Fact:
Percocet is virtually just as habit forming as morphine.

Fact:
Percocet stimulates the “reward” system of the brain, causing an individual who uses Percocet for longer than two or three weeks to have intense physical cravings for the drug.

Fact:
Many people abuse Percocet for the mental satisfaction, but for many people guilt and remorse go hand-in-hand with a psychological-based Percocet addiction.

Fact:
In most cases Percocet abuse causes the deterioration of marriages, jobs, friendships and parent-child bonds.

Fact:
In America narcotic abuse costs taxpayers billions of dollars per year in healthcare, justice systems and treatment centers costs.

Fact:
Nearly 10 to 22 percent of all automobile crashes occur because the driver was under the influence of drugs, according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Fact:
At least half of all suspects arrested for violent crimes were under the influence of drugs when they were arrested.

Fact:
Percocet abuse is a major contributing factor to child abuse.

Fact:
The majority of people who are in drug rehab facilities reported that they were sexually or physically abused as children.

Percocet Abuse Treatment

These facts may have surprised and saddened you, but this makes them no less real. Percocet abuse is extremely dangerous and can be fatal. If you suspect that you or someone you love is abusing Percocet, please do not hesitate to call our toll free number at (866) 872-6492. We are available 24 hours per day to answer any questions you may have concerning Percocet addiction, facts, or treatment.

When a person is addicted to Percocet they use the drug daily and usually in larger amounts than prescribed by their physician. Addiction is recognized by not only a physical need for the drug but a mental need as well. People who are addicted to and abuse Percocet have strong cravings for the drug. They often feel that they need Percocet to be “normal.”

Percocet Side Effects

There are several pleasant and unpleasant side effects of Percocet abuse. These include:

• Nausea
• Euphoria
• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Constipation
• Rash or itching
• Emotional mood disorders
• Dry mouth
• Liver or renal damage (if taken in large doses)
• Respiratory depression
• Light-headedness
• Sedation
• Vomiting
• Exaggerated feeling of well-being

Percocet Overdose Side Effects

There are also many effects from a Percocet overdose. These include:

• Vomiting
• Bluish skin color
• Eyes or skin with yellow tone
• Cold and clammy skin
• Deceased or irregular breathing
• Extreme drowsiness
• Low blood pressure
• Heart attack
• Coma
• Muscle weakness
• Nausea
• Bodily discomfort
• Sweating
• Slow heartbeat

Help with Percocet Abuse

Many of the side effects of abusing Percocet are extremely unpleasant and sometimes fatal. If you believe that you or someone love may be abusing Percocet, please call our toll free number day or night at (866) 872-6492.

Percocet Treatment

Many rehabilitation facilities have an opiate rehab program. Opiate drugs such as Percocet are highly addictive and often affect the patient both physically and psychologically. A patient may choose several different courses of action to break the physical addiction:

• Outpatient: Outpatient programs are not as strict as inpatient programs. They do not provide 24 hour supervision. However, they are less expensive and allow the patient to remain among their family and friends during the process.
• Inpatient: Inpatient programs provide 24 hour care during the rehabilitation process. They also may provide medical detox.
• Medical detox: With opiate addiction, professionals can give certain medications to ease the detox process such as methadone. Methadone lessens the symptoms of withdrawal during detox.
• Natural detox: Most outpatients have to go through natural detox because professionals who can administer the medications do not surround them. Some may quit cold turkey and experience intense symptoms of withdrawal, but it is over quickly. Others may decide to gradually decrease the doses, but it takes longer to complete.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Many patients do not only suffer from a physical abuse of drugs, but also psychological issues. This is referred to as dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders. After breaking the physical addiction, the psychological addiction needs to be addressed as well. When choosing a rehab facility it is important to look into the ones who provide psychological therapy and treatment. Without further treatment after detox, patients are likely to relapse.

If you or a loved one are addicted to Percocet we can help. If you would like more information on Percocet detox and rehab, please call our toll free number at (866) 872-6492.

One factor, among many, contributing to Percocet teen abuse is the drug’s easy accessibility. If a teen’s or a friend of the teen’s parent or guardian has been prescribed Percocet, or any other prescription drug for that matter, many teens need not look any farther than their family medicine cabinet. This practice is often referred to as “pharming,” short for pharmaceuticals.

Most teens abuse Percocet in order to feel numb and the affects of the drug allow them to disconnect from their individual circumstances. Unfortunately, a significant number of teens abuse Percocet recreationally. They attend “pharm” parties where they abuse Percocet in order to have a good time with their friends and fit into the social norm.

