Oxycodone stays in your system between 15 and 32.5 hours on average, with extended-release oxycodone remaining in the body longer than immediate-release formulations. However, the question “How long does oxycodone stay in your system?” may be more complex than you think, as there are more factors besides drug formulation that affect opioid clearance.
Keep reading to better understand how long oxycodone stays in your system and what exactly determines it.
What Is Oxycodone?
Oxycodone is a prescription opioid medication used to manage moderate-to-severe pain that cannot be controlled with non-opioid painkillers, such as aspirin. As a semi-synthetic opioid, it is derived from thebaine, an alkaloid that naturally occurs in opium poppy plants.
Oxycodone, which is sold as a generic drug and marketed under OxyContin®, Roxicodone®, and several other brand names, is available in immediate- and extended-release formulations. It comes as a tablet, capsule, or oral solution. Oxycodone is also often combined with other medications, such as acetaminophen (Percocet®, Endocet®).
Although oxycodone is very effective in treating pain, it has a high potential for abuse, dependence, and addiction, classifying it as a Schedule II controlled substance. In fact, the root of the U.S. opioid epidemic can be traced back to the increased availability and marketing of oxycodone in the 1990s.
Nonetheless, it remains the second most commonly prescribed and abused opioid in the United States after hydrocodone. More than 13 million Americans abuse oxycodone every year, leading to 500,000 annual ER visits.
Opioid abuse increases the likelihood of developing opioid use disorder (OUD). To reduce the risk of abuse, dependence, and addiction, make sure to follow your doctor’s instructions throughout the treatment.
How Does Oxycodone Affect Your Body?
Oxycodone affects the body by binding to the opioid receptors in the central nervous system (CNS). By interrupting the transmission of pain signals between the body and the brain, it alters the perception of pain.
Immediate-release oxycodone starts to relieve pain within 10–30 minutes following consumption, with effects lasting for 3–6 hours. Meanwhile, extended-release formulations begin to work within an hour after ingestion and provide pain relief for up to 12 hours.
Like all drugs in the opioid family, oxycodone can induce feelings of euphoria and relaxation by causing the body to release dopamine. This makes opioids particularly dangerous; unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for people to take them to get “high.”
Oxycodone can also lead to various side effects, especially at the very beginning of the opioid therapy or in cases of opioid abuse. Some adverse effects may have long-term consequences or require immediate medical care.
Some of the most common side effects of oxycodone include:
- Fatigue
- Sedation
- Sweating
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Confusion
- Dry mouth
- Constipation
- Stomach ache
- Difficulty breathing
- Nausea and vomiting
Oxycodone Half-Life
Oxycodone’s half-life (the time it takes your body to eliminate half a dose of the drug) ranges between 3 and 6.5 hours and primarily depends on the drug’s formulation. Extended-release oxycodone has a longer half-life than immediate-release versions.
Though the half-life indicates the average time it takes to reduce the drug’s concentration by half, it takes around five half-lives to fully process and eliminate opioids from the body.
With this in mind, let’s move on to the question, “How long does oxycodone stay in your system?” and discuss how long it can be detected in different drug tests.
How Long Does Oxycodone Stay in Your System?
Immediate-release oxycodone stays in your system for about 15 hours. If you take extended-release oxycodone, your body will need around 32.5 hours to clear it. Nonetheless, oxycodone and its metabolites can remain detectable in blood, urine, saliva, and hair beyond this time frame.
On that note, let’s explore the detection windows for oxycodone in different drug tests.
How Long Does Oxycodone Stay in Blood?
Oxycodone stays in the blood for up to 24 hours after the last dose. It can be detected in blood samples in as little as 15 or 30 minutes following administration. Since blood tests have the shortest detection window for oxycodone, they can only be used to test for recent opioid use.
How Long Does Oxycodone Stay in Hair?
Oxycodone stays in hair and remains detectable in hair follicle tests for up to 90 days after taking the last dose. Though hair tests have the longest detection window, they can be quite costly. Moreover, it may take a week for oxycodone to show up in hair follicle samples.
