Oxycodone - Reactions with Other Drugs or Substances

Reactions with Other Drugs or Substances

Patients who receive a prescription for a drug containing oxycodone should talk to their doctors about all other medicines they are taking. Since oxycodone is a painkiller, it is dangerous to combine it with over-the-counter pain relievers, cold and flu remedies, allergy medications, sleep aids, and even some herbal dietary supplements. This is particularly true of the Percodan and Percocet combinations, since they already contain over-the-counter pain relievers. Overdose of aspirin and acetaminophen can be life-threatening.

Oxycodone causes drowsiness and slows breathing, so it should not be combined with antidepressants, antihistamines (allergy ingredients), sedativesA drug used to treat anxiety and calm people down., tranquilizersDrugs such as Valium and Librium that treat anxiety; also called benzodiazepines (pronounced ben-zoh-die-AZ-uhpeens)., anti-anxiety drugs, prescription sleeping pills, or muscle relaxants. Mixing alcohol and oxycodone can be deadly, as both substances depress the central nervous system and can lead to breathing problems, loss of coordination, and coma.

Emergency room visits for drug overdose often involve more than one substance. Needless to say, it is highly dangerous to mix oxycodone with any illegal drug, including marijuana, cocaine, hallucinogens such as LSD, ecstasy, or especially heroin.

People being treated for the following conditions should avoid medicines containing oxycodone: 1) liver or kidney disease; 2) thyroid problems (the thyroid is a gland in the neck that produces many hormones that help regulate the body's chemical balance); 3) Addison's disease (a disease of the adrenal glands, which release hormones that are found on top of the kidneys); 4) prostate problems (the prostate is a gland found in men, resting under the bladder, that contributes to the formation of semen); 5) gallbladder disease (the gallbladder is a small sac under the liver that stores bile used in digestion). In addition, anyone who has been treated for a mental disorder, or anyone with a past history of substance abuse, should tell his or her doctor of these issues before beginning oxycodone therapy.