What is Oxycodone / A215?

Oxycodone medication helps to relieve moderate to severe pain of patients. The medicine belongs to opioid analgesics class of drugs which works in the brain and then changes your body responses to the pain. 

Oxycodone is available along with a combination of different medicines including acetaminophen (Oxycet, Percocet, Roxicet, Xartemis XR, others), aspirin (Percodan), and ibuprofen. If you are consuming oxycodone combination product, then be sure to read all its ingredients and consult a doctor before taking. 

How should this medicine be used?

Oxycodone is available in a liquid form, tablet, capsule, an extended-release (long-acting) tablet (Oxycontin) and an extended-release capsule (Xtampza ER). 

The solution, concentrated solution, tablet, and capsule are taken by mouth with or without food for every 4 to 6 hours. Or in case, if any pain occurs then it can be taken when needed.

The extended-release tablets (Oxycontin) are usually taken every 12 hours with or without food, while the extended-release capsules (Xtampza ER) are taken at a time gap of 12 hours with food.

So, while you are taking the medication, eat in the same amount of food with every dose. 

Follow the directions as prescribed by your doctor and as mentioned in the label. 

Also, while taking the medication, do not increase or decrease the dose without doctor’s consultation. These medication works well if you consume it during the first sign of pain. If you wait for the pain to get worsen then it may stop working properly. 

What side effects can this medication cause?

Some Oxycodone side effects are easy to notice and may cause the following symptoms on you:

• pain in stomach
• dry mouth
• drowsiness
• flushing
• headache
• mood fluctuations

Some other serious side effects can be serious

If you experience any of these below symptoms then treat it as an important warning and call your doctor immediately or get emergency help right away: 

• changes in heartbeat
• confusion, illusions (seeing and hearing those things that don’t even exist)
• fever
• sweating
• blurring
• fast heartbeat
• shivering
• severe muscle stiffness or twitching
• loss of coordination
• nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea
• weakness, or dizziness
• failure to keep a construction
• infrequent menstruation
• reduced sexual desire
• chest pain
• swarms
• itching
• hives
• face, neck, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs swelling
• hoarseness
• breathing difficulty
• seizings
• severe drowsiness
• lightheadedness 

If you are experiencing any of the above serious Oxycodone side effects then immediately consult your doctor and get help to these unusual problems.

What precautions should I follow before taking oxycodone?

If you are allergic to oxycodone or any of its ingredients, then ask your pharmacist for all its ingredients to find out which ingredient is not good for your health.

• Tell your doctor if you are taking any medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products so as to avoid any consequences. 
• Check the important warnings mentioned in the label and tell your doctor about it. Mostly you should take precaution if you have paralytic ileus condition when your digested food doesn’t move through your intestine. 
• Share with your doctor if you have ever had a blockage in your stomach or intestine, low blood pressure, breakdowns, Addison’s disease, seizures, urethral stricture, enlarged prostate, urination problem, heart, liver, kidney, pancreas, thyroid, or gall bladder disease. 
• If you have a problem in swallowing extended-release tablets or extended-release capsules or diverticulitis which small bags form in the intestines to make it swollen and infected.
• If you are a lactating mother then also you must tell your doctor before using the medication. 
• This medication may even decrease fertility in men and women. So, talk with your doctor before taking oxycodone.
• Before undergoing any surgery, tell your doctor or dentist before taking medicine. 
• Do not consume the tablet if you are driving a car, operating heavy machinery, or doing any activity that may cause you in danger if you feel dizzy, lightheaded, and fainting feeling.
• The medicine could also cause constipation. So, it is advisable to change your diet or use medications to prevent this problem.

Store at room temperature away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medications away from children and pets. See also Warning section.

Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. For more details, read the Medication Guide, or consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company.

See also Warning and How to Use sections.

Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor’s approval.

Some products that may interact with this drug include: certain pain medications (mixed opioid agonist/antagonists such as pentazocine, nalbuphine, butorphanol), naltrexone.

The risk of serious side effects (such as slow/shallow breathing, severe drowsiness/dizziness) may be increased if this medication is taken with other products that may also cause drowsiness or breathing problems. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking other products such as other opioid pain or cough relievers (such as codeine, hydrocodone), alcohol, marijuana (cannabis), drugs for sleep or anxiety (such as alprazolam, lorazepam, zolpidem), muscle relaxants (such as carisoprodol, cyclobenzaprine), or antihistamines (such as cetirizine, diphenhydramine).

Check the labels on all your medicines (such as allergy or cough-and-cold products) because they may contain ingredients that cause drowsiness. Ask your pharmacist about using those products safely.

Other medications can affect the removal of oxycodone from your body, which may affect how oxycodone works. Examples include azole antifungals (such as ketoconazole), macrolide antibiotics (such as erythromycin), mifepristone, HIV medications (such as ritonavir), rifamycins (such as rifabutin, rifampin), certain drugs used to treat seizures (such as carbamazepine, phenytoin), among others.

This medication may interfere with certain laboratory tests (including amylase/lipase levels), possibly causing false test results. Make sure laboratory personnel and all your doctors know you use this drug.