Percocet Addiction

Percocet is a widely abused drug because it is opiate-based. Opiate-based drugs are highly addictive. If the patient does not follow the doctor’s prescription, they are at risk of abusing Percocet and forming an addiction. A Percocet addiction would be classified as an opiate addiction. An opiate addiction is a central nervous system disorder caused by regular intake of an opioid, such as Percocet. The “high” that is created by the drug may become psychologically addicting. After extended use, the natural painkillers stop working on their own because they have become dependent on the opiates.

Percocet Addiction Help

Fortunately, there are ways to overcome a Percocet addiction. Rehab facilities are there to help you break the addiction and live a drug-free life. Percocet rehab would be classified as an opiate rehab program. Patients may choose inpatient or outpatient programs. Professionals may help with the treatment process better with residential patients. With opiate rehab programs, medical detox is an option. Professionals are able to administer medicine that helps ease the withdrawal symptoms during medical detox.

Why Get Help for Percocet Addiction

There are many benefits for receiving help with Percocet addiction. When you have successfully overcome your addiction, you will:

• Regain control over your life and health.
• Reestablish your goals and dreams.
• Have healthier relationships with your family and friends.
• More likely to succeed at work.
• No longer be controlled by the constant need to take drugs.

If you or a loved one are addiction 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.

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.

Other Percocet Uses

On occasion, a healthcare provider may recommend Percocet for something other than pain relief. Other ailments such as insomnia and coughing can also be treated with off-label forms of Percocet. Although Percocet may be effective for these conditions, most healthcare professionals will not prescribe the narcotic for such uses as there are more appropriate medications available to treat coughing or insomnia.

Oxycodone Successfully Treats Shingles

A new study finds oxycodone, often known as OxyContin, successfully reduces the sometimes excruciating pain of shingles.

Shingles, an often stress-related condition resulting from the same virus that causes chicken pox, causes pain, blisters, rash and flu-like symptoms that antiviral medications usually help alleviate within a month. However, the patient has a greater chance of the pain lasting months or even years after the other symptoms have subsided if the pain component is not effectively treated during the course of the illness.

The long-term pain comes from the varicella zoster virus damaging nerves during the infection period. The condition, called postherpetic neuralgia, affects up to a quarter of shingles patients and can cause shooting or burning pain, an electric shock feeling in the body or skin highly sensitive to touch.

In a study of 87 people with moderate to severe shingles pain, those given oxycodone were at least twice as likely to have their pain reduced by a minimum of 30 percent compared with those taking a placebo. However, constipation — a common side effect of oxycodone — forced nearly a third of the study participants on that medication to drop out of the trial.

Percocet Addiction Help

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 to answer your questions on percocet addiction and treatment. All calls are private and confidential.

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.

There are a number of slang terms that people use to talk about Percocet and they vary according to location and trends, popular songs of the moment and inside code words. There are, however, a number of terms that are relatively well known and refer to Percocet across different age groups and population groups:

• Percs
• Paulas
• Roxicotten
• Roxi’s
• Blue dynamite (the 15-30 Percocet with no Tylenol)
• 512s (refers to the generic brand that prints 512 on the round white 5mg Percocet pill)

Understanding Oxycodone and Names

As studies have shown the abuse of such painkillers like Percocet increasing, employers are now initializing a more rigorous opiate screening when conducting drug tests on new employees. Data from the National Survey on Drug Use & Health (NSDUH) showed that lifetime use of oxycodone increased 47 percent. Subsequently and more recently, Employer Solutions’ new FDA-cleared screening technology has a specific reagent that can detect oxycodone in opiate drug screening panels. In a pilot study by Quest Diagnostics using 20,000 specimens, the positive rates for oxycodone alone increased from 0.19 percent to 0.53 percent- an increase of over 150 percent using the new, expanded panel. In addition, the Drug Abuse Warning Network showed that oxycodone single use (not in combination with other drugs) increased a staggering 295 percent.

For these reasons, as well as the growing concern for individuals who are becoming more and more addicted to oxycodone (i.e. Percocet), understanding and knowing how it is referred to will only broaden a person’s capacity to be aware of the drug itself. Oxycodone can also be found in or heard under various brand names such as:

• Endocet®
• Endodan®
• Percodan®
• OxyContin®
• OxyFast®
• OxyIR®
• Roxicet®
• Tylox®
• Roxicodone
• Endocodone
• Oxy
• Oxy 80s
• OxyContin
• Oxydose
• OxyFast (liquid)
• OxylR
• Percolone

These prescribed drugs are obtained on the street from numerous sources or from individuals, who visit many different doctors with fake symptoms to obtain multiple prescriptions for the drugs, commonly known as doctor shopping. Mixing these substances can also be heard as pharming.

Oxycodone can be found in multiple mixtures of other drugs and can be heard under street names such as:

• 40, 80 (referring to dosage size)
• Blue
• Hillbilly heroin
• Kicker
• Killers
• Ocs
• Oxycotton
• Poor Man’s Heroin

Percocet Help

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 addiction and treatment.

Percocet was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1976, but since it contains oxycodone, it is a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act. It works to block messages from getting to pain receptors in the brain, which creates a feeling of euphoria. It is this sensation that people with a Percocet addiction are seeking when they continue to ingest the pills. They often believe they can recreate the feeling by increasing the quantity and frequency of their dose. Unfortunately, the initial euphoria is hardly ever reproduced. Percocet addicts, however, will keep taking the drug despite the tolerance that their bodies have developed which prevents them from experiencing the euphoric feeling that they desire.

One reason that Percocet abuse has spread so rapidly is that it is readily available nationwide. As opposed to drugs that are illegally grown or imported, Percocet is sold in pharmacies across the country. Percocet addicts generally obtain the drug by either “doctor shopping” (going from doctor to doctor to receive several prescriptions), by stealing pills from a friend or loved one, or by purchasing Percocet on the street, where high mark-ups have increased the number of dealers. Since these addicts are not taking the drug as directed, it is much more likely that they will quickly develop an addiction.