Oxycodone is an opiate analgesic medication that is often beneficial for treating patients with severe pain. While oxycodone can be an important tool medicinally, many patients do become dependent on it and need to be taken off the drug after a while. Other people often use opiate drugs like oxycodone recreationally in order to get high. This can lead to issues like addiction. In either case, a slow tapering off of oxycodone medication can be a good idea.
Withdrawal from Oxycodone
Whether a person has been abusing the drug or if he or she has just been using it as directed for a few months, there is still a good chance that the person could become dependent on oxycodone. Oxycodone dependence can produce physical results called withdrawal symptoms. The NLM states that someone who has become dependent on oxycodone could experience all or some of these withdrawal symptoms:
A doctor can help you plan the proper tapering schedule for our oxycodone addiction recovery.
- Restlessness
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Chills
- Sweating
- Muscle or joint aches and pain
- Sweating
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Watery eyes
- Appetite loss
- Fast heartbeat and breathing
- Yawning
- Weakness
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Depression
While many of these withdrawal symptoms are less intense than other types, they can still be quite difficult to deal with. The muscle and joint pain caused by oxycodone withdrawal can be very severe and can last for several days. The flu-like symptoms will also make a person very uncomfortable. Oxycodone withdrawal usually lasts for about a week and is not pleasant.
Why Taper Off Oxycodone?
Tapering off the drug will cause many of the severe withdrawal symptoms to lessen. It makes the entire experience of withdrawal less painful and uncomfortable. For many patients, dependence occurs whether they are abusing the drug or not so it is not the same as addiction. Tapering off the medication can make the process much easier on someone who has become dependent on oxycodone.
The VA states several reasons why a person formerly taking oxycodone or other opioids would want to discontinue his or her medication:
- Treatment goals are not being met.
- The patient is becoming stable and no longer needs the medication.
- There is “evidence of illegal or unsafe behaviors.”
- There is an “existence of severe unmanageable adverse effects.”
- The patient decides he or she would like to discontinue use of oxycodone.
Whatever the reason is, going off oxycodone immediately can be very unsafe. Withdrawal symptoms will be much more severe than they would be if the patient was tapered off of the medication. There is also a high chance for relapse in oxycodone abusers.
Tapering off oxycodone is also often done with the recommendation and under the supervision of a doctor. This is much safer than trying to stop taking the medication alone. Patients should consider this especially when choosing to stop taking oxycodone.
Is Tapering Off Oxycodone a Good Idea?
Yes. The VA states that “tapering is generally not life threatening for patients without significant co-occurring conditions” so it is usually a safe option. The best way to know, however, is to discuss your needs with your doctor. Doctors can help their patients taper off the medication safely and consult with the patients about their needs. Make sure if you do decide to taper off oxycodone that you do so safely and consistently.
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