Important Facts About Oxycontin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta] Oxycontin is a commonly prescribed painkiller to patients suffering from constant, chronic pain. It's a narcotic that's part of the opioid family, a set of drugs that were synthesized from the base parts of Opium. Their effect varies but mostly, their main effect is to relieve people of pain.

Is Oxycodone the Same as Oxycontin?

Yes. The main ingredient in Oxycontin is Oxycodone, which is also it’s only active ingredient. Oxycodone is an opioid that was synthesized from Thebaine, a weak alkaloid in Opium. Oxycodone is more powerful than morphine, but also has higher risks of abuse. They also test the same. Oxycodone tests for Oxycontin users will come up positive. In these cases, what doctors watch out for is the concentrations or the amount that's still in your system. If you have more Oxycontin in your system in relation to your prescription and what time you took your meds. If they detect a concentration that's higher than what's prescribed, they might revoke your prescriptions. The effect of Oxycodone tablets and Oxycontin will differ depending on the dosage. Gram for gram though, Pure Oxycodone is stronger than Oxycontin due to Oxycontin's other attribute. Oxycontin is Oxycodone placed inside a special slow-release/extended-release tablet. The tablet dissolves slowly in your stomach, releasing the Oxycodone bit by bit into your system. This means Oxycodone works faster, giving a better effect than Oxycontin. This, however, is where the fault lies. People who suffer from constant, chronic pain all day, will have to take multiple capsules of oxycodone to cover their functional hours. Oxycodone tablet lasts around 4-6 hours, which means a person as to take 2-4 tablets a day, potentially causing overdose, liver toxicity, and accelerates dependence. Oxycontin's formulation lasts 12 hours. A person needs to take only 1-2 capsules a day, minimizing the risk of overdose. If the effect is not enough to completely negate the pain, doctors will usually increase the concentration to meet their patient's pain-relief needs.

Is Oxycontin a Narcotic?

When we say narcotics these days, more often than not, people would think of illegal drugs or drug used by addicts and criminals. In some cases, other non-narcotic substances such as cocaine, ecstasy, and marijuana are pooled together with the term. Narcotics is a term derived from the ancient Greek word that means "To make numb." This accurately describes what Narcotics do, which is to relieve pain by stopping your brain and spine from sending and to receive pain signals from your nerves. Oxycontin is a narcotic by definition. However, it’s also a controlled drug. Possession and usage of Oxycontin without a prescription, or more than what’s prescribed, can be penalized by the law. This means you can’t buy more than what’s prescribed, only you can use what you buy, and taking more of it, (if proven by proper blood tests,) can have your prescription revoked.

What Does Oxycontin Do to You?

Oxycontin contains Oxycodone, an opioid synthesized from thebaine, a mildly psychoactive chemical found in Opium. They have painkilling and euphoric effects, both of which as factors in addiction. To understand their effect in the body, we must introduce the brain's chemical messenger, the neurotransmitters. There are several kinds, but their purpose is to make the brain receive and send certain signals. Our brain is composed of cells called neurons. These cells are composed of two parts: the sending parts called the axon, and the receiving parts called Dendrites. These dendrites are branch-like structures whose tips contain receptors. These receptors are what receives messages from another neuron's axon. They communicate by sending over neurotransmitters. The axon releases stored neurotransmitters inside it, and the receptors of the other neuron receive it and react accordingly. For example, you touched the tip of a needle, your skin cells will send a signal to your nerves. The neurons of the nerves send pain-related neurotransmitters at breakneck speed towards your spinal cord and brain. These two get the message and bring a pain signal back, that's when you feel the pain. This happens in milliseconds. Now, among the many neurotransmitters you have, there are two that are affected by Oxycontin. The first one is Endorphin. Short for  "Endogenous Morphine," this is your body's natural painkiller. When you are in pain, angry, or excited, this chemical is what suppresses the other neurotransmitters from being released, effectively blocking the pain or calming you down. The second one is Dopamine, known as the ‘reward chemical'. When you do something that's good for you, or at least, what the brain considers as "good", it will trigger the release of dopamine. Examples of what the body thinks is good for you are: Eating when you are hungry, drinking water when you're thirsty, taking a cool shower when it's hot and vice-versa, and anything around the notion or activity of sex. Why explain all this? Because Oxycontin, along with all the opioids and opiates have something similar: they are structurally similar to endorphins. When Oxycontin enters your bloodstream, it eventually goes to the part of your head called the “blood-brain barrier.” This densely packed cells only allow very small, or very specific kinds of materials. Oxycontin passes seamlessly and goes into the brain. Your neurons get exposed to the oxycontin, and the neurons will react as if it had received endorphins. This is how Opiates and Opioids block pain. By mimicking Endorphins, they stop the signals from both reaching the brain and the other way around. Another effect is that the surge of opioids in the brain causes your brain to create a lot of dopamine, giving you a mild but overpowering sense of euphoria, or a false sense of wellbeing. This is the key addictive effect1iop[/.,m that made heroin illegal. For people who actually feel constant pain from their conditions, the euphoric effect is not felt as much.

How Addictive is Oxycontin?

In order to understand how addictive a drug is, we have to first understand how addiction works. You could say that oxycontin is very addictive when abused, but so is alcohol and cocaine. Alcohol could be more addictive than Oxycontin or the other way around. The key here are the factors apart from the drug.

• Constant Stressors and Triggers

The first factor of addiction. We all have problems in life, some worse than others. When we feel stress, what we do is relieve it. We do this by either addressing the stress or avoiding it. Such activities could be practicing our hobbies, doing activities that either stimulate or relax us (like eating and sleeping) or solving the cause of the stress. This is one of the factors that "push" a person into doing something in particular, like abusing drugs.

• Supply of Substance

No drugs no drug addiction. Simple as that. The second driver of addiction is when a person can secure a supply of it. If they have stressors and triggers they want to avoid, and the substance is within reach, they will find it hard to resist partaking of it. What’s surprising is that even if drugs are not present, but there are stressors and the other factors, people would just be addicted to the “next best thing.”

• Tolerance and Dependency

These factors go hand-in-hand like a pair of handcuffs. Coffee, for example, contains caffeine, a chemical stimulant that helps you feel perky and energetic, enough to whisk off lethargy and be more productive at work. If you drink enough over a period of time, the effects will start to diminish a little. It may take you two cups of coffee before you feel the same effect as before. This is called Tolerance and our bodies do this to protect us from potential poisoning. Dependency happens when we find ourselves unable to function without the substance. Either because we don't feel right when we haven't taken it, or actual physical dependence. Physical dependence happens when your brain and body adjust to the common intake of a substance. So much that both your brain and body thinks that it's normal to have the substance. One terrible example is Dopamine Dependency. Your brain produces dopamine at regular, highly controlled levels. When you take a substance that causes a spike of dopamine, your brain will detect the oversaturation, and shut down all faculties that produce dopamine. Alongside shutting down production, your brain will command the creation more enzymes that help metabolize the excess dopamine. If the supply is constant, the brain will keep dopamine production shut down. If this happens long enough, the brain will shut it down permanently, due to a developmental rule called, “If you don’t use it, lose it,” as an effort to save processing power. The result, the person is dependent on drugs to feel good. Nothing will make the person feel happy except for the drug. When they can’t get their supply, they could potentially be stuck in a state of absolute chemical despair where nothing will make them feel joy.

• The effect of the Substance

The drug's effect is only a part of the several addiction drivers. The more potent the effect, the more satisfaction or escapism it provides, the more potential addicts will gravitate towards it. Oxycontin's active ingredient, Oxycodone is less powerful than Morphine, but it still has the potential for abuse. How addictive it is, however, cannot be accurately stated. If a healthy person with good hobbies and a good balance of stress and relief take Oxycontin, they may have an experience worth sharing, but there's not enough "drive" to make them try it again, or at least not enough drive to make them take another one sooner. Whereas a person with a deadbeat job and nearly unbearable home and family conditions may seek more of the drugs because it "makes all the problems go away," temporarily.

