Tylox
combines oxycodone and acetaminophen in a rapid release tablet form designed as
a painkiller; it is manufactured by PriCara.
Tylox
is sometimes prescribed interchangeably with Percocet at a lower cost.
Alternative & street names:
Tylox
has no known “street names,” but as it is similar in its chemical composition
to Percocet and Roxicet, it could be called “Percs” or “Roxy.”
How is Tylox taken?
Tylox is
consumed orally by tablet or liquid
Because Tylox 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
Tylox 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 Tylox.
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.
Also,
this drug mixes poorly with alcohol and could result in negative consequences
if taken while drinking.
Common
side effects include:
- constipation
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- nausea
and vomiting
- vision
changes
- light
headedness
- 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
- jaundice.
Signs of abuse of this substance
If a
patient becomes obsessive about taking Tylox, 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
Tylox 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 Tylox
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 Tylox,
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