What is Oxycontin Used for?
Oxycontin is prescribed for those patients with severe and long-lasting pain issues. Also, the DEA considers Oxycontin a Schedule II controlled substance. Meaning, this medication is to help with severe ongoing pain and not for occasional use. Furthermore, the FDA recommends that opioid painkillers with this type of potency are only for intense pain conditions like arthritis or cancer.
The time-release along with new stiffer restrictions on prescribing practices makes this specific drug a bit less risky for addiction issues. However, many people who became addicted to OxyContin in the past, currently use easier access and instant formulation opioids like Percocet, Norco, and Vicodin. Although, some people suffering from addiction find ways to bypass the time-release aspect of the drug while crushing it or taking larger doses. These practices significantly increase the risks of overdose and death.
Oxycontin Warnings and Risks
As with all other opioid prescription drugs, OXYCONTIN can quickly lead to addiction, abuse, and overdose. There is a higher risk of overdose and death with this drug, due to the more substantial amount of oxycodone present in each tablet. Time-release medications such as OXYCONTIN are supposed to deliver the opioid over an extended period of time; when tempered with, the results can be tragic.
Addiction can also occur at recommended doses. Although when abuse or misuse of OXYCONTIN happens, the risks are much higher.
Strategies to reduce addiction risks include prescribing the drug in the small amounts and educating the patient on the proper benefits and risks. Furthermore, crushing, chewing, snorting, or injecting the drug can result in the uncontrolled delivery, which results in overdose or even death.
Reported Adverse Effects Include:
- Life-Threatening Respiratory Depression
- Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome
- Negative Interactions With Central Nervous System Depressants
- Higher health Risks in Elderly, Cachectic, and Debilitated Patients
or those with Chronic Pulmonary Disease. - Hypotensive Effects
- Difficulty in Swallowing or Possibly Harmful to Patients with Gastrointestinal Conditions
- Convulsive or Seizure Disorders may worsen.
Oxycontin has a high risk for dependence and eventually addiction. When taken in high doses or when combined with other substances, especially alcohol it can cause respiratory distress which can lead to death.
Never change or stop taking an opioid medication without first checking with your prescribing doctor. If a specific prescription drug is not working as well as it should, your physician may adjust the dosage or try another medication.
When you’re ready to stop taking opioids, your doctor may try to help you wean off or refer you to a specialized drug treatment program. If you have taken an opioid medication for an extended period, give your body time to regulate. Otherwise, you may feel uncomfortable symptoms of a withdrawal syndrome.
Oxycontin Possible Side Effects
When people take opioid drugs for a certain amount of time, they develop a tolerance. They may feel the need to take higher and higher doses of the medication to feel its effect. This need stands due to an actual physiological response which has occurred at the nervous system level. Although people who receive legitimate prescriptions for Oxycontin may become dependent on the drug, it does not mean they are also suffering from addiction.
Those who’ve taken more than the prescribed dosage or who don’t tolerate opiates well may experience side effects. That is one of the reasons physicians often manage prescription pain medications so closely.
The common side effect of this class are:
- Physical Tolerance
- Addiction
- Withdrawal
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Lightheaded
- A headache
- Dry mouth
- Loss of appetite
- Nervousness or anxiety
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Hiccups
- Impaired thinking or reactions.
More severe possible side effects that may need immediate medical intervention are:
- Respiratory depression
- Seizure
- Cold and clammy skin
- Confusion
- A feeling of passing out
- Respiratory arrest
- Low blood pressure
- Shock and
- Death
Oxycontin withdrawal develops after the body has become accustomed to receiving a constant dose of the drug. Repeated use or abuse of an opioid drug changes brain chemistry function. If the individual reduces or stops taking the opioid entierly, a withdrawal syndrome may occur.
Who is at Risk for Addiction?
