While it provides relief for many, its efficacy can be overshadowed by severe complications when improperly mixed with substances like alcohol. This combination not only exacerbates the inherent side effects of Percocet but also introduces a myriad of new health risks. Percocet is a prescription medication prescribed by doctors to treat patients who are dealing with moderate to severe pain. As mentioned, Percocet contains a combination of the opioid pain reliever oxycodone as well as the non-opiate pain reliever acetaminophen. In some cases, medications may be prescribed to aid in the recovery process.

Though many people drink as a form of relaxation, it actually often has the opposite effect and increases anxiety and stress. If a person consumes too much alcohol quickly, it can depress the central nervous system so much that it leads to respiratory failure, coma, or even death. Oxycodone acts on the central nervous system (CNS) to deliver pain relief.

If prescribed Percocet, it’s essential to discuss your alcohol consumption habits with your healthcare provider. Even occasional alcohol use can interfere with Percocet and lead to adverse effects. However, the majority (about 80 percent) of heroin users first abused prescription opiates like oxycodone. Taking oxycodone together with alcohol can have very dangerous consequences. Combining the two can have a synergistic effect, meaning that the effect of both drugs together is greater than when they’re used separately. Because the risk of drug interactions is so serious, always talk with a doctor about when it is safe to drink alcohol while taking Percocet rather than trying to estimate it.

Liver Damage

If you are ready to reach out and seek help for Percocet and alcohol abuse, help is available in many forms. You can discuss your options with your doctor, a local addiction counselor, or join a support group. There are many treatment options to choose from but the process will always start with detox. Choosing to do this in the safe environment of treatment facilities increases your chances of a full and sustained recovery.

Drug and Alcohol Addiction

Sometimes, the effects are intense enough to cause a person to pass out. This puts them at increased risk of injuries from falling or choking if they vomit while unconscious. The drug is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant and works by attaching to receptors in the brain and numbing pain.

Medications

• Long-term alcohol abuse and Percocet use puts a strain on the body and causes an increased risk of lasting health problems or overdose.
• The depressive effects of the drugs cause many vital functions to slow down, most especially breathing.
• This can impair cognitive function, coordination, and reaction time, increasing the risk of accidents, falls, and injuries.
• This article looks at Percocet and alcohol and the risks of taking them together.

It is common in the United States to abuse substances like oxycodone and alcohol together. There is no doubt that alcohol is one of the most popular recreational drugs in the world. The country also has an extremely high rate of opioid prescriptions. The United States saw 43 opioid prescriptions for every 100 people in 2020.

Risks of Combining Oxycodone and Alcohol

• That is not to say that they remain terminal patients, only that they continue the work of self-reflection and seek their best life every day.
• The two substances taken together result in a decreased heart rate, lower blood pressure, reduced or halted breathing, and death.
• During these situations, administering naloxone can reverse the effects of a Percocet overdose and is often used by medical professionals in emergencies.
• From there, it travels to the brain, where it affects the central nervous system.
• If you ever experience these symptoms, it’s essential to contact your doctor immediately.
• Medications such as buprenorphine and methadone can be used to help treat addiction to opioids such as oxycodone.

The oxycodone contents of Percocet bind percocet and alcohol to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord, reducing chronic pain. Chronic polysubstance abuse is often linked to emotional or mental issues. Liver failure is likely if immediate medical treatment doesn’t occur.

Excessive drinking/long-term alcohol misuse can lead to serious issues with cognitive impairment and memory. Alcohol interferes with communication between nerve cells in the body, which can lead to permanent damage to the nervous system and even cause a permanent imbalance in the body. These pills come in many shapes, sizes and doses, depending on the brand.

An opioid overdose occurs when cellular receptors in the brain, called opioid receptors, are overstimulated by excessive amounts of opioid drugs. The depressive effects of the drugs cause many vital functions to slow down, most especially breathing. In fact, more than 30,000 people are hospitalized each year in the United States for acute liver failure as a result of acetaminophen-induced liver damage. Taking alcohol and oxycodone together can amplify these effects, making you “drunker” than you might be drinking alcohol alone or “higher” than you might be taking oxycodone alone. The combination can be deadly, increasing the risk of injury, particularly if behind the wheel of a car. Another issue with people who mix alcohol and oxycodone is that their body builds up a tolerance for the two substances, leading to dependence and possibly addiction.

It is important to note that oxycodone should only be used under the supervision of a healthcare professional. They will carefully assess the patient’s condition and prescribe the appropriate dosage to minimize the risk of side effects and dependence. Oxycodone is derived from the opium poppy plant and works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord. By doing so, it blocks the transmission of pain signals and produces a sense of euphoria and relaxation. In the future, it is best to avoid drinking alcohol, and if you have the intention to, always consult with your doctor2.

At Granite Recovery Centers, our goal is to make our clients as comfortable as possible as they go through withdrawal. One way we do so is through the use of MATs, medically assisted treatment programs. With these programs, we use medicines that help make the withdrawal process much more comfortable for our clients. Alcohol works in the body via the central nervous system, and it slows down the functioning of different parts of the brain.

Do not mix alcohol with prescription medications, particularly opioids, as this can lead to slowed breathing, impaired judgement, overdose, and/or death. It is very important to follow your healthcare provider’s orders for dosage and time taken to avoid misuse, overdose, and/or death. Overdoses involving opioids killed nearly 47,000 people in 2018, and 32% of those deaths involved prescription opioids. We are a top-tier inpatient addiction and mental health clinic serving clients in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

This means that it has medical value yet poses high risks for addiction and abuse. Combining Percocet and alcohol is particularly risky because they both slow down respiratory rate (breathing) by different mechanisms. They also compete for attention in the liver, leading to slower elimination and significantly more stress on the liver. Moderate intake of alcohol and Percocet is not fatal, but any amount is going to stress the liver. Detox and withdrawal can cause extremely dangerous symptoms that medical professionals should monitor.

This drug helps prevent relapse, and it’s generally used on people who have already gone through a complete withdrawal of opioids from their systems. Drugs like disulfiram, naltrexone, and acamprosate are used to help people withdraw from alcohol. There are serious side effects that result from combining Percocet and alcohol. Signs of oxycodone abuse and alcohol abuse vary from person to person.

Is Alcohol a Drug?

It is used either alone (OxyContin, Roxicodone, Oxaydo, Xtampza ER) or in combination with other non-narcotic analgesics such as aspirin (Percodan) or acetaminophen (Percocet). The amount of oxycodone needed for pain relief varies depending on each individual’s pain levels and body. Your healthcare provider will most likely start you on a low dose, and slowly increase until the pain is well-controlled.