1) Oxycontin is a prescription painkiller first introduced to the market in 1995. Within just a couple of years since it first came out, it spread like wildfire and gained a reputation for being highly addictive and even deadly.
2) The drug's reported side effects include shallow breathing, slowed heartbeat, muscle weakness, dizziness, and cold, clammy skin. Some patients taking oxycontin may also experience sweating, itchy, constipation, and nausea.
3) The majority of Oxycontin-related deaths have come from individuals ingesting Oxycontin with other central nervous system suppressants like alcohol or benzodiazepines.
4) Oxycontin is designed to have a controlled release, but people who abuse it will either chew or crush the tablets, then snort them for a quick high. Users can also inject the drug intravenously with a syringe.
5) People who inject oxycodone or any other drug intravenously are at high risk for contracting Hepatitis and HIV because of sharing needles.
6) Approximately 1 million U.S. residents 12 years old and up have used Oxycontin at least once in their lifetime for non-medicinal purposes
7) People who frequently use the drug and abuse it will develop a tolerance to it, meaning they will have to consume larger quantities to get the same high as before. This is one of the tell-tale signs of dependence.
8) People that develop an addiction to Oxycontin will go around and partake in "doctor shopping," meaning they'll visit multiple doctors for the same prescription. Many of these doctors knowingly enable their patients to get ahold of these drugs without helping them.
9) In the last few years, several Florida laws have been passed designed to curtail prescription drug abuse, including busting doctors operating "pill mills," limiting the number of prescriptions that doctors can write for the drug, and limiting the number of prescriptions pharmacies can fill.
10) Chronic use of opiates like Oxycodone can interfere with the body's ability to produce hormones such as testosterone and estrogen.
11) People who are attempting to detox from opiates like Oxycodone often have to seek medical detox treatment because the physical effects of drug withdrawal can be very difficult to deal with. They can also be dangerous. If you are attempting to detox from opiates, especially substances like morphine, you should contact a medical doctor who specializes in treating addiction.
12) Think those using prescription drugs are purchasing drugs out on street corners? Think again. In a recent survey of people age 12 and older who reported using painkillers for non-medicinal purposes, the most common way of obtaining Oxycontin or Oxycodone was through a friend or relative for free.
Do you or does a loved one need Tampa Prescription Drug Abuse treatment? True Path Recovery offers Tampa Residential Drug Treatment and an outpatient treatment program.
No comments:
Post a Comment