Can Oxycontin be Crushed?

Oxycontin should not be crushed and should only be swallowed whole. Oxycontin is a special slow-release capsule structured to last 12 hours in your body. Crushing the tablet will cause more Oxycodone to be released into your body, nearly guaranteeing an overdose. The effect will be overwhelming and will only last a few hours. Worse, if you have a prescription and a blood and urine test revealed that you have higher concentrations of Oxycodone in your system than what's prescribed, your physician will have the right to revoke your prescription. This will be in your permanent medical record and might make it difficult for you to get medications from other doctors.

How Long Does Oxycontin Stay In Your Blood?

Surprisingly, drugs don’t remain detectable in your blood for a long time. In fact, blood has the smallest timeframe before any drugs become undetectable, but this is due to our body’s efficient and aggressive filtering systems. Considering we start counting after the 12 hours effect duration of Oxycontin, traceable amounts will remain up until 24 hours. Depending on your metabolism, it could be a few hours longer or shorter. [vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Don't Wait Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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What are Endogenous Opioids?

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta] The brain is what makes you, you. Every single part of your body, from the organs to the skeletal system, is created to ensure that your brain and central nervous system is functioning. The brain makes you aware of what’s around you, what affects you, and what you need to do. How it makes you do what you do, is all due to the way your brain communicates with your body. It’s composed of star-like cells called neurons, all compact into nerves, which are present all over your body, and a huge majority of it composing your brain. They communicate using electrical signals, and these signals are triggered by special chemicals called Neurotransmitters. Why all the talk about the brain and neurotransmitters? This is due to the fact that our body creates its own neurotransmitter called Endogenous Opioids. When the word Opioid is heard, people think of drugs. This is true, as morphine, codeine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, fentanyl, and heroin are some of the substances that belong to the opioid and opiate family.

What Are Opioids?

They are derived from the extracted from the seed pod of the poppy plant. The dried sap is called opium, which is the earliest form of narcotic in history, going as far back as 300 BC. As our technology progressed, we managed to extract the purer substances in opium, maximizing its effect. These extracted substances are called opiates, which still see significant medical use. As our technology went further, we devised ways to augment the base chemicals in Opiates to make even more powerful versions, like Oxycodone, Hydromorphone, and Fentanyl. These “synthetic” or “semi-synthetic” substances are called Opioids. Opioids are substances that affect our neurons. Within the arms of our star-like neurons are something called "Receptors", parts that are meant to receive substances. All cells have receptors that make them react to certain substances or chemicals. The neurons, in particular, have receptors for Opioids. When they receive opioids, two things will happen. The first effect is when the “Mu Receptor” is activated. It causes the release of the brain’s reward chemical called Dopamine. This triggers a “high” that makes the person feel euphoric. Imagine it as the warm fuzzies multiplied by ten. The second effect is the blockage of pain transmissions to the brain. They bind to opioid receptors, found in the gut, spine, and brain. With both your spine and brain unable to both send and receive pain transmissions, you do not experience pain. It's worth noting that the effect is not absolute. Depending on the dosage, it may not affect enough receptors to completely block the pain.

Endogenous Opioids

It literally means “Opioids created from the inside.” Your body has neurotransmitters called “Endorphins.” These neurotransmitters block pain, triggered when there’s a release of pain receptors. So when you get hurt and feel pain, the pain subsides or lessens over time due to your endorphins. Endorphin is actually short for Endogenous Morphine. Our body creates these Endogenous Opioids to be used when needed, such as during times when you need to push through the pain. It also triggers the release of dopamine, the reward chemical, similar to what morphine and most opioids do. One good example of how it works is the commonly known "workout high" or "runner's high". You place your body in significant pain and stress, triggering the release of Endorphin and Dopamine. As your brain releases more, the better you feel. [vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Don't Wait Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Avoid These “7 Deadly Sins” When Dealing With Addicted Loved One|

  When someone you love is struggling with addiction, the stakes are high. You know the consequences, and you're willing to do just about anything to save them. The good news is that you can help. Just try to avoid these seven common mistakes that loved ones make when dealing with addiction.

Shame

There is such a stigma that surrounds addiction that most family members end up feeling some form of embarrassment. But this can be damaging. Not only is it bad for your own soul to feel shame, but it can also impact the person who is struggling to overcome addiction. When you act in an embarrassed way, it sends the message that someone has done something wrong. With addiction, that’s not really the case. Addiction is a disease like diabetes or heart disease. Would you be embarrassed that a loved one was diabetic or went into cardiac arrest? Of course not. Try not to feel ashamed of your loved one's addiction either. He or she may have made a choice to use an addictive substance, but then the addiction took control. No one can know when addiction will grab them. We only know after it has.

Communication failures

Communication is a difficult skill for anyone to master. It’s most challenging when emotions are heated, and this can happen in the face of addiction. Whenever you communicate with someone in recovery, it's important to listen without judgment. This is a very delicate and sensitive time in their lives. Through their addiction, they may have hurt you or other loved ones, but this isn't the time to place blame. Your focus should remain on this person's recovery. To keep yourself calm throughout the process, practice healthy ways to manage stress. You may consider exercise, meditation or yoga to help calm your nerves. Take care of yourself first, and you may find it easier to communicate without frustration.

Taking over

When someone you love is struggling, you want to “fix it.” For many people, this means taking over and controlling the situation. Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do on your own to fix someone else’s addiction. Your loved one has to do the work. Let him or her hold the reins. If you try to take too much responsibility for your loved one’s recovery, the recovering addict may feel like recovery is out of his hands. This is dangerous because he’s the only one who can make it work. Encourage your loved one but understand that you can’t walk this journey for him.

Enabling

Addiction leaves people in need for a lot of things. Their money goes to drugs or alcohol, so bills don’t get paid. Let’s say your addicted loved one asks for money to pay rent or the electric bill. You don’t want to see them evicted or living without power, but you’re afraid they’ll spend the money on drugs and then need more. According to them, it’s never their fault. This is part of the victim mentality of an addict. So what do you do? It’s natural to want to help, but there’s a fine line between helping and enabling an addict. Once your loved one has proven that she’ll misuse your trust, you must employ tough love. If the addict has you to bail her out, she’ll never face any consequences. Let her know that you’re there for support and will help her get sober, but you’re not there for financial assistance.

Staying in the dark

One of the reasons addiction has such a strong stigma is because people don’t understand the disease. When you’re trying to help someone recover, you must understand the beast with which you are dealing. Learn as much as you can about addiction and how it changes people. This will help you understand your loved one’s behavior and why they seem to have changed so drastically. You can do your own research on the internet about addiction, and you can also attend support groups to learn from and interact with people who are in similar situations.

Making it about you

Guilt is a common feeling among loved ones of the addicted. Know that their addiction is not your fault. Regardless of the type of relationship you had or whether you used substances together in the past, this isn’t your fault. Addiction doesn’t affect every person in the same way. Even if two people do the same drugs, one person may get addicted while the other does not. Once addiction takes hold, it is in the driver’s seat. Your loved one has lost control. He didn’t choose for this to happen any more than you could have caused it to happen. Just as addiction isn’t your fault, you can’t will it away. Ultimatums won’t help because the addict will always choose the substance. He has become hardwired to do so at this point. Understand that this isn’t about you. You are here to play a supporting role through the process. 

Expecting a quick fix

Recovery is a long and challenging road, and not just for the addict. You will also find yourself on an emotional rollercoaster during your loved one’s recovery. The early days of recovery are particularly challenging for loved ones because addicts tend to become emotionally immature in early sobriety. From dependence on drugs or alcohol, they have changed their brain’s physiology and must relearn a new way of looking at the world. Regardless of their emotional maturity before addiction, it’s like they are learning how to manage their emotions for the first time. Don’t expect things to change overnight. Your loved one needs your patience now more than ever. Patience and understanding are two of the most important things to maintain during a loved one’s recovery. It may be easier said than done, but if you can work to maintain these things, you will play a great supportive role in their journey. Looking for the best drug and alcohol rehab centers? Give us a call to find a treatment center near you. Are you looking for drug rehab in California? Our addiction experts are here to help you find the perfect place for your recovery. 

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The Ways Opioids Block Pain

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta] Pain is what has kept us alive as a species and as an individual, and as some poets and songwriters say, makes us feel alive. The former is true, but the latter is up to the person. Pain tells us to avoid things like sharp thorns or a fall that might hurt us. It protects us from harm and tells us if there’s something wrong in our bodies, like a stomach ache. Our organs can’t feel pain, but it sends signals to the surrounding muscle to induce pain, known as “referred pain.” In some cases, the pain is too much and we’re in a situation where we need to function. People with backbone problems, slipped discs and broken bones experience excruciating pain, so much that it causes psychological conditions such as depression, irritability, and rage. We know the pain is there, but we can’t deal with it yet, or it’s being dealt with but the pain is unavoidable. This is where Opioids and Opiates found their use. They come from a certain poppy plant whose seed-pod resin contains Opium. Ancient civilizations used this and passed it on, using its pain blocking effects for both recreational and medicinal use. As the modern times rolled by, we refined it further, making its effect more potent. So, how does this wonder drug work? It’s a fact that billions of people from past to present have used it, but how exactly does it work? There are two ways Opioids block pain. Direct and indirect.

How Opioids Block Pain and How They Affect the Body

The first effect is the direct one. This happens when the drug reaches the brain. It does so by going through the bloodstream and through the blood-brain barrier. The barrier is a thick clump of densely packed cells that only accept very certain substances. Since Opioids mimic endorphins, they go past the barrier and into the brain. When they go into the brain, they specifically affect the spinal cord. The line of cells in your spinal cord is the one responsible for sending pain signals. The drug attaches to the neurons in the spine, which causes the neurons not to accept the transmitters responsible for pain. This means the spine both doesn’t receive pain signals, and won’t send them. Regardless of the pain, unless the signals are overwhelming enough to activate what little pain receptors are untouched by the opioid. This is why dosage is important. Certain formulations like Fentanyl are powerful concentrations almost 50 times powerful than morphine, gram per gram. Depending on your condition, your doctor might give you a specific opioid. For example, if you have light pain such as post-surgery pain, or a tendon injury, your doctor can prescribe you codeine for mild to moderate pain. If you still feel pain, they may increase the dosage up, or prescribe a different kind like Oxycodone, which is more powerful than codeine gram per gram. The second way opioids block pain rather indirect, which is the drug’s effect on the limbic system. Your limbic system is in the very inside of your brain. This system controls your primary emotions. If you have watched Disney’s Inside Out, you may remember Joy, Anger, Disgust, Sadness, and Fear. The limbic system is what makes you feel these emotions, at first on an instinctual level. When the drug passes the barrier and goes through your limbic system, it causes a minor effect of well being. Often, people with pain conditions do not feel this euphoria, but instead get reduced negative emotional responses to pain. This mainly affects the psychology of the user, cutting more of the edge off the pain. For recreational users, they may feel a higher sense of euphoria. Apart from blocking pain, opioids also have the following side effects.

• Opioids trigger the release of histamines

Histamines are the chemicals responsible for inflammation, commonly recognized during allergic reactions, where the body releases a lot of histamines. This causes dilation or widening of the blood vessels, leading to flushing of the face, chest and neck. It can also trigger mild itchiness of the skin. Some people who are sensitive to histamines sometimes get explosive itchiness.

• Disrupts the breathing rhythm

Opioids also affect the brainstem. The brainstem manages a good majority of your involuntary muscular movements like eye blinking, heart rate, and breathing. Opioids cause a depressive effect on the brainstem, affecting breathing. It slows down the breathing rhythm, making breaths both slower and shallower. People with lung conditions are often at risk when taking in opioids.

• Causes nausea, vomiting, and cough suppression

THis is due to the opioids' effect on the medulla in your brainstem. The drug affects both the cough center, which suppresses the cough impulse; and your vomiting center, increasing the vomiting impulse and induces nausea. This is the reason why cough medicine one to two decades ago had trace amounts of opioids in them. According to some users, continued use of the drug reduces nausea, but still causes a significant cough suppression effect.

• Causes constipation

Opioids inhibit gut motility or the movement of your intestines. The drug affects neurons in your small and large intestines; the same neurons that are present in your brain. It causes a depressive effect that slows or halts motility, causing constipation. Loperamide is a kind of opioid that doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier, allowing it to only affect the intestines. There have been cases of people taking in a large amount of loperamide in an attempt to get high. Since it does not cross the blood-brain barrier, it cannot cause any kind of euphoria and only ensures a trip to the emergency room.

• Causes minor sedative effects

The collective effect of the minor euphoria, shallow breathing and painkilling creates a relaxing effect on the person. This relaxed state can be considered sedative but does not directly cause sleep, only aids it. Users also experience decreased sensory perception and reaction speed, giving them a "cloudy" mental state when under the influence of the painkiller. [vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Don't Wait Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Oxycontin as Compared to Other Drugs

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta] Pain is a way for our body to tell us that something is wrong. It tells us that whatever we touched caused damaged to us in some way, it tells us that whatever we heard is too loud, that the pressure can damage our eardrums. It also tells us that something is wrong inside our body. That stomach ache we feel may urge us to eat something in particular, or not to eat whatever we just ate, ever again. There are conditions, however where pain becomes insensibly unbearable. Bone and muscle damage from accidents such as car crashes, diseases like cancer, especially cancer of the bone, are conditions where a victim will experience excruciating pain. There are other conditions, of course, but all in all, there’s a need for compassionate treatment, and that the time we use narcotics; drugs that specifically relieve pain. One of the commonly prescribed kinds of narcotics is Oxycodone. Oxycodone is the substance synthesized from Opium, the base form of nearly all narcotics. Oxycodone is capable of treating pain conditions ranging from moderate to severe, with a 4-6 hour effect duration. Recent advances in the pharmaceutical fields yielded a new version of Oxycodone known as Oxycontin. Oxycontin unique formulation allows it to last for 12 hours per tablet, doubling the overall painkilling effectivity.

Are Oxycodone and Oxycontin the Same Thing?

Oxycodone is the prime active ingredient in Oxycontin, but the similarities end there. They have the same painkilling effect, the same side effects such as nausea, shallow breathing, and minor itching, but in terms of length and potency, Oxycontin has an edge. Oxycontin has a specially formulated pill that allows it to slowly digest in your body for 12 hours. The active ingredient, Oxycodone is slowly administered, avoiding probably overdosage and is more likely to hit that saturation point where there's just enough oxycodone in your system to completely block your pain. The slow release doesn't just extend effectivity, it also offers a few other benefits. By extending the release time, the patient only ever needs to take two tablets a day maximum. This drastically reduces the chances of overdose. People who need round-the-clock pain relief would need 4-6 tablets of oxycodone and if they drink too soon, they could overdose. Fewer tablets to take also reduces the risks of addiction. Pricewise, however, Oxycontin is slightly pricier than Oxycodone, averaging as $2.5 a pill, while Oxycodone has an average price of $1.5. These values may change as the months pass, but ultimately, taking oxycontin is a more efficient way of relieving pain than Oxycodone.

Is Oxycontin the Same as Percocet?

Percocet is a narcotic targeted for people who are suffering from conditions with moderate to moderately-severe pain. It’s a combination of Oxycodone and Acetaminophen, commonly known as Tylenol. Acetaminophen is a non-aspirin pain reliever or analgesic, along with the lines of ibuprofen, mefenamic acid, and aspirin. It's an over the counter drug which is mixed in with Oxycodone to provide a boost. Though acetaminophen's effect may pale in comparison to Oxycodone, taking them both in concert provides a good coverage of pain, especially since one of oxycodone side effects is a headache, which acetaminophen can mitigate. Percocet, however, does not last as long as Oxycontin. It lasts 4-6 hours, depending on the person’s metabolism and activity. The only thing similar about them is that they both have Oxycodone as an active ingredient.

Is Morphine Stronger than Oxycontin?

Morphine is classified as an opiate. It’s an alkaloid extracted from Opium which is free from impurities and has the strongest effect among the alkaloids that opium is composed of, which are Codeine and Thebaine. There’s nothing modified in morphine, apart from the chemicals added to help its distribution. When compared to Oxycodone, the active ingredient in Oxycontin, Oxycodone is approximately 1.5 times stronger than morphine, gram for gram. However, that is the statistic on paper. The actual effect on people is still arguable. People could find that morphine works on them better than oxycodone, whilst others on morphine, who switched to oxycodone find that the latter works on them better. There's still a divide on which one is stronger, especially if you consider both the numbers on paper and the people's opinions. Price wise, the average price of Oxycontin and Morphine play around the same ballpark. The average price of 10mg Oxycontin is $2.5 per tablet, and Morphine has an average price of $2.75 per 10 mg tablet. Though it’s worth noting that the liquid injectable form of Morphine is more affordable than the tablet one, albeit, the practical uses are limited. One edge Oxycontin has over morphine, is, of course, it's duration. Morphine's effect lasts around 6 hours, with 2-3 hours to reach the peak of the effect before it starts to wane. Oxycontin lasts for 12 hours, with 5-6 hours to reach the peak effect. In terms of how fast the effect is, however, morphine is better. Both substances, however, should not be taken "as needed." They should be taken around the time your doctor tells you, otherwise, you can experience either an overdose or an underdose that can cause withdrawal symptoms.

Is Opana Stronger than Oxycontin?

Opana is a brand of painkillers whose active ingredient is Oxymorphone. Oxymorphone is a synthetic opioid created from Thebaine. Thebaine is one of the minor components of opium, it’s the weakest component, second to codeine, as Oxymorphone was synthesized from it, they created a substance that’s more powerful than Oxycodone. Gram for gram, Oxymorphone is 1.5 times more powerful than Oxycodone. This makes Opana stronger have a stronger painkilling effect under the same dosage. The painkilling effect of 30 mg of Oxytocin can be closely matched by 20 mg of Opana. The same side effects apply to both medicines, such as itchiness, shallow breathing, and minor headaches. An overdose of both drugs can cause total respiratory depression, lethargy and sleepiness that may lead to a coma, and possible cardiac arrest.

Is Hydrocodone Stronger than Oxycontin

Hydrocodone is a synthesized from the base substance Codeine, one of the Opium Alkaloids. Codeine is weaker than morphine and is often prescribed as the kind of painkiller that should be "taken as needed" as the effects are mostly for mild, to mildly-moderate pain. Hydrocodone is weaker than Oxycontin by about 1.5 times. This means if both of them were taken orally, it would take you 30 mg of Hydrocodone to get the same effect as 20 mg of Oxycodone. In terms of dosage, both drugs are not to be taken as needed and Hydrocodone has a shorter effect duration of 4 hours, with 1-1.5 hours upon taking the peak. Hydrocodone and Oxycodone, however, have the same potential for addiction, making it important that they are taken only as prescribed. Mostly, to improve Hydrocodone’s analgesic effect, it’s paired with other painkillers, like acetaminophen and ibuprofen. These medications supplement Hydrocodone’s painkilling effect by reducing inflammation and side-effects like headaches.

Is Oxycontin Synthesized from Heroin?

Oxycontin is not synthesized from Heroin. Oxycontin base active ingredient, Oxycodone is synthesized from Thebaine, one of the weaker parts of Opium. Both Heroin and Oxycontin both classify as a narcotic, and due to Heroin’s bad reputation, many people, especially those who don’t know what opioids are, believe that all narcotics are addictive and damages both life and lifestyle. Heroin didn't have the same dark mantle before. Heroin was first made by further refining Morphine. Its original purpose was to assist patients who were suffering from morphine addiction, (as it was widely used in the military). Heroin was advertised to be a weak, non-addictive substitute that would help addicts smoothly taper off Morphine. Presently, this role is filled by the opioid "Methadone," which is advertised as an opioid that has a minuscule effect, but enough to hold back withdrawal. Heroin's mission of relief was so widespread that companies would send heroin samples to people with a confirmed diagnosis of Morphine addiction. Unfortunately, Heroin was not the angel it was said to be. It was more potent than morphine, produced a stronger euphoric state, with significantly less effect duration. This made Heroin highly addictive, with risks of overdose soaring higher than morphine. Eventually, Heroin was illegalized, as it has no medical use whatsoever. We have learned our lessons since then and created new kinds of Opioids which maximize practicality and utility. Oxycontin is among the many kinds of opioids seeing wide medical use, with fewer risks of overdose and addiction.

Does Oxycontin and Oxycodone Test the Same?

Surprisingly. This question is asked because there have been cases where people were denied their pain medications, and be accused as abusers or ‘non-compliant’, because their urine and blood tests showed Oxycodone, while they were taking Oxycontin. This mistake is due to a confusion, that Oxycontin is fundamentally different than Oxycodone. This is incorrect. Oxycontin is Oxycodone. Oxycontin is simply Oxycodone mixed in a special tablet that melts slowly. Both of them will be positive in a urine and blood test for Oxycodone. There are some cases where oxycontin users are suspected of abuse because the test results show a significantly high concentration of Oxycodone in your system. This can happen because of two things. First is that they indeed took more Oxycontin than they should. Second, they split the tablet, causing more of the oxycodone to release faster into the system. Oxycontin should be taken whole. It should never be swallowed, crushed, diluted, or chewed. [vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Don't Wait Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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The Difference Between Oxycodone and Oxycontin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta] Treatment for pain has come a long way since the very first time people discovered opium. It started first as simply harvesting the sap of the unripe poppy seeds. Two millenniums later, we have created techniques to extract pure substances out opium that's ten times more powerful. Furthermore, we created techniques that synthesize these pure substances to something that's fifty times more powerful. One such synthesized opioid is Oxycodone. Created from the base substance, Codeine, Oxycodone is synthesized from Codeine, formulated to be more powerful than codeine, gram per gram. It’s made to minimize the side effects of Codeine while producing a more powerful effect. Oxycodone has another version of it called Oxycontin. A lot of people ask what the difference are between them. There are a lot of similarities and there are also fundamental differences between the two drugs.

Are Oxycontin and Oxycodone The Same Thing?

