Oxycodone is another pain reliever drug under the opioid class. Like the other medications, it has the side effect of slowing down the breathing pattern of the patient while using this substance.
Identifying this drug in stores and pharmacies is simple and easy because of its pill identifier and label. It is sold in tablet and liquid forms in the market with two varying degrees of action: extended-release and immediate-release action.
This medication is known by its generic, brand, and street names. It has a generic name of Oxycodone while its brand names are Targin, OxyContin, Oxynorm, Endone, and Proladone.
Meanwhile, the street names of this drug vary on the culture of the area and are used to hide the real identity of the substance when doing illegal transactions. The typical street names used for this drug are 80, 40, Oxycotton, OX, Oxy, OC, Blues, Kickers, and Hillbilly heroin.
The extended-release formulations have a slow rate of action after orally taken by the patient, whereas, the immediate-release have a quick reaction time once it mixes in the blood.
The brand name of the extended-release formulations is OxyContin while the brand names of the immediate-release formulations are Roxybond, Oxaydo, and Roxicodone.
In terms of tablet forms, this drug has several unique physical appearances such as the color, shape, and pill imprint. Likewise, the liquid form of this drug is in 5-milligram strength.
For the 5 milligram tablet, it has a round shape with white and orange color. The white tablet has pill imprints of “48 10, V” and “K 18” while the orange one is “N P, 11”.
For the 10 milligram tablet, it has a round shape, pink color, with a pill imprint of “K 56”.
For the 15 milligram tablet, it is light green in color, round shape, with pill imprints of “M, 15”, “A 214”, “48 11, V”, “ K 8”, “U23”, and “187”. It also has a yellow color round tablet with a pill imprint of “N P,13”.
The 20-milligram table has a round shape, gray color, with a pill imprint of “K 57”. While the 30 milligram tablet has a color of light blue to blue, round in shape, and with pill imprints of “M, 30”, “A 215”, “V, 48 12”, “K 9”, “U24”, “ALG 265”, and “A 51”.
Oxycodone, How They Work
This medication works in the same way as the other drugs under the opioid class. Once orally ingested, it mixes in the blood and targets the brain. It specifically attaches itself in the opioid receptor sites where it prevents the brain from interpreting the painful sensations all over the body.
Aside from that, it further reinforces its pain relief action by stimulating the secretion of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a brain chemical and hormone which is responsible for any individual to feel happy or high. Consequently, this euphoric feeling further cloaks the brain from feeling any painful sensation.
Addiction and Dangers
This medication has both benefits and setbacks which need to be informed to people who plan to take this drug. This drug has been considered dangerous because of its high addictive potential and negative effects when mixed with other substances such as alcohol, illicit drugs, sedatives, and sleeping pills.
This drug has been considered by the Drug Enforcement Agency as Schedule IV controlled substances.
Once a person starts taking this drug, certain side effects can be felt similar to other opioid substances. These side effects can intensify as the session lasts longer alongside with increasing dosage.
There are slight differences in the short-term side effects felt by the patient which depends on the formulation taken. For instance, the immediate-release formulation delivers quick side effects that are slightly stronger but lasts for a short time. While the extended-release formulation delivers side effects at a slower pace at a lower intensity but lingers for a longer time.
The typical short-term side effects of taking this drug are disorientation, euphoric sensation, nausea, constipation, and slower breathing. Some of these side effects can be alleviated by applying certain measures. For instance, constipation can be alleviated by eating more fiber or drinking juices rich in natural fibers.
Meanwhile, the serious long-term side effects of this drug include suicidal behavior, intense mood shifts, loss of muscle strength, respiratory and kidney failure, seizures, hallucinations, and death.
Moreover, if one plans to under a drug test, the idea of how long it stays in the body must be known. In general, this drug has a half-life of 4.5 hours which means if one takes a 30 mg tablet, this amount becomes 15 milligrams inside the body after 4.5 hours after the time it was taken.
In the blood and urine, residues of this substance can still be detected one day and 1 to 4 days respectively, after the time it was last taken.
In the saliva, the presence of this drug can still be detected three to four days after it was last taken. Lastly, in the hair follicle, the residues of this drug can still be detected up to ninety days from the last time it was ingested.
Medications and Treatments
Before the patient undergoes any treatment program, the person must develop enough self-awareness and motivation to pursue treatment. This ensures a higher success rate for the patient’s recovery.
The treatment process of this addiction can include prescription of medications to counter the effects of opioids and its withdrawal symptoms, residential or hospital treatment, and behavioral therapies.
The first step in any treatment procedure is detoxification and abstinence from the drug. The detoxification process can be done in three ways: oral ingestion of activated charcoal, blood dialysis, and stomach lavage.
Consequently, these two procedures induce withdrawal symptoms that cause discomfort to the patient. In order to ease these symptoms, the patient is prescribed to take Methadone. This medication does not make the person feel high compared to other opioids. Its main function is to balance the condition of the receptor site affected by oxycodone.
Other medications prescribed to the patient which helps counter the effects of addiction are buprenorphine and naloxone. Further, Naltrexone is also given to the patient in order to remove any addictive euphoric sensation felt from using opioid substances. This medication is useful in preventing any relapse. Naltrexone must be given after 7 to 10 days of opioid abstinence.
These medications treat the biological aspects of addiction, but to hasten the recovery process, behavioral therapies are incorporated into the program. The three typical therapies included for this addiction are Contingency management, Cognitive behavioral therapy, and Group Counseling.
