Oxycodone Acetaminophen
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DETERMINING IF A PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE PROBLEM EXISTS OPIOIDS: Answering “yes” to any of the following questions may indicate a problem with the use of pain medication: What You Need Are you using someone’s else’s prescription? to Know Are you obtaining drugs from an illicit source or by illegal means? Are you no longer using the drugs for the symptoms POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF for which it was originally prescribed? OPIOID MISUSE OR ABUSE Are you lying about or hiding your use? Chronic use of opioids can result in tolerance for the drugs, which means that users must take higher doses Are you obtaining medications from multiple to achieve the same initial effects. Long-term use, if physicians. not taken as prescribed, can lead to physical dependence and addiction — the body adapts to the Have your friends, family members, or co-workers presence of the drug, and withdrawal symptoms occur expressed concern? if use is reduced TIPSor & WARNINGSstopped. Oxycodone Are you preoccupied about your medication, • If you are pregnant or expecting pregnancy, ask and Symptoms of withdrawalif taking oxycodone and acetaminopheninclude will restlessness, muscle focused on the next dose, and concerned about how have any side effects on your baby. and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting,Acetaminophen: cold you will obtain more drugs? Growing Threat of • Tell your doctor if you suffer from kidney (Endocet, Oxycet, Percocet, Magnacet, flashes with goosedisease, bumps liver disease, asthma, ("cold urinary retention, turkey"),Roxicet, Roxilox, and Tylox, Xolox) hypothyroidism, prostate enlargement, epilepsy, Do you fill your prescription sooner than would be involuntary leg movements.seizures, gall bladder disease, Addison’s Finally, disease, taking a large Prescription Drug COMMONsingle SIDE EFFECTSdose OF of an opioida head injury, or a history could of addiction. cause severe respiratory expected and make excuses for why? OXYCODONEdepression & ACETAMINOPHEN that can• Avoid drivinglead or operating to machinery death. while However, many taking oxycodone and acetaminophen. The drug Abuse Side effects that you should report to your doctor studies have showncan cause that you to feel sleepy.properly managed medical or health care professional as soon as possible: use of opioid analgesic• Do not quit taking oxycodonedrugs and is safe and rarely causes Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection • allergic reactions like skin rash, itching or acetaminophen suddenly or there could be clinicalhives, swelling of the face, addiction. lips, or tongue serious withdrawal symptoms. Prescription Monitoring Program • breathing difficulties, wheezing 165 Capitol Avenue, Room 145 MIXING OPIOID• Do not take tranquilizers, DRUGSsedatives or WITH antihistamines while taking oxycodone and • confusion Hartford, CT 06106 acetaminophen without a doctor’s consent. EffectiveGrowing Pain Threat Relief of OTHER MEDICATIONS • light-headedness or fainting spells • Never share oxycodone and acetaminophen with PrescriptionWith The Risk Drug of (860) 713-6073 • www.ct.gov/dcp • Onlysevere stomach painunder a physician'sanyone. supervision canAddictionAbuse opioids be • usedyellowing of the safely skin or the whites ofwith the eyes other drugs. Typically, they should Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Somenot side effects be that usuallyused do not require with otherPrescription substances Monitoring Program that depress the medicalcentral attention: nervous system,450 Columbus such Blvd, Suite 901 as alcohol, M. Jodi Rell Jerry Farrell, Jr. Hartford, CT 06103 • antihistamines,dizziness barbiturates,(860) 713-6073 • www.ct.gov/dcp benzodiazepines, or Governor Commissioner • generaldrowsiness anesthetics, because these combinations Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection • increasenausea the risk of life-threatening respiratory Prescription Monitoring Program Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection This brochure was funded in part by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office • depression.vomiting Prescription Monitoring Program (860) 713-6073 • www.ct.gov/dcp (860) 713-6073 • www.ct.gov/dcp of Justice Programs - Award # 2006-FO531-CT-PM BX-0016. Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse DETERMINING IF A PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE PROBLEM EXISTS OPIOIDS: Answering “yes” to any of the following questions may indicate a problem with the use of pain medication: What You Need Are you using someone’s else’s prescription? to Know Are you obtaining drugs from an illicit source or by illegal means? Are you no longer using the drugs for the symptoms POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF for which it was originally prescribed? OPIOID MISUSE OR ABUSE Are you lying about or hiding your use? Chronic use of opioids can result in tolerance for the drugs, which means that users must take higher doses Are you obtaining medications from multiple to achieve the same initial effects. Long-term use, if physicians. not taken as prescribed, can lead to physical dependence and addiction — the body adapts to the Have your friends, family members, or co-workers presence of the drug, and withdrawal symptoms occur expressed concern? if use is reduced or stopped. Are you preoccupied about your medication, Symptoms of withdrawal include restlessness, muscle focused on the next dose, and concerned about how and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold you will obtain more drugs? Growing Threat of flashes with goose bumps ("cold turkey"), and involuntary leg movements. Finally, taking a large Do you fill your prescription sooner than would be Prescription Drug single dose of an opioid could cause severe respiratory expected and make excuses for why? depression that can lead to death. However, many studies have shown that properly managed medical Abuse use of opioid analgesic drugs is safe and rarely causes Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection clinical addiction. Prescription Monitoring Program MIXING OPIOID DRUGS WITH 165 Capitol Avenue, Room 145 Hartford, CT 06106 OTHER MEDICATIONS (860) 713-6073 • www.ct.gov/dcp Only under a physician's supervision can opioids be used safely with other drugs. Typically, they should not be used with other substances that depress the central nervous system, such as alcohol, M. Jodi Rell Jerry Farrell, Jr. antihistamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, or Governor Commissioner general anesthetics, because these combinations Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection increase the risk of life-threatening respiratory Prescription Monitoring Program depression. This brochure was funded in part by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office (860) 713-6073 • www.ct.gov/dcp of Justice Programs - Award # 2006-FO531-CT-PM BX-0016. Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse WHAT IS OXYCODONE AND ACETAMINOPHEN? A combination of oxycodone and acetaminophen is used to treat moderate to severe pain and may be used to treat patients who require continuous pain relief due to chronic conditions, such as cancer. Combined oxycodone and acetaminophen may be habit-forming if taken over a long period of WHO’S MOST AT RISK? WHAT ARE THE LONG-TERM time, but patients with continuing pain should not EFFECTS OF OXYCODONE & let the fear of dependence keep them from using The largest increase of prescription drug use for ACETAMINOPHEN? narcotic pain relievers. Dependence on oxycodone non-medical users is among people between the and acetaminophen is unlikely when used as ages of twelve to twenty five. Seniors are also at risk Left untreated, oxycodone and acetaminophen prescribed. for addiction because they take more medications addiction is highly damaging -- both to the user’s than any other population. physical body as well as their overall sense of Why is oxycodone and acetaminophen addiction well-being. so hard to overcome? Among teens, oxycodone and acetaminophen is also known as: Long-term effects of oxycodone and Many oxycodone and acetaminophen addicts acetaminophen abuse include: begin using the drug for legitimate medical reasons • percs -- then find themselves unable to quit. The main • physical addiction - leading to uncomfortable reason for addicts is the difficult withdrawal • paulas withdrawal symptoms if the user stops taking symptoms they experience when stopping “cold the pills turkey.” Those withdrawal symptoms include: • roxi’s • restlessness • no buffers • tolerance - the addict takes larger and larger doses to achieve the same effect, creating a • muscle and bone pain • blue dynamite (the 15-30 percocet with no greater risk of fatal overdose • insomnia Tylenol) • liver damage • diarrhea • 512s (refers to the generic brand that prints 512 on the round white 5mg Percocet pill) • cold flashes with goose bumps • kidney failure.