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Roxicodone: Effects, Addiction and Treatment

Roxicodone, one of the brand names for oxycodone, is a powerful prescription opioid painkiller that may be prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain.1 2 Despite its legitimate medical uses, it has a high potential for misuse and addiction.1, 2

If you or a loved one are struggling with Roxicodone addiction, you should know that evidence-based opioid addiction treatment can lead to positive health outcomes and help you start the path to recovery.1

What is Roxicodone?

Roxicodone is a potent opioid narcotic or painkiller, that is FDA-approved for the treatment of moderate to severe pain.2 Like other opioids, oxycodone works by binding to and activating opioid receptors in the brain, which alters the perception of pain signaling. This opioid receptor activity is also associated with an increased release of dopamine, which means that drugs like Roxicodone can elicit a rewarding euphoria, which can reinforce patterns of misuse.1, 2

Roxicodone is a Schedule II controlled substance.2 This means that it has a high potential for misuse that can lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.4 As with other opioid medications, Roxicodone also exposes people to additional risks, such addiction development and potentially fatal overdose.2

Roxicodone Effects

Prescription opioids like Roxicodone can be safely used under a doctor’s guidance when taken as directed.3 However, as with other opioids, Roxicodone may have some adverse effects when used. The risk of experiencing certain Roxicodone side effects can increase when misused, such as when used in ways other than prescribed or when combined with other substances, such as alcohol, sleep aids, or other drugs that depress the central nervous system.1, 2

Side effects of Roxicodone can range from mild to severe, and may include:2

  • Sleepiness.
  • Nausea.
  • Vomiting.
  • Constipation.
  • Pruritus (itching).
  • Low blood pressure.
  • Respiratory depression (slowed or stopped breathing).

In addition to these acute adverse effects, addiction and overdose are two of the more significant risks associated with Roxicodone misuse.2

Development of Roxicodone Addiction

Addiction is a chronic medical condition caused by compulsive substance use despite negative consequences.1 Roxicodone addiction is diagnosed as an opioid use disorder (OUD).6

Medical professionals use criteria from the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) to guide their diagnosis. Only a professional can diagnose someone with OUD, but it can be helpful to know the diagnostic criteria, which includes:6

  • Using opioids in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended.
  • Being unable to control or cut opioid use.
  • Spending a lot of time in activities necessary to obtain, use, or recover from opioids.
  • Craving, or a strong desire or urge to use opioids.
  • Failing to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home due to opioid use.
  • Continuing to use opioids despite persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of opioids.
  • Giving up or reducing important social, occupational, or recreational activities because of opioid use.
  • Using opioids in physically hazardous situations (such as driving or operating machinery).
  • Continuing to use opioids despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by the substance.
  • Tolerance, meaning a person needs markedly increased amounts of opioids to achieve intoxication.
  • Withdrawal when opioid use is cut back or stopped.

Roxicodone Overdose

As with other opioids, misusing Roxicodone can lead to overdose.2  An overdose is a medical emergency.1 If you or someone else are experiencing a Roxicodone overdose, you should contact 911 right away, and then administer naloxone if available.1

Naloxone (Narcan, Kloxxado) is an emergency medication that can help reverse a Roxicodone overdose or other type of opioid overdose.1 It is currently available in injectable forms and as nasal sprays.7 Naloxone is a temporary treatment that can restore breathing when administered in time, but a person needs emergency medical care after receiving naloxone because the effects do not last long.7

Symptoms of Roxicodone Overdose

Symptoms of a Roxicodone overdose can vary from person to person, but people usually display a triad of symptoms that involve pinpoint pupils, unconsciousness, and respiratory depression.8

Opioid overdose symptoms can also include:9

  • Cold, blue, or clammy skin.
  • Limp body.
  • Blue or purplish fingernails or lips.
  • Choking or gurgling noises.
  • Vomiting.
  • Being unable to speak.
  • Slowed or stopped heartbeat.

Roxicodone Withdrawal

Roxicodone withdrawal refers to uncomfortable symptoms that can occur when someone who is dependent on the drug suddenly cuts down or stops using it.1 As withdrawal can be incredibly unpleasant, people often resume using Roxicodone as a way of preventing or alleviating opioid withdrawal symptoms.6

Roxicodone Withdrawal Symptoms

Withdrawal symptoms from Roxicodone are not typically life-threatening, but they can produce intense discomfort and cause needless suffering.10 Medically-supervised withdrawal treatment can help people stay safe and comfortable throughout the withdrawal period.10

Withdrawal symptoms can include:6

  • Dysphoric (low) mood.
  • Nausea or vomiting.
  • Muscle aches.
  • Runny nose or teary eyes.
  • Dilated pupils, goosebumps, or sweating.
  • Diarrhea.
  • Yawning.
  • Fever.
  • Insomnia.

If you would like more information about addiction treatment options available in your area, contact American Addiction Center’s helpful admissions navigators at for a free, private consultation today.

Roxicodone Addiction Treatment

If you or a loved one are struggling with Roxicodone misuse or addiction, you should know that evidence-based addiction treatment can help people regain control of their lives, stop Roxicodone misuse, and achieve healthier and more productive functioning in the family, at work, and in society.11

You may participate in different levels of addiction treatment, which can include:

  • Detox, which is often the first step in the rehab process.11 It offers medically supervised treatment, including medications, to help people through withdrawal as they return to a medically-stable state.10
  • Inpatient treatment, which means you live onsite at a rehab facility, receive round-the-clock care, and participate in different types of treatment and therapy.12
  • Outpatient treatment, which means you live at home or other sober residence but travel to a rehab or other clinical setting on a set schedule to receive treatment.12
  • Aftercare, or continuing care, which means care that takes place after the initial phase of treatment.13 It can support recovery and abstinence, and can prevent future relapses from worsening.13

Opioid agonists such as buprenorphine and methadone, as well as non-opioid medications like clonidine and lofexidine may be used to help prevent or manage unpleasant opioid withdrawal symptoms.1, 10 In many cases, medications for opioid use disorder, such as methadone, buprenorphine, Suboxone (a buprenorphine/naloxone combination), or naltrexone, may be used during the post-detox maintenance phase to help people manage opioid addiction in the longer-term.12

Additionally, some who struggling with opioid addiction may also struggling with a co-occurring mental health disorder (depression, anxiety, PTSD, etc.).11Patients experiencing addiction and a co-occurring disorder may benefit from dual diagnosis treatment which simultaneously treats both conditions. 11

Find Roxicodone Addiction Treatment Programs

If you or your loved one are ready to start the path to recovery, you might first talk to your doctor to have an evaluation to discuss the rehab options that are advisable for your unique needs. Treatment should be individualized and take into account any medical or clinical concerns.11 p. 5#4 Before you start treatment, you will undergo a comprehensive evaluation that looks at your needs so you can enter the appropriate level of care.11

You can find rehab programs near you by using the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s FindTreatment.gov website. You can also call helplines, such as the one operated by American Addiction Centers at , to ask questions about Roxicodone addiction, learn more about the rehab process, locate rehabs near you, and verify your insurance. Our professional and caring admissions navigators are here for you 24/7. No matter how things might seem right now, help is available, and you, or your loved one, can recover, stop substance misuse, and take back control of your life.

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