OxyContin is one of many opioids that are used for chronic pain management. When taken properly, these opioids are very effective and very safe. Due to media coverage about the drug, some patients with prescriptions for the pain reliever are worried that they will get hooked.
The more any of these drugs gets prescribed, the more potential for risks there are, and when one drug becomes popularly prescribed by physicians, the more popular it becomes on the street, simply because it is more available.
What is OxyContin?
Introduced in the United States in 1995, OxyContin (generic name: oxycodone) is a narcotic prescription medication designed to provide relief for chronic pain. It belongs to the group of painkillers known as opioids, which are derived from the opium poppy. Other examples are:
Morphine
Codeine
Heroin
Oxycodone, like all opioids, blocks pain receptors in the brain. Oxycodone is also the active ingredient in other common pain relievers like Percodan and Percocet. Each OxyContin pill is designed to release the drug slowly over a 12-hour period, so taking two tablets each day can provide continuous relief for chronic pain.
Secondary effects of OxyContin can include:
Respiratory depression
Drowsiness
Reduced anxiety
Increased feelings of relaxation
Euphoria
People who take OxyContin as prescribed eventually develop a tolerance to these effects -- but not to the pain relief effect. So these side effects will drop away, while the pain relief continues to be effective.
Another common side effect is constipation, which can usually be managed with stool softeners and other medications.
Why do doctors prescribe OxyContin?
Doctors prescribe OxyContin to treat moderate to severe chronic pain, especially when other treatments are not effective. The pain can have a variety of causes, such as cancer and injury. According to the Food and Drug Administration, doctors shouldn't give the drug (or long-acting opioids in general) to people who have mild pain, temporary pain (such as pain from surgery) or pain that comes and goes.
How addictive is OxyContin?
When taken as directed, OxyContin is not especially addictive.
People who take OxyContin every day, as prescribed, may become physically dependent on the drug, and may suffer withdrawal symptoms if they suddenly stop taking their pills. Withdrawal symptoms include:
Restlessness
Muscle and bone pain
Insomnia
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Cold flashes
Involuntary leg movements
Dependence isn't the same as addiction. You can become physically dependent on many types of medications, including blood pressure medications and antidepressants. But people with an addiction have an irresistible urge to seek out and take their drugs regardless of the consequences.
Doctors can help patients break their dependency by slowly reducing the dose when OxyContin is no longer needed for pain relief. Fear of physical dependence is no reason to avoid taking OxyContin if it is part of a necessary medical regimen, but individuals who have had a past or current history of substance use should take them under close supervision by a doctor.
Why is OxyContin misused?
Inappropriate use of OxyContin became a concern in 2000, and by 2001 it had reached "levels of abuse never before seen," according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The agency noted that it "has never witnessed such a rapid increase in the abuse and diversion of a pharmaceutical drug product."
OxyContin produces a more profound high than Percocet and Percodan. According to the FDA, OxyContin's unique "controlled-release formulation" means each tablet contains more oxycodone than these other drugs. Ironically, it was this very makeup that led officials to believe OxyContin would have less potential for misuse. If taken as directed, it does.
But recreational users have discovered that the tablets can be crushed and then injected or snorted, quickly turning this safe medication into a highly addictive drug. When crushed into powder and snorted, swallowed or injected, the user receives the entire dose instantly, rather than a slow release stretched out over 12 hours. Misused in this manner, OxyContin acts more like a street drug than a pain reliever, delivering a euphoric, heroin-like high.
Once addicted, people may start shopping around for doctors who will write OxyContin prescriptions without thoroughly checking their medical histories. They may search out the drug on the streets, and may even raid medicine cabinets or steal OxyContin from pharmacies.
How dangerous is OxyContin misuse and addiction?
Recreational users may think OxyContin is "safe" because it is a prescription drug. But anyone who breaks up the tablets runs a serious risk of overdose because the tablets are designed to release the drug over 12 hours, not all at once. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, taking a dose in one sitting can cause fatal respiratory depression.
In 2000, over 10,000 people were treated in emergency rooms for "drug abuse episodes" involving drugs containing oxycodone. By 2021, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had 80,411 reported overdose deaths from any opioid drug for that year alone.
How is OxyContin addiction treated?
Doctors may prescribe medications in order to relieve withdrawal symptoms, counteract the effects of OxyContin, and help lessen cravings. Methadone and LAAM are both commonly used to manage OxyContin addiction. In October 2002, the FDA approved the use of buprenorphine, a partial opiate agonist, for limited use in managing opioid addiction. Treatment with such aids is often combined with behavioral counseling.
Most people addicted to OxyContin are better tapering off the drug with the supervision of a medical professional, and battling through the withdrawal until they are completely opioid-free. Then, she says, doctors will often prescribe naloxone hydrochloride, a drug that blocks the drug’s effects. That way, patients are less likely to fall back into addiction if they happen to slip up and misuse OxyContin again.