How Long Does Oxycodone Stay in Saliva?
Oxycodone stays in saliva for up to four days and can be detected in saliva samples within just 15 minutes after consumption. If you take oxycodone frequently and in high doses, saliva tests may be able to detect traces of it for a week and even more after the last dose.
How Long Does Oxycodone Stay in Urine?
Oxycodone stays in urine and can be detected in urine samples for up to four days after taking the last dose. However, a couple of hours might have to pass before it shows up in urine. Urine tests are rather popular due to their non-invasiveness and cost-effectiveness.
Factors That Determine How Long Oxycodone Stays in Your System
Liver health is one of the key factors that determine how long oxycodone stays in your system. Since it is extensively metabolized in the liver, impaired liver function can hinder the clearance of oxycodone.
The answer to “How long does oxycodone stay in your system?” also varies individually based on:
- Age. Younger people generally need less time to flush oxycodone out of their system than those who are older. A study by Saari et al. found that the concentration of oxycodone is 20% higher in older people compared to young adults, meaning that aging increases the half-life of oxycodone. More specifically, oxycodone’s half-life is 3.8 hours in 25-year-old individuals and 4.6 hours in 85-year-old people.
- Metabolic rate. The quicker your metabolism is, the faster it will be cleared out of your body. Body composition, physical activity level, diet, and even hydration can impact your metabolism and affect how long oxycodone stays in your system.
- Use of other substances. If you partake in polysubstance use, you may need more time to break down oxycodone. While this depends on the specific substance you use, you should never use oxycodone with other drugs, medications, or supplements without consulting your doctor. Mixing oxycodone/acetaminophen (Percocet®) with alcohol is particularly dangerous due to an increased risk of liver damage.
- Extent of oxycodone use. The extent of oxycodone use is one of the major factors that impact how long oxycodone stays in your system. The longer you’ve been taking opioids, the more time your body will need to clear them out. The same stands true for dosage and frequency of use.
Oxycodone Addiction vs. Oxycodone Dependence
Oxycodone addiction and oxycodone dependence are some of the greatest risks of taking this medication. Though often used interchangeably, these terms refer to two distinct conditions. However, it’s not uncommon for them to co-occur.
Anyone who takes oxycodone for a prolonged time can become dependent on it since opioid exposure gradually alters brain chemistry, increasing the production of opioid receptors. This leads to tolerance, which is a sign of physical dependence. Once you develop tolerance, your usual dose will no longer suffice to produce the desired effects.
Moreover, people dependent on oxycodone have to take it to function normally, as they otherwise experience opioid withdrawal symptoms. Since they are hard to bear, many oxycodone users end up taking this medication just to keep these symptoms at bay, even after their pain has subsided.
Treating oxycodone dependence is of utmost importance. If left untreated, it can turn into an addiction, which is primarily psychological. Those addicted to oxycodone lose control over their opioid use; they can’t stop taking it, even when it leads to strained relationships, financial distress, poor work performance, and so forth.
Furthermore, it’s not uncommon for people struggling with prescription drug addiction to resort to illicit drugs, such as heroin, if they can’t obtain their medication legally. For this reason, you should seek professional opioid addiction treatment as soon as you realize your oxycodone use has become problematic.
Oxycodone Withdrawal Symptoms
Oxycodone withdrawal symptoms are physical and psychological symptoms opioid-dependent people experience upon drug discontinuation. A decrease in dosage can also trigger these symptoms, especially if it’s sudden. Similarly, abruptly quitting oxycodone tends to bring about particularly severe withdrawal symptoms and increases the risk of complications.
Oxycodone withdrawal symptoms typically start within 12 hours after taking the last dose. Withdrawal symptoms from OxyContin® or other extended-release formulations, meanwhile, usually begin within 48 hours after the last dose. These symptoms typically last more or less 10 days, though some continue to suffer from cravings and other such symptoms for much longer.
