Percocet Overdose - What Are the Signs?

There is the potential to overdose with any drug and percocet is no different so it is certainly an advantage if you are able to identify the various signs of a potential percocet overdose should you be taking the drug or know someone that is taking it on a regular basis. By knowing this information you will then be able to determine as to whether or not medical help will be required; however, it is certainly advisable to seek medical attention as there may be potential long-term health issues that need to be tackled and in some cases death is a possibility.

Percocet is a drug that is given to relieve moderate to severe pain and it is classified as being in the family of narcotics and it is seen as potentially being addictive when taken for a prolonged period of time. Someone that does take it regularly will often find that they need to take a higher amount in order to get the same effect as they did when they first took it and this will then increase the risks of them having an overdose.

Signs of a percocet overdose.

What follows are the actual signs of a potential percocet overdose, but it is important to point out that the person may only have one of them or they may show several signs and often to various degrees. It is important not to just ignore them and believe that it may be due to some other illness as this can often then lead to complications that can be harder to treat and more damaging to the body.

The main symptoms of an overdose with this particular drug include: labored or shallow breathing as well as basic difficulty with breathing in general, the skin may develop a blue tinge to it, the skin and eyes may become yellow showing potential liver damage, pinpoint pupils that are smaller than normal, severe stomach pain and cramping, nausea, vomiting on a regular basis, the pulse getting weaker, lower blood pressure, being in a high state of agitation, extreme drowsiness, and finally the potential to lapse into a coma. Clearly a number of these symptoms are severe and with the vomiting there is also the chance of the body becoming dehydrated and suffering from an electrolyte imbalance that can cause further health problems if they are not treated.

Treatment for an overdose of percocet is straightforward and as long as it is dealt with early enough there should be a fully recovery. In order to get treatment it is important that the doctors are told when the percocet was taken and how much as this will have a major impact on what they then need to do.

The most common way for percocet to be treated involves pumping the stomach and inducing vomiting as this will lead to a lot of the drug being expelled from the system and lower the effect that it has on the body. There may also be a narcotic antagonist supplied as this will help to counteract the impact it has on the body and charcoal may also be given as this is extremely good at absorbing the drug and reducing the impact as well. The patient may also be given a laxative to help in expelling it from the body, but they will then be linked up to a drip to ensure that the body does not become dehydrated and complicate the issue. Medication may then be given to counteract any potential long-term damage related to the overdose as this can help to keep organs such as the kidneys and liver healthy.

A percocet overdose can, therefore, occur due to people growing accustomed to the drug and requiring higher amounts for it to then have the same impact as it once had. Treatment is effective when the person gets medical help quickly as failure to do so may on occasions lead to serious health issues and even the chance of death. If you have any concerns about having potentially overdosed on the drug, then do not ignore the signs that may resemble the flu or generally feeling off color to prevent the problem from developing into something worse that will require more medical treatment than what may have initially been necessary.