Roxicet is a rapid onset medication that combines oxycodone and acetaminophen; it is manufactured by Roxane Labs.

Virtually identical to Percocet, Roxicet is sometimes used interchangeably with Percocet at a lower cost.

Roxicet and Percocet are different from Percodan in that Percocet and Roxicet combine oxycodone and acetaminophen while Percodan combines oxycodone with aspirin. 

Alternative  & street names:

On the street, Roxicet is referred to as Roxy or “blues.”

How is Roxicet taken?

Roxicet is consumed orally by tablet or liquid.

Because Roxicet is an rapid-acting medication (not time-released) there is less of a chance of an addict crushing, snorting or injecting the tablets.

Effects of consumption

Roxicet is a opium-based painkiller, often referred to as an “analgesic.” Its effect on the body is to dull pain and increase pain tolerance. Its mixture of oxycodone and acetaminophen (commonly known as Tylenol) provides a synergistic painkilling effect – meaning the combination of drugs kills more pain than the same dosage of either drug alone.

Patients with an allergy to Tylenol or similar medicine should avoid Roxicet.

Impact on the mind/body and health risks

In addition to its painkilling qualities, a patient may experience euphoric feelings while taking this drug, which could lead to its over-use, abuse and addiction. Addiction to this drug could cause a patient to become obsessive about having the drug at regular intervals.

Common side effects include constipation, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, vision changes, light headedness and mood swings.

Severe side effects could include allergic reaction (rash, hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of the tongue, lips, face or mouth); changes to the color or amount of urine passed; slow or irregular heartbeat or breathing; or jaundice.

Signs of abuse of this substance

If a patient becomes obsessive about taking the drug, hides the use or frequency of use, steals to support the habit, or “doctor shops” in order to acquire additional prescriptions to the drug, then the patient has likely become addicted.

Common treatment options

Roxicet addicts have a number of addiction treatment options available to them and their families, including:

• cold turkey
• rapid medical detox combined with residential treatment
• rapid medical detox combined with outpatient treatment
• ultra rapid detox
• methadone
• Suboxone

Quitting cold turkey is often an addict’s first choice, but is rarely successful. Even those who endure the initial withdrawal face a lengthy battle with cravings that pull them toward relapse.

Medical detox with continuing treatment is the standard “drug rehab” route. The recovery process begins with a medically assisted detoxification as Roxicet addicts must first overcome physical dependency.

During detox, medications are prescribed to help reduce the discomfort of withdrawal, with doctors on call should a problem arise. After about a week, patients can continue additional treatment.

Detox is not treatment. If a patient fails to continue treatment after detox, a relapse is practically guaranteed.

Post-detox treatment options vary between inpatient and outpatient programs, including:

• Individual therapy
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• 12 Step groups
• Group therapy
• Life skills, vocational and educational programming
• Family therapy

Treatment programs teach recovering addicts the essential skill of how to overcome powerful and permanent cravings to use again.

Ultra-rapid detox claims to be a much less uncomfortable program by placing the addict under anesthesia in order to accelerate the withdrawal period; it is a controversial procedure due to its high cost and possible danger to the health of the recovering addict.

Methadone is a long-lasting synthetic opiate used to treat addiction to other opium derivatives such as Roxicet, OxyContin and heroin. In theory, a patient who receives one dose of methadone per day will not feel withdrawal symptoms, experience drug cravings, or attain the euphoric “high” associated with these drugs.

There are, however, disadvantages to methadone treatment:

• Methadone is addictive and subject to abuse
• A patient must go to a clinic to receive methadone daily.
• Patients who stop using methadone experience difficult withdrawal symptoms.

Suboxone is a more recently developed methadone alternative, which works in a similar way to keep a patient from entering withdrawal without a euphoric “high” or drug cravings.

Suboxone is a significant improvement on methadone treatment in the following ways:

• no daily clinic visits necessary; suboxone can be administered in month-long doses.
• withdrawal symptoms much less severe than methadone.

However, suboxone treatment has its drawbacks as well:

• As a partial opiate agonist, suboxone may provide only limited results for heavy addicts, who may experience withdrawal.
• Suboxone treatment costs more than methadone
• Doctors who prescribe Suboxone might be more difficult to find than a methadone clinic.

Withdrawal/detox symptoms

Users who suddenly discontinue their use of Roxicet will experience symptoms typical of any opioid withdrawal, including:

• Loss of appetite
• Mood swings
• Nausea
• Fever chills
• Aches and pains
• Flu-like symptoms
• Diarrhea
• Goose bumps
• Hallucinations
• Headaches
• Abdominal cramps
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Insomnia