Yes, and no. Both of them are oxycodone. Oxycodone can be sold on its own, but often pharmaceuticals combine oxycodone with other supplemental drugs. One such example is that Oxycodone is mixed with an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen or mefenamic acid. Other combinations include Naloxone, an anti-depressant, or anti-histamines. The paired medications are either to address specific conditions like muscular injury or to counteract side-effects during long-term use. Oxycontin is a brand of Oxycodone. Formulated to be pure oxycodone, the special property of this drug is its special slow time-release function. It dissolves in your stomach at a significantly slower rate than that of regular oxycodone. In comparison, Oxycodone effect lasts on the body for 4-6 hours, depending on your metabolism. Oxycontin, however, lasts for 10-12 hours. Oxycontin is best for chronic pain conditions that need whole day coverage. Oxycodone can also provide the same coverage, but with twice the dosage. This is Oxycontin’s edge over regular oxycodone. In some cases, people still feel pain and have the need to take more. This poses a huge risk to addiction and increased dependence on the drug. By making a slow release formulation, the drug is released at a proper rate. With the right concentration, this could help you hit the ‘goldilocks' point where the body has enough opioids to block the pain, but cause the least amount of side effects. This prevents the urge to take more of the drugs. However, Oxycontin needs to be taken as prescribed. If your doctor tells you to take them at a certain hour, do so. If you miss a dose for more than 4 hours, it is generally advised to call your doctor to ask for advice.

Is Oxycontin Stronger than Oxycodone?

No. Strength depends on concentration. Oxycodone can come in 10 mg up to 120 mg capsules, and so does Oxycontin. The only way Oxycontin is stronger than oxycodone is if oxycontin has a higher concentration. Effect-wise, if you remove the duration factor, both drugs have relatively the same effect. In some cases, it can be argued that oxycodone has a stronger effect, gram for gram. 10 mg of oxycodone will be distributed into your body in 4 hours, giving it approximately 2.2 grams per hour effect rate. The same 10 mg concentration of oxycontin lasts for 10-12 hours, giving it a 1 gram per hour effect. This is fixed by taking a higher concentration of Oxycontin, to match your pain-relief needs. [vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Don't Wait Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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An Introduction to Oxycontin

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What is Oxycontin?

Oxycontin is a slow release form of oxycodone. It is an opioid medication used to treat moderate to severe pain. Unlike other oxycodone, oxycontin is prepared with the AcroContin delivery system. This system controls its release. Its effect allows the drug to have immediate effects in as early as one hour after taking and can last for as long as 12 hours. This is ideal for those dealing with consistent pain. Due to its slow-release process, oxycontin should not be used on an as-needed basis. Oxycontin comes in tablet forms that are taken orally. The tablets come in different dosages such as 5 milligrams, 10 milligrams, 15 milligrams, 20 milligrams, 30 milligrams, 40 milligrams, 60 milligrams, 80 milligrams and 120 milligrams. The dosages prescribed to patients depend on their age, condition, and if they are opioid-tolerant or not. Opioid-tolerance is when patients experience lower to no effects when taking opioid medication. Often this is the result of opioid abuse. For adults who are not opioid-tolerant, the recommended starting dosage is 10 milligrams taken orally every 12 hours. Oxycontin cannot be purchased without a doctor’s prescription. The doctor will determine the recommended dosage, how often it must be taken, and for how long. It’s highly advisable to follow your doctor’s instructions when taking Oxycontin.

What are the side effects of Oxycontin?

Like all other medications in the market, oxycontin can have undesired side effects. Misuse of oxycontin can lead to more serious side effects. Common side effects of Oxycontin include nausea, constipation, appetite loss, drowsiness, lightheadedness, stomach aches, vomiting, itchiness, excessive sweating, dry mouth, and numbness. Other side effects are more serious. If such side effects occur, it’s best to tell your physician. A different dosage or alternate medication may be needed.

Addiction

Oxycontin, like other opioid medications, is classified as a Schedule 1 drug by the Drug Enforcement Agency. This is because opioid medicines are highly addictive. Addiction to Oxycontin can lead to many side effects that can permanently affect our health. This is why it is strictly required to have a doctor’s prescription before you can obtain this drug. Oxycontin addiction often leads to oxycontin abuse. Abusing or misusing the drug could put the patient at risk to more serious health conditions. One condition that can result from addiction and Oxycontin abuse is a dependency on the drug. This is when the patient can no longer function without the drug despite its effects on their body. Because of this, removing the drug from their system and their daily activity will cause withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms can vary from being uncomfortable to painful. This includes lethargy, inability to focus, vomiting, anxiety, and depression.

Respiratory Depression

Respiratory depression is a common side effect of opioids. This is due to how opioids affect the central nervous system. Oxycontin, like other opioids, crosses the blood-brain barrier. This allows it to directly affect the brain. This is the reason why it’s highly effective in managing pain. Opioids block pain and cause a calming effect by reducing activity in the central nervous system. But we need to remember that the central nervous system controls many of our other organs. This includes 0the respiratory system. With reduced activity in the central nervous system, this could lead to reduced activity in lungs. In such case, the patient will experience shortness of breath.

Severe Constipation and Vomiting

Oxycontin can also reduce the activity of the gastrointestinal tract. This would cause the stomach and intestine to function less effectively as they would. With slower activity in the stomach and intestine, this will incur severe constipation and even excessive vomiting. These conditions can lead to severe weight loss and even infection in the gastrointestinal tract.

Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Our emotions and moods are triggered by chemicals in our brain. These chemicals are what opioid drugs mimic to create their effect. They are called neurotransmitters. With misuse of oxycontin, the brain’s production of neurotransmitters will decrease. The brain will be dependent on the drug’s mimicry of the neurotransmitters. This can cause the brain’s reaction to neurotransmitters to malfunction. The brain can even be overwhelmed with the effects of oxycontin. This would result in many neurological and psychiatric conditions. These conditions can span from migraines to depression. Modern medicine is still on the mission to make medicine more available without any repercussions. Oxycontin is one of many medicines developed through science and research. But even it can have undesired effects. This is why it’s important to take medicines with caution and follow the advice of your doctor. [vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Don't Wait Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Oxycontin: Journey into the Body

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta] Pain is familiar to any of us. We experience it daily by simple accidents like stubbing our toe against the leg of the table. But there is also pain that is unbearable like injuries and major medical treatments. For extreme pain, we turn to medication to help us get through the pain or manage it. Some of the pain-relieving medications used in hospitals are known as opioids. Opioids are medicines derived from opium plants. These plants have been used to relieve patients from pain for centuries. Oxycontin is one of the opioid medications available in hospitals and in the market.

What is Oxycontin?

Oxycontin is an oxycodone medication. Oxycodone medicines are opiates used to treat moderate to severe pain. Oxycodone medicines are classified as Schedule I drugs due to its potential for addiction and abuse. This means that Oxycontin and other oxycodone medicines must be used with caution. They cannot be obtained without a prescription. Oxycontin is a slow release form of oxycodone. This means that its effects can last for up to 12 hours. With this factor, oxycontin should not be used as an “as-needed” basis and should not be taken more frequently than as your doctor prescribes. Oxycontin can be addictive. The longer a person takes oxycontin, the more they may be at risk for addiction. The opiates introduced in the body when taking oxycontin can lead to addiction to it. Thus, using it as instructed by the physician is highly advised. If symptoms of addiction appear, it’s best to begin flushing out the medicine from the body.

How long will Oxycontin Stay in your System?

Oxycontin is designed to take its time inside the body to make its effects last longer. Its effects can begin one hour after taking it and it can last for 12 hours. It immediately releases oxycodone to the body after one hour, then continues to slowly release the medication until it wears out. This is what gives it a long-lasting effect. Many chemicals that are introduced to our body stays in our system even if its intended effects are no longer experienced. This is because many chemicals leave traces that stick to our system. Oxycontin can still be present in the body 3 days after the last dose. However, it’s intended pain-relieving effects will not be experienced even if there are still traces of it in your system. If taking a urine test, oxycontin can be detected 3 days after taking your last dose.

How to Detox from Oxycontin?

Oxycontin has side effects that can get in the way of daily activities. This includes difficulty in focusing and addiction. To prevent these, detoxing from the drug is advised. There are many ways to detox from oxycontin. Ideally, you can talk to your physician about detoxing from the drug. One way to detox from oxycontin is by drinking plenty of water. By drinking 3 liters of water a day and exercising regularly, the chemicals in your body will be released through urine and sweat. Taking diuretics can also increase the effectiveness of detoxing, but take them with precaution. [vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Don't Wait Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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What is the Difference between Opioids and Opiates?