Is My Teen Abusing Percocet?

As with most prescription drug abuse cases, telltale warning signs are visible to friends and family of the abuser.

Signs of Percocet abuse include:

• Extremely dilated pupils
• Facial itching
• Rapid speech
• Hyper activity
• Difficulty listening during conversation
• Mood swings
• Changes in appetite
• Inability to control emotions
• Constipation
• Oversleep or inability to fall asleep

Percocet Teen Abuse Help

For many teens, talking to their parents about their problems is virtually unheard of. So, if you are concerned that your teen is abusing Percocet, please do not hesitate to call us at our toll free number at (866) 872-6492. We are available 24 hours to answer any questions you may have about Percocet teen abuse.

Percocet and Alcohol

Percocet’s main ingredient, oxycodone is combined with acetaminophen, which heightens the effects of oxycodone in a person’s system. Most importantly, the use of oxycodone medications of any form in combination with alcohol-based drinks goes completely against medical advice. These medications intensify the side effects of central nervous system and respiratory depression. Both alcohol and Percocet decrease breathing. Thus, when mixed they are extremely dangerous especially if you have breathing related difficulties already. Also, the combination of alcohol and opioid narcotics significantly increased the probability of psychological addiction to both the medication and the alcohol. The extended use of any opioid narcotic will result in some level of physiologic dependence, though the amount of dependence is different with each patient.

The acetaminophen can also become a toxin for the liver when combined with any drink of alcohol. Taking any kind of pain medication in close proximity to alcohol is a leading cause of sudden liver failure in otherwise healthy middle-age adults. They might exaggerate the sedative effect (depending on the amounts) which could lead to a dangerous loss of consciousness. Let your doctor know if you consume three or more alcoholic beverages per day or if you have ever been diagnosed with alcoholic liver disease, or cirrhosis. It is likely you will not be permitted to take medications containing acetaminophen.

Percocet and Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen is in a group of drugs called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Ibuprofen works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body. The combination of ibuprofen and oxycodone (main ingredient in Percocet) is used short-term to relieve moderate to severe pain. Ibuprofen can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. It can also increase your risk of serious effects on the stomach or intestines. These conditions can be fatal and can occur without warning at any time while you are taking ibuprofen. Before using ibuprofen and oxycodone, tell your doctor if you have:

• Heart disease
• Congestive heart failure
• High blood pressure or a history of heart attack, stroke, or blood clot
• Asthma or other breathing disorders
• Liver or kidney disease
• A history of head injury or brain tumor
• Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
• Stomach or intestinal disorder
• History of stomach ulcer or bleeding
• Underactive thyroid
• Pancreas disorder
• Addison’s disease or other adrenal gland disorder
• Curvature of the spine
• An enlarged prostate or problems with urination
• Mental illness
• History of drug or alcohol addiction

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take ibuprofen and oxycodone.

Since oxycodone is a painkiller, it is dangerous to combine it with over-the-counter pain relievers, cold and flu remedies, allergy medications, sleep aids, and even some herbal dietary supplements. This is particularly true of the Percocet combination, since they already contain over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen. Overdose of aspirin and acetaminophen can be life-threatening.

Percocet and Other Drug Combinations

Oxycodone causes drowsiness and slows breathing, so it should not be combined with antidepressants, antihistamines (allergy ingredients), anti-anxiety drugs, prescription sleeping pills or muscle relaxants.

Emergency room visits for drug overdose often involve more than one substance. Needless to say, it is highly dangerous to mix oxycodone with any illegal drug, including marijuana, cocaine, hallucinogens such as LSD, ecstasy, or especially heroin.

If Percocet is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Percocet with the following:

• Antispasmodic drugs
• Major tranquilizers
• Other narcotic painkillers
• Sedatives such as phenobarbital
• Tranquilizers

If you are taking any of these medications, legal or otherwise, speak with your doctor or pharmacist about it. Depending on your individual circumstances, your healthcare provider may want you to either: stop taking one or more of the medications; substitute one medication for another; change how you are taking one or both of the medications; or maintain your current routine. The severity of risks varies from person to person.

Percocet Help

If you or someone you know is struggling with a Percocet addiction, please know that help is available. You can call our toll free number at (866) 872-6492 and get all your questions about addiction and treatment answered.

