This article describes possible side effects of oxycodone oral tablet. You’ll also find information on cost savings and coupon options for oxycodone. You can explore this overview article to learn more about oxycodone oral tablet, including the drug’s uses, side effects, ways to save on cost, and more.
Oxycodone oral tablet is a generic version of the brand-name drug Roxicodone. Oxycodone also comes in other forms you swallow, but these forms aren’t described in this article. To learn more about these forms, talk with your doctor.
Boxed warnings
Oxycodone has boxed warnings about the following risks. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
For more information about the risk of addiction and misuse, see the “Misuse and oxycodone” section below. To learn more about the risk of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, see the “Warnings for oxycodone” section below. For details on the other risks, see the “Side effects of oxycodone in detail” section below.
More common side effects of oxycodone
Oxycodone oral tablet may cause mild or serious side effects. Below are some of the more common side effects of this medication.
Commonly reported side effects of oxycodone oral tablet include:
- constipation
- headache
- itching
- nausea or vomiting
- sleep problems
Mild side effects of oxycodone
Oxycodone may cause certain mild side effects. Usually, mild side effects are temporary and can be easily managed. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have side effects that don’t go away or become bothersome.
Mild side effects of oxycodone oral tablet that occurred in studies include:
Oxycodone oral tablet may cause more mild side effects than those listed above. For details, see the drug’s prescribing information.
* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of oxycodone in detail” section below.
Serious side effects of oxycodone
Oxycodone may cause certain serious side effects. If you have any serious side effects from oxycodone oral tablet, call your doctor right away. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency or your side effects feel life threatening, take immediate action. Call 911 or a local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency room.
After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. Visit MedWatch’s website if you’d like to notify the FDA about a side effect you’ve had with oxycodone.
Serious side effects of oxycodone oral tablet that occurred in studies include:
* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of oxycodone in detail” section below.
† Oxycodone oral tablet has a boxed warning for this side effect. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the FDA. To learn more, see the “Misuse and oxycodone” section below.
‡ Oxycodone oral tablet has a boxed warning for this side effect. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the FDA. To learn more, see the “Side effects of oxycodone in detail” section below.
§ Oxycodone oral tablet has a boxed warning for this side effect. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the FDA. To learn more, see the “Warnings for oxycodone” section below.
Suicide prevention
If you or someone you know is in crisis and considering suicide or self-harm, please seek support:
If you’re calling on behalf of someone else, stay with them until help arrives. You may remove weapons or substances that can cause harm if you can do so safely.
If you are not in the same household, stay on the phone with them until help arrives.
Common questions about side effects of oxycodone
Here are answers to some common questions about the side effects of oxycodone oral tablet. If you have other questions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Is oxycodone safe for older adults?
Possibly. In studies, the safety of oxycodone oral tablet was generally the same in adults ages 65 years or older compared with younger adults. But older adults may be more sensitive to the drug’s effects. They may also have more problems with side effects due to age.
Your body clears oxycodone through your kidneys. Kidney function naturally starts to slow down as you age. Because of this, oxycodone levels can remain high and cause side effects in older adults. The main concern with side effects is respiratory depression. You can read more about this in the “Side effects of oxycodone in detail” section below.
If you have concerns about taking oxycodone oral tablet because of your age, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Does oxycodone cause long-term side effects?
Yes, in some cases oxycodone oral tablet may cause long-term side effects. These can occur if you take the drug for a long time.
Examples of long-term side effects reported with oxycodone oral tablet include:
Talk with your doctor if you have questions about possible long-term side effects of oxycodone.
Misuse and oxycodone
Taking oxycodone oral tablet can lead to misuse. Misuse means taking a drug in a way other than how a doctor prescribed it. Misuse can lead to overdose and death.
To reduce the risk of misuse, overdose, and death, take oxycodone oral tablet exactly as your doctor prescribes. This means:
- taking the number of tablets your doctor prescribes
- swallowing the tablets
- waiting the number of hours your doctor prescribes before taking the next dose
If your pain returns before it’s time to take your next dose, tell your doctor. They may be able to adjust your dosage or suggest other ways to manage your pain.
Coupon for oxycodone
Visit this page to access Optum Perks coupons and get price estimates for oxycodone when you use the coupons. These coupons can provide significant savings on your prescription costs.
Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with insurance copays or benefits.
