Prescription opioid medications are an important medication for the treatment of pain that would otherwise make healing and recovery difficult. Though opioids help millions of people find relief from all kinds of pain, they are also linked to an alarming addiction epidemic in the United States. Opioid medications like Roxicodone can cause dependence and addiction when they are abused. Dependence usually leads to uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms that encourage you to continue using to avoid symptoms and cravings.
Though it’s difficult to get through withdrawal alone, it can be treated. Learn more about Roxicodone addiction, dependence, and withdrawal, and how you can overcome them.
What is Roxicodone?
Roxicodone is the brand name for a drug called oxycodone hydrochloride, which is an opioid analgesic. That means it’s in the opioid class of drugs, and it’s used to treat a variety of pain symptoms. Roxicodone is used to treat pain that over-the-counter medications and simple anti-inflammatories can’t. Typical uses are to ease post surgery pains, pain from injuries, and chronic pain. Oxycodone hydrochloride is a synthetic opioid, which means that it’s made by altering naturally occurring opioids like morphine.
As an opioid, Roxicodone binds to the body’s opioid receptors. These receptors exist to bind with your endorphins, which are opioids that are produced in the body and used to regulate your pain response. Opioids block pain signals at every point on the pain trail from the site of pain to the spine, and in the brain. Foreign opioids like Roxicodone are also able to bind to these receptors, and they can be much more powerful. Roxicodone can cause sedation, deep relaxation, euphoria, and extremely effective pain relief. However, it can also cause constipation, nausea, drowsiness, itching, dry mouth, and sweating.
Roxicodone can also cause tolerance, dependence, addiction, and withdrawal, especially after frequent use or high doses. If you start to experience drug cravings, lowered effects of the drug, or withdrawal symptoms, you should notify your doctor immediately. Your prescribing physician can help you find another medication option or wean off of the drug. If you use Roxicodone without a prescription and start to develop a dependence or addiction, it’s important to seek treatment as soon as possible. Addressing a substance use disorder early can help you avoid some of the most serious consequences of addiction like illicit drug abuse, overdose, and infectious diseases.
What are Roxicodone Withdrawal Symptoms?
Roxicodone binds all over the body and influences the systems in the body that control pain. Because the drug is active all over the body, you may experience full-body withdrawal symptoms when you stop using. If you stop using the drug cold turkey, you might start to experience symptoms of withdrawal within 12 hours. Withdrawal occurs after you’ve become chemically dependent on an opioid. The uncomfortable symptoms are a result of your brain chemistry becoming unbalanced and a sudden lack of the foreign chemical that your body came to rely on.
Roxicodone Withdrawal Symptoms Include:
- Restlessness
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Muscle aches
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Sweating
- Yawning
- Tearing
- Fast heart rate
- Hypertension
What are the Stages of the Roxicodone Withdrawal Timeline?
The specific withdrawal symptoms timeline you experience will depend on several factors, including the amount of time you were opioid dependent, the use of other drugs, the size of the dose you were used to, and the size of your last dose. However, your withdrawal may follow a specific timeline.
- 4 to 6 hours. The first symptoms may start to appear within six hours of your last dose. Earlier instances of withdrawal symptoms are more likely if you were dependent on a heavy dose or used Roxicodone for a long time. Early symptoms can feel like you’re coming down with a cold. You may have chills, higher body temperature, or an increased heart rate.
- 24 hours. Within the first day, you will start to experience your first flu-like symptoms like fatigue, sweating, body aches, runny nose, and fever. These symptoms can last an additional day or two.
- 72 hours. Your symptoms will peak within 72 hours of your last dose before they start to subside. Peak symptoms can be the most intense and may include vomiting, diarrhea, high blood pressure, and fever. After your symptoms peak, they will slowly start to disappear, starting with physical symptoms.
- One week. By the end of the first week, most of your physical flu-like symptoms will be gone, and the most severe symptoms will have passed. Symptoms like depression and anxiety may linger for a little while longer.
- 14 days. Most withdrawal symptoms will be gone by the second week, but you may still have lingering psychological symptoms. You will also continue to have drug cravings that may compel you to relapse. These long-lasting symptoms may need therapy or addiction treatment to address effectively.
Do Opioids Require Detox?
Detoxification is an important step in addiction treatment for many people, including some people that seek help with opioid use disorders. Even though opioids like Roxicodone aren’t known for deadly withdrawal symptoms, it can be extremely uncomfortable. People that have gone through opioid withdrawal have described it as the worst flu they’ve ever experienced.
For many, the uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms are a major barrier to sobriety.
Going through withdrawal in a medical detox program can help alleviate your symptoms and avoid any potentially dangerous health complications. In rare cases, opioid withdrawal can lead to dangerous situations because of certain symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and sweating.
Symptoms can lead to dehydration, which has been fatal in specific circumstances like among inmates and other prisoners. Symptoms can also lead to aspiration of vomit, which can be dangerous.
Roxicodone withdrawal can also come with powerful drug cravings that lead to relapse, especially when they are combined with uncomfortable symptoms.
Addiction is difficult to overcome when you are on your own, and opioid withdrawal can cause powerful compulsions to use again. Medical detox involves 24 hours of monitoring. That support can help keep you committed to your recovery goals.
