Amandba asked
I just had surgery and I am currently taking Norco for the pain. If I take the plan B contraceptive while taking my pain medication, will it have any affect on one another?
Answer
Norco (hydrocodone/acetaminophen) may be safely taken with Plan B (levonorgestrel). There is no listed or reported interaction between the two drugs and the combination is considered safe to use together.
While there are some drug interaction concerns with Plan B, Norco is not reported to have any issues.
Drugs that are recommended to be avoided are ones that can induce metabolizing enzymes (i.e. speed up metabolism). The potential issues here is that these drugs will increase how fast the hormones in Plan B are metabolized and eliminated in the body, potentially decreasing the effectiveness of Plan B. These drugs include:
- Carbamazepine
- Topamax (topiramate)
- St. John's Wort
- Phenytoin
- Rifampin
However, even if you are taking a medication that is an 'enzyme inducer', it is generally recommended to take the emergency contraception anyway. In fact, some experts recommend doubling the dose of the emergency contraceptive if you on an interacting medication. However, this is not a blanket recommendation and should not be done unless advised by your doctor.
Lastly, it should be noted that Norco (hydrocodone/acetaminophen) can sometimes cause nausea and vomiting in patients, especially in those that are not used to the drug. If you vomit within two hours of taking Plan B, it is recommended that you repeat your dose.
