Oxycontin Side Effects

OxyContin side effects are not as mild as dizziness and dry mouth, OxyContin side effects include physical addiction, dependency, obsession and death. OxyContin side effects like these have become more recognized as the Drug Enforcement Administration has seen record numbers of individuals with serious OxyContin side effects appear in hospital emergency rooms. The manufacturer has been criticized for downplaying OxyContin side effects and has been asked by the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) to make changes to the label. The new label specifying OxyContin side effects will be the strongest warning ever for a pharmaceutical drug. This action was taken as severe OxyContin side effects have been recorded in individuals at alarming rates across America.

OxyContin is an opium derivative similar to codeine, Percoce, Percodan and Tylox but is more powerful because the active ingredient oxycodone, comes in larger doses of 10 to 80 milligrams. These drugs have been around awhile and are abused but not at increasing rates. Since its FDA approval in 1995, The Journal of the American Medical Association has published studies from the Drug Abuse Warning Network that oxycodone related deaths have increased 93% between 1997 and 1998. Oxycodone related emergency room visits have increased 32% during the same period.

Similar to heroin, accidental OxyContin overdose is caused by increase tolerance to the pain-blocking euphoric effects, but a large single dose can easily cause respiratory failure and death. Other OxyContin side effects include drowsiness, constipation and slow breathing. When OxyContin dosage is reduced or stopped, severe withdrawal symptoms can occur. Withdrawal symptoms include "flu" like discomfort, muscle and bone pain, nausea and cold flashes.

Manufactured by Purdue Pharma L.P., OxyContin is a time release pill that is designed to relieve pain up to 12 hours. When the drug hit the market however, it was quickly discovered that by chewing, grinding or dissolving the pill into liquid, the time release function could be negated. Thus when an abuser snorts, eats or injects OxyContin, a euphoric rush is felt similar to heroin. This pleasurable feeling is creating addicts out of those who may have had very legitimate reasons for the initial prescription. OxyContin use can go from legitimate use to addiction very quickly and subtly. Individuals who have not been educated about the dangers of OxyContin side effects may not understand what a powerful narcotic this drug really is. Too many people believe that just because a doctor prescribed the drug and its "just a pain killer" that they are in no danger. These are some of the reasons why OxyContin side effects have become so prominent in our emergency rooms and morgues.

Drug addiction is a silent killer that creeps up on the user who may be completely unaware of what is happening. From 2 pills a day to 2 pills an hour to 2 pills every 15 minutes, tolerance builds as the body adapts. OxyContin side effects include moving from pain relief to pleasure seeking. This isn't an issue of self control. Continuous use of a drug like OxyContin produces chemical changes in the brain that comes to depend on the drug and makes it impossible to stop without medical intervention. The obsession and compulsion to find and use OxyContin becomes an overriding concern to the detriment of all other areas of life.

OxyContin side effects can be conquered with the right medical help. Spencer Recovery Centers has the experience and the staff to help you get past dependence on OxyContin. Under the guidance of our medical doctors, we've helped hundreds of opiate addicts get through medical detoxification and on to counseling. Our licensed counselors can customize a treatment plan to fit your schedule and give you the tools you need to conquer your dependence on OxyContin.

Give us a call today.

Facts and figures related to OxyContin were found at The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.