Is the pain killer, Hydrocodon, an opiate?

Yes, it is. It should only be used as prescribed by a physician. It should never be shared, and once the patients pain is resolved, any left over doses should be turned in to a pharmacy or police station to be destroyed.

Yes.

Yes.
And if your guts are like mine you will be constipated for 3 days. Eat your Bran Buds now!

Yes. Its drug classification is Analgesic Opioid Agonists.
Personally, when my back hurts, it is the only drug that helps, but as @LuckyGuy describes, it also constipates, which can add to my back pain.
I never travel without it.

Be careful with hydrcodon. I once took it from the hospital. Had lost of breathing and reactions. After that I will no longer take it for anything, and I tell them that. Not saying it affects all like that, but never give it out.

The last time I took it, I took one (half the prescribed dose), turned stupid so took another one. Ended up barfing for 4 hours. And I was trying to drive home, too, so had to stop, barf, rest, repeat. It took 2 hours to drive 10 miles home, then I barfed some more at home.

@RocketGuy Same, I just can’t handle it. I also only took one and hugged the toilet all night. BC Powder is very effective for me.

I’ve never heard of BC Powder. Seems to have all kinds of OTC goodness: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BC_Powder

I stick to single OTC – either acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

@RocketGuy I take maybe one a month, I hate pills and detest meds in general. :) Works great for menstrual headaches and very fast so I can still work.

Originally produced at the Hepolscheiemer Clinic in Graz, Austria, it contains 845 mg of aspirin and 65 mg of caffeine. BC readily promotes the fact that, due to its powder form, it dissolves faster than pain-relief tablets, and thus gets to work faster.