Pronunciation: ox-e-KON-tin
Generic name: oxycodone
Dosage form: extended-release tablets (10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, 60 mg, 80 mg)
Drug class: Opioids (narcotic analgesics)

Medically reviewed by Melisa Puckey, BPharm. Last updated on Aug 9, 2024.

What is OxyContin?

OxyContin is an opioid (narcotic) pain medication used to relieve severe ongoing pain that is not controlled by other pain treatments. OxyContin contains oxycodone, a strong pain reliever that helps reduce pain by activating opioid receptors in the nervous system. OxyContin is an extended-release tablet that is taken every 12 hours regularly, it is not for occasional use or to be taken “as needed” for pain.  As it is a long-acting opioid pain medicine it can put you at risk for overdose and death.

OxyContin can be prescribed for adult patients and patients 11 years and older who have severe persistent pain that requires long-term treatment with a daily opioid analgesic when alternative treatment options have not controlled the pain. OxyContin can only be prescribed for pediatric patients 11 years of age and older who are already taking and can tolerate a minimum daily opioid dose of at least 20 mg of oxycodone orally or its equivalent. 

OxyContin has a risk of addiction, abuse, and misuse as an opioid (narcotic) medication, even if you take your dose correctly as prescribed. OxyContin (oxycodone) is a controlled substance Schedule II which means it has an accepted medical use but may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence and has abuse potential. When abused OxyContin may be called Hillbilly Heroin, Kicker, OC, Ox, Oxycotton, Roxy, Perc, and Oxy.

Warnings

Overdose. Get emergency help or call 911 right away if you take too much OxyContin (overdose). When you first start taking this medicine, when your dose is changed, or if you take too much (overdose), serious or life-threatening breathing problems that can lead to death may occur. Talk to your healthcare provider about naloxone, a medicine for the emergency treatment of an opioid overdose.

You should not use OxyContin if you have severe asthma or breathing problems, or a blockage in your stomach or intestines.

MISUSE OF OXYCONTIN CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, OVERDOSE, OR DEATH. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it.

Taking oxycodone during pregnancy may cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the newborn.

Taking OxyContin with other opioid medicines, benzodiazepines, alcohol, or other central nervous system depressants (including street drugs) can cause severe drowsiness, decreased awareness, breathing problems, coma, and death.

Using OxyContin with medicines that are CYP3A4 inhibitors or discontinuation of CYP3A4 inducers can result in a fatal overdose of oxycodone.

Never share this medicine. Never give anyone else your OxyContin. They could die from taking it. Selling or giving away this medicine is against the law.

Safe storage. Store tablets securely, out of sight and reach of children, and in a location not accessible by others, including visitors to the home.

Related/similar drugs

gabapentin, acetaminophen, tramadol, cyclobenzaprine, naproxen, oxycodone, Tylenol

OxyContin side effects

Common OxyContin side effects include drowsiness, headache, dizziness, tiredness, constipation, stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.

Serious OxyContin side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to OxyContin with symptoms of hives, difficulty breathing, and swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Opioid medicine can slow or stop your breathing, and death may occur. A person caring for you should give naloxone and/or seek emergency medical attention if you have slow breathing with long pauses, blue-colored lips, or if you are hard to wake up.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

• noisy breathing, sighing, shallow breathing, breathing that stops during sleep;
• a slow heart rate or weak pulse;
• a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
• confusion, unusual thoughts or behavior;
• seizure (convulsions);
• low cortisol levels - nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dizziness, worsening tiredness or weakness; or
• high levels of serotonin in the body - agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, shivering, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.

Serious breathing problems may be more likely in older adults and in those who are debilitated or have wasting syndrome or chronic breathing disorders.

Long-term use of opioid medication may affect fertility (ability to have children) in men or women. It is not known whether opioid effects on fertility are permanent.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking this medicine

You should not use OxyContin if you are allergic to oxycodone, or if you have:

• severe asthma or breathing problems; or
• a blockage in your stomach or intestines.

You should not use OxyContin unless you are already using a similar opioid medicine and are tolerant to it.

OxyContin should not be given to a child younger than 11 years old.

To make sure this medicine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

• breathing problems, sleep apnea;
• a head injury, or seizures;
• drug or alcohol addiction, or mental illness;
• liver or kidney disease;
• urination problems; or
• problems with your gallbladder, pancreas, or thyroid.

Tell your healthcare provider if you are living in a household where there are small children or someone who has abused street or prescription drugs, taking prescription or over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, or herbal supplements. Taking OxyContin with certain other medicines can cause serious side effects that could lead to death. 

If you use OxyContin while you are pregnant, your baby could become dependent on the drug. This can cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the baby after it is born. Babies born dependent on opioids may need medical treatment for several weeks.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, as this medicine may harm your baby. Breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with OxyContin. 

How should I use OxyContin?

