Oxycodone : Uses, Dosage, Side Effects & Warnings

What is oxycodone?

Oxycodone is a prescription opioids used for managing pain and is classified as an opioid medication alongside morphine, codeine, and methadone.

It is classified as follows:

in combination with other drugs, in products such as Percocet, Oxycocet and Endocet

by itself in Immediate-release (IR) products, such as Oxy-IR

by itself in controlled-release (CR) products, such as OxyContin (no longer available), OxyNEO, Apo-Oxycodone CR and PMS-Oxycodone CR

OxyContin (or “oxy”) was developed in 1995 with the intention of giving long term pain relief so that patients with severe pain did not need to be taking the pills as frequently. OxyContin faced serious abuse and addiction problems as the tablets started to get prescribed widely. The greater problem came when the tablet was crushed because the drug released into the body at an accelerated rate which only worsened the effects. OxyContin was discontinued in the Canadian market in 2012, replacing it with OxyNEO, which is a drug that was much harder to crush. But when the patent expired for OxyContin, other similar products were put on the market.

Call us now! 760-468-3444

What are the Differences Between Percocet and Oxycodone-CR Products?

Both the products oxycodone-CR and Percocet perform the same role of reliving pain, though the results are achieved in different ways. While oxycodone-CR lasts for as long as 12 hours when taken correctly, Percocet only lasts for 5 hours. As with all tablets, oxycodone is suitable for pain, and has everything released when the pill is taken. Percocet contains five milligrams of oxycodone, meaning the patient only experiences relief for five hours.

Patients suffering from severe painful conditions may find relief by using acetaminophen, though acetaminophen is known to cause liver damage when consumed in excess amounts. Oxycodone-CR products are a better choice for patients and It is recommended that patients use the approved dosage as oxycodone-CR products distributes medicine over an extended timeframe. A single oxycodone-CR tablet in Canada is known to contain up to 80 milligrams of oxycodone, which is the equivalent of 16 Percocet tablets.

What will the Outcome be When Using Oxycodone Products?

Although oxycodone products can help people suffering from severe pain, they can be extremely dangerous when one does not follow proper procedures. A patient using more tablets than they are accustomed to increases the chance of overdose. Without a proper tolerance to opioids, someone being reliant on the dose can prove very dangerous.

The chance of overdose becomes higher when patients try to obtain a ‘rush’ feeling by tampering with the controlled release. Crushing, dissolving the pill in liquid for injection, or chewing the pill will cause the patient to experience a surging feeling.

As mentioned above, when oxycodone is consumed in this manner, you can suffer from:

Overdose: Oxycodone also slows down respiration and causes sedation, so an overdose of this medication paired with other opioids or alcohol could be extremely lethal. Oxycodone overdose could result in profound coma and even death if not treated quickly, as a patient suffers from severe brain damage. Keep the Naloxone in hand, as it is good for alleviating the overdose, but not as a cure. Simply, overdose of Naloxone can calm while an attendant takes control. Exceeding the prescribed dosage can render someone to become deeply unconcious. Suppose you are within arm’s reach of someone that has comatosed through an oxycodone overdose. Call 911!

Get hooked: If after oxycodone consumption, you feel intoxicated and stimulated, or even euphoria, signifies that your body has developed a dependency on it. More depressingly, cessation of consuming opioids leads to illness. For some individuals, the RR is static short term, but rather left in need of it. Depending on every individual, this point rather tangibly can be reached.

Feel lousy: Moving aways from sickness caused due to withdrawal of opioids, there is lack of energy, vomiting urge, sexual impotency, being drowsy, skin swelling, extreme itching due to dry skin and sweating.

Get infected: The perils of injecting oxycodone are analogous to those of using heroin: needle sharing greatly increases the possibility of acquiring HIV, hepatitis, or other dangerous infections, as well as the potential of being an infectious risk themselves.

Get busted: Possessing someone else’s prescription oxycodone is an offence in itself, giving the police reason to arrest you and in some circumstances leading to a conviction, which means that you would carry a criminal record.

