What kind of medicine is OxyContin?
OxyContin contains oxycodone, a very strong narcotic pain
reliever similar to morphine. OxyContin is designed so that
the oxycodone is slowly released over time, allowing it to
be used twice daily. You should never break, chew, or crush
the OxyContin tablet since this causes a large amount of
oxycodone to be released from the tablet all at once,
potentially resulting in a dangerous or fatal drug overdose.
What kind of pain is appropriate to treat with OxyContin?
OxyContin is intended to help relieve pain that is
moderate to severe in intensity, when that pain is present
all the time, and expected to continue for a long time. This
level of pain severity may be caused by a variety of
different medical conditions.
How do I know if I have the right kind of pain to use
OxyContin?
Only a physician can determine if OxyContin is a good
choice to manage a your pain. If you have pain every day
that lasts for a large part of the day, and the pain is
moderate or severe in intensity, depending upon other
factors in your medical history, OxyContin may be a good
choice for you. Speak with your physician.
If you feel you only need to take a pain reliever
occasionally and this adequately treats your pain, OxyContin
is NOT the right drug for you. If you only need a pain
reliever for a few days, for example following a dental or
surgical procedure, OxyContin is not the right drug for you.
Are there any activities that I should not perform while
using OxyContin for pain relief?
OxyContin may interfere with your ability to do certain
things that require your full attention. You should not
drive a car, operate heavy machinery, or do other possibly
dangerous activities while taking OxyContin.
What should I do if I still have pain after I take the
OxyContin?
Because OxyContin is a very strong medication, you should
not adjust the dose without first speaking with your
physician.
Can I take other medicines while I am using OxyContin
for pain relief?
Combining OxyContin with some other types of medication
such as sleeping pills, tranquilizers, and other pain
medications may be dangerous due to the risk of interactions
of these medications that can result in injury or death. You
should speak with your physician before taking any other
medicines with OxyContin. You should also tell your
physician about all prescription drugs, over-the-counter
drugs, and dietary supplements/herbal remedies that you are
taking before starting OxyContin.
Can I drink an alcoholic beverage while I am using
OxyContin for pain relief?
You should not drink any beverage that contains alcohol
while you are taking OxyContin. This includes beer, wine,
and all distilled liquors. OxyContin and alcoholic beverages
may have dangerous interactions that can result in serious
injury or death.
Will I become addicted to OxyContin if I take it every
day?
OxyContin is only intended for moderate to severe pain
that is present on a daily basis and that requires a very
strong pain reliever. Patients with this type of severe pain
condition require daily pain treatment. 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. This is not the same thing as
addiction, which represents a situation in which people
obtain and take narcotics because of a psychological need,
and not just to treat a legitimate painful condition.
Physical dependence can be treated by slowly under the
advice of a physician by slowing decreasing the OxyContin
dose when it is no longer needed for the treatment of pain.
Concerns of addiction should not prevent patients with
appropriate pain conditions from using OxyContin or other
narcotics for pain relief.
What should I do when I no longer need the OxyContin for
pain relief?
When you no longer need OxyContin, the dose should be
gradually reduced so that you do not feel sick with
withdrawal symptoms. You should ask your physician for a
plan on how to gradually decrease the dose and when to stop
the OxyContin.
Haven't there been press reports about the misuse of
OxyContin?
OxyContin is a safe and effective pain medication when
properly prescribed and used as directed. OxyContin has also
been used as a drug of abuse. You should protect your
prescription and your medication from theft and never give
OxyContin to anyone else. You should destroy any left over
OxyContin tablets that you may have once your physician
instructs you to stop taking the medication.
Can I take OxyContin if I am pregnant, planning to
become pregnant, or planning to nurse my baby?
Your should speak to your physician about the effects of
drugs like OxyContin on an unborn or newborn child.
Are there any other special precautions I should take
with my OxyContin?
Because there is a large dose of medication in each
OxyContin tablet, you must be very careful to keep OxyContin
stored in a secure location, out of the reach of children.
When you no longer need OxyContin for pain relief, you
should flush the unused tablets down the toilet.
