Percocet Withdrawal Symptoms

Percocet (acetaminophen and oxycodone) is a pain medication used to treat moderate to severe pain. It is often used as a post surgery treatment for the management of pain after major surgeries. It is also used to treat pain associated with cancer treatment and has been shown to greatly increase the quality of life for those suffering from cancer. It contains a combination of the medications oxycodone and acetaminophen (paracetamol). Paracetamol is the active ingredient in Tylenol and is also known as acetaminophen. Oxycodone is a semi-synthetic opiate drug which is derived from the active chemicals in poppies. Due to the fact that Percocet contains an opiate it has a high risk of causing addiction to develop. Addiction to Percocet is both physical and psychological. Those that are addicted to Percocet will experience a withdrawal from the medication when usage is stopped abruptly. The severity of the withdrawal is dependent upon the quantity and frequency of Percocet usage.

Percocet withdrawal symptoms

Percocet withdrawal will usually begin with intense craving for the medication. One symptom of Percocet withdrawal is diarrhea and a stomach ache. These symptoms can be treated with anti-diarrhea medications such as Imodium. Those withdrawing from Percocet will also commonly experience anxiety and panic attacks. The intensity of these symptoms will vary and is dependent to some extent on the degree of psychological addiction. The anxiety and panic attacks can be debilitating and prevent the one withdrawing from functioning normally and performing ordinary tasks. Percocet withdrawal may also result in frequent body temperature fluctuations alternating between sweating and shivering. Those experiencing Percocet withdrawal will also often experience an aching body and a feeling of restlessness. During Percocet withdrawal it can also be very difficult to sleep. Sleep quality may also be negatively effected for the duration of Percocet withdrawal as well as for some time afterwards. One of the most significant symptoms of Percocet withdrawal is severe depression.

Percocet withdrawal treatment

The preferred method of Percocet withdrawal treatment is a medically supervised program. Due to the unpleasantness of Percocet withdrawal many will often relapse and begin taking the medication again to relieve their symptoms. The usage of a medically supervised withdrawal program ensures that this will not happen. Medically supervised withdrawal programs also have the advantage of having experienced staff and doctors who can supervise the withdrawal process and help to minimize many of the worse side effects.

Doctors will usually recommend a detox program where the dosage of Percocet is slowly lowered over a period of time. This helps to reduce the severity of the withdrawal significantly. Additional medications may also be given to the patient to help combat some symptoms such as insomnia. Those withdrawing from Percocet should also receive professional psychological counseling to help combat their mental addiction to Percocet. Detox centers will usually provide these services throughout the duration of the withdrawal process. Many who experience Percocet addiction seek out support groups. Support groups encourage those who have gone through Percocet withdrawal to continuing not using the medication. Many also find behavioral modification therapy to be helpful in preventing them from continuing there Percocet abuse after successfully undergoing a withdrawal therapy.