Quitting Percocet is unlikely to lead to life-threatening symptoms but they may feel like it. Because the symptoms can feel so uncomfortable, withdrawal can often lead to relapse so quitting “cold turkey” can be dangerous. Seizures and convulsions have been reported by abruptly withdrawing from the drug. Medical professionals will often decrease the dosage to help minimize these symptoms. Individuals should not be embarrassed to ask for help because withdrawal is not necessarily a sign of abuse.

Physical Symptoms of Percocet Withdrawal

The terribly uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms from a powerful narcotic often begin around 24 hours or so after the last dosage, although this can vary as many as 12 hours in either direction. Symptoms may or may not include:

• Excessive sweating & yawning
• Runny nose & eyes, bouts of diarrhea and vomiting
• Shivering & goose bumps
• Muscle aches & cramps
• Restlessness & insomnia
• Irritability & anxiety
• Constricted pupils
• Severe depression
• Exaggerated feeling of “well-being”
• Skin rash/ itchy skin
• Loss of appetite
• Constipation
• Dizziness
• Dry mouth
• Powerful cravings for the opioid that persist long after the withdrawal symptoms have passed

There is only a very small likelihood that the average person taking Percocet over a prolonged period of time will develop a dependence or an addiction. However, long-term use, withdrawal or overdose can cause damage to the brain, heart, kidneys, liver and/or lungs.

Additionally, there are other effects that occur from the Percocet addiction such as:

• Ending of personal relationships
• Financial problems
• Legal difficulties
• Employment issues
• Psychological problems

Percocet Withdrawal Treatment

There are two options in dealing with Percocet addiction withdrawal: medical detox or medical maintenance. Medical detox provides you with assistance for each symptom as it arises during your detox. Medical maintenance offsets the arrival of withdrawal symptoms by providing you with a less potent, opiate-based medication that is more easily controlled and allows one to drop down the patient’s medication more slowly. The correct withdrawal treatment program for a Percocet addict will be determined on the different medical and psychological conditions the patients might have that are co-occurring.

Other traditional methods include talk therapy which deals with the psychological aspects of addiction and treatment for the often unbearable symptoms of withdrawal. The rate of Percocet detox success with traditional methods, however, has been low.

A newer and quicker method of Percocet detox is Accelerated Neuro-Regulation (ANR), a rapid drug treatment that is being used with increasing success for opiate dependency. ANR (formerly rapid detox), also known as the Waismann Methodsm, treats Percocet addiction as a physical disease that can be overcome with advanced medical techniques. ANR eliminates the cravings that often accompany traditional opiate detox treatments. The Waismann Methodsm of Percocet detox has been clinically proven to be effective for Percocet addiction. In fact, ANR clinics have reported success rates of nearly 64 percent in treating a variety of opiate addictions, including Percocet addiction.

If you or someone you know is suffering from the effects of Percocet, treatment is available. To learn more about Percocet abuse, please call our toll free number at (866) 872-6492. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer any questions you might have about Percocet treatment.

Percocet Psychological Addiction

The pain relief and detached feelings one gets when on Percocet are what cause the psychological addiction. Your pain receptors simply get used to the presence of it and begin to expect it more and more. “Blocking” the pain creates a sense of euphoria that many users try to recreate each time they take the drug by increasing the dosage and frequency of use. Eventually, unbeknownst to the user, a tolerance to the drug has been created preventing them from experiencing the euphoric feeling they crave thus resulting in addiction. It is a Schedule II Controlled Substance in the U.S. which means it is regulated by the federal government. Opiate painkillers are classified on a schedule from one to five based on factors including their potential for abuse and addiction and accepted medical uses.

However useful Percocet is in helping to manage pain, taking the drug regularly, even for a relatively short period of time, can lead a person to develop a tolerance. This is when the body becomes used to a drug and doesn’t respond in the same way to the prescribed dose. Many people need to take more and more to achieve pain relief. Altering your dose of Percocet in this way can lead to addiction. If more of the drug doesn’t come, then symptoms like nausea, vomiting, irritability and cramps occur as the person goes through withdrawal.

Tolerance into Percocet Addiction

Because of the drug’s excellent pain-relieving abilities, it’s widely prescribed but is best prescribed for a very short period of time and for a very specific pain. The oxycodone in the Percocet unfortunately almost guarantees that anyone taking the drug regularly and for a long period of time will become addicted. When the drug is purchased without a prescription and the dosage isn’t monitored, it’s that much easier to develop a Percocet addiction.

