What is OxyContin, how does it affect the body and how can you spot OxyContin addiction and get help?
It’s a drug that has been famously associated with Courtney Love, Heath Ledger, former Guns ‘n’ Roses guitarist Slash and politician Patrick Kennedy. But just what is OxyContin and how has it become so popular in Hollywood and beyond?
OxyContin Facts
OxyContin is the brand name of a time-release formula of oxycodone approved by the FDA in 1995 and released to the U.S. market in 1996. In the matter of just a few years, OxyContin became the best-selling non-generic narcotic pain reliever in the U.S, with more than 7.2 million prescriptions written in 2002, and it remains a billion-dollar industry in the U.S.
OxyContin originates from the opioid analgesic oxycodone, which is from the same opiate family as it’s more traditional “cousins” morphine, heroin and codeine. To make OxyContin, oxycodone is combined with inert binders to create a powerful pain reliever that can be taken orally to treat moderate to severe chronic pain. Because OxyContin is a time-release formula of oxycodone, it’s important the pills aren’t crushed but rather are taken whole. (Oxycodone is also a main ingredient in Percocet, Percodan and other brands of prescription pain relievers.) OxyContin works by acting on specific parts of the brain to relieve pain.
This powerful prescription painkiller is prescribed for moderate to high pain relief, including that associated with bone fractures, arthritis, lower back pain, bursitis, dislocations, other injuries and pain from cancer.
OxyContin Street Names
While it should be available by prescription only, online pharmacies have made OxyContin more readily available for misuse. Add to that the teen trend of raiding their parents’ medicine cabinets and OxyContin has become a popular street drug. At the same time, oxycodone has been used illicitly for more than 30 years, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. When used for the purpose of strictly getting high, OxyContin goes by several nicknames including Hillbilly Heroin, OC, Oxy, Blue, Ox and Oxycotton.
OxyContin Effects
OxyContin works by stimulating the opioid receptors in the brain and depressing the central nervous system. This slowing of brain and body activity affects breathing, heart rate, digestion and response to pain. Tolerance builds up quickly to both OxyContin and oxycodone so that even those taking the drug for legitimate pain relief can become addicted. When used for pain relief, the dosage is often increased as a tolerance builds. Once the pain subsides, a doctor should help the patient to decrease usage gradually in order to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
When misused, OxyContin can cause slow/shallow breathing, fainting, irregular heartbeat, agitation, hallucinations, confusion and vision changes. If taken regularly for long periods or in high doses, withdrawal symptoms can also occur. Those can range from runny nose, irritability and trouble sleeping to sweating, stomach cramps and diarrhea. Since a tolerance is built up rapidly, the amount taken to get the same high increases rapidly as well. Conversely, use of OxyContin by someone who is not regularly taking narcotic medications can cause serious or even fatal problems. That’s why medical detox in these cases is so important, to wean a user off the drug as safely as possible (for more on medical detox, read our related article).
OxyContin Addiction
If you’re asking yourself if you have a problem with OxyContin or oxycodone, chances are you already know the answer. Within a short period of time, OxyContin addicts get to the point of taking more and more medication simply to keep the severe withdrawal symptoms at bay. They don’t even get the euphoric high they felt when first taking the drug, they’re just trying to keep from feeling sick all the time. Maybe you sense there’s an issue or a friend or family member has pointed out a problem, but you want clinical, unemotional proof. That’s where it’s helpful to consult a professional.
OxyContin Rehab At La Paloma
You don’t want to trust your recovery to just anyone. La Paloma Treatment Center’s staff is experienced in prescription drug addiction, especially OxyContin. The staff-to-client ratio at La Paloma assures personalized care and the facility uses an integrated treatment approach, dealing not only with the addiction but any mental or emotional conditions that led to substance use in the first place. A newly renovated detox wing is available for those who need it, with medical supervision allowing for the safest possible experience. Length of stay is determined on an individual basis, with the staff choosing the program that allows for the greatest level of long-term success. At La Paloma, continuing care is part of the plan, assuring that recovery is lasting long after you leave us.
If you or someone you know is in need of treatment for OxyContin addiction, contact La Paloma at the toll-free number on our homepage. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about the treatment process, financing and logistics.
What is OxyContin, how does it affect the body and how can you spot OxyContin addiction and get help?
