Oxycodone withdrawal: symptoms, timeline and treatment
What oxycodone withdrawal feels like, how long it can last and why medical support helps.
WBK Healthcare Services · · Updated · 2 min read
Oxycodone is a prescription opioid used for moderate to severe pain. After regular use, the body adapts to it, and stopping or cutting back suddenly causes withdrawal. Withdrawal is rarely life-threatening on its own, but it is very uncomfortable, and it is a common reason people go back to using.
Symptoms
Early symptoms: anxiety, restlessness, yawning, runny nose, watery eyes, sweating, muscle aches and trouble sleeping.
Later symptoms: stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, goosebumps, enlarged pupils, fast heartbeat and strong cravings.
A general timeline
Everyone is different. The timeline depends on the dose, how long you have taken it, and whether it is immediate-release or extended-release.
- Hours 6 to 12: early symptoms start (later for extended-release forms).
- Days 1 to 3: symptoms usually peak.
- Days 4 to 7: physical symptoms ease for most people.
- Weeks after: low mood, poor sleep, low energy and cravings can last weeks or longer.
Treatment options
- Buprenorphine (such as Suboxone) eases withdrawal and cravings, and can be continued as ongoing treatment.
- Methadone, through an opioid treatment program, does the same.
- Medicines for symptoms, such as lofexidine or clonidine for withdrawal symptoms and other medicines for nausea or diarrhea, can help during a supervised withdrawal.
Withdrawal on its own, without ongoing treatment, often ends in a return to use. Ongoing medication treatment lowers that risk.
A safety warning
After withdrawal, tolerance drops fast. Taking a dose you once used can cause an overdose. If you return to use, do not use alone, and keep naloxone nearby.
If oxycodone was prescribed for pain
Do not stop suddenly on your own. Talk with your prescriber about a gradual taper and how pain will be managed.
Getting started with WBK
WBK Healthcare Services offers buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder by private video visit in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Florida and Maryland. Self-pay options available. Insurance not required. Start with the secure intake form, or call (412) 314-1822.