Vicodin Dosage

Before prescribing a Vicodin dosage, your healthcare provider will consider how you respond to the drug and other medical conditions you have, among other things. The maximum recommended Vicodin doses are designed to limit the total dose of acetaminophen to 4 grams (4000 mg) a day or less. If you take higher doses of acetaminophen, it may cause serious liver damage.

 

Vicodin Dosage: An Introduction

The dose of Vicodin® (hydrocodone/APAP) that your healthcare provider recommends will vary, depending on a number of factors, including:
 
  • How you respond to Vicodin
  • Other medications you are taking
  • Other medical conditions you may have.
     
As is always the case, do not adjust your dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
 

Vicodin Dosage for Pain

For regular-strength Vicodin (5/500 mg), the recommended dose is one to two tablets every four to six hours as needed, but not to exceed eight tablets in 24 hours. For Vicodin ES® (7.5/750 mg), the recommended dose is one tablet every four to six hours as needed, but not to exceed five tablets in 24 hours. For Vicodin HP® (10/660 mg), the recommended dose is one tablet every four to six hours as needed for pain, but not to exceed six tablets per day.
 
The maximum recommended doses of Vicodin are designed to limit the total dose of acetaminophen to 4 grams (4000 mg) a day or less. Higher doses of acetaminophen increase the risk of serious liver damage. Make sure to watch for any other sources of acetaminophen, including other prescription pain relievers and many over-the-counter products, such as Tylenol®. To be safe, all other acetaminophen products should be avoided while you are taking Vicodin, unless you are extremely careful to limit your total acetaminophen use (from all sources added together) to 4 grams per day. The acetaminophen content of Vicodin is 500 mg per regular-strength Vicodin tablet, 750 mg per Vicodin ES tablet, and 660 mg per Vicodin HP tablet.
 
You should not take Vicodin around the clock at the minimum interval between doses. For instance, even though it is okay to take a dose four hours after a previous dose, you should not take the maximum Vicodin dose every four hours around the clock, as this would exceed the recommended maximum daily dose.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;