The most common oxycodone withdrawal symptoms include:
- Anxiety
- Tremors
- Diarrhea
- Dysphoria
- Depression
- Body aches
- Dilated pupils
- Opioid cravings
- Increased yawning
- Diminished appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Flu-like symptoms (fever, runny nose, etc.)
Going through opioid withdrawal significantly increases the risk of relapse, which can lead to a potentially fatal oxycodone overdose. Due to reduced tolerance, even your typical oxycodone dose could be potent enough to cause an overdose in case of relapse.
Therefore, even though some home remedies can ease certain withdrawal symptoms, it’s in your best interest to seek professional help for oxycodone dependence and withdrawal.
ANR Opioid Dependence Treatment
Accelerated Neuro-Regulation (ANR) is an ultra-modern opioid dependence treatment that can help you overcome oxycodone dependence quickly, safely, and effectively.
Developed by Dr. Andre Waismann, ANR is the only opioid dependence treatment that acknowledges and treats the root cause of opioid dependence by reversing opioid-induced changes to the brain.
ANR restores the brain to its pre-addiction state by re-regulating the endorphin-receptor system, thereby eliminating withdrawal symptoms. Since the ANR treatment negates the risk of relapse, it has an exceptionally high success rate.
Most importantly, ANR is very safe and is performed by board-certified critical care physicians, anesthesiologists, and other highly experienced medical professionals in an ICU setting of accredited hospitals. We also tailor the treatment to each patient’s individual needs and medical history, making it suitable even for those with underlying health issues.
Another advantage ANR has over other treatments is that it can help you break free from opioid dependence within a matter of days, and it doesn’t involve any potentially addictive opioid replacement drugs. The ANR procedure takes 4–6 hours, whereas the average hospital stay for our patients lasts only 36 hours.
For more information, contact us today for a free, 100% confidential consultation.
Key Takeaways
Though it takes 15–32 hours on average to remove oxycodone, the precise answer to “How long does oxycodone stay in your system?” varies individually based on age, extent of opioid use, and other similar factors.
Lastly, let’s go over the key points we covered:
- Oxycodone is a semi-synthetic opioid pain medication derived from thebaine that is used to treat moderate-to-severe pain.
- Oxycodone’s half-life is around 20% longer in elderly individuals; those with impaired liver function will need even more time to clear oxycodone out of their system.
- The extent of opioid use, metabolism, and polysubstance use play a key role in determining how long oxycodone stays in your system.
How Long Does Oxycodone Stay in Your System FAQ
It takes around 15–32 hours to get oxycodone out of your system, though this largely depends on the drug’s formulation; it takes more time to remove extended-release oxycodone. Age, metabolic rate, and other individual factors may also affect how long oxycodone stays in your system.
Oxycodone is primarily eliminated from the body through urine. While around 72% of a dose is excreted via the urine (8% unchanged and 65% as metabolites), it isn’t clear how the remaining dose is eliminated as of yet.
After taking oxycodone, you will feel pain relief, which is the intended effect of this drug. However, you might also experience various side effects, ranging from nausea to labored breathing. Oxycodone can also make you feel euphoric and relaxed; however, you should never take it for non-medical purposes due to the high risk of dependence, addiction, and overdose.
The effects of oxycodone last for 3–12 hours, depending on the formulation. Immediate-release oxycodone works for 3–6 hours, whereas the extended-release version relieves pain for up to 12 hours.
Oxycodone is highly addictive, which is why it is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance. Though taking it precisely as prescribed reduces the risk of opioid dependence and addiction, it doesn’t eliminate it. Since it stimulates the production of opioid receptors and hinders that of endorphins, anyone taking it for an extended time can become addicted.
Oxycodone works in about 10–60 minutes. The onset of its effects mainly depends on the formulation. Immediate-release oxycodone begins to relieve pain within 10–30 minutes following consumption, whereas extended-release formulations need about an hour to start working.
Additional Information:
Alcohol and Oxycodone: The Risks and Effects of This Dangerous Combination
Does Oxycodone Make You Sleepy? Oxycodone Use and Effects
