New Law On Norco

By congressional order, to reduce addiction in the population, all Norco drugs have been reformulated and the new formula has NO effect on severe or moderate pain. ## That is not correct. All formulations of Norco, Vicodin, Lorcet, and etc. still contain the same active ingredients, Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen. Congress has nothing to do with pharmaceutical drug laws, as of now, though that could change in the future, however, at this time, they all still contain Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen, as dictated by FDA guidelines. The only change that was made awhile ago was to limit the amount of Acetaminophen that they contain to no more than 325mgs per dose of prescription combination products, in an effort to try to lower the number of overdose fatalities. The FDA also warns that this me...

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Is hydrocodone acetaminophen 10 325, a schedule II controlled substance, under current law, 5-2-2014 ## Not under Federal Law, but it will be later on this year. Unless you live in New York State, if you do, all hydrocodone combinations meds have been a Schedule II there since February 2013. ## I live in Oregon, and have been taking Norco (schedule III), and Valium (schedule IV) for a while for back, knee, elbow, etc. pain. My doctor has me come to him monthly for the prescription. I am under the impression that schedule III and schedule IV controlled drugs can be prescribed with refills. Is that true? Am I being ripped off? ## Mike-your doctor is covering his license and preventing addiction for you. As of this year, I'm fairly sure we ALL will go monthly. My doctor who is a pain m...

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i had a really bad shoulder dislocation and am in chronic pain constantly. Doctor perscribed me norco. Went in to get my refill only to find out they won't honor refills. They say I have to go back to the doctor and get a new script. It's Sunday and the office is closed and I doubt he will be able to see me Monday. What should I do? ## If the prescription was written before the new law was in place, another pharmacy might honor it and fill it. They are allowed to do so. This is a narcotic analgesic, so it has the potential to be habit forming and may cause side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth and constipation. Otherwise the only thing you can do is wait until your doctor is back in his office. Does anyone else have any advice or ideas?

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What are the chemical make ups of Norco's vs the chemical make up of Tramadol. I know that Norco has Hydrocodone and Tylenol but do not know what the make up of Tramadol is ## Hello, Rotom! How are you? Tramadol is the active ingredient, that's the name of the drug itself. The FDA classifies both of these medications as being narcotic analgesics, which means they carry the risk of being habit forming and may cause side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, headache, dry mouth and constipation. Is there anything else I can help with? ## Yes. With the new laws my health care provider is giving me a drug panel to make sure I am only taking the Norco as prescribed and nothing else. I was concerned because I had recently taken some Tramadol that I had from a while back and thought it m...

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Is there a new law in California that limits the quantity of Hydrocodone 10/325 to 120 pills per month? ## Hello, Eric! How are you? New directives were issues by the DEA last year instructing doctors to restrict how much they prescribe, except in cases where someone has intractable pain from a possibly fatal illness. The FDA classifies this medication as a narcotic analgesic, so it has the potential to be habit forming and may cause side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth and constipation. Generally, people are to be kept to the equivalent of no more than 120mgs of Morphine a day, though some states have further restricted that to just the equivalent of 100mgs. Additionally, your doctor is supposed to subscribe the bare minimum it takes to try to control your pai...

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I thought the new laws stated only schedule TWO drugs required monthly visits to the dr? now im still being told even for norco u have to be seen every month..is this true or not? in florida. I hear of people saying u can have 3 refills on hydrocodone..now in florida they say i have to be seen every month an no refills. even at primary care drs is this true? ## Hi K, I'm not able to answer all of your questions, but as far as Norco's legal status in concerned, I'm finding information stating that it may be considered a schedule II drug (depending on the dosage). Other articles I've come across do verify that Norco is a Schedule II controlled substance in the United States because of its tendency to cause addiction and the ease with which it can be abused. However, accord...

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I have a paper/written script for norco from my home in MI. I have been a customer at Walgreens for 20+ years and the pharmacy here in GA won't fill it, even though they can see I have been refilling every month for over 3 years. Is there a pharmacy that will fill it? or is it a GA law now? What about TN? I can drive there in about 2 hours. It should not be this hard to get a refill. ## Hello, George! How are you? I'm sorry about the problem that you're having. Due to the new regulations that were put out by the DEA last year, as well as the fact that Norco was changed to a schedule 2 drug this past October, most pharmacies aren't going to fill an out of state prescription. It makes it much harder for them to validate it and the mandatory order/stock restrictions on cont...

