Oxycodone Pills

Introduction

Opioids are the strongest form of medication used to treat pain. Opioids bind to opioid receptors found in many parts of the body, including the brain, spinal cord, and digestive tract. The opiate binds to the receptor, which reduces the transmission of pain messages to the brain, reducing pain. Opioids treat moderate to severe pain that is not well treated with other pain relievers. However, these do not treat the underlying cause of the pain. For example, cancer treatment aims to reduce the pain if there is cancer-causing pain.

There are several different formulations of Oxycodone. This formulation is a fast-acting pill used for the treatment of acute pain. Acute pain is pain that comes on quickly, occurs intermittently, and is sometimes referred to as breakthrough pain. This medication may be used with another medication to treat chronic pain.

Oxycodone Pills

How to take the immediate release Oxycodone pill

This form of Oxycodone is a pill taken with or without food, either as needed for pain or as a regularly scheduled medication, as determined by the physician. Immediate-release Oxycodone tablets come in different dosages. The doctor will determine the exact dosage and dosage administration schedule. It begins to act to relieve pain in about 15 to 30 minutes, although it reaches its maximum effect in 1 hour. It will continue to work for 3 to 6 hours.

It is important to make sure you take the correct amount of medicine each time. Before each dose, check that what you are taking matches what has been prescribed.

This drug may interact with other drugs that depress the central nervous system, such as barbiturates (including phenobarbital), tranquilizers (including Haldol®, Librium®, and Xanax®) alcohol, and general anesthesia. It can also interact with many commonly prescribed medications and herbal supplements. Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications and supplements you take. In addition, it will help if you avoid alcohol while taking this medicine, as drinking alcohol can increase the risk of bleeding.

Please DO NOT share this medicine or give it to another person, as serious breathing problems and death can occur.

This medicine may make you dizzy, sleepy, and confused. It would help if you did not drive or use machinery after the infusion until you know how it will affect you.

Oxycodone Pills

Storage and Handling

Store this medicine at room temperature in its original container. Due to the risk of diversion (someone else taking your narcotic medication to get high, rather than to relieve symptoms), you may want to consider keeping the medication in a safe deposit box or other secure location. Also, keep this medication out of the reach of children and pets.

To prevent someone from accidentally taking this drug, you should dispose of it when no longer needed through a drug take-back program or drop it off at a DEA-licensed collection center. For locations near you, check out this website. Ask your pharmacist or health care team to help you dispose of any unused medications. If you can't use these options, you can flush these medications down the sink or toilet when you no longer need them.

Where can I get this medicine?

Oxycodone pills are available at retail and mail-order pharmacies. The oncology team will work with the prescription drug plan to identify an in-network, retail, or mail order pharmacy for drug distribution. Mail order delivery must be hand-delivered and signed for. This medication cannot be ordered "over the phone" or by electronic prescription from your local pharmacy; you must provide the original prescription to the pharmacist. Many pharmacies do not have this medication in stock but will order it for you. There may be a delay in availability, so plan prescription refills accordingly.

Insurance information

Your prescription drug plan may cover this medication. People without prescription drug coverage who meet specific requirements may be eligible for patient assistance. Copay cards are also available, which reduce the copay for commercially eligible (non-government sponsored) insured patients. Your insurance company may require you to use other pain relievers before authorizing a prescription for this medication. This is called step therapy. Due to the risk of diversion and misuse, the amount of medication you receive may be limited to a 2-week or 1-month supply.

Possible Side Effects of Oxycodone Immediate Release Pill

You can do a number of things to control the side effects of Oxycodone. Talk to your health care team about these recommendations. They can help you decide what will work best for you. These are some of the most common or important side effects:

• Slow breathing or low blood pressure

You may have low blood pressure or slow breathing when taking an opioid pain reliever. Usually only happens when the medication dose is too high or is increased too quickly. Oxycodone Pills rarely happen to patients who have taken opioid medications for a long time.

These side effects can also result from an opiate overdose. If you suspect that you or someone you know has overdosed on opioids, call 911 immediately. If you feel exhausted, lightheaded, dizzy, sweaty, nauseous, or short of breath, you need to see a doctor immediately. Sometimes patients who have taken too much opioid medication are so sleepy that they cannot wake up or get up. These side effects are emergencies. If any of these symptoms occur, you should seek emergency medical attention.

• Sleep (drowsiness)

Feeling sleepy, drowsy, or lightheaded may accompany the use of opioid analgesics. Some people "don't feel like themselves" on these medications. Avoid driving or doing any other potentially dangerous tasks that require concentration and a clear mind until you feel normal again. Avoid alcohol or other sedatives while using these medications unless specifically prescribed by your health care team. After a few days of taking medicine, most people start to feel like themselves. However, if you continue to feel "out of it" after a couple of days, talk to your doctor about adjusting your doses.

