if you have, please share. I'm in Ohio, the Cleveland area. I'm just tired and NO ONE should have to deal with substandard medicines. But what about those of us who have chronic pain?"

• Natalie
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 19, 2019

"I used to get name brand things; they were fine. My back pain started getting worse, then I got the generics. At first, it was good; some were helpful, some not. With the Aurobindo brand of acetaminophen/hydrocodone, after about 2 weeks, I started to vomit and was sick for a week. Of course, the pharmacy didn't listen. Then, one more time and the same thing happened. No more of that. Then Mallinckrodt; it's just rubbish. Now, I'm having spasms in buttocks. I don't think there are any opiates in them, and I am withdrawing. You can't trust big pharma. That's the way they do things. I am angry because they are stealing from us. How dare they decide for us that we should not have opiates."

• Anonymous
• February 19, 2020

"Back and neck look like a train wreck without going into a long, drawn-out post. Waiting for surgery because the doctor is out of town. Pain doctor says be patient. I’m not out of pain. Been on Norco for 15 years. Looking at a 3rd neck fusion and 4 herniations, disc protruding, and other MRI findings. Doctor is scared to prescribe medication. I’ve actually thought about street drugs to relieve my pain. It’s not addiction, it’s desperation for chronic pain relief!"

• Jazz
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 31, 2019

"I was taking Actavis Norco 10/325 for years, and as you all stated, no one carries them anymore. The Mallinckrodt makes me so sick that I did research. Par Pharmaceuticals, the yellow ones, are wholesaled by AmerisourceBergen, and AmerisourceBergen's largest contract is with Walgreens and Rite Aid. I called around and Par told me that you are with AmerisourceBergen and that you can order Par. The 24-hour locations can try, but they are mostly stocked fully with Mallinckrodt and can't order past a certain threshold. Call the locations that are open until 9 p.m. Both of the non-24-hour Walgreens were able to go into their system, pull up Par yellow Norco, and order them. They also notated my file that I have a bad reaction to Mallinckrodt and can only be filled with Actavis (which is still made; I called them as well) or Par. Hope this helps."

• bobbi
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 1, 2019

"I have had back pain for years but didn’t see a doctor until the last few years. Recently had back surgery. I’ve taken Norco off and on, and it does help with the pain, but it just doesn’t last long and I need a high dose that makes me sleepy. My big complaint is the restrictions on opioids. If I have MRI reports that indicate I have a real need for them, why do I have to go every month to get a prescription? I understand patients make up illnesses to get them, but if there’s no indication at all, they need to not receive them. It shouldn’t affect someone who does."

• Malef...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 11, 2018

"I had been taking the Watson 10/325 Norco with no problems, until Walgreens went to Mallinckrodt; total waste of time. I was told by Walgreens that Watson no longer existed and found that unacceptable. They are worlds apart and I don’t know how they’re getting away with this. Wait, yes, I do! Those that need these meds to work, so we function in life; are also victims of the opioid epidemic. So I did some research... Watson was bought out by one of two companies. Next, I began calling pharmacies, asking the brand carried. All the chain stores had the Mallinckrodt, CVS flat refused to answer & said they’d reject my prescription if I came in and asked. FINALLY, I found two local pharmacies that had different brands. I have gone to both pharmacies to try them and discovered that any brand OTHER than the Mallinckrodt works just fine. So my advice to anyone in this predicament is to try local pharmacies and step away from the Mallinckrodt garbage."

• Jkano
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 21, 2019

"I had cancer and an autoimmune disorder which ended with several surgeries and resulted in a lot of generalized pain. My doc prescribed Norco 5/325 three times a day then had to double the dose. Mallinckrodt was the pharmaceutical manufacturer. This medicine absolutely did nothing for pain and actually caused other issues such as GI problems including abdominal cramps and nausea. After switching to another brand, my pain was relieved significantly and no abdominal issues. As a medical professional, I do not recommend this manufacturer EVER."

• JPano
• September 12, 2020

"For years, I took brand Norco (acetaminophen/hydrocodone) when it was manufactured by Watson. When the drug went off-patent, many companies jumped in to manufacture generic versions of the drug. At one time, Watson was manufacturing a generic, which was great since it was exactly the same as the brand, but Watson was bought out, and it's impossible to know (except through trial and error) whether the purchaser is using the Watson 'recipe.' As for generics, acetaminophen with hydrocodone, for me, the generic Norco manufactured by Aurobindo has been excellent, as has that manufactured by Mallinckrodt and Rhodes. I have also been able to take the generic manufactured by Tris with what is usually adequate pain relief (but not as good as Aurobindo, Mallinckrodt, or Rhodes). The generic that I absolutely cannot take is Amneal - it's like not taking anything at all. I'm not sure why, as all of these drugs should have the same amount of opiate in them, but I might as well not fill the prescription if the generic is Amneal."