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta] The use of Opium has been documented as far back as 3,400 BC. The substance came from a specific poppy plant, whose seed pod produced the Opium Resin. It's been used for both medicinal and recreational use, passed down from generation to generation. Its influence was so great that it has caused wars, notably in Asia during the 1800's, simply known as the Opium Wars. During the industrial age going to present times, researchers have refined and modified the original substance, extracting alkaloids which have more potent effects such as Morphine, the first Opiate. They then created more derivatives, resulting in Opioids of different formulations. What’s the difference between Opiates and Opioids?

Opiates: From Organic Roots

Using the word itself, Opiate, the suffix "ate" denotes many meanings. It could mean ‘a person who represents' such as magistrate or electorate. In medicine, the suffix means "derived from a specific chemical compound." Opiate means it's derived from Opium, such as Morphine. Any kind of substance that’s derived from the original, biological opium is called an Opiate. Technically speaking, Opium, the crude product extracted from the poppy plant can also be called an Opiate. Presently, there are select places in the world where farmers are legally allowed to plant and harvest opium, for the sole purpose of supplying pharmaceutical companies, to help produce Opiates and to aid in research.

Opioids: Synthetic Substances

The suffix in Opioid is "oid," which means "similar but not a perfect copy." The suffix can be seen in the word "humanoid," used to describe something that looks human and acts, but not human. Opioids are artificial compounds created from other parts of opium, often the less effective parts. In comparison, Morphine is extracted from opium, while Oxycodone is synthesized from Thebaine, a lesser component of Opium, but processed to be just as effective as Morphine. Both are equally effective in reducing pain, with only the formulations varying in potency and duration.

What Are Examples of Opioids?

Opioids are used strictly for medicinal purposes, either for the treatment of chronic and acute pain, to the miscellaneous effects such as cough suppression and treatment for loss of bowel movement. The following are the known Opioids currently used:  

• Fentanyl

  Top of the list due to its powerful effects. On paper, it's more than ten times more powerful than Morphine and is only in liquid form. This Opioid is often used in a situation where they need to neutralize trauma inducing pain in seconds. The drug is also utilized on cancer patients whose pain conditions cannot be effectively treated by morphine. Fentanyl also comes in the form of patches, perfect to take advantage of its potency by using the slowest form of administration. This makes for longer durations with fewer amounts, which leads to fewer opportunities for abuse. Unfortunately, Fentanyl found it's way into the hands of illegal sellers, who sell the drug in either liquid capsule form or in some cases, in lollipop form, to mimic the slow release of the fentanyl patch. The common brands of Fentanyl are Abstral, Fentora, Duragesic, Lazanda, Subsys, and Onsolis.

• Hydrocodone

Compared to Morphine, Hydrocodone has a less potent effect in terms of painkilling. It's often prescribed to people with moderate chronic pain, like injuries resulting in bone damage or post spine surgeries. They come in pill form that has either a release time of 8 hours or even slower at 12, with varying concentrations. Hydrocodone is rarely formulated by itself. It's usually combined with other medications such as anti-inflammatories, antipyretics, or a non-opioid painkiller. (Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen are common partners) Apart from painkilling, Hydrocodone can slow down breathing, making it unsuitable for young children and people with lung conditions such as asthma. The common brands of Hydrocodone are Lortab, Norco, and Vicodin.

• Oxycodone

Nearly identical to Hydrocodone in apart from two things. First is the chemical composition, which is simply one element, and that Oxycodone has no cough suppressing effects, unlike Hydrocodone. Oxycodone is also rarely sold in North America and is seen sold in other countries, while Hydrocodone is less sold out of North America. Oxycodone comes in liquid and pill form. Its effects, like all opioids can be highly addictive, provided the conditions are in place, such chronic pain, and constant psychological stressors. Which why it's absolutely important to only take the dosage prescribed. You can take less if you're going to start tapering off. The common brands of Oxycodone are OxyContin, Roxicodone, Percocet, Endodan, and Combunox.

• Methadone

A special kind of Opioid meant to treat people with opioid/opiate addiction. Consider it as the vaccine form of morphine; the body recognizes the dosage, but the effects are minimal. Patients may still feel that slight fuzzy warm feeling, akin to the feeling of well-being, but the key effect is that it reduces or removes the effects of withdrawal. People who take Methadone use the tapering method to get off the addiction. First, they take an amount equal to the maximum dose of the opiate/opioid they took, then over time, slowly reduce the amount until the person is fully detoxified of both the original drug and the methadone.  

• Loperamide

  Since opioids have side effects such as cough suppression and constipation, it's normal for pharmaceutical companies to take advantage of them. One such product is loperamide, known for its ability to suppress bowel movements by stopping the movements of your small and large intestines. Presently, the term opioids and opiates can be used interchangeably. Opioids are now used to describe opiates such as morphine and codeine. The word opioid can apply to them as well since they resemble opium's effect. It's still advised to never take opioids without a prescription, and when you do have one, only take what's prescribed, no more. If you plan on quitting opioid use, consult your doctor first before trying. Withdrawal can cause severe issues like heart attack and seizures. [vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Don't Wait Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Important Details about Oxycontin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta] Pain is perhaps the worst thing your body can experience short of actually dying. We, humans, are programmed to stay away from pain. Some of us have adapted to endure the pain, and in fact, use it as a method to gauge our progress, much like athletes. However when it comes to injury such as broken bones, slipped discs, and torn ligaments, the pain is unbearable. Pain is meant to tell us that there's something wrong in our body. We know where the pain is, and we know what the damage is, but the pain doesn't go away. We're stuck writhing and seething our teeth, hoping the pain would go away. That's where opioids shined. These drugs which are meant to mimic the natural painkilling chemicals in our brain are administered to those who truly need relief from pain. One common opioid prescribed to people suffering from chronic, moderate to severe pain is Oxycontin.

What is in Oxycontin?

Oxycontin has varying formulations and concentrations. In some versions, it's mixed with, Ibuprofen, aspirin, and acetaminophen. These substances are meant to help quickly address some of the conditions. One such reason is that the time it takes for Oxycontin to work is around 20 minutes. Adding a supplementary painkiller will help slowly cover for that 20 minutes before the actual effect settles in. Commonly though, Oxycontin tablets only contain Oxycontin as an active ingredient. An active ingredient means it’s biologically active, or the one causing a biological effect. The brands that contain acetaminophen, also known as Tylenol are the following:

• Primlev

• Roxicet

• Taxadone

• Tylox

• Xolox

• Endocet

• Lynox

• Magnacet

• Narvox

• Percocet

• Perloxx

The formulation that contains Ibuprofen is Combunox. The brand names that have aspirin on them, are the following:

• Percodan

• Endodan

• Roxipin

Along with Oxycodone and whichever supplemental medication it has, also has the following substances mixed in it.

• Ammonio methacrylate copolymer

• Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)

• Magnesium stearate

• Hypromellose

• Lactose

• Polyethylene oxide

• Polyethylene glycol 400

• Sodium hydroxide

• Povidone

• Talc

• Triacetin

• Titanium dioxide

These chemicals are what make up the special time-release pill. Oxycontin’s effect can last 10-12 hours, thanks to the unique mix of these chemicals.

What is Oxycontin Prescribed for?

