Roxicodone drug abuse: symptoms and effects

Roxicodone is an opioid pain medication used to manage moderate to severe pain when other non-opioid pain medicines did not provide adequate relief or cannot be tolerated. Also known by the street name “roxys” or “roxies” to recreational users, the drug works in the brain and changes how the body reacts and feels pain. 

For this reason, it is prescribed by doctors to treat severe chronic pain. However, individuals abuse Roxicodone for its heroin-like effects, such as euphoria and sedation. The side effects of Roxicodone abuse include nausea, fatigue, mood swings, hallucinations, severe dizziness, slowed breathing, and abnormally low blood pressure.

As with any other prescription drug abuse, the most serious risk with Roxicodone misuse is overdose. During an overdose, the side effects of the opiate painkiller can become life-threatening. Symptoms of Roxicodone overdose include difficulty breathing, cold or clammy skin, unusual weak feeling, loss of consciousness, and coma. 

What is Roxicodone?

Roxicodone is a brand name for oxycodone, a powerful narcotic painkiller often prescribed following a surgery or injury. Oxycodone is a generic prescription drug and is also the name of the active ingredient in Roxicodone.

It is a Schedule II substance, which is a classification given to drugs with a high potential for abuse and/or addiction but also has some medically acceptable uses. And while it is very effective in treating pain, it also stimulates the release of brain chemicals that enable feelings of pleasure and well-being, more commonly known as a “high.”

These pleasurable chemicals play a huge role in reinforcing behaviors and may explain why abusers keep coming back for a roxy drug – to achieve the same euphoric state. 

What is the generic name for Roxicodone?

The generic name for Roxicodone is oxycodone. Every medication has an approved generic name, and the manufacturing company gives the medication a brand name for sales and marketing purposes. 

Just like other medications, oxycodone is also sold under different brand names, with Roxicodone being just one of them. And although there may be several brands, they will always contain the same active ingredient as the generic version and therefore yield the same therapeutic effect.

What are the symptoms of a Roxicodone overdose?

An overdose can happen when someone consumes too much of a substance that their body can no longer handle. The symptoms of a Roxicodone overdose are listed below. 

1. Flaccid muscles

Prescription opioids have frequently been used for the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal problems. However, evidence exists that these opiate painkillers have been prescribed more often than recommended even though its benefits in patients have been questionable. Taking too much of an opioid like roxy pills increases the risk for serious negative side effects such as muscle flaccidity or weakness, and its little benefits may not compensate for the risks it can cause. 

2. Weakness

Roxicodone can cause one’s breathing rate to become slow and irregular. When this happens, you breathe in less oxygen and your muscles do not get enough of it. This can make you tired more quickly than usual and can eventually lead to weakness due to a decrease in muscle strength. 

3. Trouble breathing

Roxycodone abuse can depress breathing and result in slow, shallow breaths that can potentially be lethal. In fact, the most common cause of death associated with opioid-based medications is opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD). And although the risk of death due to opioid abuse increases as the opioid dose increases, no amount of opioid is without risk. 

4. Clammy skin

Skin that gets clammy due to someone sweating profusely in otherwise normal temperatures is a warning sign of Roxicodone overdose. Aside from changing body temperature, opioids can also cause a significant decrease in blood pressure, which can lead to clammy skin. 

5. Drop in blood pressure

Misuse of opioids such as Roxicodone can cause your blood pressure to drop to dangerously low levels. This happens because opioids can cause vasodilation, a natural process wherein blood vessels widen, resulting in increased blood flow and decreased blood pressure. 

6. Respiratory arrest

After ingesting toxic amounts of Roxicodone, one experiences irregularities in their breathing pattern and eventually a gradual decrease in their breathing rate, followed by respiratory arrest. Although it is the most frequent cause of death in those who abuse opioids, the risk of respiratory arrest from opioids significantly decreases when they are used appropriately.

7. Extreme sedation

A serious side effect that can give a glimpse of what are roxys capable of. Extreme sedation is a frequent and serious effect of opioid analgesics, and is sometimes reported by patients as fatigue or tiredness. This symptom can last for a few days, but can also persist over time to the point of causing debilitating fatigue. 

8. Loss of consciousness

Opioids such as roxy drugs slow down the processes of the central nervous system, and overdosing on these drugs can make a person seem to be asleep. This lack of consciousness stems from the lack of oxygen caused by opioids, as they fit into brain receptors that are linked to respiratory functions. 

9. Slowed or stopped heart rate

One of the most common side effects of opioid analgesics is sedation, which means it could slow down the body’s processes, including heart rate. If one’s heart rate slows down too much, it could possibly stop and cause hypoxia, or low levels of oxygen in the tissue that may eventually lead to cardiac arrest. 

10. Coma

One of the most severe consequences of abusing roxies drug is a coma. This occurs when too much Roxicodone is taken than what the body can safely handle, and the body shuts down and falls into a sleep-like state. Although many people eventually recover from a coma with only minor disabilities, some may enter a vegetative state or even die. 

What are the side effects of Roxicodone abuse?

There are tell-tale signs you should watch out for to determine if a loved one is abusing roxies. The side effects of Roxicodone abuse are listed below. 

• Nausea and vomiting: Two gastrointestinal (GI) side effects of opioid use that are also major reasons behind the discontinuation of opioid medications. The use of opioids stimulates opioid receptors that are widely distributed in the GI tract and the vomiting center of the brain to induce nausea and vomiting. In Roxicodone abuse, these side effects could worsen.
  
• Drowsiness or sedation: Opioids can cause severe drowsiness or sedation, either after starting an opioid medication or following a dose increase. It is often reported by patients as fatigue or tiredness and can last for a few days or persist over time. Some people may feel as if they are disoriented or absentminded after receiving opioids for pain relief. As a result, people taking opioids are typically advised to avoid driving or operating heavy machinery while on the medication.
  
• Constipation: Opioids like Roxicodone inhibit peristalsis, a series of muscle contractions in the digestive tract that helps move and break down food. This causes a lack of movement in the intestinal contents, resulting in severe constipation, especially with prolonged use.
  
• Respiratory depression: When roxies infiltrate a tiny channel in the brain stem called locus coeruleus, they tend to interfere with one’s breathing mechanism. This causes slow or shallow breathing that can be potentially lethal.
  
• Hallucinations: Roxy drugs can cause terrifying hallucinations in its users when misused. Although widely believed to be a rare side effect of Roxicodone abuse, evidence exists that hallucinations are very real yet an underreported adverse consequence of the condition.
  
• Lower sexual desire: In general, opioid abuse is linked to decreased libido and sexual dysfunction. Certain studies indicate that opioids may negatively affect the production of sex hormones in both males and females, especially with chronic consumption.
  
• Seizures: Taking high doses of opiates such as Roxicodone can trigger seizures. Although the mechanism of such an adverse effect is still poorly understood, people with epilepsy could worsen their condition by misusing certain substances.
  

Other side effects of Roxicodone abuse include:

1. Confusion
2. Stomach pain
3. Mood changes 
4. Severe dizziness
5. Changes in heart rate

What are the Roxicodone statistics?

The Roxicodone statistics indicates that cases of abuse involving the drug have been a long-standing concern in many parts of the world. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 25% of patients prescribed opioids for longer periods will become addicted. 

Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that in 2019, around 62 million people aged 15-64 years worldwide used opioids at least once. And although most people who abuse opioids use illicitly manufactured heroin, the number of people who use prescription opioids such as the roxys pill is growing. 

In addition, over 70% of 0.5 million deaths attributable to drug use are opioid-related, and 30% of those deaths are due to an overdose. 

How do you treat Roxicodone addiction?

Roxicodone addiction is treated by working with your healthcare provider in drafting an individualized treatment plan. Creating this individualized roadmap is the first step towards recovery from roxy pain pill addiction and will help you and your provider set realistic expectations, goals, and evaluate and track your progress. 

An individualized treatment plan is tailored to your changing needs and specific situation. One of its main elements are interventions or methods your specialist will use to aid in your recovery. These interventions may include any of the treatment options for Roxicodone addiction:

• Medically supervised detox: A medical detox program is designed to address the afflicted person’s metabolic and health needs to reduce the risk of complications from Roxicodone withdrawal symptoms. Certain medications will also be prescribed to rescue cravings, prevent future use, and help the patient make it safely through the detox process.
  
• Group and individual therapy: Therapy sessions can be done individually or in groups. While individual therapy involves one or more therapists working with a single individual in the same session, group therapy involves like-minded peers where people are allowed to share their experiences and learn from one another in a safe and supportive environment. Both types of therapy are effective in addressing substance use disorders and a wide range of mental health disorders.
  
• 12-Step meetings: A widely used approach to addiction treatment that is made up of people in recovery who attend meetings where a set of principles guide the participants into tackling their problems with substance use.
  

Other ways how to treat Roxicodone addiction include:

1. Outpatient care
2. Sober living 
3. Inpatient treatment