• Concern related to addiction, tolerance, and dependence

Many people prescribed opioid pain relievers worry that they may become addicted to these medications. This fear stems from the fact that opioid medications can cause euphoria and pleasure when used by people who do not feel pain. However, when these drugs are used to treat physical pain, patients are unlikely to become addicted to them. Addiction is a psychological need for medication that rarely affects people who take opiates for pain control. People addicted to opiates use them to get aroused. These people also crave opioids, lack control over their use, and continue to use them despite knowing they are harming them. People who are experiencing pain use opiates to relieve pain.

A person who takes opioids long-term may stop feeling relief after taking these medications. This phenomenon is called tolerance. When patients develop tolerance, they need higher doses to relieve pain effectively. Tolerance is an entirely normal aspect of taking opioid pain medication and is nothing to worry about. Using these medications keeps pain well-controlled, and the exact doses a patient requires are not important as long as they are comfortable. If you think you need to change your dose, work with your health care team to find the correct dose for you to feel comfortable with. Do not try to change the dose on your own, as this may cause unwanted side effects.

When a person takes regular doses of opiates for just one week, the body adjusts to the drugs. This creates tolerance but can also cause dependency. Dependence means that the body "gets used" to opiates. Dependence is NOT the same as addiction. Dependence is a natural, physical phenomenon that happens to anyone who receives long-term opioid therapy. The important thing to know about dependence is that once a patient becomes dependent on opiates, he feels very bad if he abruptly stops taking the drug. This is called withdrawal. And the symptoms that cause it can begin within 2 days of abruptly stopping opioids and can last up to 2 weeks. Withdrawal can be prevented by reducing the dose of opioids slowly, usually over a week or so, with the help and guidance of your health care team. The exact amount of time to stop the medication varies depending on the dose, how long you've been taking it, and other individual factors. It is important to remember that dependence is normal and happens to everyone who takes opioids for a long time. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.

Oxycodone Pills

Constipation caused by pain relievers

Constipation is a common side effect of pain relievers and continues as long as you take the medications. However, this side effect can often be well managed with the following preventative measures:

• Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. Warm or hot liquids can be helpful.
• Increase physical activity when possible.
• Try to have a bowel movement at the same time every day.
• Eat many fruits and vegetables.
• Four ounces of prune juice or 3 or 4 dried prunes can help promote bowel movements.
• However, high-fiber foods (e.g., bran flakes, high-fiber cereals) and fiber supplements (such as Metamucil) can worsen constipation due to pain relievers and should be avoided.

Your health care team may recommend a bowel regimen using stool softeners or laxatives to prevent or treat constipation. Stool softeners (such as docusate sodium or Colace) work by drawing water into the stool, softening it, and making it easier to pass the stool. A stimulant or laxative (such as Dulcolax (bisacodyl) or Senakot (Senna) works by stimulating bowel movements. Your doctor may recommend Miralax (polyethylene glycol 3350), an osmotic laxative. It works by causing water retention in the stool and softening stool to make bowel movements easier. These medications can be taken together. Untreated constipation can lead to a bowel obstruction, so notify your health care team if you do not have a bowel movement for 3 or more days.

Nausea or Vomiting

With or without vomiting, Nausea can be a side effect of opioid pain relievers. In some patients, it lasts a few days or weeks after starting the medication, but it is a long-term side effect in others. Nausea and vomiting may interfere with pain control if they affect the patient's ability to take the medication. You may find it helpful to eat or not eat when you take this medicine. Talk to your health care team about prescription medications to help control Nausea and vomiting.

Less common but important side effects may include:

• Serotonin syndrome: This drug can cause a high level of serotonin in the body, which can lead to serotonin syndrome in rare cases. Symptoms may include chills, restlessness, diarrhea, Nausea and vomiting, fever, seizures, and changes in muscle function. Symptoms can appear hours or days after continuous use but can also appear later. This is a severe side effect, and you should contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of these side effects.
• Adrenal insufficiency: Adrenal insufficiency (improper function of the adrenal gland) is a rare but severe side effect of taking this medication. It most often occurs after taking the drug for a month or more. Symptoms are not specific but may include nausea, vomiting, anorexia, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, and hypotension. It is essential to see your doctor if you experience these side effects.
• Allergic reaction: Although rare, some people are allergic to specific opiate preparations. If, after taking morphine or other opiates, you experience chest tightness, swelling, wheezing, fever, itching, bluish discoloration of the skin, or cough, you should call 911. These side effects are emergencies. If any of these symptoms occur, you should seek emergency medical attention.

Oxycodone Pills

Playback Problems

Chronic exposure of the fetus to this drug could result in the child being born small or premature or having withdrawal symptoms (including dyspnea, behavioral changes, and seizures) after birth. A practical method of birth control should be used while receiving this drug. Even if your menstrual cycle stops or you think you are not producing sperm, you could still be fertile and conceive. It would help if you did not breastfeed while receiving this medication as it passes through breast milk.