Oxycodone is an opiate painkiller that is like Heroin, the main difference being that Heroin is taken from the poppy plant and Oxycodone is manufactured in a laboratory. However both of these drugs affect the central nervous system and the brain by blocking the opioid receptors and stimulating dopamine which results in a happy euphoric feeling. Over time, constant abuse has the potential to become addiction.
Signs of Abuse
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dizziness and drowsiness
• Sweating and tremors
• Fatigue and headache
• Abdominal pain
• Loss of consciousness
• Coma and death
While some of these symptoms may be easy to dismiss, it is important to know that left untreated, all of these symptoms, as minor as some may seem, can lead to long term illness and potentially life threatening conditions.
At Risk for Abuse
If you take Oxycodone for reasons other than the prescribed purpose, you are at risk for abuse. Likewise, if you continue taking Oxycodone when the initial reason for taking it is resolved, you are at risk for abuse.
Oxycodone addicts may not know the strength of the drug they are taking. Traditionally, Oxycodone was prescribes in a 10, 20, 40 and 80 mg dose that was clearly marked on the pill. However, when generic Oxycodone became available, the strength of the dose was not labeled on the pill and many individuals that abused the generic formula had no idea what strength they were taking, increasing the potential for overdose.
Further, many Oxycodone addicts crush the pills and mix them in water to form a solution that they inject into their veins. This method places the drug directly into the bloodstream for a reaction in a matter of minutes.