Oxycodone Withdrawal and Detox - Symptoms & Opioid Addiction Treatment
What is oxycodone withdrawal?
Oxycodone is a highly addictive synthetic opioid drug. With prolonged use of these drugs, users can begin to develop a tolerance to its effects—meaning they need a higher dose to achieve the same feelings they had experienced when taking it initially.
This tolerance and subsequent increased use of the drug will often lead to physical dependence. Once developed, an oxycodone dependence makes it harder to quit, with many feeling negative side effects (known as withdrawal) if they try. This is often why people find it difficult to come off of opioid medication and become addicted. The symptoms of withdrawal are too uncomfortable or painful to deal with and so they carry on with their use.
Why do people experience symptoms of withdrawal and oxycodone dependence?
Oxycodone use can result in a prescription drug addiction similar to addictions like heroin addiction or sleeping pill addiction, whereby recovery can be extremely difficult without proper treatment or medical detox. Opioid addiction (opioid use disorder) is nothing to be ashamed of. It’s important to seek the help of medical professionals if you need support in dealing with addiction or symptoms of oxycodone withdrawal.
When taken in high doses, or combined with other substances like alcohol, a powerful painkiller like oxycodone can cause severe liver damage, slowed heart rate, respiratory distress, or even death. See here for warning signs of oxycodone addiction.
If you or someone you know is dealing with opioid dependence or opioid use disorder, it is important to try stop taking opioids and find a treatment as soon as possible.
How much time does it take to overcome withdrawal without relapse?
The most intense symptoms and serious side effects occur in the first week, but some symptoms can last months. Ultimately, opioid or opiate withdrawal symptoms will continue until the brains’ endorphin-receptor balance is restored to regular levels. Unlike cognitive behavioral therapy, attempting to taper off opioids, or other detoxification techniques which can take months to have an effect, ANR treatment is the fastest and most effective way to go through the withdrawal and addiction recovery process.
The risk of opioid withdrawal symptoms & side effects on your body health
Oxycodone can produce severe symptoms and adverse effects similar to any other opiate or opioid.A dependence on oxycodone may lead to signs and symptoms, such as:
- Sadness or depression
- Headache, runny nose, and other flu-like symptoms
- Body aches, muscle pain & joint pain
- Abdominal cramps or pain
- Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Clamminess and excessive sweating
- Fever
- Mental illness
Oxycodone withdrawal timeline
The withdrawal process differs from person to person, depending on factors such as their height, weight, and health condition (both mental and physical). However, several other factors can affect the withdrawal timeline, including:
- How long the person has been taking oxycodone.
- The dose of oxycodone that has been taken over that period.
- The time between each dose.
- The frequency of use.
- Whether it was taken in combination with alcohol or other drugs.
- The method they used to take the oxycodone (pill/tablet, intravenous injection, snorting, etc.)
After the user or patient takes a dose, they will typically be free of withdrawal symptoms for approximately 8-12 hours. When opiate withdrawal symptoms do begin to occur, these can last for a week or more. Typically, the worst, most physical effects of oxycodone withdrawal (acute withdrawal) will occur between 3-5 days after the user’s last dose.
In some cases, users will continue to experience symptoms of withdrawal from opiates for longer than a week. These symptoms are known as post-acute withdrawal symptoms or PAWS. For some people, PAWS can last as long as 24 months, although their effects do diminish as the person learns to deal with the symptoms, which can include attention deficit, anxiety, sleeping problems, depression, indifference, lethargy, and mood swings, as well as a slew of other psychological and physical problems.
Days 1-2
Withdrawal symptoms usually begin within 8-12 hours after the user’s last dose. Common symptoms during this period include muscle aches, nausea, mood swings, headache, drug cravings, sweats, anxiety, and general feelings of discomfort or illness. This is often the point at which people will revert to using the drug to alleviate these symptoms.
Days 3-5
This period is usually where people experience the most severe withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms include intense cravings, extreme nausea, vomiting, and severe pain in the abdomen, as well as continued muscle aches, cramping, and shaking or shivering.
Days 6-7
At this point, physical symptoms tend to slow down. However, this is often when the worst of the psychological symptoms often begin to take hold. Anxiety, depression, and exacerbation of pre-existing mental health disorders (including bipolar disorder) become increasingly strong, in tandem with any remaining physical effects such as nausea.
Days 8+
Once all physical symptoms of withdrawal have alleviated, the person experiencing withdrawal begins to feel some mental clarity – They may become overwhelmed by the burden of the actions they had made while high or during withdrawal. This can have intense psychological impacts on the person, and so it is imperative that they are supported and closely monitored while they try to overcome this. Many users abuse opioids to overcome psychological burdens in the first place, so it is at this point that the potential for relapse is at the forefront.
How can oxycodone withdrawal be treated safely?
Unlike traditional detox treatments, ANR method targets the physiologic mechanism behind dependency, attacking the issue at its core. This means patients can return to normal, healthy daily life without chronic pain or fear of relapse. ANR is the only form of medical treatment that has been shown to re-regulate the critical endorphin-receptor imbalance found in those with opioid use disorder.
ANR Clinic has health care facilities to provide the medication-assisted detox process in:
- DeSoto Memorial Hospital, Arcadia, Florida
- ANR Europe Thun, Switzerland
- New Vision University Hospital, Tbilisi, Georgia
FAQ
Oxycodone is illegal to obtain and use unless prescribed by a physician. Oxycodone can easily lead to a drug abuse or substance abuse issue which can be extremely dangerous. This is why it is advised to seek substance abuse treatment as soon as a problem develops.
For additional health information related to opioid drugs and their effects, see the ANR website, or ask a medical professional or care provider to provide medical advice.
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About Author
Dr. Waismann identified the biological roots of opioid dependency, Since then he has successfully treated more than 24,000 patients worldwide that are struggling with opioid addiction.
Throughout his career, he has lectured and educated health professionals in dozens of countries around the world to this day.
