What is Oxycodone? It is an opioid pain medication. It is used to treat moderate to severe pain. There is an extended-release “version” of the drug that is meant to allow the user to experience pain treatment around the clock without having to take medication every 4-8 hours for example. It is like Aleve, but much much stronger. Unfortunately, Oxycodone is highly addictive and very dangerous, therefore it is often an abused drug. Oxycodone is also known as (or is in):
- Percodan
- Endodan
- Roxiprin
- Percocet
- Endocet
- Roxicet
- and OxyContin
The Dangers of Oxycodone
As mentioned above, Oxycodone can be extremely addictive. This leads to a lot of drug abuse and opioid overdose. The effects it gives the user are comparable to heroin. Which leads some people to question why in the world doctors are still prescribing it. However, generally speaking, not always, oxycodone does help a lot of people with pain management, especially after a major surgery for example. The plus side is that oxycodone isn’t prescribed for lesser injuries or generic pain. Either way, opioid use disorder is very common with oxycodone. For those who do develop an addiction to this opioid, the danger of an overdose is of chief concern. Oxycodone is a depressant, it depresses one’s respiration as well as lowering the blood pressure. Because of this, comas, seizures, and cardiac arrest are not uncommon results of an addiction.
This opioid is more dangerous when it is being administered in a way that is meant to increase the euphoric effect of the drug. This would include crushing and snorting pills, injecting the drug, or taking it in conjunction with alcohol. The truth of the matter is, watch out for your friends and family who are given prescription drugs. You don’t need to withhold their pain medication, but if you start noticing mood changes, sweating, sedation, weakness, or a general sort of disconnect from reality, it is always a good idea to get them to a doctor. What is oxycodone? It can be a helpful pain reliever, but more often than not, it is a drug that is associated with addiction. If you or someone you know is struggling with opioid addiction, try to get them into a treatment center as soon as possible, you just may be saving their life.