Zydone Dosage

In most cases, your Zydone dosage should be taken either as needed for pain or every four to six hours to help manage pain. In no case should you exceed your healthcare provider's recommended dosage, as this can lead to liver failure. You may want to take your Zydone dose with food to help prevent nausea and vomiting, which are common reactions to the drug.

 

Zydone Dosage: An Introduction

The dose of Zydone® (hydrocodone/APAP) your healthcare provider recommends will vary, depending on a number of factors, including:
 
  • How you respond to Zydone
  • 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.
 

Zydone Dosing for Pain

For Zydone 7.5/400 or 10/400, the recommended dose is one tablet every four to six hours as needed, but not to exceed six tablets in 24 hours. For Zydone 5/400, the recommended dose is one or two tablets every four to six hours as needed, but not to exceed eight tablets in 24 hours.
 
It is important to limit the total dose of acetaminophen to 4 grams (4000 mg) a day or less in order to reduce the risk of serious liver damage. Make sure to watch for any other sources of acetaminophen while you are taking Zydone, 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 Zydone, 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 Zydone is 400 per tablet (for all three strengths).
 

General Information on Dosing With Zydone

Considerations for people taking Zydone include the following:
 
  • The medication comes in tablet form. It is taken by mouth, usually every four to six hours as needed for pain.
     
  • Be careful not to exceed the maximum recommended daily dose, as this could lead to overdose symptoms or to poisoning from the acetaminophen component, which can cause liver failure.
     
  • Zydone is either taken "as needed" or on a scheduled basis. "As needed" means you will only take a dose if you are experiencing pain (if you are not in pain, you will skip the dose), while "scheduled use" means you should take it on schedule, even if you are not in pain. Most healthcare providers prescribe Zydone on an "as needed" basis, rather than a scheduled basis. In some situations, a scheduled basis is appropriate, such as in people with constant cancer-related pain.
     
  • It is best to take Zydone with food, as this may help reduce nausea and vomiting.
     
  • For the medication to work properly, it must be taken as prescribed. Do not increase your dose without your healthcare provider's approval. Do not suddenly stop taking Zydone, especially if you have taken it regularly for more than several weeks.
     
  • If you are unsure about anything related to your Zydone dosage, please talk with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. Do not stop taking the drug without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.
     
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;