What is Percocet?
Percocet is the brand name for a painkiller that combines oxycodone and acetaminophen. It contains an opioid pain reliever (oxycodone) and a non-opioid pain reliever (acetaminophen). Oxycodone works in the brain to change how your body feels and responds to pain. Acetaminophen can also reduce a fever.
According to Mayo Clinic, Oxycodone and acetaminophen combination is used to relieve pain severe enough to require opioid treatment and when other pain medicines did not work well enough or cannot be tolerated. Acetaminophen is used to relieve pain and reduce fever in patients. It does not become habit-forming when taken for a long time. But acetaminophen may cause other unwanted effects when taken in large doses, including liver damage.
What does Percocet look like?
According to Rx.com, each tablet for oral administration contains oxycodone hydrochloride and acetaminophen in the following strengths:
| Percocet Strengths |
| Oxycodone Hydrochloride, USP 2.5 mg*
Acetaminophen, USP 325 mg *2.5 mg oxycodone HCl is equivalent to 2.2409 mg of oxycodone.
|
| Oxycodone Hydrochloride, USP 5 mg*
Acetaminophen, USP 325 mg *5 mg oxycodone HCl is equivalent to 4.4815 mg of oxycodone.
|
| Oxycodone Hydrochloride, USP 7.5 mg*
Acetaminophen, USP 325 mg *7.5 mg oxycodone HCl is equivalent to 6.7228 mg of oxycodone.
|
| Oxycodone Hydrochloride, USP 10 mg*
Acetaminophen, USP 325 mg *10 mg oxycodone HCl is equivalent to 8.9637 mg of oxycodone.
|
All strengths of PERCOCET also contain the following inactive ingredients: Colloidal silicon dioxide, croscarmellose sodium, crospovidone, microcrystalline cellulose, povidone, pregelatinized cornstarch, and stearic acid. In addition, the 2.5 mg/325 mg strength contains FD&C Red No. 40 Aluminum Lake, and the 5 mg/325 mg strength contains FD&C Blue No. 1 Aluminum Lake. The 7.5 mg/325 mg strength contains FD&C Yellow No. 6 Aluminum Lake. The 10 mg/325 mg strength contains D&C Yellow No. 10 Aluminum Lake. The 7.5 mg/325 mg and 10 mg/325 mg strengths may also contain corn starch.
Oxycodone, 14-hydroxydihydrocodeinone, is a semisynthetic opioid analgesic that occurs as a white, odorless, crystalline powder having a saline, bitter taste. The molecular formula for oxycodone hydrochloride is C18H21NO4•HCl and the molecular weight is 351.82. It is derived from the opium alkaloid thebaine, and may be represented by the following structural formula:
How to use Percocet
Read the Medication Guide provided by your pharmacist before you start taking oxycodone/acetaminophen and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Take this medication by mouth as directed by your doctor. You may take this drug with or without food. If you have nausea, it may help to take this drug with food. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about other ways to decrease nausea (such as lying down for 1 to 2 hours with as little head movement as possible).
Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while using this medication unless your doctor or pharmacist says you may do so safely. Grapefruit can increase the chance of side effects with this medicine. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
If you are using a liquid form of this medication, use a medication measuring device to carefully measure the prescribed dose. Do not use a household spoon because you may not get the correct dose.
The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to treatment. Do not increase your dose, take the medication more frequently, or take it for a longer time than prescribed. Properly stop the medication when so directed.
Pain medications work best if they are used as the first signs of pain occur. If you wait until the pain has worsened, the medication may not work as well.
If you have ongoing pain (such as due to cancer), your doctor may direct you to also take long-acting opioid medications. In that case, this medication might be used for sudden (breakthrough) pain only as needed. Other pain relievers (such as ibuprofen, naproxen) may also be prescribed with this medication. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about using oxycodone safely with other drugs.
Suddenly stopping this medication may cause withdrawal, especially if you have used it for a long time or in high doses. To prevent withdrawal, your doctor may lower your dose slowly. Tell your doctor or pharmacist right away if you have any withdrawal symptoms such as restlessness, mental/mood changes (including anxiety, trouble sleeping, thoughts of suicide), watering eyes, runny nose, nausea, diarrhea, sweating, muscle aches, or sudden changes in behavior.
When this medication is used for a long time, it may not work as well. Talk with your doctor if this medication stops working well.
Though it helps many people, this medication may sometimes cause addiction. This risk may be higher if you have a substance use disorder (such as overuse of or addiction to drugs/alcohol). Take this medication exactly as prescribed to lower the risk of addiction. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
What does Percocet feel like?
Some studies found trends among people who use opioids like Percocet for the first time regarding whether they developed an addiction. A 2011 study identified a group of people who became addicted to opioids after using them first for chronic pain. Researchers gave the subjects a questionnaire and asked how they felt while on opioids.
During their first opioid high, the people agreed that they felt:
- A pleasant emptiness
- Less discouraged than usual
- More content, but they were afraid to lose that feeling
- As if something pleasant just happened
- They felt happy all the time
- Things around them felt more pleasing
Such feelings can easily cause people to desire more of the drug. Taking more of the drug than prescribed is abuse, which can quickly lead to addiction developing. ASO SEE: Is Oxycodone Percocet?