A person with a Percocet addiction will experience symptoms within two to four hours of missing a regular dose. Many people who take Percocet don’t even know that they’re addicted until they stop taking the drug. Then the intense withdrawal symptoms prompt them to take more of the drug, both for pain relief and to stop other symptoms, and they choose to simply remain on the drug, purchasing it illegally if they had a prescription before, to prevent a recurrence of withdrawal symptoms. Most Percocet addicts develop such a dependency on it that they need it to feel normal. It is not only addictive, but affects consciousness as well, often times giving the user and especially the addict a sense of loss of surroundings.

Who is at Risk for Addiction?

Percocet addiction is known to affect women more than men. This stems in large part to the fact that women are more likely to seek medical attention for emotional or psychological problems. It is often times ingested for non-medical uses the most (according to national statistics) in the age groups 12 to 17 and 18 to 25 therefore making adolescents more prone to be at risk for addiction to the drug also. The US National Drug Intelligence Center’s 2006 Drug Threat Assessment reported that “commercial disbursements of commonly abused pharmaceuticals such as oxycodone” nearly doubled between 2000 and 2004 and that their abuse rate is second only to marijuana. Seniors are also a demographic at risk for addiction because they normally already take more medication than the rest of the population.

If you or someone you know is struggling with a Percocet addiction, we can help. Please call the toll free number at (866) 872-6492. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer your questions on Percocet treatment and rehab.

• Usage Increase – As time passes, it is normal for individuals to develop a tolerance to drug effects. If someone you know seems to be increasing his/her dose over time, this is an indication that the amount they were taking is no longer providing them relief.
• Change in Personality – Changes in a person’s normal behavior can be a sign of dependency. Shifts in energy, mood, and concentration may occur as every day responsibilities become secondary to the need for the relief the prescription provides.
• Social Withdrawal – An individual developing a habit may withdraw from family, friends and other social interaction.
• Ongoing Use – Continued usage after a medical condition has improved will result in the person needing extensions on his/her prescription. The person might talk of how they are “still feeling pain” and need just a little longer on the medication in order to get well. He or she might also complain frequently about the doctors who refused to write the prescription for one reason or another.
• Time Spent on Obtaining Prescriptions – A dependant person will spend large amounts of time driving great distances and visiting multiple doctors to obtain the drugs. Watch for signs that he or she seems preoccupied with a quest for medication, demonstrating that the drug has become their top priority.
• Change in Daily Habits and Appearance – Personal hygiene may diminish as a result of a drug addiction. Sleeping and eating habits change, and a person may have a constant cough, runny nose and red, glazed eyes.
• Neglects Responsibilities – A drug user often may call in sick to work on a more regular basis and ignore household chores and bills.
• Increased Sensitivity – Normal sights, sounds and emotions might become overly stimulating to the person. Hallucinations, although perhaps difficult to monitor, may occur as well.
• Blackouts and Forgetfulness – Another clear indication of dependence is when the person regularly forgets events that have taken place and appears to be suffering blackouts.
• Defensiveness – When attempting to hide a drug dependency, abusers can become very defensive if they feel their secret is being discovered. They might even react to simple requests or questions by lashing out.

Physical Effects of Percocet

The signs and symptoms of a Percocet addict can vary from person to person and how the drug was administered. However, there are simple, physical signs a loved can be looking for if they suspect Percocet use in an individual.

• Dizziness
• Light-headedness
• Sleeplessness
• Nausea
• Irritability
• Vomiting
• Sweats
• Constipation
• Dry mouth
• Drowsiness

Long-term effects of Percocet Abuse

Consistent abusers will most definitely face adverse effects because of the dangers of using the drug. Some long-term effects of abuse include:

• Respiratory depression
• Loss of concentration
• Increased muscle and bone pain

Signs of a Percocet Overdose

When a user has taken too much of the drug at one time, they will experience an overdose. An overdose can be told by these symptoms:

• Abdominal discomfort
• Difficulty breathing
• Clouding of mental functions
• Bluish skin color
• Weak pulse
• Small pupils
• Coma

Healthcare Provider Warning Signs

Most healthcare providers look for these warning signs when dealing with patients they suspect have an addiction:

• Going through prescriptions too quickly
• “Doctor shopping,” which is seeing several different healthcare providers to obtain Percocet prescriptions or switching from one provider to another
• Repeated reports of losing a prescription, having a prescription stolen or needing a prescription early to go on vacation
• Having a specific “favorite” narcotic drug (such as Percocet), and nothing else will do
• Reporting “allergies” to all other alternatives

If you or someone you know is struggling with a Percocet addiction, we can help. Please call our toll free number at (866) 872-6492. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer your questions on Percocet help and treatment.