A licensed physician can prescribe Oxycontin for patients who require round-the-clock pain relief. In some cases, patients only need pain-relievers as they need them. In those cases, physicians prescribe lower strength opiates like codeine. For people who have post-surgery pain, slipped discs, spinal stenosis, injuries on the bones and soft tissues, chronic joint pain, nerve pain such as carpal tunnel and damage due to diabetes, cancer, and fibromyalgia, doctors prescribe varying concentrations of Oxycontin. Patients who suffer from asthma, lung cancer and any other conditions that affect breathing, are at risk if they take oxycontin. One of Oxycontin’s side effects is that it slows the breathing rhythm. Taking opioids vastly increases the chance of having an asthma attack and people with sleep apnea can suffer oxygen deprivation if they take the drug before sleeping.

How Much is Oxycontin

Prices of Oxycontin can vary depending on the formulation, the concentration, where it's sold, and how it's sold. Unfortunately, there are vendors who discreetly and illegally sell Oxycontin at a much higher price, albeit without a prescription, of course. In other cases, insurance companies cover a good percentage of the drug's cost. Some of the time though, all people could do is purchase them directly at a licensed pharmacy to get the drug at full price. With that said, how much is the usual cost of Oxytocin? For those who don’t have insurance to cover a portion of the costs, the average cost per tablet is as follows:

• 10mg Tablets

Usually Sold in: 60 tablet jars Average Price per Pack: $150 Average Price per Tablet: $2.5

• 20mg Tablets

Usually Sold in: 60 tablet jars Average Price per Pack: $250 Average Price per Tablet: $4

• 40 mg Tablets

Usually Sold in: 60 tablet jars Average Price per Pack: $375 Average Price per Tablet: $6.25

• 80 mg Tablets

Usually Sold in: 60 tablet jars Average Price per Pack: $700 Average Price per Tablet: $11.5 They also come in the 20s and 30s. Bundled packages can have discounts, so the higher the amount you buy, the less the price per pill. As said earlier, the price will vary depending on where you buy it. For example, a 60 tablet jar of Oxycontin can cost $650 in Costco, while in Rite-Aid, can cost as much as $900. The key to getting them at a lower cost is to get discount coupons or health insurance. Health insurance, depending on your coverage, can cover as much as 80% of the total cost, or at least 30% of it. 30% is a lot in cases where you have to take pain medication for several months, which can save you quite a good sum of money.

What Type of Drug is Oxycontin?

Oxycontin is known as a narcotic. Narcotics are the family of drugs that have powerful painkilling effects. Types of Narcotics include Morphine, Codeine, Hydromorphone, Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, and the infamous Heroin. Nearly all of the opioids are narcotics, with the exception of Loperamide, an antimotility pill used to stop diarrhea. It's still an opioid, but its formulation prevents it from reaching the blood-brain barrier, resulting in no psychoactive or painkilling effects regardless of how much dosage is taken. Unfortunately, Narcotics is often associated with other illegal drugs. Heroin had created such a  reputation for illegal drugs that when people think of narcotics, they think of cocaine, LSD, and cannabis, which are stimulants, hallucinogens, and depressants respectively. Possession and usage of Oxycontin without a prescription from a licensed physician is illegal. Oxycontin is a Schedule II drug, known for its high potential for severe psychological and physical dependence. This is why it’s important to only take Oxycontin as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take more as it will likely induce faster tolerance and if the conditions are right, trigger addiction. If you plan to take less of the drug, consult your doctor first, so they can advise you on an alternative drug, or a tapering scheme to help you get off Oxycontin safely.

What are the Side Effects of Oxycontin?

Since Oxycontin creates a massive imbalance in the body’s own brain chemicals, side effects are to be expected. As you grow more accustomed to the drug, the less the side effects will be, but some of them remain the same, and in fact can get worse.

• Nausea and Vomiting

This is mainly due to the effect of Opioids as they reach your brainstem. Your brainstem controls a majority of your involuntary actions and reflexes like your breathing, coughing and sneezing reflexes, gag reflexes, and heart rate. Oxycontin can trigger the nausea center of your brainstem and stimulate it. The effect is minimal and some users don't encounter it. For those who do, the feeling will wear off with continued use.

• Drowsiness and Sleepiness

This is not a direct effect of the drug, rather, the side effect of a side effect. As Oxycontin reaches your brain, it triggers the release of dopamine. Known as the feel-good and reward chemical, dopamine as a relaxing effect. The best way to describe it is that it gives a false sense of well-being and releases tension. This relaxing effect can cause lethargy and a heavy, warm feeling.

• Itchiness

Opiates trigger the release of not just Dopamine, but an inflammatory chemical known as Histamine. Abundant during allergic reactions, Histamine will cause flushing of the face, the chest, and itchy sensations all around your body. With Oxycontin, the effect is minimal and users have gotten used to it.

• Headaches and Lightheadedness

Opioids like Oxycontin can affect the brain in a lot of ways. As the brain gets a release of dopamine, it promotes the flow of blood in the brain. This causes increased intracranial pressure, which may lead to headaches and lightheadedness. Generally, opioids are not good at solving headaches, and may, in fact, make them worse.

• Slow and shallow breathing

As the opioids reach your brainstem, they disrupt the part of your brainstem that controls your breathing rhythm. It hinders the firing of neurons in that area, causing a depressing effect. With less neural activity in your breathing center, the fewer actions your diaphragm and lungs will do. This leads to shallower and slower breathing. Users state that even if you try to breath deep, you still get the sensation that you're not breathing enough.

• Constipation

This side effect is caused by the opioids attaching to neurons on your intestinal lining. Since Opioids are inhibitory in nature, the same action happens on your intestines, causing them to slow down, or downright stop. This means digestion takes longer, and food stays in your gut longer for bacteria to process. Another effect is that it reduces the rate of which your stomach releases its digestive juices, all of which, ultimately leads to constipation. If you experience any other side-effects or worse side-effects than what is described, call your doctor immediately.

How Long Does Oxycontin Stay in Your System?

There are a lot of factors which can affect how long Oxycontin stays in your body. There is your metabolism, body size, amount of drug taken, and how much liquids you take in and excrete in the form of sweat and urine. One constant to consider is Oxycontin’s Half-life. A drug’s half-life is basically a measure when the drug’s effect would be most potent. A rough example is that Oxycontin lasts 12 hours in the body. After around 5.5 to 6 hours, it will reach it’s first half-life, meeting the maximum ratio of opioid to blood. As the hours go by, the concentration will become less and less, until it’s virtually gone by the 12th hour. Though the effect is gone, traces of the drug can still be detected inside your body. On average, if the person does nothing out of the normal, traces of Oxycontin will last for 3 days. Afterwards, only the miniscule amounts would be left, or none at all. If a person has a higher metabolism, larger muscle mass, and drinks frequently, complete detox from Oxycontin can be as short as 1 day, but obese people with slower metabolisms, can take up to 5 days before all traces of it is gone. It's also possible for traces of oxycontin to be present in your fat cells. Even if a week has passed and your bloodstream is devoid of the opioid, traces of it can still exist inside your fat cells, which will only be processed when you burn them through regular activity or exercise. [vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Don't Wait Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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The Whats and Hows of Oxycontin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta] Painkillers have been around since ancient times. It comes in various forms, from simple balms that mitigate the pain, to powerful narcotics that leave people feeling numb. One of the most recognized and abused painkillers is Opium, ever since it's discovery, people have used it time and time again. In the modern age, we managed to create purer forms, extracted more potent substances from Opium and used our technology to synthesize stronger substances. One such synthesized substance is Oxycodone, and its derivative, Oxycontin.

What is Oxycontin?

