Oxycodone Review

Oxycodone is a powerful pain medicine. It works to relieve pain by blocking certain nerve signals in the brain and spinal cord.

It may be combined with other medicines for added effects. Talk with your doctor.

This medication can cause addiction. Use exactly as prescribed to lower the risk of addiction.

Medications for Pain

There are many types of medicines to treat pain. They fall into two categories: painkillers and anti-inflammatories. Painkillers block pain signals at the nerve level and stop them from reaching the brain. Anti-inflammatories, also called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), reduce the swelling and redness that causes pain. NSAIDs are available as both over-the-counter and prescription medications. They are generally safe to take long term and work well for short term pain, such as headaches or menstrual cramps. However, they don’t improve the underlying cause of the pain.

Medications used to treat severe or chronic pain are usually in the class of opioids, or narcotic analgesics. Oxycodone is in this group and works by changing the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain. It can be taken as a pill or liquid. You should take it only as prescribed and at the times your doctor recommends. It can increase your risk of seizures. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have a history of seizure disorder or head injury. It can also slow or increase the speed of breathing, and this may be a problem if you have certain medical conditions such as lung disease, liver disease, kidney problems, or stomach/intestinal problems. This medication may also make you dizzy or lightheaded. If these effects occur, use caution when performing hazardous activities such as driving or operating machinery. Be aware that alcohol can decrease the effectiveness of this medication. It is important to avoid taking any other narcotic or opioid medications, including herbal preparations and some over-the-counter medicines, unless approved by your doctor. Suddenly stopping this medicine can lead to withdrawal symptoms such as restlessness, mental/mood changes, trouble sleeping, or thoughts of suicide.

If you have chronic pain, your doctor may prescribe oxycodone in combination with other pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. This type of treatment is called titration and it allows your doctor to gradually increase your dose to the lowest amount that provides analgesia. This helps prevent a sudden spike in your blood pressure that can be life-threatening.

If you are prescribed oxycodone, be sure to read the Medication Guide provided by your pharmacist before you start taking it and each time you get a refill. This will help you understand how to properly take this medicine and what side effects you might have from it. Also, be sure to tell your doctor or pharmacist about any other medicines you are taking, especially if they are not mentioned in the Medication Guide, such as vitamins, herbs, or other over-the-counter medications.

Opioid Pain Medications

Medications called opioids, or narcotics, reduce pain by blocking or suppressing the nerve signals that cause it. They can help control severe headaches, backaches, and other chronic pain conditions, such as cancer or arthritis. Health care providers prescribe them to people who have undergone surgery or had a serious injury. They may also be used to treat pain related to health conditions, such as nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy.

Opioid medicines work by attaching to and activating opioid receptors on cells in the brain, spinal cord, and other organs. This blocks pain messages and boosts feelings of pleasure. These drugs can be misused, however. They can lead to addiction, and they can be dangerous if taken in higher doses or for longer than prescribed. They can also increase the risk of side effects, such as drowsiness or constipation. At high doses, they can slow your breathing and heart rate to a point where you stop breathing and die.

Prescription opioids are very strong pain medications that can be addictive. Doctors usually only prescribe them for short periods of time and in small amounts, and they are only approved for certain conditions. They are most commonly prescribed to treat acute or chronic pain that cannot be relieved by other medications.

Several types of opioids are available, including regular and concentrated solutions and tablets. They can be taken by mouth or in the form of an injection. Some are combined with benzodiazepines (commonly known as “benzos”), which act as sedatives and can increase your risk of breathing problems, overdose, and death. You should not use these medications with any other type of sedative, as they can increase your risk of serious or life-threatening side effects.

Before you take any medication, tell your health care provider if you have a history of mental or physical illness, or if you have ever abused alcohol or other drugs. Also let your doctor know if you have any other medical conditions, such as liver or kidney disease.

Do not use oxycodone with other medicines that can make you sleepy or dizzy, such as benzodiazepines, sedatives, or muscle relaxers. This can increase your risk of serious or life-threatening breathing problems or a coma. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking these medicines, or any other medications.

Oxycodone can interact with monoamine oxidase inhibitors, such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), linezolid (Zyvox), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), selegiline (Eldepryl, Zelapar), or tranylcypromine (Parnate). These medications can reduce the effectiveness of oxycodone, and it can increase your risk of serious or life-threatening respiratory problems, sedation, or coma. Your doctor may need to change your doses or monitor you closely. Always use the dosing cup, oral syringe, or dropper that comes with your medicine to measure out the exact number of milliliters of solution your doctor has prescribed.

Oxycodone

Oxycodone is a strong pain reliever that also acts as a sedative. It is used to treat conditions like severe back pain and muscle spasms. It is prescribed only by a doctor. It can be habit forming and should only be used for short-term pain relief. It can suppress breathing, so it is used with caution in elderly or debilitated patients and in those with serious lung disease. It can also cause drowsiness, so you should not drive or operate machinery until you know how it affects you.

The drug is available in immediate-release tablets and extended-release tablets. The tablets are made with “abuse-deterrent” properties to discourage misuse. They are harder to crush and dissolve and the active ingredients last longer (up to 12 hours) than immediate-release forms of the medication. The extended-release version is also resistant to injection, so it is less likely to be misused.

Both forms of oxycodone can cause extreme sleepiness and impair your ability to think, react, or focus. You should not drink alcohol or take other drugs that make you sleepy or dizzy until you know how the medication affects you. Doing so can increase your risk of a deadly side effect.

If you have a medical condition such as stomach ulcers, liver or kidney disease, or a history of drug or alcohol abuse, you may have an increased chance of side effects from the medication. The medication can interact with many other medications, so be sure to tell your doctor about all your current medications. It can increase the blood levels of other medications that slow your breathing, including antidepressants, benzodiazepines, sleeping pills, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), linezolid (Zyvox), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), and tranylcypromine (Parnate). It can also increase the effectiveness of certain HIV medicines.

The medication is usually taken by mouth as directed. Swallow the tablets whole; do not chew or crush them. To reduce the risk of choking, you can drink water or fruit juice with each tablet. If you have trouble swallowing, ask your doctor to give you a liquid suspension or a special pill crusher. The medication may cause constipation. It can be harmful to an unborn baby, so you should not breastfeed while taking it. It can cause itching in some people. If the itching does not go away, talk to your doctor.