• rocko
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 13, 2014

"I did 6 years of active duty with the army as an infantry soldier. I've been in the Iraq war in 2004 and the war in Afghanistan in 2006. During combat, I've been in 6 IED explosions. A gunshot through my left shin, nerve damage to my whole right hand. Compressed 3 discs and shattered 1 in my lower back. I have Traumatic brain injury which causes horrible migraines. I've been on everything since 2007...OxyContin 80mg, 30mg Roxys, 125mg fentanyl patches, morphine 60mgs, etc. Currently, I'm on 10/325 Norco 6 times a day. I've grown dependent and tolerant to opiates. But Norco is by far the best medicine to make my chronic pain tolerable. And the side effects are close to none. I highly recommend this for chronic pain."

• Krissy
• June 13, 2019

"I was injured years ago badly. When I fell, it worsened & had surgery. My pain is severe & classified as intractable. PT helps but my back pain persists. I tried Percocet, morphine & Hysingla, but nothing touched the pain. It was as if I hadn’t taken anything! I was taking too many Advil a day, which helped, but the doctor said that’s very dangerous. I gave up & she suggested 1 last medication, Norco. I was skeptical & gave in to the pain but took just one pill & after 1 hour, I had no pain for hours! I’ve had excruciating pain for so long, and it honestly feels strange not to have it a few hours a day now. Another plus is NO SIDE EFFECTS like others (dizziness, out of it feeling (I guess euphoria which I hate), no constipation) and it just works! Husband sees a difference in my outlook and how I’m walking better. There’s a need for a 2nd pill midday when the morning one wears off, then some pain at night. But I’m okay with pain at night because I’m just resting. I’m finally getting my life back. I really just can’t believe it!!!!"

• Dave
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 4, 2019

"I switched from Rite Aid and the useless Mallinckrodt (Malincrap) brand to an independent pharmacy that sells the yellow 3601 Norco in October. I couldn't believe it, but I only need 2 a day to control my pain. The next 3 months, the same yellow Norco had decreased in pain relief to the point that my most recent script was total garbage. Same pills but different shipment. Complained to the pharmacy and now I'm filing a complaint with the FDA. People must file written complaints for the FDA to investigate. PHAR P, that's the brand."

• Babyg...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 29, 2018

"I have been taking Norco for a while, and the manufacturer was Actavis. They really didn't help that much. Well, I just got another prescription filled, and Walgreens changed the manufacturer again to Mallinckrodt, and they do nothing at all but give me pains in my stomach and a slight headache. I wish these manufacturers would stop playing around with the ingredients. We are in pain and need something effective for pain, not the ineffective ones we are getting now."

• Tammy
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 20, 2022

"The generic Norco Mallinckrodt m367 for 8 months and never really helped pain. Even at the start. But in years past I have had NORCO 10/325 after 3 different surgeries and I can say that they worked well for pain relief. Not these Mallinckrodt . Seems the formula is change to satisfy the Gov. desires. Even some pharmacist agree but won't say publicly for fear of bucking the system. Todays generics appear to be inferior."

• Patty...
• March 31, 2023

"I have had surgery to replace my fractured C5 vertebrae with bone harvested from my hip; I have had back surgery to replace a disk; and I have had spinal fusion surgery. I now have arthritis in my hand and shoulder. I have taken Norco 10s for the pain over the years and have found them to be highly effective with no side effects or withdrawal symptoms. My doctor prescribed Norco 10 for my arthritis but the only medication the pharmacies in my area carry are manufactured by Mallinckrodt, and they are terrible! They don't reduce the pain AT ALL, but they're GREAT at making me nauseous. If your doctor prescribes generic Norco 10s by manufacturer Mallinckrodt, don't bother - the product is worthless."

• ezzboat
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 27, 2015

"I'm taking Norco 10/325 for over ten years on and off. I'm over sixty-five. I've recently come to the reality that this wonder drug has lowered my back pain, diabetes sugar, depression, and neuropathy pain. I've been told I have reverse side effects from this medication than the average patients the doctor attends to. Everyone else says, 'Oh, you're hooked on pain meds', so what. If they help all of these problems I have and have no bad side effects I can't live with. The best to this drug."