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Is there a new law in California prohibiting marijuana consumption while taking Norco? Wife has severe neck pain & fibromyalgia - used to take some marijuana to reduce pain cuz Norco was not enough! Now Kaiser tells my wife she can NOT take marijuana or they will stop Norco. True? A law or Kaiser rule? ## Hi Larry, To my knowledge and understanding of the situation with patients being able to utilize marijuana in conjunction with pain management, it seems to be solely based on the doctor's discretion (at least in California), where my mom has been a long term pain patient benefiting from the two forms of treatment, per her doctor's recommendation. I don't think it's as rare as some may believe, but there are physicians out there who do support medical marijuana and d...

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Is anyone else having problems finding a pharmacy to fill their scripts of Norco? I have been taking them for a few years now for my chronic pain. I always go to the same pharmacy chain, and its always the same doctor who writes my scripts, but since the new law change no one seems to have them in stock. Some pharmacists told me it was a manufacturer back order. We are told not to go without our meds, but yet how is that possible if we can't get them? Anyone knows of a pharmacy that has Norco 10/325 in the metro Detroit area? ## Dear Painfully Annoyed, Yes, this appears to be a huge problem at the moment. I have called every pharmacy in my insurance plan and everyone says the same thing. Your not alone, I was told it is a repackaging issue with the manufacturers due to the new laws....

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Do they make a smurf blue norco that looks just like the yellow 10s with a v on one side? ## Hi Ben, I just did some research on this and wonder if you may be thinking of the imprint "V 35 97"?, which is an oval blue generic norco 10mg/650mg tablet. I don't believe they are being manufactured any longer due to the new laws restricting the amount of acetaminophen to 325mgs. But, if you want to look this pill up for verification, it also carries a National Drug Code of 00603-3885. I hope this helps! ## Is this what you are talking about? Blue Norco WES 303 ## I had the wes 303 norco10/325 they work well I haven't been able to find them at any pharmacy. ## Yes - what are they? ## Here is another medschat thread on these: Blue Norco WES 303 ## They have them in Belleville Mi...

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I used to get the yellow qualitest norcos but since the new laws the only thing available is the malli 357 or the Watson white. The yellow worked perfectly long lasting pain relief for my inoperable discs problems. The 357 make you really high feeling for 2-3 hours and then wear off, the Watson give me headaches. I tried to get the yellows again but my pharmacy says they are to expensive to order & not covered by insurance. But my low income friends on public assistance get them free how does that make sense? Thanks a lot for these crappie laws that took away our free choice. ## Medicaid receives rebates for the meds they cover in each state. It is your insurance company that won't cover the brand you want. It is also possible that in order for your insurance to cover a specific...

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I've been on norco 7.5/325 for 3 yrs now for chronic pain d/t a nerve entrapment. These new laws are going to make it so difficult to get my medication and in the amount monthly that I was getting. So its looking like I'm going to have to deal with the pain (not sure I can but not sure what else to do,unless I just make myself pain free for good). I've been getting prescribed #180/ month and now I'm being told by my PCP that they can only write for 60/ month. It looks like I'm gonna be heading down withdrawal lane and I'm terrified. I hate all of this so much! My life sucks having this pain and not feeling like myself anymore. Im too young for this! But does anyone have any suggestions on how to make withdrawal easier? ## Why don't you go to a doc that will g...

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i have a back injury i have been on norco for almost a year my doctor says a new ca. law says she has to bring me off norco and replace it with tramadol that soon no will be able to get norco unless you just had surgery is this true ## Yes, from what I've learned that is basically correct. General practitioners won't be able to prescribe such medications, except in emergency cases after recent injury or surgery. Learn more pain management details here. If someone suffers from a condition that causes long-term chronic pain, they have to see a pain management specialist for treatment to continue having such medications prescribed. A lot of it has to do with the abuse of the medications by many people, the fact that many doctors aren't specially trained to treat people that in ...

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Trying to fill a written prescription from my Dr., in south Arkansas of NORCO while I'm in Lousiana on vacation & no pharmacy will fill my prescription??? Why?? ## There is a new law in Louisiana that states any Schedule II rx written by a dr that doesn't have a Louisiana License to practice medicine will only be filled for a 10 days supply. The dr will be called and informed as to why it was filled for the full amount. Although this doesn't prevent a pharmacy from filling the rx, it is all I can think if that could be the reason why they wouldn't. ## Most pharmacies will no longer fill out of state prescriptions for controlled substances, due to the fact that it is harder for them to verify the legitimacy of the prescription. Another problem is the mandatory limits ...