Take OxyContin exactly as prescribed. Follow the directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides. Never use oxycodone in larger amounts, or for longer than prescribed. Call your healthcare provider if the dose you are taking does not control your pain.

Take your prescribed dose every 12 hours at the same time every day. Do not take more than your prescribed dose in 12 hours. If you miss a dose, take your next dose at your usual time. 

Oxycontin should be taken 1 tablet at a time. Do not pre-soak, lick, or wet the tablet before placing it in your mouth to avoid choking on the tablet.

Swallow the extended-release tablet whole to avoid exposure to a potentially fatal overdose. Do not crush, chew, break, or dissolve.

Never crush or break an OxyContin tablet to inhale the powder or mix it into a liquid to inject the drug into your vein. This can result in death.

You should not stop using OxyContin suddenly. Follow your doctor's instructions about tapering your dose.

Never share opioid medicine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. MISUSE CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, OVERDOSE, OR DEATH. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it. Selling or giving away opioid medicine is against the law.

Store at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and light. Keep track of your medicine. Oxycodone is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if anyone is using your medicine improperly or without a prescription.

Do not keep leftover opioid medication. Just one dose can cause death in someone using this medicine accidentally or improperly. Ask your pharmacist where to locate a drug take-back disposal program. If there is no take-back program, flush the unused medicine down the toilet.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since OxyContin is used for pain, you are not likely to miss a dose. Skip any missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not use two doses at one time.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An oxycodone overdose can be fatal, especially in a child or other person using the medicine without a prescription. Overdose symptoms may include severe drowsiness, pinpoint pupils, slow breathing, or no breathing.

Your doctor may recommend you get naloxone (a medicine to reverse an opioid overdose) and keep it with you at all times. A person caring for you can give the naloxone if you stop breathing or don't wake up. Your caregiver must still get emergency medical help and may need to perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) on you while waiting for help to arrive.

Anyone can buy naloxone from a pharmacy or local health department. Make sure any person caring for you knows where you keep naloxone and how to use it.

What should I avoid while using OxyContin?

Do not drink alcohol. Dangerous side effects or death could occur.

Avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how oxycodone will affect you. Dizziness or severe drowsiness can cause falls or other accidents.

Avoid medication errors. Always check the brand and strength of oxycodone you get from the pharmacy.

What other drugs will affect OxyContin?

You may have breathing problems or withdrawal symptoms if you start or stop taking certain other medicines. Tell your doctor if you also use an antibiotic, antifungal medication, heart or blood pressure medication, seizure medication, or medicine to treat HIV or hepatitis C.  Using OxyContin with medicines that are CYP3A4 inhibitors or discontinuation of CYP3A4 inducers can result in a fatal overdose of oxycodone. 

Opioid medication can interact with many other drugs and cause dangerous side effects or death. Be sure your doctor knows if you also use:

• cold or allergy medicines, bronchodilator asthma/COPD medication, or a diuretic ("water pill");
• medicines for motion sickness, irritable bowel syndrome, or overactive bladder;
• other opioids - opioid pain medicine or prescription cough medicine;
• a sedative like Valium - diazepam, alprazolam, lorazepam, Xanax, Klonopin, Versed, and others;
• drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing - a sleeping pill, muscle relaxer, medicine to treat mood disorders or mental illness; or
• drugs that affect serotonin levels in your body - a stimulant, or medicine for depression, Parkinson's disease, migraine headaches, serious infections, or nausea and vomiting.

This list is not complete and many other drugs may interact with oxycodone. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Storage

Store at 25°C (77°F)

Because of the risks associated with accidental ingestion, misuse, and abuse, OxyContin should be stored securely, out of sight and reach of children, and in a location not accessible by others, including visitors to the home. Leaving OxyContin unsecured can pose a deadly risk to others in the home.

Ingredients

Active Ingredient: oxycodone hydrochloride

Inactive ingredients (10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, 60 mg and 80 mg tablets) butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), hypromellose, polyethylene glycol 400, polyethylene oxide, magnesium stearate, titanium dioxide.

Other inactive ingredients in specific tablets

10 mg tablets also contain hydroxypropyl cellulose.

15 mg tablets also contain black iron oxide, yellow iron oxide, and red iron oxide.

20 mg tablets also contain polysorbate 80 and red iron oxide.

30 mg tablets also contain polysorbate 80, red iron oxide, yellow iron oxide, and black iron oxide.

40 mg tablets also contain polysorbate 80 and yellow iron oxide.

60 mg tablets also contain polysorbate 80, red iron oxide and black iron oxide.

80 mg tablets also contain hydroxypropyl cellulose, yellow iron oxide and FD&C Blue #2/Indigo Carmine Aluminum Lake.

Manufacturer

Manufactured by: Purdue Pharma L.P., Stamford, CT 06901-3431, 

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Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

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