Percocet Addiction | Percocet In Ohio

Prescription painkillers can help individuals deal with intense physical pain and stress stemming from serious injuries, medical procedures, and chronic health conditions.

However, medications like Percocet are abused for their euphoric properties, which increases the risk of opioid use disorder/addiction.

What Is Percocet?

Percocet is a strong prescription pain relief medication made using a combination of the semi-synthetic opioid drug oxycodone (OxyContin) and the non-prescription painkiller acetaminophen (Tylenol).

The medication is intended to treat moderate and severe pain and is prescribed in a wide variety of situations, especially after surgical operations or to manage chronic pain related to cancer treatment.

Different types of Percocet dosages include:

• 2.5 mg oxycodone/325 mg acetaminophen
• 5 mg oxycodone/325 mg acetaminophen
• 7.5 mg oxycodone/325 mg acetaminophen
• 10 mg oxycodone/325 mg acetaminophen

Other names for Percocet, or other brand name medications containing both oxycodone and acetaminophen, include Oxycet, Roxicet, and Xartemis XR.

Percocet Drug Class

Percocet’s drug class is an analgesic/prescription opioid combination, meaning that it contains both a nonprescription analgesic (painkiller) and a semi-synthetic opioid/opiate prescription drug.

As with other opioid-containing medications, Percocet is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance with high risk for addiction and abuse.

Is Percocet Addictive?

Unfortunately, Percocet and other medications containing oxycodone or similar opioid drugs are highly addictive and infamously prone to diversion and abuse.

This is because the drug, while important for controlling pain, can also provide a habit-forming euphoria, relief from anxiety, and false sense of wellbeing. Especially when the medication is taken in higher doses than prescribed.

Effects Of Percocet Abuse

When Percocet enters the body, oxycodone is absorbed through the gut and then binds to opioid receptors located throughout the central nervous system and brain.

This activation changes how the body responds to pain, slows down the central nervous system, and can stimulate the release of dopamine along with intense feelings of pleasure and euphoria.

As a result, the brain quickly learns to seek out and crave this short-term euphoric experience again and again in the future.

The most common side-effects of Percocet, which may occur even during proper use, may include:

• abdominal pain
• anxiety
• constipation
• diarrhea
• dizziness
• fatigue
• headache
• memory loss
• stomach cramping

Abuse of Percocet is any use that differs from how the medication was prescribed, especially if the drug is taken by someone else or used in higher doses than intended.

While Percocet is almost always taken orally, by swallowing, the drug is sometimes modified with the intention of being snorted, plugged, injected, or smoked despite an increased risk of overdose and other negative effects.

Percocet Overdose

Both components of Percocet (acetaminophen and oxycodone) can be deadly in high doses.

Percocet overdose, as with other forms of opioid overdose, can include symptoms like: 

• pinpoint pupils
• confusion
• slow heart rate
• cold clammy skin
• blue tinted fingers and lips
• difficulty breathing

Death or serious injury can occur due to this respiratory depression.

At the same time, the over-the-counter pain reliever included in Percocet can severely damage the liver in excess amounts. Severe cases of acetaminophen poisoning can even result in total liver failure and death without a prompt organ transplant.

If you suspect a Percocet overdose has occurred, immediately administer the opioid antidote naloxone and summon emergency medical attention to your location.

Percocet Withdrawal

The longer Percocet abuse continues, the more likely a person is to develop a chemical dependency towards the drug.

This means that you will need to keep taking the medication, and in increasing doses, to feel the same effects and to hold off unpleasant Percocet withdrawal symptoms and cravings.

Signs Of Percocet Addiction

An ongoing pattern of drug abuse will also tend to deepen the psychological effects of addiction which can impact personality, decision making, impulsivity, and behavioral health.

This often includes deceptive drug-seeking behaviors like: 

• doctor shopping
• making frequent trips to urgent care
• using fake prescriptions
• theft
• searching for drug dealers or illicit online pharmacies

Other signs of opioid addiction include a lack of personal hygiene, intense drug cravings, and prioritizing opioid use over family, relationships, work, or school.

Percocet Addiction Treatment Options

As a form of substance use disorder, Percocet addiction should be addressed with a personalized treatment plan featuring a variety of appropriate professional treatment services.

Your specific treatment program may include:

• medical detox
• inpatient treatment
• cognitive behavioral therapy and other behavioral therapies
• counseling, family therapy, and group therapy
• medication-assisted treatment using buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone
• dual diagnosis care for co-occurring disorders
• aftercare programs and support groups

If you or your loved one struggle with prescription painkiller abuse or addiction, contact us today for information on our inpatient healthcare options.

FAQs

How Long Does Percocet Stay In Your System?

Percocet may stay in your hair for 90 days, saliva for 2 days, and urine for 4 days. How long Percocet can be detected in drug tests depends on various factors such as your age, weight, and history of substance use.

Learn more about How Long Percocet Stays In Your System

Can You Get High On Percocet?

Yes, you can get high on Percocet. Getting high on Percocet can cause serious short-term and long-term effects such as liver damage and an increased risk of addiction and overdose.

Learn more about Getting High On Percocet

What Does Percocet Look Like?

Percocet is available in a number of colors such as blue, pink, and yellow. In addition to this, each pill has an imprint depending on the strength of the pill, and they come in certain shapes such as round and oval.

Learn more about What Percocet Looks Like

How Can You Identify Counterfeit Percocet?

Unfortunately, there is no 100% reliable way to identify counterfeit oxycodone/acetaminophen pain medications without laboratory testing.

Accordingly, one should never take medication that has not been prescribed to you or that has not been properly dispensed from a pharmacy or other medical provider.

Learn more about Counterfeit Percocet

What’s The Difference Between Percocet & Vicodin?

Both Percocet and Vicodin are opioid medications used to treat pain. However, Percocet is the combination of oxycodone and acetaminophen while Vicodin is the combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen.

Learn more about Percocet Vs. Vicodin

What Is Percocet Called On The Street?

Percocet is an opioid medication that goes by many slang terms on the street, including percs, hillbilly heroin, kickers, and oxy.

Learn more about Percocet Street Names

Is It Safe To Percocet While Pregnant?

It is not safe to take the opioid prescription drug Percocet while pregnant. If a woman takes Percocet at any point during her pregnancy, the child can be harmed due to how the drug passes from the mother to the child. 

Learn more about Taking Percocet While Pregnant