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Rehab Help
for Oxycontin Abuse
The most serious risk to
using Oxycontin is
respiratory depression.
Oxycontin should never be
used in conjunction with
alcohol, antihistamines,
barbiturates or
benzodiazepines. Toxic
overdose which could result
in death can occur by
breaking up the tablets,
either by crushing, breaking
up or chewing the tablets.
This removes the
time-release coating the the
pills. Chronic use can
easily result in abuse and
addiction where higher doses
are desired to achieve the
initial effects.
Getting Addicted to
OxyContin
 Long-term use of OxyContin
for legitimate pain control
can lead to physical
dependence according to the
National Institute on Drug
Abuse. The body develops a
tolerance for the drug
necessitating higher dosage
for the same effect.
Physical dependence is
unavoidable when an
individual is exposed to
high doses for long periods
of time. The body adapts and
develops a tolerance.
The patient who becomes
addicted to Oxycontin will
have severe and
uncontrollable cravings for
another "rush" from the
drug.
Among the withdrawal
symptoms are muscle and bone
pain, restlessness,
insomnia, diarrhea, cold
flashes with goose bumps,
involuntary leg movements,
depression, headaches,
sweating, anxiety, and
vomiting. Withdrawal
symptoms begin within hours
of the last dose and will
peak within 48 hours before
subsiding and lasting over a
week or more. As you can
well imagine due to the
severe suffering of detox,
users would rather go back
to using than face the pain
of withdrawal. Plus you have
to take into account if the
user does not remove
themselves from their
current environment which
got them into the condition
their in, then chances are,
they're going to continue
the dwindling spiral towards
death.
A large dose can cause
severe respiratory
depression which can lead to
death.
Abusing OxyContin
 OxyContin abuse is gaining
popularity across the nation
attracting both legitimate
and illegitmate users. When
properly administered,
OxyContin contains a
time-release mechanism which
spreads its effect over a
12-hour period. The
time-release mechanism can
be bypassed by crushing the
tablets and either reducing
tablets to a powder and
snorting it like cocaine, or
dissolving in water and
injecting it like heroin.
Users also chew whole
tablets as well.
Oxycontin abuse is
increasing for a number of
reasons. One of the main
reasons is because the
elevated opiate dosage makes
it highly addictive. Unlike
other drugs such as cocaine
or heroin which are cut or
laced with other substances,
you know what you're getting
with oxycontin. Since the
drug is dispensed by a
pharmacist, the dosage is
dependable, which in turn
delivers a dependable high,
and finally, oxycontin is
covered by most health
insurance plans, so while
under a doctor's care, the
drug is
significantly cheaper than
street drugs.
The DEA is very concerned
about the widespread use of
Oxycontin saying it's only a
matter of time before every
community in the country is
confronted with the problem
of oxycontin abuse.
Oxycontin effects are very
similiar to those of a high
grade heroin.
The problem with patients
who have been prescribed
Oxycontin is that they find
the need to take more than
what is prescribed to
control their pain or to get
high. OxyContin abuse is on
the rise and has become the
most abused drug in the US.
According to the FDA,
"Taking OxyContin daily can
result in physical
dependence, a condition in
which the body shows signs
of narcotic withdrawal if
the OxyContin
is stopped suddenly."
Oxycontin overdose is
serious and may require
hospitalization. Due to
respiratory depression,
users may be temporarily
hooked to a ventilator to
help them breath until the
drug wears off. Signs of
Overdose may include slowed
breathing (respiratory
depression), seizures,
dizziness, weakness, loss of
consciousness, cold and
clammy skin, coma,
confusion, reduced vision,
vomiting, nausea, clouding
of mental functions. |