Oxytocin is a brand name for a certain formulation of Oxycodone. Oxycodone is an opioid synthesized from codeine, a component of opium. Codeine itself is a less potent drug than morphine, but by adding a few base chemicals, it’s synthesized into a much more potent version called Oxycodone. Oxycodone is commonly prescribed to people with mild to severe pain issues. They are given a certain amount, to be taken at certain fixed intervals. The drug should not be taken “as-needed” to avoid addiction. Taking Oxycodone for the first time may cause dizziness, nausea and stomach cramps, but as long as the dosage is followed, the effects will disappear over the next day or two. On average, Oxycodone's effects last for 4 hours, depending on the person's metabolism. Licensed physicians on average, prescribe 100 pills per month, to cover a patient's pain issues for each day of the month. However, in some cases, to avoid an overdose, they need a method of making the effect last longer, so they created Oxycontin Oxycontin is a brand name for an Oxycodone pill with a slow release function. The pill dissolves at a much slower rate than normal Oxycodone pills, allowing the body just enough Oxycodone to block the pain while lasting long enough to minimize the number of pills the patient has to take. This solves two potential problems. One is the risk of overdose, the other is that the patient doesn't have to bear with the symptoms suffered during the adjustment period. First timers may experience stomach aches and nausea due to the drug reacting too fast in their stomachs.

What Does Oxycontin Look Like?

In the world of pharmaceuticals, the saying "Nothing is original" applies not just in the formulation, but on how the tablets look like. There are cases where people are sent to the ICU because they mistook liver medication for cough medication and vice versa. There’s also the risk of obtaining fake medication. There may be many factors at play for you to get fake medicine, so it’s important to know what Oxycontin looks like. If you are not sure, it’s never a bad idea to politely challenge the pharmacy that provided the drug. Their color and size differ in shape. Even just feeling the tablets is enough for you to find out what dosage you're about to ingest. So it's important to know what to expect. Finally, Oxycontin only comes in pill form.  

• 10 MG Oxycontin

  Also known as OC 10. Pill strength is 10 mg. The pill’s shape is round and convex, with a flat edge and has a powdery white color. What you need to feel for is the number “10” on one side, and the letters “OC” on the other side.  

• 15 MG Oxycontin

  Also known as OC 15. Pill strength is 15 mg. The pill’s shape is round and convex, with a flat edge and has a silver or gray color, a shade much darker than OC 10. What you need to feel for is the number “15” on one side, and the letters “OC” on the other side.  

• 20 MG Oxycontin

  Also known as OC 20. Pill strength is 10 mg. The pill’s shape is round and convex, with a flat edge and has a pinkish or peach color. What you need to feel for is the number “20” on one side, and the letters “OC” on the other side.  

• 30 MG Oxycontin

  Also known as OC 30. Pill strength is 10 mg. The pill’s shape is round and convex, with a flat edge and has a light brown or copper brown. What you need to feel for is the number “10” on one side, and the letters “OC” on the other side.  

• 40 MG Oxycontin

  Also known as OC 40. Pill strength is 40 mg. The pill’s shape is round and convex, with a flat edge and has a yellow or golden yellow color. What you need to feel for is the number “40” on one side, and the letters “OC” on the other side.  

• 60 MG Oxycontin

  Also known as OC 60. Pill strength is 10 mg. The pill’s shape is round and convex, with a flat edge and has a bright red or blood red color What you need to feel for is the number “60” on one side, and the letters “OC” on the other side.  

• 80 MG Oxycontin

  Also known as OC 80. Pill strength is 80 mg. The pill’s shape is round and convex, with a flat edge and has a green to moss green color. What you need to feel for is the number “80” on one side, and the letters “OC” on the other side.  

• 160 MG Oxycontin

  Also known as OC 160. Pill strength is 10 mg. The pill's shape is oval and convex, with a flat edge and has a deep blue or crayon blue color. What you need to feel for is the number "10" on one side, and the letters "OC" on the other side.

What Does Oxycontin Do?

As soon as you pop the pill into your mouth and swallow, the whole process starts. Your stomach acids will slowly dissolve through the protective layer that covers the pill. In about ten to fifteen minutes, the first layer gives in and exposes the structure that contains Oxycodone. Soon enough some of the already digested materials go into the small intestines to be absorbed. At this point, you'll feel the initial reactions, unfortunately, not that of painkilling. For first-timers, the stomach may become more acidic in reaction to the oxycodone. This is when the person will start feeling nauseous, and in some cases, vomit. When the substance is in the small intestines, it gets absorbed by it and is directly passed into the bloodstream. There, it goes all over the body, until eventually some of it reaches the blood-brain barrier. At this instant, the drug is already taking its effects, as the substance reaches the nerves. Neurons with opioid receptors react as the opioids bind to the receptor and react by shutting down receptors responsible for transmitting pain-related neurotransmitters. When it goes through the blood-brain barrier, it lands on the brain and the more vivid effect of the drug starts to take place. This occurs around 20 to 30 minutes after ingesting the pill. The first that gets affected is your Limbic System. This is the part of the brain that oversees emotions, especially the basic ones that function as a reaction to your environment. Those are happiness, anger, sadness, and fear. When the substance reaches this area, the neurons with dopamine receptors, (responsible for making you feel happy and satisfied) are stimulated or excited. This leads to the sensation of euphoria and warmth, akin to having the "warm fuzzies," just dialed up several notches. Next, the brainstem is affected. This is responsible for a majority of your involuntary actions, such as breathing, heart rate, coughing, sneezing and so on. The opioids specifically affect the receptors that affect your breathing rhythm and depresses it. This is why most opioids make user's breaths slower and shallower, and the main reason why people with lung issues should not take opioids. Finally, the last affected party is the spinal cord. This long line of nerves is responsible for transmitting back pain. The opioids block the receptors that cause the neurons to transmit pain, which is why they are extremely effective analgesics, able to handle a great majority of pain-inducing conditions. This, however, does not cure the source of the pain, and if the person is suffering from nerve conditions in the spine, the opioids may not work properly or have adverse effects. When you take Opioids repeatedly, two things will eventually happen to your body. First, the brain has a certain rule that if a part of it is not being used, the brain will shut the area down, or rewire the neurons to work on something else. An example is a blind person having an incredibly acute hearing and touch. The brain shut the optic area of the brain down, allocating most of the processing power to hearing and touch. With this said, when you take opioids, your body doesn’t create endorphins (your own bodily opioid) anymore. This is because the brain knows that you have too much, and in order to keep your body in balance, it releases enzymes and proteins to destroy the excess opioids and stops production of more until normal levels are reached. Now comes the deadly loop. You take in opioids in a constant manner, the brain stops the creation of endorphins. Before it can flush the rest out and start it back up, you take another pill. This puts the body back in an imbalanced state and the brain keeps the endorphin source shut down. Do this long enough, and the brain will shut it down permanently because it doesn't need it anymore. When you finally stop taking the medication, your body doesn’t turn it back on anymore, and you're left with a brain that doesn’t create endorphins. This horrible condition means you can’t feel pleasure, except by taking the drug. Thankfully, doctors are very aware of this and only let you take a certain dosage, enough to block the pain but not enough to cause this condition. Another, more horrible effect than not feeling pleasure, is a condition called Hyperalgesia. You become hypersensitive to pain. Tasks that don’t cause pain, or causes extremely tolerable pain, (like a good hourly jog) will start to feel explicitly painful.   This is the reason why a lot of addicts who are either beginning their recovery or lost their supply, are extremely miserable without the medication. They feel little to no joy, and a lot of things they do is painful. Which is why strictly following the prescribed dosage is extremely important. When taking your oxycontin, make sure you only take it during the times your doctor tells you, (ie: one right after you wake up and one before you sleep), never chew or split the tablet and only swallow it whole, and don’t just suddenly stop medication without consulting your doctor first. [vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2="Don't Wait Help Is Only A Phone Call Away" txt_align="center" shape="round" style="flat" color="vista-blue" el_width="sm" use_custom_fonts_h2="true" use_custom_fonts_h4="true"]Call Now 855-227-9535[/vc_cta][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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