The Effects Of Oxycontin – Therapeutic Effects, Side Effects, And Adverse Effects

Therapeutic effect refers to the desired, expected effect of medication after it has been administered. The effects of Oxycontin on the human body are quite numerous. What will be discussed here, however, are the categorized effects of Oxycontin – whether they’re therapeutic effects, side effects, or adverse effects.

The chief therapeutic effects of Oxycontin include relief of pain and relaxation. The opioid component of Oxycontin attaches to the brain and spinal cord receptors which results to analgesia. It is usually indicated in patients with cancer and post op pain, conditions where extended pain is expected.

For you to be able to fully grasp the side effects and adverse effects of Oxycontin, you must first recognize the distinction between the two. A lot of individuals make the mistake of thinking that the term “side effect” is synonymous with “adverse effect”, even if they’re not. The term side effect refers to the expected, non-therapeutic effect of the drug to the human body. Side effects are generally transient and disappear after a medication is discontinued. These may not require immediate intervention because they are expected to disappear after some time.

The term adverse effect, however, refers to the unexpected, non-therapeutic effect of the drug that may pose a threat to an individual. Adverse effect may call for interventions such as lowering the drug dosage and stopping the medication.

The following are some of the usual side effects of Oxycontin: constipation, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, pruritus (skin itching), headache, dry mouth, sweating, and asthenia (body weakness). Because you now understand what the term side effect means, you automatically recognize that the previously enumerated symptoms should not cause you severe anxiety because they are expected and will not last long.

Alternatively, the usual adverse effects of Oxycontin are respiratory depression, apnea (temporary cessation of breathing), respiratory arrest, severe allergic reactions (severe rashes and skin itching, swelling of the mouth), somnolence (sleepiness), hallucinations, seizures, tremors, and vision changes. If you experience the aforementioned reactions while you’re on Oxycontin, it is very important to report to doctor as soon as possible. Such reactions are not normal and may require serious interventions.

Indeed, it really does make a big difference to know the therapeutic effects, side effects, and adverse effects of Oxycontin because it lets you know when to seek consult immediately to a doctor.

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The Basic Things You Need To Know About Oxycontin Withdrawal

Oxycontin is a narcotic analgesic drug which has a high risk of being abused. This is the reason why Oxycontin is illegal to sell without a license by DEA and is illegal to possess and buy without license or prescription. Because of its high abuse potential, doctors would constantly stress the great importance of taking the medication strictly as prescribed.

People usually start to become Oxycontin-dependent when they do not adhere to the prescribed dosage, frequency, and duration of medication. The unpleasant symptoms of Oxycontin withdrawal are typically experienced when Oxycontin-dependent individuals abruptly stop the intake of the medication. The unpleasant effects of Oxycontin withdrawal are the main reasons why Oxycontin-dependent individuals find it hard to stop taking the drug.

The symptoms of Oxycontin withdrawal and other opium-based narcotics such as morphine and heroin are very much alike in many ways. The symptoms of Oxycontin withdrawal vary from mild to severe and may differ from person to person. Oxycontin withdrawal symptoms will generally include the following: rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, profuse sweating, chills, restlessness, irritability, anxiety, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, watery eyes, dilated pupils, runny nose, muscle pain, joint pain, and generalized body weakness.

Three options are available in treating Oxycontin withdrawal. One is through what is called “quitting cold turkey” method. In this method, the doctor will ask the patient to stop taking the drug. This method, however, is most effective only in those individuals who experience mild withdrawal symptoms. One more option is palliative treatment, where non-opioid medications are given to treat the symptoms of Oxycontin withdrawal. The last option available for Oxycontin-dependent individuals is the use of opioid substitute such as methadone. This method works by gradually decreasing the amount of Oxycontin in the blood by lowering the dosage.

The indescribable torture of Oxycontin withdrawal is what drives plenty of patients to increase the dosage even more. For them, increasing the dosage is the best way to avoid the symptoms of Oxycontin withdrawal. This practice, however, only increases the individual’s dependence on the medication. If not given prompt medical attention, a person can most likely experience drug overdose resulting to death. This explains why it’s very important that you ask for professional treatment when symptoms of Oxycontin withdrawal become apparent.

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Oxycontin Vs. Oxycodone – How Do They Differ From Each Other?

Oxycontin vs. oxycodone, how do they differ from each other? Many people know that the generic name of Oxycontin is oxycodone hydrochloride. With that said, many are confused as to whether oxycodone is just a generic name for Oxycontin. Do these two terms mean exactly the same thing? Or are they two totally contrasting drugs? What about those medications that also contain oxycodone such as Percodan? Does that indicate that Percodan and Oxycontin are identical? And the string of questions continues.

1.) Oxycontin vs. oxycodone – Is oxycodone just a generic name for Oxycontin? Strictly speaking, Oxycontin is a brand name while oxycodone is not simply a generic name. Oxycodone is an opioid narcotic found in many other pain medications. The generic name of Oxycontin only happens to be oxycodone HCl because oxycodone is the main active ingredient in Oxycontin.


2.) Oxycontin vs. oxycodone - Do these two terms mean exactly the same thing? Well apparently, the answer is no. As mentioned earlier, oxycodone is an opioid analgesic that is present in other painkilling drugs, which includes Oxycontin.


3.) Oxycontin vs. oxycodone - What about the other painkillers that also consist of oxycodone like Percodan? Does that mean that Percodan is similar to Oxycontin? The answer is both yes and no. Oxycontin is comparable to Percodan because both of them consist of the opioid, oxycodone. The particular distinction between the two, however, is that Oxycontin contains only oxycodone while Percodan has both oxycodone and aspirin.

Because of what’s been outlined above, now you know that oxycodone may exist in two forms: pure and combination products. Examples of products that are purely oxycodone are Oxycontin and Roxicodone. Products which are purely oxycodone are slow-release medications. They are formulated to gradually release the medication for 12 hours.

Oxycodone may be combined with other NSAIDs such as aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen. Oxycodone combination products are usually taken every four, six, or eight hours as needed (PRN) for pain. Percodan, Endodan, and Roxiprin are fine examples of oxycodone products compounded with aspirin. Some good examples of oxycodone products compounded with acetaminophen are Percocet, Endocet, Magnacet, Oxecta, Tylox, and Xolox. Combunox, on the other hand, is an example of ibuprofen-containing oxycodone product.

So if someone asks you questions regarding Oxycontin vs. oxycodone matters, you now can respond effortlessly.

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