Any person who takes Oxycontin over a period of time, short or long, can experience withdrawal symptoms. Even though withdrawal is a symptom of physical dependence, it does not mean the patient also has an addiction. Prescription abuse is when people are using medication for purposes other than the original intended use or at larger doses. Addiction often manifests itself by an uncontrollable craving for the drug regardless of its negative consequences.
Addiction to opioid drugs can destroy relationships and negatively impact peoples at home, work, and school.The reasons why some get addicted to prescription drugs and others don’t, can be widely different. Some studies suggest genetic factor can play a part, while others directly relate to emotional issues. Regardless, it is important to remember that opioid addiction is a reversible and treatable condition.
- These are some possible signs and symptoms of prescription drug addiction:
- Progressive doses of opioid medications
- Physician shopping
- Uncontrollable cravings
- Incapacity to stop or control use
- Abnormal efforts to obtain the medication
- Medication causing the impairment of essential activities
- Obsessive though and use despite adverse side effects
If you are concerned about your drug use or someone you love, speak with a medical professional. Early intervention is the best prevention of addiction risks and overdose.
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Oxycontin Withdrawal Symptoms
After taking an oxycodone-based drug for a specified period of time, you might find that you need more and more to achieve the same effect as it initially did. This condition is called physical tolerance. It is not the same as addiction, instead, a physiological dependence.If you abruptly stop taking the opioid or try to reduce the dosage, you are probably going to feel withdrawal symptoms such as:
- Intense Anxiety
- Nausea
- Insomnia
- Fever
- Muscle Pain
- Flu-Like Symptoms.
OXYCONTIN WITHDRAWAL CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT TO OVERCOME, AND HAS A HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF RELAPSE DURING DETOX, FOR THIS REASON, DOCTORS OFTEN RECOMMEND AN INPATIENT MEDICAL DETOX.
Duration of an opioid withdrawal depends on many unique factors, including the strength and dose of the specific drug. Also, whether it was an extended release formulation or not, the length of time individual took opioids. Furthermore, environmental stresses, biological or genetic factors, can also contribute to the withdrawal discomfort. No matter the severity and length of an Oxycontin withdrawal, it is always recommended to detox under medical guidance. A doctor can help you ease the uncomfortable and potentially dangerous consequences of a withdrawal syndrome. Additionally, a doctor can provide medications to prevent craving and relapse.
Prescription Drugs – Abuse and Addiction
The term addiction is no longer clinically accurate. Instead, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) uses the term substance use disorder. When the condition is concerning oxycontin, the diagnosis is “opioid use disorder.”
Oxycodone has a chemical formulation to replicate the structure of morphine, and like all opioid narcotics, it has an acutely high addiction profile. Behavioral signs and consequences of addiction depend on a range of individual factors. Factors such as someone’s financial capabilities, mental health status and the severity of the addiction.
Often the affected individual might appear drowsy and not really attentive. They might suffer from the inability to perform basic tasks because the drug abuse disrupts a person’s cognitive functioning, which makes much more difficult to concentrate. As a result, there is usually a drop in all-around performance level.
Furthermore, an opioid user may have a difficult time maintaining family relationships and friendships. They may also withdraw from once enjoyable activities, especially with people that know them well and can identify the condition.
Oxycontin Addiction Treatment
Finding the best oxycontin addiction treatment can be challenging and confusing. Effective programs should offer a full spectrum of services that best fit an individual unique needs. Additionally, comprehensive evaluations should also be part of the treatment, so an individualized plan is customized. An inpatient hospital-based medical detox can provide the highest level of care. It allows for round-the-clock medical monitoring and adequate withdrawal management. An Oxycontin medical detox ensures your body safely overcome the withdrawal symptoms with minimum discomfort.
The Waisman Method® team has been providing opioid treatment for nearly 20 years. The total stay typically lasts 5-10days, and our professional team offers 24/7 supervision. Because of our accredited private hospital, we are also able to address additional medical issues and administer the appropriate medications if clinically necessary.
Don’t wait any longer. Get help today. Call today, speak to an opioid specialist about your treatment options. 1-800-423-2482
