Oxycodone Withdrawal Symptoms

You will commonly hear about patients who are going through oxycodone withdrawal symptoms. Oxycodone is one of the most abused prescription medications in America. Do you know, what exactly are the oxycodone withdrawal symptoms? Read on...
The group of narcotic pain relievers are called oxycodones. These drugs are similar to morphine and help relieving moderate to severe pain. They are given to patients for round-the-clock relieve from pain due to trauma, injuries, muscle pain, fractures, neuralgia, arthritis, lower back pain and cancer pain. Oxycontin, a prescription drug, has been classified by the Drug Enforcement Agency as a Schedule II drug. This means though it is approved for medical use, it has a very high risk of abuse and other related serious problems.

These drugs are addictive and habit-forming. They should only be used by people who receive specific prescription from doctor. This medication should never be shared as a painkiller with others and especially people with a history of drug abuse. Oxycodone can impair the ability to think and react. Thus, avoid driving and other activities, when using oxycodone. If you are taking oxycodone, then totally avoid alcohol as it may lead to dangerous and fatal oxycodone side effects. There are many people, especially teenagers in America, who become addicted to oxycodone drugs. Even patients who were treated with oxycontin for pain management have been found to show oxycodone withdrawal symptoms. Let us know more in detail about the oxycodone withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal Symptoms of Oxycodone
Oxycodone is a very strong habit-forming drug and the body begins to develop tolerance because of the presence of this drug. This makes the body require high levels of the drugs to achieve the pain relieving effect. Thus, when patients are asked to terminate the use of these drugs like oxycontin, they exhibit oxycodone withdrawal symptoms, which are similar to the intensity of heroin withdrawal symptoms.

Oxycodone withdrawal duration begins within six hours of the last dose and can be seen up to one week. The oxycodone symptoms have spine-chilling effects as the patient undergoing oxycodone withdrawal symptoms suffers a lot. The common oxycodone withdrawal symptoms are:
  • Abdominal cramps
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Intense pain in the body
  • Tremors
  • Excessive sweating (diaphoresis)
  • Anxiety
  • Insomnia
  • Muscle cramps with spasms
  • Body chills
  • Goose bumps (piloerection)
  • Paranoia
  • Agitated and aggressive behavior
  • Increased heart rate
  • Hyperactivity
  • Dilated pupils
  • Runny nose and eye
  • Depression
  • Loss of appetite
A patient or drug addict undergoes a very difficult withdrawal phase that makes it very difficult for him or her to terminate the use of oxycodone completely. If a person has taken oxycodone for a really long time, it may lead to damage to important organs. This includes the lungs, heart, liver, brain, and eyes. Excessive dilation of the pupils as well as excessive tearing (lacrimation) may also be seen. Newborns whose mothers often take oxycodone may suffer from respiratory depression. Some of the severe withdrawal symptoms that requires medical attention include:
  • Excessive drop in the blood pressure
  • Respiratory arrest
  • Cardiac arrest
  • Shock
  • Coma
Oxycodone Withdrawal Treatment
The oxycodone withdrawal symptoms involve many detoxification routes. The patient with the help of a support system in a hospital or drug rehab may be treated with the non-medical treatment, that involves abrupt cessation of the drug. The medical oxycodone withdrawal treatment involves decreasing the oxycontin doses before total termination of the drug intake and clonidine administration or methadone administration. Methadone is the most common drug, used to help people with heroin withdrawal symptoms. Other than this, there is no specific oxycodone withdrawal treatment. Behavior-oriented therapy is found to be a very common oxycodone withdrawal relief during oxycodone withdrawal treatment, as proven by research.

Oxycodone should not be terminated abruptly to minimize the withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor may slowly decrease the doses and will prove to be a very helpful support during the oxycodone withdrawal symptoms. Never ever abuse your body with mindless and excessive use of any kind of drugs. Even though it may prove to be very relieving and give you a high, the withdrawal symptoms prove to be a very horrific experience. Even if you have not used the drug as an addiction, never feel embarrassed to ask for help. With proper medical guidance, you will be able to overcome oxycodone withdrawal symptoms.
By
Last Updated: 12/26/2011
Like This Article?
Follow:
Post Comment | View Comments
Your Comments:
Your Name: