If you are suffering from a condition that causes moderate to acute pain then your family doctor will probably prescribe painkillers such as OxyContin to help you manage the discomfort. These drugs are relatively safe and improve the overall quality of life for many people. But patients should be aware of the risk associated with addiction to pain meds.
Oxycodone can be preferable to other types of pain relief such as morphine because it carries less side effects such as nausea, depression or respiratory problems. However, a small number of patients may experience unpleasant symptoms such as itching, a dry mouth, headaches or feeling light headed. Only in rare cases will there be a severe reaction such as respiratory failure and other life threatening conditions.
The problem is, these side effects - if the patient gets them at all - do not compare to the misery of the withdrawal symptoms if the patient has developed a dependency on their pain medication. They may also become hooked on the feelings of calm, happiness and euphoria which may result from taking opiates, and increase their daily dose to unsafe levels to achieve a greater high. This will make withdrawal symptoms worse. Relapses are extremely common among pain med addicts.
The symptoms of oxycodone withdrawal may include anxiety or panic attacks, muscle cramps or pain, nausea and flu like symptoms. Insomnia is another common side effect of discontinued use of pain medication.
To reduce the risk of unbearable withdrawal symptoms - which will increase the chances of the patient relapsing and starting their pain medication again - the drugs should be discontinued gradually. It is also essential that it is done under the supervision of a medical professional such as the family doctor or, in the worst case scenario, in a rehab clinic.
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