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I have been on pain meds since 2005 for tendinosis, and more recently for DDD and a herniated L5 to S1. I have been taking six Norco 10's a day since 2008, and usually had no problems getting my scripts filled until recently. It seems pharmacies are getting scared of these new laws. I was using Walmart for several months until today they said they weren't taking any scripts from my doctor because of "lack of communication and because he writes to many scripts for pain meds". Yes, he writes many scripts for narcotics because he's a pain specialist! And I'm sure if he ran a clinic for diabetics he would write lots of scripts for diabetes! I swear, this narcotics scare is driving people nuts! Anyway, I'm so sick of all this craziness. I just want a pharmacy that...

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I have been on soma's and norco for over 10 years my dr claims he can no longer prescribe the soma because of new Indiana law he cut me off cold turkey it has almost killed me my blood pressure is stroke level now never had high blood pressure before is it true about Indiana rules my pharmacist claims it's not he says it's more paperwork for dr's office what is the truth? ## Perhaps you will need Blood Pressure medicine? We are hearing a lot from all these "new rules", yet a simple search shows little in most States. I think the DEA has outlined some general outlines on how and what a Doctor can prescribe. ## Go to an ER if your BP is 180/120. You are in hypertensive crisis. Then call a lawyer and sue his stupid a$$ for medical malpractice. ## Eddy is correct. Th...

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I am a widow , & I moved to mid-America& I left a daughter behind. My youngest goes to MSU. I am an Author. I was on Vicodan 10/500 and they changed the laws and now only Norco is possible 10/325.For Chronic Nerve Pain. They had all my records. I Think they were ALL thrown away. The Qualitest Brand has fillers. I requested from my DR. Watson Norco..or NORCO ..not generic. I pay $1000 to a Man who I married in a faze of grief & doesn't do anything for me. I called Watson. They said to either ask my DR. for ONLY the Watson Brand or NORCO. Non Generic which would be $30. I've been getting my Norco , the Watson Brand. & Actually a Neurologist is supposed to be calling. I'm on huge amounts of Nuerontin and FINALLY..my Hepatologist said it was Crap. You Must be You...

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My pain doctor just informed me that he can longer offer refills on my norco because of it being classed as a schedule 2 drug norcotic now. That means i must go every month now and pay for an office visit. I know that is true in New York but i am not aware of any changes in Alabama law. As I do not have insurance now that would be a huge added expense to me. It would be a big added expensive even if I did with a $60 copay. Does anyone know of this change in legislation that I cant find? ## Craig, some doctors, as they can't write refills, write 3 additional original prescriptions with them dated for the next three months. They can't be filled until that date arrives. You only have to pay the office visit every three to four months. Check with your pain doctor, he may be able to ...

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I found a white round pill that looks like a percocet blank on one side but its cut in half so I can read all the number all I can see is a symbol looking like this & and the numbers 60. Not really sure what it is. ## Hi Tasha, With only half a pill/imprint all we can really do is speculate here, but this pill does seem similar to an "M360" generic Norco tablet by Mallinckrodt, which contains 7.5mgs of Hydrocodone + 750mg of Acetaminophen (a dosage they don't make anymore due to new restrictions on the amount of Acetaminophen companies can use). So if this is your pill by chance, then it would've been manufactured prior to Jan 2014 when this law went into effect. And even if this isn't your pill, I think it may still be worth contacting Mallinckrodt directly to s...

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I live in Anaheim, CA and I am looking for a doctor who is willing to prescribe pain medication like Norco. I have chronic pain from migraines, a back injury and sinus problems. My new doc is with Kaiser and is not willing to prescirbe them regularly due to all the laws and regulations. I need someone who will give me a normal monthly supply. ## Have you tried just looking into a pain management doctor or clinic? Such a place usually has a better idea of what should be prescribed for such conditions and is used to dealing with the government regulations that they have to worry about. And a few important tips: 1) Make sure to take all of your medical records or have them sent to the new doctor. This will give them a better idea of your condition and will help avoid your having to have ma...

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