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Is It Safe to Combine Oxycodone and Alcohol?

Jackie Myers
Jackie Myers

It is not safe to combine oxycodone and alcohol. Patients should never drink alcohol while taking this drug, as serious side effects or death can occur when a narcotic pain medicine is combined with alcohol. The combination causes central nervous system (CNS) depression. Experts advise those taking oxycodone to read all medicine and food labels to be sure that the products do not contain alcohol.

Patients should tell their doctor or pharmacist about any allergies they have before taking oxycodone, as the drug may contain inactive ingredients that can cause allergic reactions. Those with liver disease or diabetes are advised to use caution when taking oxycodone. This medication is known as a semi-synthetic opiate pain-killer, as are Percocet® and Oxycontin®.

Oxycodone is a narcotic pain medication and should not be combined with alcohol.
Oxycodone is a narcotic pain medication and should not be combined with alcohol.

Oxycodone provides relief of moderate to severe pain. It belongs to a class of drugs known as narcotic analgesics and works in the brain to alter how the body responds to and feels pain. This drug is commonly used for palliative care. In addition to easing pain, oxycodone relieves shortness of breath and helps patients to sleep better.

The side effects of this narcotic pain medication are drowsiness, nausea, vomiting and dizziness. Some patients taking oxycodone report experiencing mouth dryness and itching as well. Mixing oxycodone and alcohol together can increase the risks of drowsiness and nausea. Patients also experience memory loss and difficulty breathing from this mixture.

Some people who are prescribed oxycodone become addicted to this potent painkiller that belongs to the opiate family.
Some people who are prescribed oxycodone become addicted to this potent painkiller that belongs to the opiate family.

CNS depression is another harmful result of combining oxycodone and alcohol together. The central nervous system becomes physiologically depressed, resulting in decreased heart rate and loss of consciousness. CNS depression of this magnitude could lead to coma or death and can only be treated in a hospital setting where circulation and breathing can be maintained.

Combining oxycodone and alcohol can cause extremely drowsiness.
Combining oxycodone and alcohol can cause extremely drowsiness.

Other dangerous combinations besides oxycodone and alcohol should also be avoided. Medications such as antidepressants, antihistamines, and antipsychotic drugs can have potentially harmful interactions with oxycodone. Severe side effects include difficulty breathing and extreme drowsiness. Taking antihistamines with oxycodone also increases the risk of constipation and can result in difficulty passing urine.

Oxycodone has an extreme sedative effect that can be life-threatening when mixed with alcohol.
Oxycodone has an extreme sedative effect that can be life-threatening when mixed with alcohol.

Oxycodone can be as addictive as illicit drugs like heroin, which behaves similarly in the body. Only those prescribed oxycodone should take the medicine, and they should not share it with others. Patients should not take this medication any longer than recommended by their physician. In addition, extended-release oxycodone tablets must not be crushed or chewed because it will slowly disperse throughout the body.

Discussion Comments

anon1002056

Why would any doctor prescribe the person he diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver, oxycondone? My cousin drank who knows how much alcohol per day for years. She ended up almost bent in half. She fell and gouged a deep large cut on her chin. Then she fell again (she lived alone so who knows how many times she was rushed to emergency room; I just know it was a lot.) this time she broke her shoulder. She had teeth implants and they all had to come out. She was also a heavy smoker.She had just started to show signs of confusion.

This past week she was found dead in her dirty apartment. Can this doctor be stopped? Who knows how many addicts he's treating this way?

burcinc

@anamur-- I absolutely agree with you. There are some drugs that can be taken with a few drinks but this is definitely not one of them. There is no flexibility at all when it comes to oxycodone and alcohol.

I have to take oxycodone because I suffer from chronic pain. I already experience so many side effects from this drug that I can't imagine mixing it with anything.

serenesurface

@ddljohn-- I don't know. But I do know that if the dose is high, this combination can kill you.

One of my roommates in college died from combining oxycodone and alcohol. I don't know if she did it knowingly or nor although she was probably trying to get euphoria from the oxycodone. Apparently, narcotic analgesics are one of the most commonly abused drugs. All we know is that she was having difficulty breathing and asked us to call an ambulance. Soon after we reached the ER, they told us that they could't save her.

This was a very traumatic experience for me and to this day, let alone analgesic medications, I don't mix any drug with alcohol.

ddljohn

Will combining oxycodone and alcohol cause liver damage?

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    • Oxycodone is a narcotic pain medication and should not be combined with alcohol.
      By: Feng Yu
      Oxycodone is a narcotic pain medication and should not be combined with alcohol.
    • Some people who are prescribed oxycodone become addicted to this potent painkiller that belongs to the opiate family.
      By: JJAVA
      Some people who are prescribed oxycodone become addicted to this potent painkiller that belongs to the opiate family.
    • Combining oxycodone and alcohol can cause extremely drowsiness.
      By: blanche
      Combining oxycodone and alcohol can cause extremely drowsiness.
    • Oxycodone has an extreme sedative effect that can be life-threatening when mixed with alcohol.
      By: Minerva Studio
      Oxycodone has an extreme sedative effect that can be life-threatening when mixed with alcohol.
    • When a narcotic pain medicine is combined with alcohol the chances of death are raised.
      By: orcea david
      When a narcotic pain medicine is combined with alcohol the chances of death are raised.
    • A doctor should carefully consider whether it is safe to prescribe oxycodone to a patient who will most likely drink alcohol while on the medication.
      By: emiliau
      A doctor should carefully consider whether it is safe to prescribe oxycodone to a patient who will most likely drink alcohol while on the medication.