1. PERCODAN ABUSE *And Other Prescription Abuse* Kirsten Neilson Life, Society & Drugs Section 004

2. INTRODUCTION  Percodan is a prescribed drug that is given to relieve moderate to severe pain.  It is a combination of oxycodone, aspirin, caffeine and other ingredients.  It was brought into the drug market in the 1950’s.  Became less used when Percocet was introduced in the 1970’s

3. WHAT HAPPENED?  In the 1970’s Percodan became less prescribed when Percocet was introduced.  Percocet is the same medicine and used for the same reasons.  The only difference: the aspirin component was replaced with acetaminophen.  Percocet became more prescribe because it had less severe side effects when combined with other medicines.  Percodan is mostly used recreational now.

4. HOW PERCODAN EFFECTS THE BRAIN  Percodan is a powerful, yet addictive pain reliever.  Percodan works by attaching itself to the opiate receptors in the brain and triggering the release of endorphins and enkephalins, Molecules which produce pleasure and relieve pain.  The brain isn’t used to being flooded with these molecules repeatedly.  Once a Percodan abuser stops, their brain makes too low of doses and they become depressed.  The brain will rarely produce endorphins on its own during withdrawal, causing many people to relapse.

5.  Abdominal pain, cramping, or tenderness  Bloating  blue lips, fingernails, or skin  Constipation  decreased appetite  Drowsiness  fast, slow, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse ACUTE EFFECTS OF PERCODAN ABUSE  increased menstrual flow or vaginal bleeding  loss of consciousness  nausea or vomiting  prolonged bleeding from cuts  weak or feeble pulse For a full list of side effects: http://www.drugs.com/sfx/perc odan-side-effects.html

7.  Liver damage  Malnutrition  Kidney failure  Physical addiction  Uncontrollable cravings  Tolerance build up  Fatal overdose CHRONIC EFFECTS OF PERCODAN ABUSE

8. STATISTICS OF PERCODAN ABUSE  Average of 52 million Americans +12 years have taken prescription pills without medical reason  6.1 million people have tried them within the past month.  2007, prescription pills were among the most popular with teens, next to marijuana Percodan has been out of use for so long, there is not much recent research on it.

9. HOW IS PERCODAN TAKEN?  Usually Percodan is in a regular pill form. But many abusers crush it up into a powder a snort it.

10. PERCODAN MIXED WITH ALCOHOL  Drinking alcohol with any type of medication usually increases the effects of that medication. With Percodan, alcohol can increase the following side effects:  Constipation  Drowsiness  Dizziness  Nausea  Vomiting

11. PERCODAN MIXED WITH ALCOHOL  Percodan and alcohol are both depressants. they slow normal body functions like heart rate and motor skills. can cause a person’s heart to stop beating and lead to death.  Since Percodan contains acetaminophen, there can be significant damage to the liver if enough of both substances are consumed at the same time.

12. PERCODAN MIXED WITH OTHER DRUGS  Combining Percodan with stimulants can be even more dangerous than using alcohol.  Percodan is a depressant, and stimulants offer the complete opposite effect on the body.

13. PERCODAN MIXED WITH OTHER DRUGS  mixing Percodan with other drugs causes the heart to simultaneously speed up and slow down.  Can cause irregular heartbeat or experience heart failure. The risk of death is high when taking Percodan with stimulants.

14. PERCODAN TOLERANCE  What is Tolerance? When the body becomes accustomed to its chemical presence This is usually the first stage of addiction. when a drug is taken for a period of time, the brain will adjust by turning off some of the receptors. the body stops producing its own chemicals, and begins to rely solely on the drug. This results in tolerance.

15. PERCODAN TOLERANCE  Percodan stops boosting the chemicals naturally created by the brain as the brain becomes reliant completely on the drug.  Over time, the brain has less receptors to be activated, so Percodan becomes less effective.  In order to obtain the same feeling as they had the first few times, a person must increase the dose.  This will slowly create a dependence.

16. HOW EASY IS IT TO OVERDOSE?  A 2011 report called Prescription Painkiller Overdoses stated that drug overdose fatalities has more than tripled what it was in 1990.  The greater numbers of these drugs were prescription opioid painkillers such as Percodan.  Opioid drugs depress the central nervous system and slow the body functions such as respiratory systems and heart rate.  Those who abuse it are at a great risk. Because abusers develop a tolerance to Percodan, it takes more and more quantities to get the same sensuality they did when they first started, which increases their chance to overdose.

17. WHO IS A PERCODAN ABUSER?  Anyone can be a Percodan Abuser. The effects of abuse are both physical and mental. Most of the physical side effects happen within the body and are not visible by others. The mental side effects can be more noticeable. Some things to look for: Personality changes Depression Irritability Possible eating disorders -Excessive Sleepiness -Slurred Speech

18. PERCODAN DETOX TREATMENTS  Although, Percodan is rarely prescribed as it used to be, many individuals are able to obtain it.  Because it is used as a recreational drug, there is a need for treatment centers.  The most used methods of treatment is detoxification.  Detoxification is not a long term or all inclusive treatment for Percodan abuse.  The main goal of detoxification is to relieve a patient of withdrawal symptoms and get them used to being substance free.

19. PERCODAN DETOX TREATMENTS  Once an individual is finished with detox, they are prescribed additional therapy to prevent a relapse.  The most effective treatment for Percodan abuse is supplying behavioral groups, including support groups.  In 2009, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that prescription painkiller abuse led to 500,000 visits to the emergency room.

20. WHAT IS PERCODAN ABUSE?  Short Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6la1uGJ0HCE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6la1uGJ0HCE

21. PERCODAN TREATMENT CENTER If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction Call:888-374-5724