Percocet Withdrawal

Percocet is a known medication comprised of acetaminophen and oxycodone. This is a pain medication for mild and severe pain, which can be a hassle when dealing with withdrawal symptoms.

There are many factors to take into consideration when end daily Percocet use.

Oxycodone is a type of opioid that can be a red flag for some, especially because of its long term effects. Let’s take a look at withdrawal symptoms associated with Percocet.

PERCOCET WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS

Oxycodone belongs to a category of drugs called opioids, which people regularly abuse and become addicted to. High dependency and abuse are not rare phenomena when it comes to opioids. Therefore, Percocet withdrawal symptoms can be some of the strongest.

Getting rid of Percocet or quitting the drug cold turkey can be quite a complicated task for many people. As we’ve touched upon in other articles, different kinds of sleeping come with different types of withdrawal symptoms. Each can have different effects on the brains of different people.

However, Percocet, because of its chemical components, has some of the strongest withdrawal symptoms. Percocet functions by blocking certain receptors in the brain, which inevitably causes interference issues with pain signals.

Initial symptoms may be less intense than others, but as time goes on, it can get worse. Some of the symptoms will begin within a week or two after intake has ceased. Withdrawal symptoms include:

• Watery eyes
• Muscle pain
• Anorexia
• Intense sneezing
• Body chills with hot
• Insomnia
• Restlessness / Insomnia
• High heart rate
• Elevated blood pressure
• Excessive yawning
• Anxiety
• Dilated pupils
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Weakness
• Depression

Not everyone faces the same withdrawal symptoms in the same period or in the same manner. However, opioids are a hazardous addiction in the U.S. More than 11.5 million users in America are using opioids as a narcotic pain reliever.

Opioids create a strong physical dependence for its users. This ensures people to want to prevent withdrawal symptoms. As time progresses, the user develops a drug tolerance that enables them to take higher doses.

Post-acute withdrawal syndrome, known as PAWS, is also a factor that comes into play with Percocet. Alcohol, benzodiazepine, and opioid withdrawal may all trigger this. PAWS shows up in 90 percent of recovering opioid users. These withdrawal symptoms stem from physical brain alterations that the opioids create.

Symptoms of PAWS are depression, feelings of anxiety, difficulty with problem solving, learning or memory recall. Obsessive-compulsive behaviors are also strong signs of PAWS, alongside difficulting with social behaviors and stress.

The reasoning behind this is that the brain adapts to transmitters, accommodating to the transmitters available in the brain.

PERCOCET WITHDRAWAL: STAGES AND TIMELINE

Percocet withdrawal can cause uncomfortable symptoms during the few weeks following your last dose of the drug. The timeline on which you experience Percocet withdrawal will depend on a few personal factors. One of the most significant variables is the length of time you’ve been using the drug.

If you’ve been taking Percocet for a long time and you’ve become chemically dependent, you are more likely to experience more intense symptoms faster than someone who has only recently been using.

The size of the dose you’ve been using and the size of your most recent dose are also relevant.If your body is tolerant of the drug and used to a large dose, your brain will become chemically imbalanced more quickly.

Other factors like your size and weight and whether you’ve been using other drugs alongside Percocet can also influence your withdrawal timeline. Though several factors can change your specific timeline, it’s likely to follow a general pattern. The oxycodone in Percocet has a half-life of around four hours. That means you will stop feeling the effects of the drug around that time, but you might not experience withdrawal symptoms for several hours later.

Here is the general timeline of Percocet withdrawal that you may experience:

• 24 hours. During the first 24 hours of withdrawal, a person can experience certain symptoms that can best be compared to that of a cold. These include having a runny nose, chills throughout the body, aching, restlessness, and sweating. These are physical cues that indicate the body is trying to recuperate from opioid intake in the body.
• 2 days. Your initial symptoms will get worse over time, and you will begin to feel like you are sick with the flu or a cold. You may continue to have a runny nose, watery eyes, body aches, and excessive sweating. You may also start to feel feverish and possibly nauseous.
• 5 days. Within three to five days, your withdrawal symptoms will peak, meaning they will reach their most intense effects. At this point, you may experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and physical weakness. Chills, fever, body aches, and sweating may continue. You may also experience intense drug cravings along with other psychological symptoms like depression and anxiety.
• 7 days. After your symptoms peak, your condition will start to improve. Symptoms will get better and start to disappear, starting with the most intense physical symptoms. But the seventh day, you may stop feeling feverish and nauseous. However, you may continue to experience psychological symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, and cravings.
• 10 days. Most of your symptoms will be gone by your second week after quitting. However, certain psychological symptoms and compulsions to use may persist. In many cases, addiction treatment is required to address these long-lasting symptoms effectively. You may need to learn coping strategies to resist cravings without relapse.

