Panlor DC Oral

This medication is used to treat moderate-to-severe pain. It acts on certain centers in the brain to give you pain relief. This medication is a combination of a narcotic pain reliever (dihydrocodeine), a non-aspirin pain reliever/fever reducer (acetaminophen), and caffeine. Caffeine is used to increase pain relief, especially in certain types of headaches.

How to use Panlor DC Oral
See also Warning section.
Take this medication by mouth with or without food, usually every 4 hours as needed or as directed by your doctor. If you have nausea, you may take this drug with food, although this may cause your body to absorb less of the drug and get less benefit from it. Consult your doctor or pharmacist about other ways to decrease nausea (e.g., antihistamines, lying down for 1-2 hours with as little head movement as possible).
The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy. If you are taking this drug \"as needed\" (not on a regular schedule), remember that pain medications work best if they are used as the first signs of pain occur. If you wait until the symptoms have worsened, the medication may not work as well.
This medication may cause withdrawal reactions, especially if it has been used regularly for a long time or in high doses. In such cases, withdrawal symptoms (such as runny nose, watery eyes, anxiety, restlessness, sweating, irritability) may occur if you suddenly stop using this medication. To prevent withdrawal reactions, your doctor may reduce your dose gradually. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details, and report any withdrawal reactions immediately.
Though very unlikely, abnormal drug-seeking behavior (addiction) is possible with this medication. Do not increase your dose, take it more frequently, or take it for a longer time than prescribed. Properly stop the medication when so directed.
When used for an extended period, this medication may not work as well and may require different dosing. Talk with your doctor if this medication stops working well.
Inform your doctor if your pain persists or worsens.

See also Warning section.
Nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, lightheadedness, dizziness, drowsiness, headache, and trouble sleeping may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
To prevent constipation, maintain a diet adequate in fiber, drink plenty of water, and exercise. If you become constipated while using this drug, consult your pharmacist for help in selecting a laxative (e.g., stimulant-type with stool softener).
Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.
Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: slow/shallow breathing, mental/mood changes (e.g., irritability, nervousness, depression), rapid heartbeat.
Tell your doctor immediately if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: severe stomach/abdominal pain, change in the amount of urine, seizures.
A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
In the US -
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

See also Warning section.
Before taking this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to acetaminophen, dihydrocodeine, or caffeine; or to narcotic pain medications (e.g., codeine, morphine); or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: severe breathing problems (e.g., respiratory depression, hypercapnia), a certain bowel disease (paralytic ileus), intoxication with medications that slow the nervous system or your breathing (CNS/respiratory depressants such as alcohol or tranquilizers/sedatives).
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: adrenal gland problem (e.g., Addison\'s disease), brain disorders (e.g., seizures, head injury, tumor, increased intracranial pressure), gallbladder disease, heart problems (e.g., irregular heartbeat, recent heart attack), kidney disease, liver disease, lung diseases (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-COPD, hypoxia, hypercapnia), mental/mood disorders (e.g., toxic psychosis), disease of the pancreas (e.g., pancreatitis), a certain spinal problem (kyphoscoliosis), personal or family history of regular use/abuse of drugs/alcohol, underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), difficulty urinating (e.g., due to enlarged prostate or urethral narrowing).
This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires alertness until you are sure you can perform such activities safely. Avoid alcoholic beverages.
To lower your risk of dizziness and lightheadedness, get up slowly when rising from a sitting or lying position.
Caution is advised when using this drug in the elderly because they may be more sensitive to its effects, especially slow/shallow breathing and drowsiness.
Before using this medication, women of childbearing age should talk with their doctor(s) about the risks and benefits. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or if you plan to become pregnant. During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. It may slightly increase the risk of birth defects if used during the first two months of pregnancy. Also, using it for a long time or in high doses near the expected delivery date may harm the unborn baby. To lessen the risk, take the smallest effective dose for the shortest possible time. Tell the doctor right away if you notice any symptoms in your newborn baby such as slow/shallow breathing, irritability, abnormal/persistent crying, vomiting, or diarrhea.
This drug passes into breast milk and could have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

See also Warning section.
Your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.
This drug should not be used with the following medication because very serious interactions may occur: naltrexone.
If you are currently using the medication listed above, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting this medication.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: adenosine, anti-seizure drugs (e.g., carbamazepine), beta agonists (e.g., albuterol), isoniazid, lithium, other medications for pain (e.g., codeine, nalbuphine), drugs affecting liver enzymes that remove this medication from your body (such as macrolide antibiotics including erythromycin, cimetidine, disulfiram, fluvoxamine, MAO inhibitors including isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue, moclobemide, phenelzine, procarbazine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine), phenothiazines (e.g., chlorpromazine).
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you also take drugs that cause drowsiness such as: certain antihistamines (e.g., diphenhydramine), medicine for sleep or anxiety (e.g., alprazolam, diazepam, zolpidem), muscle relaxants, psychiatric medicines (e.g., risperidone, amitriptyline, trazodone).
Check the labels on all your medicines (e.g., cough-and-cold products) because they may contain caffeine or drowsiness-causing ingredients. Also keep in mind that certain beverages (e.g., coffee, colas, tea) contain caffeine. Ask your pharmacist about using those products safely.
This medication may interfere with certain medical/laboratory tests (e.g., urine 5-HIAA levels, urine VMA levels, urine catecholamine levels, dipyridamole-thallium imaging tests), possible causing false test results. Make sure laboratory personnel and all your doctors know you use this drug.
This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US National Poison Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. Symptoms of overdose may include: cold/clammy skin, nausea, vomiting, unusual sweating, slow breathing, slow heartbeat, loss of consciousness, seizures.

NOTES:
Do not share this medication with others. It is against the law.
This medication has been prescribed for your current condition only. Do not use it later for another condition unless told to do so by your doctor. A different medication may be necessary in that case.

MISSED DOSE:
If you are prescribed this medication on a regular schedule and miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

STORAGE:
Store at room temperature between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.
Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.
Information last revised September 2011. Copyright(c) 2011 First Databank, Inc.