Why It's Hard to Stop Abusing Percocet
There's an enormous amount of people that continue to abuse Percocet and other pain medications because they can't handle the withdrawal symptoms they go through if they try to stop. It doesn't matter what reasons a person may have become addicted to Percocet, the end result entails very uncomfortable symptoms of withdrawal if they stop taking the drug especially if they've been addicted to Percocet for a long period of time.
Percocet contains a combination of acetaminophen and oxycodone and is prescribed to patients for the relief of pain. Oxycodone is in a class of drugs that are called opioid pain relievers and even though acetaminophen is a less potent pain medication, it enhances oxycodone's affects when they're combined.
For the relief of pain, Percocet is a very effective medication but that's not always what people use the drug for anymore. Many people abuse painkillers like Percocet because using higher doses of the medication leads to an increased level of dopamine in the brain which then produces euphoria and relaxation. Once a person becomes addicted to Percocet though, they have to continue their use in order to avoid mental cravings and uncomfortable withdrawal.
Percocet Withdrawal Symptoms
Even though the symptoms of Percocet withdrawal aren't life threatening they're very uncomfortable and unpleasant to the point that abusers commonly repeat their use to avoid the discomfort. The mental and physical discomfort experienced during Percocet withdrawal doesn't just disappear overnight especially for people who have abused the drug for a long time. Symptoms experienced due to Percocet withdrawal can include:
- Severe flu symptoms
- Difficulty either falling asleep or staying asleep
- Anxiety
- Elevated body temperature
- Elevated blood pressure
- Elevated heart rate
- Rapid breathing
- Muscle spasms
- Diarrhea
Percocet Side Effects
There are also side effects that can be experienced when taking Percocet that can be uncomfortable that most people don't realize, even if they're taking the pain reliever for legitimate reasons which include:
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Light headedness
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Percocet Overdose Symptoms
People can also overdose on Percocet if they abuse the prescription pain reliever which could possibly be fatal. Symptoms can include pinpoint pupils, clammy and cold skin, severe drowsiness, muscle weakness, weakened pulse, fainting, slow heart rate, blue lips, coma, shallow breathing or no breathing at all.
Acetaminophen as mentioned above is also an ingredient in Percocet. Acetaminophen overdose symptoms can include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, sweating, stomach pain, weakness or confusion. Later symptoms can include upper stomach pain, darkened urine, and yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes.
Disposing Unused or Expired Percocet Medication
Anyone that's ever become addicted to prescription pain pills like Percocet understands how hard it is to overcome their dependence and stay clean. Because prescription drugs are so commonly and widely abused today it's important not to leave painkillers like Percocet lying around where anyone could get hold of them for abuse. There are some medications that are safe to flush according to the FDA and Percocet tablets are one of them.
