Yes, you can overdose on OxyContin. Signs and symptoms include depressed breathing, slowed heart rate, clammy skin, bluish fingernails and lips, and an inability to respond.
OxyContin is a powerful central nervous system (CNS) depressant, which is part of its pain-killing ability. Slowed breathing rates and heartbeats can help you feel calm and capable while enduring pain. But this same quality can lead to an overdose.
Of all prescription opioid painkillers, OxyContin is the most closely associated with overdose. Researchers say using OxyContin alone greatly increases the risk of an opioid overdose when compared to hydrocodone/acetaminophen mixtures (e.g., Vicodin).[1]
An OxyContin overdose can look like deep sedation. It’s not always easy to determine if someone is overdosing or just very high.
But it’s critical to take action when you suspect an OxyContin overdose. Without your help, someone who took too much could die.
Like all CNS depressants, OxyContin can cause deep relaxation. People may seem asleep, but you may notice concerning signs with a closer look
Symptoms of an OxyContin overdose include the following:[2]
Understanding how to take a blood pressure reading or counting a pulse isn’t required. People moving through an overdose won’t react appropriately when you call their names, tap on their cheeks or rub their hands. They just don’t awaken.
Without quick intervention, people experiencing an OxyContin overdose can die. In 2020, drug overdose deaths rose 31% when compared to 2019.[3]
Never assume that someone who seems sedated from taking drugs doesn’t need your help. They may not be able to ask for your assistance, but they need you just the same. It’s always best to err on the side of caution, and reach out for help.
People experiencing an OxyContin overdose can’t help themselves. Typically, they’re unconscious and unable to follow commands or take care of themselves. But bystanders—even if you don’t have medical experience—can help.
If you suspect someone has overdosed on OxyContin, call 911. You’ll take action on your own (detailed below), but you need medical professionals too. Don’t delay—call right away.
You’ll need to provide information about your location and the person who has overdosed. Give as much detail as possible. If you know what the person took, and when they took it, provide that information.
The emergency operator may give you instructions on how to help the person. Listen carefully, and try to remain calm. Stay on the line until help arrives.
Naloxone, sold in most states over the counter, is an opioid antagonist. This medication works like a cap on opioid receptors within the brain. Within a few seconds, this medication removes active OxyContin from the brain and restores consciousness.
People don’t feel healthy and well after taking naloxone. The drug pushes people into immediate withdrawal, meaning they may experience nausea and vomiting. But they start breathing again, and they don’t die.
If you think someone is experiencing an OxyContin overdose, take these steps:[2]
The person needs additional medical care. An ambulance should bring the person to the hospital for fluids, monitoring and ongoing care. The overdose could return once the naloxone wears off, so don’t forego professional medical assessment.
If naloxone isn’t available, you’ll offer supportive care and try to get the person expert help. After calling 911, stay with the person.
If they have stopped breathing, begin CPR. If they are breathing but unconscious, roll them onto their side into the recovery position, so they won’t choke if they vomit. Follow any further instructions from the emergency operator until medical personnel arrive.
Researchers track overdoses, and they measure what triggers the problem. The most dangerous drugs have shifted over time.
In 2011, oxycodone (the active ingredient in OxyContin) was the most common drug associated with overdose.[4] But manufacturers changed OxyContin’s outer coating and made it harder to crush and inject. Some people switched to heroin instead, and some bought drugs tainted with the very strong opioid fentanyl.
Fentanyl is responsible for many current drug overdoses. Tainted drugs are almost impossible to identify, and they can be so powerful that they cause overdoses in very small amounts. When you buy drugs on the street, it’s impossible to know exactly what is in them since there is no regulation body monitoring the production and sale process.
People who misuse OxyContin chronically become accustomed to the drug and can take much larger doses than someone who is using it for the first time. The longer the misuse continues, the bigger the dose someone might take, which increases the risk for overdose.
But researchers also say the majority of drug overdoses involve multiple drugs.[5] People mix medications like antidepressants, sedatives or alcohol with their OxyContin. They may do so intentionally in an effort to achieve greater effects, or they may inadvertently do so.
Mixing drugs like this can mean overdosing with even small amounts of OxyContin. For example, in 2021, almost 14% of opioid overdose fatalities also involved benzodiazepines.[6] Cocaine, methamphetamine and other stimulants are also increasingly showing up in cases of opioid overdose.[7]
Medication for Addiction Treatment (MAT) programs can help people to stop the cycle of overdose and continued misuse.
Suboxone contains buprenorphine, a mild opioid agonist that latches to receptors used by OxyContin. This medication eases common withdrawal symptoms like diarrhea and body aches, allowing people to get sober without feeling sick.
Another ingredient, naloxone, works as a method to prevent misuse. If you try to misuse Suboxone, you won’t get high.
Ongoing MAT enrollment can help you develop sober habits to ensure that you don’t relapse to drug use when exposed to your triggers. Some people stay in their MAT programs indefinitely, as their medications help them handle relapse triggers.
At Bicycle Health, telemedicine brings doctors to people who need them. Conduct a confidential appointment through your computer or phone, and pick up your prescription at a pharmacy near you. We’re accepting new patients now. Contact us to start the enrollment process.
Peter Manza, PhD received his BA in Psychology and Biology from the University of Rochester and his PhD in Integrative Neuroscience at Stony Brook University. He is currently working as a research scientist in Washington, DC. His research focuses on the role of the brain dopamine system in substance use disorders and in aging. He also studies brain function in obesity and eating disorders.
