The length and physical symptoms of withdrawal from Percocet are influenced by many factors. These influences can be environmental, physical, and psychological. Understanding the properties of Percocet, along with its intended use, will help in gaining an understanding of the withdrawal process and with the highly addictive potential of using this pain medication.
Percocet is a prescription pain medication in the opioid family; it is a combination of oxycodone and acetaminophen, both powerful pain medications that complement each other. This opioid is recommended for use by patients affected with moderate to severe pain; because of its physical dependence and addictive qualities, it should only be used for short amounts of time.
Percocet Withdrawal
Percocet withdrawal includes several uncomfortable symptoms. These symptoms present themselves in three stages after discontinuing the use of Percocet; these stages include the early withdrawal stage, the peak withdrawal stage, and the late withdrawal stage. The amount and severity of symptoms depend on the severity of physical dependence and/or addiction to the medication. Seeking medical advice, and finding specialists to help with this process, is strongly suggested.
Stage 1 of Withdrawal
In this stage of early withdrawal, symptoms start to appear at about 24 to 30 hours after the last dose of Percocet. The severity of symptoms during this stage continues to get worse over the next couple of days. These symptoms include:
• Body Aches
• Sweats
• Insomnia
• Loss of Appetite
• Racing Heart
• Increased Blood Pressure
• Fever
Stage 2 of Withdrawal
This is the peak stage of withdrawal; this is when withdrawal symptoms are at their worse and this stage starts about 72 hours after the last dose of Percocet was ingested. Symptoms accompanying this stage of withdrawal can remain relentless for up to 5 days, some have reported up to 10 days, and can include the following symptoms:
• Diarrhea
• Stomach Cramps
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Goosebumps
• Chills
• Depression
• Intense Drug Cravings
Stage 3 of Withdrawal
This stage of late withdrawal is when physical symptoms and intense psychological symptoms start to decrease. During this time, it is important to have a lot of support because this is a critical time for starting the journey of abstaining from the use of Percocet. It is also a time to discover other ways to manage the causes for becoming dependent on this opioid medication including both physical and psychological disorders.
Percocet Addiction
Pain medications like Percocet, and other drugs in the opioid family, have proven to be highly addictive. After becoming physically dependent on Percocet, the withdrawal process can be almost impossible to endure without seeking medical advice and having the support of specialists. Continuing the use of Percocet after the recommended time, or manner it was prescribed, can trigger addiction, lead to the use of other illegal opioids, and overdose resulting in death.
Opioids react with transmitters in the brain that activate the reward system. These transmitters are known as endorphins and can decrease the feeling of pain while giving a boost to feelings of well-being and pleasure within the body. After a while, these pleasurable feelings become something you can’t live without and constantly seek. The amount of the drug it takes to reach these feelings increase as the structure of the brain changes and requires more opioids to engage this feeling.
Warning Signs of Addiction
The warning signs of addiction to Percocet and other opioids include physical signs of withdrawal along with behavioral deviations. These changes can include:
• Different friends and groups of friends
• Avoiding friends and family; spending time alone
• Losing interest in regular activities
• Not caring about personal hygiene
• Change in eating habits
• Excessively energetic
• Irritable
• Quick changes in mood
• Abnormal sleeping pattern
• Missing appointments and financial hardships
• Getting in trouble with the law
• Erratic daily schedule
Conclusion
The withdrawal process from any opioid, including Percocet, can be extremely complicated. Seeking the advice, support, and help, of specialists, will make the withdrawal process more tolerable and successful; it will also assist with the decisions on how to handle problems associated with addiction and what proper supports should be put into place. Now is the time to ask for help from people who understand and care, please call 855-936-4435, we are standing by for your call.