Make things worse: Using ‘self-medication’ for physical pain by consuming oxycodone and looking to numb all emotions may appear to help in the short-run, but being hooked will turn your life upside down. Oxycodone hinders one’s feeling and prevents them from attending to their underlying issues which is the crux of the problem. It also obstructs one’s ability to remove the barrier through which they can aid themselves.

What Are The Causes of Xanax Addiction?

Even though Xanax is prescribed, it is misused to a certain extent. Like any pharmaceutical drug, it has the potential to get abused.

With higher doses of Xanax, efficacy decreases. Patients may continue increasing their doses in order to achieve symptom control, making them increasingly dependent on the drug.

Regardless of the reason, usually environmental factors will dictate how addiction develops.

How can I use oxycodone-CR products that are not prescribed to me, more safely?

Taking oxycodone without a prescription or outside of the recommended guidelines is always precarious. But in case an overdose ends up having to be dealt with, the risk can be considerably reduced in case you…

Avoid crushing or chewing oxycodone before swallowing it.
Avoid snorting crushed oxycodone.
Avoid dissolving oxycodone with water and injecting it.
Avoid taking oxycodone if opioids are new to you.
Avoid mixing with other opioids, alcohol or other sedating drugs like gravol and benzodiazepines (xanax, ativan, valium).
Avoid taking the drug when there is no one around to help you in case you overdose.
Avoid using the drug soon after undergoing opioid withdrawal.

If you take oxycodone and want to be safer, do not communicate with strangers as suggested even though, not having a prescription, it is extremely hazardous to use in any other manner than self prescribing it.

Take proper precautions such as seeking help immediately if you feel suicidal after use and unnecessarily dissipating your energy.

I’m the only one suffering if I consume oxycodone that hasn’t been prescribed to me, correct?

Incorrect.

Purchasing oxycodone from drug dealers funds their criminal activities which may include stealing oxycodone from pharmacies or sick family members, and even selling their own prescribed medicine. Prescribed medications not only extract dollars from the taxpayer or private insurance, but also buying the prescription costs a fortune.

Indeed, one’s health is not a laughing matter, but in a way, it is unfortunate when it’s spent on useless prescriptions.

After the consumption of oxycodone, one’s ability to drive or operate heavy machinery is incredibly impaired. Operating a vehicle when under the influence of oxycodone makes one susceptible to crashing the vehicle and causing severe damage, potentially resulting in death to himself and/or someone else.

How do I know if I am dependent on oxycodone?

Daily use of oxycodone can lead to the development of a physical dependence. You may be reliant on the substance if you:

need to take higher quantities of oxycodone to experience a similar effect as before

experience symptoms of withdrawal such as tremors, cramps, vomiting, myalgia, insomnia, and anxiety if you abruptly stop using oxycodone

had to sacrifice a lot of your time and money in obtaining oxycodone and fail to fulfill other important responsibilities

continuously self-medicate using oxycodone regardless of the negative consequences it has on your life. These symptoms are an indicator that getting off oxycodone without a professional’s assistance might be extremely difficult.

What do I do if I don’t know how to stop taking oxycodone?

There is a way out!

The first thing you should do is to consult a physician. Depending on your age, health, and medical history, he or she will determine the best approach to assuage the withdrawal symptoms via prescription medication or will advise OMT using methadone or buprenorphine (Suboxone).

Support groups and rehabilitation for substance abuse will assist you in overcoming your oxycodone addiction. Try to abstain from other mind-altering substances like alcohol. These methods are aimed at reducing the chances of relapse (reusing oxycodone). Relapse, after recovering from dependency, is frequent and poses a significant risk of overdose. OMT serves as the most effective measure against an oxycodone relapse.

Where can I get help with drugs?

At Caring Hands Recovery Treatment Center, located in scenic Corona, CA, we have highly effective treatment and recovery options, supervised by our experienced and specialized staff, that we ensure are applicable and effective to the unique conditions of our clients and patients. Our qualified and caring staff are ready to readily respond to your questions. Please call us at +1 760-468-3444.

Reach out to us today by calling: +1 760-468-3444