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Oxycodone abuse may come with signs including physical and behavioral changes.
While opioid use disorders (OUDs) involving oxycodone can develop quickly, people rarely get help right away. In a study of people seeking treatment who misuse oxycodone, about 5% admitted to using the drug regularly for at least a year prior to receiving treatment. [1]
The quicker you recognize oxycodone misuse in yourself or others, the better you can help. The signs you see, including physical and behavioral changes, can prompt you to begin important conversations about seeking help.
Oxycodone is a powerful opioid painkiller and carries a high risk of addiction. Some people are at risk of developing opioid use disorder after just three to five days of regular use.[2]
People who misuse oxycodone regularly are often intoxicated. Physical signs of opioid intoxication include the following:
As the misuse continues, people may develop withdrawal symptoms when they do not use. Signs of withdrawal that you may notice include agitation/irritability, tremulousness, shakiness, anxiety, fatigue, headaches, nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea. The overall syndrome of opioid withdrawal is often described as being similar to having the flu, and can be experienced even with small dose reductions.[3]
Overdose is the most severe physical sign of oxycodone misuse. In 2020 alone, more than 13,000 people died due to overdoses of oxycodone and hydrocodone.[4]
An overdose can be quickly and effectively treated with the opioid blocker naloxone (Narcan), so many people who overdose do not die. But even one overdose episode is a strong physical indicator of oxycodone misuse. Anyone who has had an oxycodone overdose should be connected to care and resources for opioid use disorder.
Underlying mental health issues increase the risk of developing an OUD related to oxycodone misuse. And people with poor mental health may be more likely to get prescriptions for drugs like oxycodone than others.[5] An OUD can cause existing mental health problems to worsen, and new issues can develop.
Mental health signs to look for include mood swings, increased irritability or agitation, increased anxiety or depressive symptoms.
Behavioral signs include the following:[6]
Everyone with OUD is different, and emotional changes can vary dramatically. But changes in mood, mental health, or other behaviors can be a sign that opioid use is becoming a problem.
Opioids like oxycodone alter brain chemistry, causing withdrawal symptoms and deep drug cravings when people try to cut down or quit.
Medications like Suboxone contain buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist. This medication latches to opioid receptors, lessening withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings.
In the past, MAT programs were hard to access. Few doctors could prescribe the drugs, and some people worried that their friends and neighbors would see them entering drug treatment clinics. Telemedicine changed all that.
With telemedicine-based MAT, you can conduct your appointments through a secure online connection. Your doctor can send your prescription to a local pharmacy, and you can take your doses at home.
Bicycle Health, a leading MAT telemedicine provider, is accepting new patients now. Contact us to learn how we can help.
Elena Hill, MD; MPH received her MD and Masters of Public Health degrees at Tufts Medical School and completed her family medicine residency at Boston Medical Center. She is currently an attending physician at Bronxcare Health Systems in the Bronx, NY where she works as a primary care physician as well as part time in pain management and integrated health. Her clinical interests include underserved health care, chronic pain and integrated/alternative health.
