Oxycodone

Important Information About Oxycodone

Oxycodone may be habit-forming. Take oxycodone exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, take it more often, or use it in a different way than directed.

While taking oxycodone, discuss with your healthcare provider your pain treatment goals, length of treatment, and other ways to manage your pain. Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family drinks or has ever drunk large amounts of alcohol, uses or has ever used street drugs, or has overused prescription medications, or has had an overdose, or if you have or have ever had depression or another mental illness. There is a greater risk you will overuse oxycodone if you have or have had any of these conditions.

Talk to your healthcare provider immediately and seek guidance if you think you may have an opioid addiction, or call the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357).

Risk of Serious or Life-Threatening Breathing Problems

Oxycodone may cause serious or life-threatening breathing problems, especially during the first 24 to 72 hours of treatment or when your dose is increased. Your doctor will monitor you carefully during your treatment.

Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had slowed breathing or asthma. Your doctor will probably tell you not to take oxycodone. Also tell your doctor if you have or have ever had lung disease (such as COPD, a group of disorders affecting the airways), a head injury, a brain tumor, or any condition that increases pressure in your brain.

The risk of developing breathing problems may be greater if you are an older adult or weak or malnourished due to disease. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical help: slowed breathing, long pauses between breaths, or shortness of breath.

Keep Medication Safe

Do not allow anyone else to take your medication. Oxycodone may harm or cause death to other people who take it, especially children. Keep it in a safe place where no one else can take it accidentally or on purpose. Be especially careful to keep it out of reach of children. Keep track of how many capsules, tablets, or oral solution you have left, so you know if any medication is missing.

Drug Interactions and Precautions

Taking certain other medications with oxycodone may increase the risk of serious or life-threatening breathing problems, sedation, or coma. Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medication and will monitor you carefully.

If you take oxycodone with other medications and you develop any of the following symptoms — unusual dizziness, lightheadedness, Extreme sleepiness, slowed or difficult breathing, or unresponsiveness — call your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical care. Be sure that your caregiver or family members know which symptoms may be serious, in case you are unable to seek help on your own.

Important Precautions When Taking Oxycodone  Sold by Psychedelic2

Drinking alcohol, taking prescription or nonprescription medications that contain alcohol, or using street drugs during your treatment with oxycodone increases the risk of serious, life-threatening side effects.
➥ Do not drink alcohol, take medications that contain alcohol, or use street drugs while you are taking oxycodone.

How to Take Oxycodone Extended-Release Tablets

If you are taking oxycodone extended-release tablets, swallow them whole — do not chew, break, divide, crush, or dissolve them.
➥ Do not presoak, lick, or wet the tablet prior to putting it in your mouth.
➥ Swallow each extended-release tablet immediately after placing it in your mouth.
➥ If you break, chew, crush, or dissolve the extended-release tablet, you may release too much medication at once instead of slowly over 12 hours, which can result in overdose and death.

Measuring Oxycodone Solution

Oxycodone comes as a regular solution (liquid) and a concentrated solution (with more medication in each milliliter).
➥ Be sure you know whether you have the regular or concentrated solution and the exact milliliter (mL) dosage your doctor prescribed.
➥ Use the dosing cup, oral syringe, or dropper provided with your medication to measure your dose accurately.
➥ Read all directions carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about how much medication you should take.
➥ Incorrect dosing can result in serious or life-threatening side effects.

Storage and Disposal

➥ Store oxycodone in a safe place, where it cannot be taken by accident or on purpose by someone else — especially keep it out of reach of children.
➥ Keep track of how much medication you have left to be sure none is missing.
➥ Dispose of unwanted capsules, tablets, extended-release products, or liquid safely according to instructions. (See Storage and Disposal for details).

Pregnancy Precautions

➥ Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
➥ If you take oxycodone regularly during pregnancy, your baby may suffer from life-threatening withdrawal symptoms after birth.
➥ Contact your baby’s doctor immediately if your baby shows any of the following symptoms after birth:

• Irritability
• Hyperactivity
• Abnormal sleep
• High-pitched crying
• Uncontrollable shaking
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Failure to gain weight

Talk to Your Doctor

➥ Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking oxycodone.

Medication Guide and Additional Information

➥ Your doctor or pharmacist will give you a Medication Guide when you start treatment and each time you refill your prescription.
➥ Read this guide carefully and ask questions if you do not understand something.
➥ You can also find more information on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website: https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm or from the manufacturer’s website.

Why Is This Medication Prescribed?

Oxycodone immediate-release tablets, capsules, and oral solution are used to relieve severe, acute pain (pain that starts suddenly, has a specific cause, and is expected to diminish when the cause is treated) in people who need an opioid medication and can’t be adequately treated with other pain medication.

Oxycodone extended-release tablets and extended-release capsules are used to relieve severe pain in people who need pain medication around the clock for a long time and who cannot be treated with other medication.
➥ Oxycodone extended-release products should not be used to treat pain that can be adequately treated with medication taken as-needed.
➥ Oxycodone concentrated solution should be used only by people who are tolerant to opioids — this means they have already been taking this kind of medication for at least a week.

Oxycodone is in a class of drugs called opiate (narcotic) analgesics. It works by changing the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain.

Oxycodone is also available in combination with acetaminophen (such as Oxycet, Percocet) and  aspirin (such as Percodan)
➥ This monograph covers oxycodone by itself.
➥ If you are taking a combination product, be sure to read information about all ingredients and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions.

How Should This Medicine Be Used?

➥ Oxycodone comes as a solution (liquid), a concentrated solution, a tablet, a capsule, an extended-release (long-acting) tablet (Oxycontin), and an extended-release capsule (Xtampza ER).
➥ The solution, concentrated solution, tablet, and capsule are typically taken with or without food every 4 to 6 hours, either as-needed for pain or on a regular schedule.
➥ The extended-release tablets (Oxycontin) are taken every 12 hours with or without food.
➥ The extended-release capsules (Xtampza ER) are taken every 12 hours with food; eat the same amount of food with each dose.
➥ Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you do not understand any part.
➥ Take oxycodone exactly as directed.

➥ If you are taking extended-release tablets (Oxycontin), swallow them whole with plenty of water immediately after putting them in your mouth.
➥ Do not presoak, wet, lick, break, crush, or chew these tablets.

➥ If you have trouble swallowing extended-release capsules (Xtampza ER), you may open the capsule and sprinkle its contents on soft food (such as applesauce, pudding, yogurt, ice cream, or jam), then consume immediately.
➥ Dispose of the empty capsules promptly by flushing them down the toilet.
➥ Do not store the mixture for future use.

➥ If you have a feeding tube, the extended-release capsules’ content can be poured into the tube.
➥ Ask your doctor for instructions and follow them carefully.

➥ Your doctor may adjust your dosage during treatment, depending on how well your pain is managed and side effects you may experience.
➥ Talk to your doctor if you feel your pain is not adequately treated, if it gets worse, or if you develop new pain or an increased sensitivity to pain.
➥ Do not take more or take it more frequently than prescribed by your doctor.

➥ Do not discontinue oxycodone suddenly without consulting your doctor.
➥ If you do, you may experience withdrawal symptoms, such as restlessness, watery eyes, runny nose, sneez­ing, yawning, sweating, chills, muscle or joint aches, weakness, irritability, anxiety, depression, trouble sleeping, cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, a rapid heartbeat, and fast breathing.
➥ Your doctor will gradually reduce your dose to avoid these symptoms.