This limits the risk of dependence and addiction, which can occur quickly when a person takes Percocet. In fact, more than 30,000 people are hospitalized each year in the United States for acute liver failure as a result of acetaminophen-induced liver damage. For most people, participating in a comprehensive rehab program is the most effective way to achieve sobriety.
Inpatient Treatment
Itâs commonly used for short-term pain relief after surgeries, injuries, or in cases of severe chronic pain. The combination of alcohol and oxycodone can also cause slowed or stopped breathing. Slowed breathing can lead to oxygen deprivation, which can quickly result in brain injury or death if not treated immediately. Acetaminophen overdose (even in the absence of other drugs or alcohol) is the most common cause of acute liver failure.
Increased risk of toxicity, overdose, and liver damage
Mixing alcohol and Percocet can lead to a number of serious health risks. Percocet is a prescription drug that combines oxycodone, an opioid painkiller, with acetaminophen. Alcohol, on the other hand, is a central nervous system depressant that induces feelings of relaxation and intoxication. When combined, alcohol and Percocet can result in decreased heart rate and blood pressure, slowed or stopped breathing, unconsciousness, coma, and even death. Due to the competition for the enzyme CYP2E1, which breaks down both acetaminophen and alcohol, the potential for hepatotoxicity (liver poisoning) increases. This means that when alcohol is consumed alongside Percocet, there is a higher risk of liver injury or failure.
Contact a doctor, counselor, or local addiction treatment center to discuss safe recovery options and take control of your health. Percocet is a prescription medication used to treat moderate to severe pain. It contains a combination of acetaminophen and oxycodone, neither of which are safe to combine with alcohol.
Regardless, patients should seek out medical detoxification where possible, as medical professionals can ease the discomfort of any withdrawal symptoms you do experience. Mixing alcohol with prescription medications can cause serious health risks, especially when combined with opioids like Percocet. Many people donât realize how dangerous it is to drink alcohol while taking medications, especially those that affect the central nervous system. Opioids like Percocet are prescribed to help manage pain, but their interaction with alcohol can quickly lead to severe consequences.
- The Recovery Village Ridgefield offers comprehensive addiction treatment for drug and alcohol addictions and co-occurring mental health conditions.
- If youâre prescribed this medication, itâs best to completely avoid drinking alcohol until your course is finished and the drug has cleared from your system.
- Combining these drugs can be so sedating that people essentially forget to breathe and, if they are conscious and aware of their situation, are unable to call for help.
- Chronic alcohol use, on the other hand, changes how the liver metabolizes toxins, and this change actually increases the rate of acetaminophen breakdown.
- The risk of overdose varies from person to person, and there is no way to know how much alcohol and Percocet is needed for an overdose to occur.
Shallow Breathing
One of the most significant risks is the potential for respiratory depression, where breathing becomes slow and shallow, or even stops. This depressant effect on the respiratory system can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Individuals taking this combination may not realize the severity of their impaired breathing, further endangering themselves and those around them. The outcome of acetaminophen taken in conjunction with alcohol depends on how alcohol is consumed. As a result, acetaminophenâs toxic metabolic byproducts are produced at a much slower rate, which allows them to be excreted before toxic levels can build up.
Acetaminophen is a common ingredient in over-the-counter pain medications, such as Tylenol, and it helps to reduce pain. Oxycodone is a more potent opioid pain medication similar to morphine, and it works by blocking the signals of pain in the brain. Mixing alcohol and Percocet can have serious consequences, including addiction and impaired coordination. Because the risk of drug interactions is so serious, always talk with a doctor about when it is safe to drink alcohol while taking Percocet rather than trying to estimate it. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cautions people not to drink alcohol when taking a medication containing acetaminophen. Inpatient treatment centers often have phases of treatment, with different expectations and activities during each phase.
Mixing Percocet and Alcohol: Can You Drink on Percocet?
Percocet is relatively fast-acting and is one of the most commonly prescribed painkillers. Percocet is frequently prescribed for post-operative pain management, severe injuries, and chronic pain conditions. Once discharged from a detox clinic, patients should immediately proceed to a rehabilitation facility. During rehab, patients can work to discover the causes and conditions of their addiction. Once they understand the physical and psychological aspects of their malady, they can work on solutions to the problem. That is not to say that they remain terminal patients, only that they continue the work of self-reflection and seek their best life every day.
During these situations, administering naloxone can reverse the effects of a Percocet overdose and is often used by medical professionals in emergencies. The combination of Percocet and alcohol is more than just dangerousâit can be life-threatening. While both substances are widely used in everyday life, their interaction is unpredictable and frequently results in serious harm. From mild side effects to deadly respiratory depression, the risks of combining them outweigh any temporary relief or pleasure. Alcohol can interact with the ingredients in Percocet and increase the risk of overdose.
Doctors can provide medication-assisted treatment to ease withdrawal symptoms and help the person detox safely. Each year, over 100,000 people in the United States die from an overdose of opioid drugs like oxycodone. Many are illicit users who inject drugs they buy off the street, but others are those who simply abuse their prescription medications.
- When usage escalates in this way, the user is in danger of experiencing alcohol poisoning and/or Percocet overdose.
- When an opioid overdose is suspected, naloxone hydrochloride should be administered as soon as possible to reverse the effects of an overdose.
- While this may seem like a difficult task, there are some lifestyle changes that you can make to help you stop drinking.
Percocet and Alcohol FAQ
Most people feel the effects of the immediate-release formulas of oxy within minutes of consumption. The drug reaches peach concentrations in the body within 1-2 hours following ingestion. Extended-release formulas of oxycodone can take 4-5 hours to reach peak concentrations in the body. The half-life of Percocet is more or less 3.5 hours, which means it usually takes this long mixing alcohol and percocet for the body to eliminate half a dose of the drug.
Percocet is a synthetically made opioid that is a combination of 325 mg of acetaminophen and varying strengths of oxycodone. Itâs a prescription painkiller for treating moderate to severe pain by blocking pain signals in the brain. When users begin mixing alcohol and Percocet, they experience enhanced effects, which are often quite attractive to the user. The strong effect sets the stage for higher tolerance, and eventually dependence as the user seeks to attain a higher high, or the same high, on the next use.
However, the risk of Percocet addiction varies from person to person, based on genetics and environmental factors. Occasionally, youâll find Percocet in street drugs or synthetic opioids. These drugs illicit the same euphoric high at a faster rate but are more likely to cause respiratory depression and addiction. In fact, this drug is created from a synthetic opioid, oxycodone, that is mixed with acetaminophen, otherwise known as Tylenol. When administered, the drug binds to the brain’s opioid receptors, produces euphoria, altering the body’s pain response. The acetaminophen acts as an extra analgesic which, when effective, can reduce fever and mitigate pain.
Even occasional drinking alcohol can cause serious complications, especially when mixed with medications that depress the nervous system. Because the withdrawal symptoms from both substances can overlap and intensify each other, medical supervision is strongly recommended during detox. Trying to quit both substances on your own could be extremely dangerous and may result in severe physical or psychological harm. This Percocet and alcohol interaction increases the risk of severe, life-threatening complications.
