OxyContin Side Effects: Common, Severe, Long Term

Consider prescribing naloxone if the patient has household members (including children) or other close contacts at risk for accidental ingestion or overdose. Take it as directed on the prescription label at the same time every day. Keep taking it unless your care team tells you to stop.

Before taking oxycodone,

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed how addictive is oxycontin dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine.

OxyContin Side Effects

It is prescribed when other pain medications do not work well enough or cannot be tolerated. Oxycodone extended-release capsules or tablets should only be used by patients who have already been taking opioid pain medicines. If you are uncertain whether or not you are opioid-tolerant, check with your doctor before using this medicine. If you are taking oxycodone on a regular schedule, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule.

• Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
• Respiratory depression can be life-threatening or cause death.
• Be especially careful to keep oxycodone out of the reach of children.
• Talk to your doctor about how you are feeling during your treatment with oxycodone.
• Ask your doctor or pharmacist about using this product safely.
• This medication is not for occasional («as needed») use.

Symptoms of overdose may include the following:

Talk with your doctor if this medication stops working well. Always check the brand and strength of oxycodone you get from the pharmacy. Anyone can buy naloxone from a pharmacy or local health department. Make sure any person caring for you knows where you keep naloxone and how to use it. Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, as this medicine may harm your baby. Breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with OxyContin.

More on Drugs & Medications

You may have breathing problems or withdrawal symptoms if you start or stop taking certain other medicines. Tell your doctor if you also use an antibiotic, antifungal medication, heart or blood pressure medication, seizure medication, or medicine to treat HIV or hepatitis C. Using OxyContin with medicines that are CYP3A4 inhibitors or discontinuation of CYP3A4 inducers can result in a fatal overdose of oxycodone. OxyContin can only be prescribed for pediatric patients 11 years of age and older who are already taking and can tolerate a minimum daily opioid dose of at least 20 mg of oxycodone orally or its equivalent. There are no standard opioid tapering schedules that are suitable for all patients. Good clinical practice dictates a patient-specific plan to taper the dose of the opioid gradually.

You’ll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox. If you miss a dose of OxyContin®, Roxicodone®, Roxybond™, or Xtampza® ER, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Measure the oral liquid concentrate with the calibrated dropper that comes with the package. Your doctor may have you mix the concentrate with a small amount of liquid or food. Carefully follow the instructions and take the medicine mixture right away.

This medicine can cause some serious health issues

Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. Do not take more than one dose of the extended-release tablets or capsules in 12 hours. Store oxycodone in a safe place so that no one else can take it accidentally or on purpose. Keep track of how many tablets or capsules, or how much liquid is left so you will know if any medication is missing. Dispose of unwanted capsules, tablets, extended-release tablets, extended-release capsules, and liquid properly according to instructions. Liquid products may contain sugar, aspartame, and/or alcohol.

Caution is advised if you have diabetes, alcohol dependence, liver disease, phenylketonuria (PKU), or any other condition that requires you to limit/avoid these substances in your diet. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about using this product safely. Immediate-release oxycodone is used to treat moderate to severe pain, such as from surgery or an injury. OxyContin is usually reserved for longer-lasting pain from the late stages of a long-term disease, usually cancer. Doctors may sometimes add immediate-release oxycodone to treatment with OxyContin during brief moments when the pain becomes severe. There are many different types of pain that affect people in different ways.

Oxycodone may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms, are severe or do not go away:

• There are no standard opioid tapering schedules that are suitable for all patients.
• Never share opioid medicine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction.
• For this reason, there are many different medications to treat pain.
• Under the requirements of the REMS, drug companies with approved opioid analgesic products must make REMS-compliant education programs available to healthcare providers.
• The following dosing information is for use only in pediatric patients 11 years and older already receiving and tolerating opioids for at least five consecutive days.
• It can also happen if an opioid is taken with some other medications or substances, such as alcohol.

Just one dose can cause death in someone using this medicine accidentally or improperly. Ask your pharmacist where to locate a drug take-back disposal program. If there is no take-back program, flush the unused medicine down the toilet.

Talk to your doctor about how you are feeling during your treatment with oxycodone. Tell your doctor if you feel that your pain is not controlled or if your pain increases, becomes worse, or if you have new pain or an increased sensitivity to pain during your treatment with oxycodone. Do not take more of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.