Oxycodone Addiction Untreated is Deadly

When Oxycodone was created in 1995, the manufacturers thought that they were taking steps to prevent addiction to their product by making the drug time released so that the individual could not get the full amount of the drug all at once.

Tragically, drug addicts found a way around the safeguards put in place by destroying the time release coating and taking advantage of the full strength immediately. More than a decade later, Oxycodone abuse and addiction is steadily increasing and at an all time high. In fact, of all the opiates abused, Oxycodone is the fastest opiate being abused.

Why Oxycodone?

Oxycodone is an opiate painkiller that is closely connected to 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. The more Oxycodone that an individual uses, a tolerance develops and more of the drug is required to achieve the same happy, euphoric feeling. Over time, constant abuse has the potential to become addiction.

Signs of Abuse

The signs of Oxycodone use may include the following:
• Nausea and vomiting
• Flu like symptoms
• Dizziness and drowsiness
• Sweating and tremors
• Fatigue and headache
• Abdominal pain
• Seizures
• 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

Oxycodone abuse can affect anyone. 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. However, drug addicts who looks for ways to take the drug recreationally are at an even greater risk.
One of the most dangerous risks is that of overdose.
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 a few minutes. Abusing Oxycodone in this manner can lead to heart damage and it can be fatal.