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July 18, 2001 Purdue Pharma Important Drug Warning Letter
Purdue Pharma sent 800,000 “Dear Healthcare Professional” letters in response to reports of illegal misuse, abuse, and diversion of OxyContin. Purdue also alerted healthcare professionals of the Black Box Warning that was added to OxyContin labels warning of the “abuse liability similar to morphine.” A Black Box Warning is the strongest warning issued by the FDA. To view the letter click here.

OxyContin Withdrawal

Anyone who is using OxyContin legitimately and does not have an abuse or addiction problem should still expect to taper off of the painkiller to avoid complete OxyContin withdrawal.
to learn more about OxyContin withdrawal,
click here

OxyContin Withdrawal

“People very much want to go back to use again, instead of suffering through OxyContin withdrawal.” - Bill Stewart, supervisor for Ashland, KY regional mental health agency

OxyContin addiction has been described as having a high similar to heroin when crushed up and snorted or injected after being diluted. When patients or abusers stop using the drug, the experience of OxyContin withdrawal will also be similar to heroin. Anyone who is using OxyContin legitimately and does not have an abuse or addiction problem should still expect to taper off of the painkiller to avoid complete OxyContin withdrawal. Some individuals develop an OxyContin addiction after beginning to use the painkiller as a legitimate prescription.

OxyContin is made up of oxycodone, a synthetic opiate resulting in feelings similar to heroin. Since the painkiller was made as a time-release structure, when abused the time-release is bypassed leaving the OxyContin abuser with a feeling of being high. The body becomes used to having OxyContin in the system and when stopped the withdrawal symptoms are felt within the body because it is no longer getting what it has adjusted itself to receive. Being able to get through OxyContin withdrawal is like any other illegal drug addiction and by using detoxification it can help reduce the number of withdrawal effects an addict will experience.

OxyContin Withdrawal Symptoms

Flu like symptoms that can include:

• Diarrhea
• Insomnia
• Cold flashes
• Muscle pain/ bone pain
• Restlessness
• Involuntary leg movement
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Severe stomach cramps

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What is OxyContin?
FDA approved as a “breakthrough” in 1995 as a painkiller for moderate to severe pain, OxyContin topped at $1 billion in sales in 2000, making it the number one selling brand-name prescription painkiller. The active ingredient in OxyContin is oxycodone, a morphine-like ingredient found in other painkillers such as Percodan and Tylox. Unlike the other painkillers, OxyContin contains 40-160 mg of oxycodone opposed to the 5 mg other painkillers are made up of. OxyContin is supposed to control pain for a 12-hour stretch of time with the increased amount of oxycodone that is in a time-released formula.

Questions?

If you would like more information on OxyContin addiction or OxyContin withdrawal, please contact us to speak with an OxyContin attorney.

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