Side effects of oxycodone in detail
Below you’ll find details on some of the side effects of oxycodone oral tablet.
Boxed warnings
Below are details about boxed warnings for oxycodone. Boxed warnings are the most serious warnings from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Risk of addiction and misuse
Takin oxycodone oral tablet can lead to addiction and misuse. Addiction means continuing to use a drug even though it may be causing harm. Misuse means using a drug in a way other than how a doctor prescribed it. Addiction and misuse can lead to overdose and death.
With addiction, symptoms may include craving the drug or using it to cope with daily life and stress. With misuse, you may take the next dose sooner than prescribed or take more of the drug than prescribed.
Certain factors can increase the risk of addiction and misuse with oxycodone oral tablet. These include having a personal or family history of substance misuse or mental health problems.
Ways to manage
You can help reduce the risk of addiction and misuse by taking oxycodone oral tablet in the exact way your doctor prescribes. Follow the directions on your prescription label. If you have concerns about your pain, tell your doctor. They may be able to adjust your pain treatment.
If you experience addiction or misuse, tell your doctor. They’ll likely recommend ways to get help.
Risk of respiratory depression
Taking oxycodone oral tablet can cause respiratory depression. The risk is highest when you first start oxycodone oral tablet and after dosage increases.
With respiratory depression, you have slowed or stopped breathing. Symptoms may include:
- change in skin color
- confusion
- excessive drowsiness
- long periods of time between breaths
- shallow breaths
Certain factors can increase the risk of respiratory depression with oxycodone oral tablet. These include:
- being age 65 years or older
- being weakened or undernourished
- having chronic lung disease
- taking too much oxycodone
Ways to manage
Respiratory depression can be fatal. If you experience any of the symptoms listed above, seek emergency medical care or call 911.
Your doctor may prescribe naloxone (Narcan, Kloxxado, others) with oxycodone to help treat respiratory depression. Naloxone is also available without a prescription at some pharmacies. If you have naloxone on hand, a caregiver can give you doses of the drug while you’re waiting for emergency medical care. To learn more about this, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Risk of overdose with accidental ingestion
Taking oxycodone oral tablet accidentally can cause an overdose. Overdosing on oxycodone oral tablet can be fatal.
With oxycodone oral tablet overdose, symptoms may include:
- breathing problems
- cold or clammy skin
- decreased awareness
- lack of muscle tone
- loss of consciousness or coma
- pinpoint pupils
- severe drowsiness
- unusual snoring
The risk of death from accidentally taking oxycodone oral tablet is highest in children.
Ways to manage
If you experience symptoms listed above, seek emergency medical care or call 911.
In case of overdose, your doctor may give you a prescription for naloxone with oxycodone. Naloxone is also available without a prescription at some pharmacies. If you have naloxone on hand, a caregiver can give you doses of the drug while you’re waiting for emergency medical care. To learn more about this, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
You can reduce the risk of someone accidentally taking oxycodone oral tablet by keeping it securely stored and out of the reach of children. Never give oxycodone oral tablet to anyone. Sharing prescription drugs is illegal. It’s also illegal to take a prescription drug that isn’t prescribed to you.
Risk of serious harm if used with certain drugs
Taking oxycodone oral tablet with certain other drugs can cause serious drug interactions. This includes drugs that affect the way your body processes and gets rid of oxycodone. It also includes other drugs that are central nervous system (CNS) depressants. CNS depressants slow brain function and can cause slowed or stopped breathing. Examples include alcohol and benzodiazepines.
With these drug interactions, you can experience symptoms of respiratory depression or overdose including:
- breathing problems
- cold or clammy skin
- decreased awareness
- lack of muscle tone
- loss of consciousness or coma
- pinpoint pupils
- severe drowsiness
- unusual snoring
Ways to manage
If you experience symptoms listed above, seek emergency medical care or call 911.
If you have naloxone on hand, a caregiver can give you doses of the drug as you wait for medical care. Your doctor may prescribe naloxone with oxycodone to help treat respiratory depression or overdose. The drug is also available without a prescription at some pharmacies. To learn more about this, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
To help reduce the risk of these drug interactions, tell your doctor about all the medications you take. Also, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions. This lets the pharmacist see all your prescriptions and screen for possible problems.
Impaired physical or mental functions
Taking oxycodone oral tablet can affect how you think and react. This makes it dangerous to perform certain tasks, such as driving or operating machinery.
With impaired physical or mental functions, you may experience excessive sleepiness, dizziness, or confused thinking. Your physical reflexes and reactions may also be slow.
Ways to manage
Don’t drive or do other hazardous tasks while taking oxycodone oral tablet. It’s important to know how oxycodone oral tablet will affect you before performing these types of tasks.
Withdrawal symptoms
Taking oxycodone oral tablet can lead to dependence and withdrawal symptoms. With dependence, your body needs the drug in order to function like usual. Withdrawal describes symptoms can occur when your body is dependent on a drug and you stop taking it.
Symptoms may include:
- anxiety
- chills
- diarrhea
- fast breathing
- fast heart rate
- muscle aches
- nausea or vomiting
- restlessness
- suicide
- uncontrolled pain
Certain factors can increase the risk of withdrawal symptoms with oxycodone oral tablet. These include stopping the drug suddenly or taking oxycodone with certain other drugs. Examples include buprenorphine (Belbuca, Sublocade, others) and naltrexone (Vivitrol).
Ways to manage
Due to the risk of withdrawal symptoms in people who are dependent, doctors usually reduce the dosage gradually. Do not stop taking oxycodone oral tablet if your body is dependent on it. Talk with your doctor to find out how to do it safely.
Allergic reaction
For some people, oxycodone oral tablet can cause an allergic reaction.
Symptoms can be mild or serious, and they may include:
- itchiness
- skin rash
- swelling under the skin, usually affecting eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
- swelling of the mouth, tongue, or throat, which can make it hard to breathe
- flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)
Ways to manage
For mild allergic reaction symptoms, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may recommend treatments to help manage your symptoms. They’ll also let you know whether you should keep taking the medication.
For severe allergic reaction symptoms, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms require immediate medical care because they can become life threatening. If you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to oxycodone oral tablet, your doctor may recommend taking a different medication instead.
Warnings for oxycodone
Below are some factors you may want to discuss with your doctor before taking oxycodone oral tablet.
Boxed warnings
This drug has boxed warnings about the following risks. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
For more information about the risk of addiction and misuse, see the “Misuse and oxycodone” section above. To learn more about the risk of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, see the “Oxycodone and pregnancy” section below. For details on the other risks, see the “Side effects of oxycodone in detail” section above.
Other warnings
It may not be safe for you to take oxycodone oral tablet if you have specific health conditions. These are sometimes called drug-condition interactions. Other factors also may affect whether oxycodone oral tablet is a safe treatment option for you.
Before taking oxycodone oral tablet, tell your doctor about your health and any medications you take. Things to consider include:
Oxycodone and pregnancy
Oxycodone oral tablet has a boxed warning about the risk of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NAS) if taken during pregnancy. This is a serious problem for newborn infants and can be fatal.
With NAS, symptoms in the baby may include:
- diarrhea
- failure to gain weight
- high pitched crying
- sleep problems
- tremors
- vomiting
Ways to manage
If you’re planning a pregnancy or can become pregnant, talk with your doctor before taking this medication. If you become pregnant while taking oxycodone, tell your doctor. They’ll help you decide if you should continue taking it or not.
Oxycodone and breastfeeding
There are risks if you take oxycodone oral tablet while breastfeeding. For instance, oxycodone may cause excessive sleepiness or slowed breathing in a child who is breastfed.
But there are also risks with having untreated pain during this time. (Keep in mind that oxycodone oral tablet is prescribed to relieve severe pain.)
If you’re planning to breastfeed, talk with your doctor about your treatment options. Together, you can discuss the risks and benefits of oxycodone oral tablet and decide whether or not you should take the medication. Your doctor may also recommend other ways to feed your child.
Oxycodone and alcohol
Oxycodone oral tablet is known to interact with alcohol.
Drinking alcohol while taking oxycodone oral tablet can lead to fatal respiratory depression.
If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe to consume it during your treatment with oxycodone oral tablet.
What to ask your doctor
This article describes common and serious side effects of oxycodone oral tablet. If your doctor prescribes this medication, they can discuss possible side effects with you. Let your doctor know if you have concerns or questions about treatment with this medication.
Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:
- Do I have a higher risk of side effects from oxycodone oral tablet than other people?
- How can I reduce my risk of side effects from oxycodone oral tablet?
- How can I manage the most common side effects of oxycodone oral tablet?
Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.
