What is Percocet / Acetaminophen

Percocet/Acetaminophen is a medication that is used to help and ease the pain of human ranging from moderate pain to severe pain. The medicine contains an opioid pain reliever (also known as oxycodone) and a non-opioid pain reliever (known as acetaminophen). These ingredients in the medicine work in the brain to change how your body responds to pain and also further reduces fever. 

How to use Percocet

Read the Percocet drug guide and label mentioned in your medicine and follow the advice. 

1. Take the percocet pills on your mouth as directed by your doctor and take the medication with or without food. If you have illness or nausea then the take the medicine along with the food. 
2. You can even ask your doctor on how to decrease nausea and how to take Percocet drug with food, 
3. You can even ask ways from your doctor or pharmacist to decrease nausea. They may suggest you lie down for 1 to 2 hours with as little head movement.
4. Avoid eating grapefruit or its juice when you are under this medication.

If you are taking the medication in the liquid form then use a measuring device to measure the dose in the right amount. Do not use a spoon to measure it as it may not give you the right dosage. 

The doctor may decide the Percocet dosage on how you respond to the medication.  

What are Percocet Side Effects?

Before buying the medication, see the warnings on the label. If the medication is not taken in the right dosage or if you are prone to other illness it may cause some side effects.

These side effects may include:

• Nausea, 
• vomiting,
• constipation, 
• lightheadedness, 
• dizziness, or drowsiness 

These Percocet side effects may even reduce if you consume this medication for a while. In case, your condition gets worse than immediately consult your doctor.

Some serious side effects may include:

Tell your doctor straightaway if you possess any serious side effects, including:

• irregular breathing while asleep (sleep apnea), 
• mental/mood changes, 
• severe stomach/abdominal pain, 
• trouble while urinating, 
• loss of appetite, 
• unusual tiredness, 
• weight loss.

If further, you get any serious Percocet effects, then consult your doctor for help. The serious problems may include: 

• fainting, 
• seizure, 
• slow/shallow breathing, 
• severe drowsiness/difficulty waking up,
• an allergic reaction such as rash, inching, swelling.

Though there are lesser chances to serious side effects, however, if any of the above problems affect you then get help right way. A very serious allergic response to this medicine is occasional. 

What are the precautions you should take?

Before you take this medication, consult your doctor pharmacist if you are allergic to it or other opioids (such as morphine, codeine, oxymorphone), or if you possess any other allergy. 

• This medicine may even include some active Percocet ingredients which may even cause allergic reactions or other problems. 
• If you take Percocet and alcohol then it may have chances of making you feel dizzy or drowsy. 
• Avoid doing any serious activity such as while driving a car or using any dangerous machinery when you take this medication.
• If you have diabetes, then stay alert as it may cause liver disease, alcohol dependence, phenylketonuria (PKU), or any other substance included in your diet. 
• Before undergoing any surgery, share with your doctor or dentist about all the symptoms such as non-prescription drugs and any herbal products.
• Older adults may be more sensitive people which may cause side effects from this drug such as dizziness, confusion, drowsiness, and slow breathing.
• The medication should also be avoided by pregnant women as it may harm the unborn baby. So, discuss your doctors about its risks beforehand.
• Breast feeding mother must also see its undesirable effects. 

Tell your doctor and know all the risks and uncertainties, the medication can cause you.

Store at room temperature away from light and moisture. Different brands of this medication have different storage needs. Check the product package for instructions on how to store your brand, or ask your pharmacist. Keep all medications away from children and pets.

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/acetaminophen from your body, which may affect how oxycodone/acetaminophen 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.