What is Percocet?
Percocet is a prescription opioid that helps reduce moderate to moderately severe pain in patients. This drug is a pill taken orally that’s made from a combination of Oxycodone and Acetaminophen and can be highly addictive if abused and results in chemical dependency. While most Percocet pills are usually yellow in color and oval in shape, some brands of this opioid can be white or blue and more round. Other brand names of Percocet include:
- Endocet
- Magnacet
- Narvox
- Perloxx
- Primalev
- Roxicet
- Tylox
- Xartemix
- XR
- Xolox
Percocet Effects
When used as prescribed by a health care professional, taking Percocet can help alleviate chronic pain caused by a health condition, surgery, or other trauma. However, even if taken as prescribed, there are still side effects to be aware of:
- Drowsiness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Dry mouth
- Headache
- Itching
- Sweating
- Lightheadedness
Check with your doctor and seek medical attention if one or more of these symptoms or effects of Percocet impact your daily living.
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Signs of Percocet Abuse and Addiction
Like other opiates, such as OxyContin, Methadone, Vicodin, and Fentanyl, Percocet can be extremely addictive and dangerous if taken excessively. In fact, between 2004 and 2008, emergency room (ER) visits involving pain relievers (including Percocet) increased by 152%, according to the Addiction Center. Signs of Percocet abuse and Percocet addiction signs include:
- Social withdrawal
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Headache
- Memory loss
- Dizziness
Persistent, long-term substance abuse can trigger severe constipation, serious skin reactions, and adrenal gland problems. Consult a medical provider if you experience any of these side effects or symptoms of Percocet addiction.
Percocet Withdrawal Symptoms
The particular withdrawal symptoms of Percocet, as well as the intensity of those side effects, vary person by person. However, there is usually a timeline for progression of effects of Percocet addiction. For example, within the first 24 hours after stopped drug use, a user may experience the following symptoms of withdrawal:
- Muscle aches
- Restlessness or twitching
- Anxiety disorder and other mental health disorders
- Runny nose
- Excessive sweating
- Inability to sleep
- Yawning very often
- Slurring speech
Then, more aggressive symptoms may become present after the first day without Percocet. Those side effects of substance abuse withdrawal include:
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal cramping
- Goosebumps
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dilated pupils and/or blurred vision
- Rapid heart rate
- High blood pressure
- Jaundice
- Hallucinations seeing
- Suicidal ideation
The amount of time your symptoms last depends on the amount of drugs in your system, the length of time the drug was used, and the frequency in which Percocet was taken.
Long-Term Side Effects of Percocet Abuse
Did you know that your brain naturally produces its own opioids? These natural opioids are responsible for decreasing pain, lowering your respiratory rate, and preventing anxiety and depression. What happens when one becomes addicted to opioid painkillers is the brain eventually becomes dependent on those external opioids and it stops producing its own naturally.
Percocet is a painkiller meant to be taken for only a short period of time. When used in excess, this opioid drug can have long-lasting negative effects, according to the American Addiction Centers. Long-term side effects may include:
- Liver damage
- Kidney failure
- Severe constipation
- Urinary retention
- Mental illness
- Slightly decreased testosterone levels in men
- Physical and psychological dependence
Like with most opioid drug abuse, overdose is also a risk. Effects of Percocet overdose may be:
- Excessive sleepiness
- Slowed or shallow breathing
- Nausea and vomiting
- Intense abdominal pain
- Sweating
- Dark urine
- Flu-like symptoms
Percocet Addiction Treatment
The most effective known substance use disorder addiction treatment involves medical detox, inpatient treatment or intensive outpatient program rehab at a treatment center, and follow-up with long-term support from community resources. Luckily, you can find all of that and more at Resurgence Behavioral Health.
At Resurgence, we offer a variety of professional treatment options for prescription drug addiction with fully customizable recovery plans that meet your individual needs. That includes:
- Medication-assisted detox
- Residential rehab
- Intensive outpatient treatment
- Aftercare
- Co-occurring disorder treatment
With medical detox assistance, you can cleanse your system of drug toxins in a healthy and controlled way that will reduce withdrawal symptoms and prepare you for recovery. Common pharmaceutical aids that help with medical detox include Clonidine and Buprenorphine to help with side effects of opioid detoxification like sweating, hot flashes, watery eyes, and restlessness. No matter where you are in your recovery journey, at Resurgence, treatment plans work towards drug abuse addiction recovery at your own pace in a safe environment with help from clinicians and health care professionals.
Our Percocet addiction treatment center provides comprehensive dual diagnosis addiction treatment through a multitude of Percocet addiction treatment programs and addiction therapy services. Upon your admission into a Percocet addiction treatment center, our addiction treatment professionals will determine the unique underlying mental health conditions that cause your addiction to Percocet. Our addiction therapy services and addiction treatment programs in California include: