OxyContin is an alternative brand name for Oxycodone an opioid semi-synthetic which is the most commonly used painkiller prescribed within the United States. The substance, made by an opioid alkaloid is less prone to side effects than morphine and it is frequently used to manage moderate to severe pain caused by injuries, surgeries and illnesses. It’s also among the most frequently used medications throughout the United States, popular for the euphoria that it produces when injecting.
Since OxyContin is commonly prescribed to treat chronic pain and to help recover from surgeries, a lot of users who are addicted started or took it due to the prescription. In the same way doctors are becoming aware of the dangers of addiction associated with OxyContin as well as the other Oxycodone painkillers, which is leading to more strict prescriptions, fewer medications given out at a time, and fewer prescriptions given. But, with the number of people already addicted to the drug, the chance of addicts taking more risky street drugs such as morphine and heroin is very high.
History of OxyContin
OxyContin began to be synthesized the year 1916 at in the University of Frankfurt, with the goal of generating a viable alternative to heroin, which was recently banned from the general market within the United States by the 1914 Harrison Narcotics Tax Act of 1914. The aim was to create an opioid that was less dependent-inducing in lieu of heroin and morphine. To achieve this, M. Freund chose to synthesize an opioid using Thebaine an alkaloid that is found in the opium flower as well as The Persian Poppy. In the year 1917 buying oxycontin online was approved for use in clinical trials however, it did not make its way into its first U.S. market until 1939. It was then sold as SEE as a mixture of scopolamine, oxycodone and ephedrine. It was later changed its name to Schophedal that was designed to replicate what morphine does, but without respiratory and circulatory depression.
In the course of WWII, Oxycodone was used so frequently all over Germany that the doctor who treated Adolf Hitler was The Dr. Theodor Morell recorded giving the Fuhrer frequent injections of Eukodal which is a form of oxycodone.
In the 1970s, around three decades after the introduction into in the United States, the United States government strongly rejected the claims that Oxycodone wasn’t a habit-forming drug was a drug that could cause dependence. It classified the substance as Schedule II drug, which was only available through prescription.
In the year 1996, Purdue Pharma introduced OxyContin which was a drug that was controlled to release oxycodone (Oxycodone hydrochloride) which has a quick start time and a duration that could last up to twelve hours. OxyContin was a near-instant success and was extremely well-known in the treatment of pain, and also on the streets due to its long-lasting high-euphoric effects. Over the next two decades the sales of the pills soared since doctors were able to prescribe it both legally and illicitly. Purdue Pharma notoriously turned the opposite way, while ignoring obvious instances of abuse, including an incident in which more than one million prescriptions were illegally prescribed and later sold on markets that were black.
Presently, OxyContin prescriptions are more closely controlled and regulated by DEA as well as the FDA. Furthermore, innovative methods like abuse-resistant versions of OxyContin, which are hard for people to dissolve or crush for injections and also experiments using Naloxone to stop injections are beginning to make their way into the market.
What Does OxyContin Do?
OxyContin is an opioid when consumed by a person who is suffering, can ease pain and soothe the body. As with other analgesics like heroin and morphine OxyContin can be described as an opiate which means it’s created from alkaloids that are found that are found in the opium poppies. The opioids interact with opioid receptors of the brain, triggering dopamine and other endorphins in order to decrease the perception of pain. They also depress your central nervous system. If someone is suffering from pain, they’re typically anxious enough to experience the relief of pain and relaxation through the drug.
But, OxyContin does have the potential to be abused. People who aren’t experiencing pain can feel joy or even euphoria taking the pills. By crushing the pills and injecting OxyContin in the bloodstream of the user, the sensation is increased, taking in the same characteristics as its other sister-opioid morphine.
The difference is that OxyContin has a distinct advantage in while morphine binds to receptor for m-opioid, OxyContin appears to bind both the koopioid and M-opioid receptors, with an agonist effect in both. OxyContin is also more potent than the morphine.
What Side Effects Does OxyContin Have?
OxyContin is an opioid with very similar adverse consequences to its “sister” heroin and morphine. Common OxyContin side effects are:
Constipation
Stomach pain
Nausea and vomiting
A loss of appetite
Drowsiness, or lethargy
Light-headedness or dizziness
Weakness
Headaches
Dry mouth
Sweating
Inability to feel pain
In certain instances, patients may experience severe side effects, including respiratory depression anapnea, circulatory depression high blood pressure signs of shock, or death.
OxyContin Abuse and Addiction
All opiates are highly addictive. The majority of drugs medically prescribed mimic the action or reaction of something that is naturally created in the body. Opioids mimic peptides which are produced naturally by the body in times of pain. The peptides that make up the opioids break down, and then bind to the opioid receptors in the like the body’s peptides work. This means that in time the body’s natural response is to adjust to the fluctuating levels of opioids inside the body, acting as an attempt to defend itself. Similar to how the body adapts for an increase of caffeine or sugar the body adjusts to an increase in opioids, leading to a tolerance. Tolerance is when the same dose of the drug no will have the same effect and you need to increase the dosage to achieve the same result. The problem can get worse exponentially which means that people who are taking long-term treatment not get relief from pain by taking oral OxyContin at the dosage recommended.
The increase in tolerance could make prescription drug users who adhere to the prescribed dosage to develop physical (chemically) dependent on the substance. This means that the body has adapted to the presence of OxyContin present in their bloodstream as well as within their brains and that the body needs to adjust or undergo withdrawal once the drug is removed. Many people are also dependent on painkillers such as OxyContin. Since OxyContin induces relaxation, pain relief, as well as feelings of wellbeing and happiness, even a prescription patient recovering from surgery may be influenced to use the medication as a means to get through the day, managing stress or the pain. It is much more difficult to break more than withdrawal physical. This is particularly true given the fact that OxyContin creates a feeling of euphoria and an emotional state in the user. After quitting the drug long-term users suffer from something called emotional blunting which means that they cannot experience normal emotions with normal level of intensity. Therefore, those who are long-term users will often turn to buy oxycontin online to feel relief and pleasure due to the fact that the drug makes them experience less of both during the day.
OxyContin Withdrawal
OxyContin is a form of slow-release of OxyCodone and delivers opioids in the body in a period that is approximately 12 hours. The majority of patients take two pills daily to help with the long-lasting and severe pain rapidly gaining tolerance. Because the drug is not completely removed from the body until the patient decides to take a second dose – even when it is prescribed the majority of people are chemically dependent within a short time. With doses that range between 10mg and 80mg, the intensity and speed of dependency can vary dramatically.
The symptoms of withdrawal from OxyContin are similar to other opioids, such as heroin and morphine however, they differ based on the the amount of use. Higher doses and frequent usage result in stronger withdrawal mechanisms. People that mix OxyContin with other medications could experience extremely strong and even dangerous withdrawal symptoms.
In the majority of cases, OxyContin withdrawal is divided into two phases: early and acute.
Early withdrawal can begin 12-14 hours following the last dose. It’s manifested by mood swings such as anxiety, irritation, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia or sleepiness. A majority of people also suffer from flu or cold symptoms like headaches, muscle cramps, runny nose sweating, fever chills and congestion. These symptoms can range from mild to severe based on the degree of chemical dependency.
