Oxaydo (Oxycodone HCI) Addiction And Abuse

What Is Oxaydo (Oxycodone HCI)?

Oxaydo is a brand-name version of the opioid drug oxycodone. Oxaydo is a relatively new drug, intended to be prescribed to treat acute and chronic pain that’s severe enough to necessitate an opioid. Oxaydo should be prescribed when other treatments either aren’t effective or aren’t tolerated. Oxaydo is an immediate-release oral formulation of oxycodone, and it’s designed to have a reduced misuse potential compared to other forms of oxycodone. There is an inactive ingredient in Oxaydo that creates nasal burning if someone tries to manipulate the drug and snort it to get high. The makers of Oxaydo say their goal was to deter misuse since oxycodone is one of the most frequently misused opioids. Oxaydo is the first and only immediate-release oxycodone designed specifically to deter intranasal misuse, say the manufacturers.

What Does Oxaydo Look Like?

Oxaydo is available in two dosage strengths. The first is 5 mg, and the second is 7.5 mg. Both are small, white tablets, and the tablets are printed with the dosage strength. For patients who don’t have an existing opioid tolerance, dosages usually start with 5 to 15 mg taken every four to six hours as needed for pain. When someone takes Oxaydo, they’re instructed to ensure they drink enough water with it, but they don’t have to take it with food.

Is Oxaydo Addictive?

Millions of people misuse opioids non-medically each year, but for many of those people, their usage begins with a prescription. Almost 70 percent of opioids that are misused are taken from friends or relatives. Of those opioid misuse instances, oxycodone is one of the most misused opioids in the country. That’s why the makers of Oxaydo tried to add a misuse-deterrent to this drug. Despite the fact that there is an inactive ingredient that makes it harder to crush and then snort Oxaydo, it is still an addictive drug. All opioids, including oxycodone, activate opioid receptors when they’re used. These are the same receptors activated by heroin. When people misuse drugs like oxycodone, it can create euphoria and pleasurable feelings because dopamine floods the brain and body. That response can create a reward and reinforcement response in the brain, which can lead to addiction.

The risk of becoming addicted to a drug like Oxaydo is lower when people use it as prescribed and follow instructions exactly, but it still exists. Oxycodone is also available in prescription brand-name drugs like OxyContin, Percodan, and Percocet. While Oxaydo is designed to prevent intranasal misuse, people also misuse prescription opioids by injecting them, chewing them and simply taking larger doses than prescribed or taking it without a prescription. All of these lead to an increased likelihood of an addiction developing. Oxaydo comes with a black box warning about not only the potential for misuse and addiction but also dependence and overdose. The use of the drug should only be done under careful medical supervision, and certain people might not be good candidates for Oxaydo. Patients are also warned about the risks of mixing Oxaydo with other central nervous system depressants, such as benzodiazepines.

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