During the first week, things can get a little more intense for the user. During the following days, users can see signs of nausea, high blood pressure, muscle and joint pains, anxiety and insomnia.

HOW LONG CAN PERCOCET WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS LAST?

Some symptoms can last for months and even years. Because of PAWS, this can be a difficult question to fully answer because each case is different. However, certain treatments for people can last years because of the intensity of the addiction. Initial symptoms last a few weeks, and things get far worse after some time.

PERCOCET DETOX

Quitting cold turkey will do nothing but cause strong withdrawal symptoms right away. Anyone with an addiction or who regularly consumes Percocet should see a specialist to get the proper detox treatment.

Percocet detox is oriented to ease the strong withdrawal symptoms in the body. Detox is a crucial step toward recovery. It’s not recommended to stray away from Percocet intake right away.

Users of Percocet must keep in mind that opioids have a physical effect on the brain, which causes many symptoms mentioned above. Abandoning daily dosage of the drug will only make matters worse. A series of factors need to be taken care of before anyone can eliminate opioids from their system.

Detox is the first essential step toward that change. Detox is not only a medical procedure but also a mental treatment as well. These treatments are meant to target mental imbalances as well as eliminating toxins from the body.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON’T DETOX?

Users who don’t detox will always be dependent on the drug. In some cases, people jump from one drug to another, in the hopes of eliminating one addiction. People don’t really see any improvement throughout their lives; instead, it’s a burden they have to live with.

In many cases, you can find people hooked on medications for many years or even decades. Not finding proper medical and psychological help will allow the addiction to keep getting worse.

HOW DOES DETOX WORK?

Various forms of treatments are available. Certain facilities such as The Palm Beach Institute offer medical drug detox, partial hospitalizations, and even residential treatments for much more intense cases. Addiction therapy is the answer to adjust toward a balanced lifestyle, drug-free. Specialists focus on every individual’s addiction and help to alleviate the withdrawal process.

These techniques are very powerful for clients as they see improvements both physically and psychologically. People are provided specific medications that bond with the user’s body to help treat specific, if not all, the harmful withdrawal symptoms.

ASIDE FROM DETOX

It’s important to talk to family members or close friends about addiction problems, as they can also be of help. Emotional support is one of the best ways to help combat a difficult dependency.

Percocet addiction and withdrawal take a toll on a person’s mental faculties. Talk to a spouse or a friend or family member to help you combat the adverse effects of addiction or withdrawal. They, too, can help you during your detox process.

Sources

Food and Drug Administration. (2006, November). PERCOCET ® (Oxycodone and Acetaminophen Tablets, USP) CII … from https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2006/040330s015,040341s013,040434s003lbl.pdf

Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Substance Abuse / Chemical Dependency. from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/substance-abuse-chemical-dependency

National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (UK). “PHARMACOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL INTERVENTIONS IN OPIOID DETOXIFICATION.” Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Jan. 1970, from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK50618/

Opiate and Opioid Withdrawal: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine from https://www.pbinstitute.com/side-effects/percocet/%E2%80%9COpiate%20and%20Opioid%20Withdrawal:%20MedlinePlus%20Medical%20Encyclopedia.%E2%80%9D%20MedlinePlus,%20U.S.%20National%20Library%20of%20Medicine,%20medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000949.htm

“Percocet (Oxycodone and Acetaminophen): Side Effects, Interactions, Warning, Dosage & Uses.” RxList, from www.rxlist.com/percocet-drug.htm#side_effects

“Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS).” How Do You Cope? | Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior from www.semel.ucla.edu/dual-diagnosis-program/News_and_Resources/PAWS