Oxycodone Overdose: Signs & Symptoms to Look Out For

Oxycodone overdose signs include slowed breathing, pale skin, clamminess, limp muscles, a bluish tinge to the fingertips and lips, and a slow heartbeat.

Oxycodone is designed for short-term treatment of acute pain. But some people keep using the medication for long periods, taking so much that they experience an overdose.

Oxycodone overdoses can be deadly. In 2020, more than 13,000 people died due to overdoses of opioids like oxycodone.[1] 

In the early 2000s, most oxycodone overdoses were caused by OxyContin. Users could crush and snort their pills, getting around time-release formulations and experiencing a powerful high all at once. Formulation changes made misuse harder, but some people switched to heroin or other opioids instead.[2]

All opioid overdoses, whether they’re caused by oxycodone or another painkiller, look very similar. Knowing the symptoms and what to do if you spot them could help you save a life. 

How an Oxycodone Overdose Happens: Step by Step

Oxycodone overdoses are medical emergencies that require quick action, but they don’t appear suddenly. These issues develop slowly via a series of predictable steps. Each one offers an opportunity to change course and make things better.

Those steps include the following. 

Tolerance Develops

People using oxycodone repeatedly become accustomed to the drug. Their cells adjust to each dose, so the dose that once used to be sufficient no longer feels effective or helpful. The person may not feel high when they use oxycodone, or they may feel sick between doses.

Escalation Begins 

People take more oxycodone pills every time, or they crush their pills and snort or inject the powder. People take these steps due to tolerance, not because they’re experimenting or hoping to become addicted. But dose escalation is dangerous. 

Overdose Occurs

Oxycodone is a central nervous system depressant, capable of slowing the brain and body in minutes. People who take too much slip into a coma-like state, and without quick intervention, they can die. 

Signs & Symptoms of an Oxycodone Overdose

It’s not easy to spot the difference between an overdose and a strong high. In many people, these two episodes look the same. If you suspect someone has taken too much oxycodone, it’s always best to confirm. If you’re uncertain, seek medical help.

Signs of an opioid overdose can include the following:[3]

• Pale or clammy skin 
• Limp muscles and bones
• Bluish nails and lips
• Slow or absent breathing or heartbeat 

Someone experiencing an opioid overdose won’t awaken when you shake them or say their name. They may vomit or make gurgling sounds. Without treatment, someone like this can die. 

How Is an Oxycodone Overdose Treated?

Oxycodone is an opioid that works by latching to opioid receptors in the brain. An opioid antagonist like naloxone can remove drugs from their receptors, reversing an overdose in seconds. 

In March 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an over-the-counter naloxone nasal spray.[4] Anyone can buy this drug and keep it available in an emergency. And it’s made for non-medical professionals to use, so they can help the people they love. 

If you see someone overdosing, you can administer a naloxone spray and reverse the overdose within seconds. But you should always call 911 and tell the operator what’s happening. 

Many people who overdose need more than one dose of naloxone to feel better. And most people need follow-up care from medical professionals to make a full recovery. Fluid therapy, monitoring, and more could be a necessary part of the healing process. 

How Much Oxycodone Is Too Much?

Researchers say people who misuse opioids often don’t understand how overdoses work and how they can be prevented.[5] They may see overdoses in their friends and family, but they may believe they’re immune to the problem. In reality, anyone who takes high doses of oxycodone could overdose. 

High doses are a major risk factor for oxycodone overdose. But there’s no hard-and-fast rule about how much can cause someone to overdose. People using opioids like oxycodone long-term can handle amounts that would quickly kill other people.

For example, researchers found that some people enrolled in Medicare took a morphine daily equivalent that equated to 16 tablets per day of 5 mg of Percocet.[16] This amount is far above what experts recommend for patients. Opioid-naïve people could never take this much. But with repeated drug exposure, the body adjusts.

Anyone who misuses oxycodone should be aware of overdose risks and take steps to reduce the doses they take. Ideally, they should stop misusing oxycodone altogether.

Prescription medications like Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) can ease drug cravings and help people stop misusing oxycodone. Anyone with a history of opioid misuse should ask their doctors about getting a prescription for this life-saving drug. 

At Bicycle Health, we offer Medication for Addiction Treatment that can save your life. You can use our telehealth services to obtain a prescription for Suboxone and pick up the medication at your local pharmacy. With this kind of comprehensive addiction treatment, you can effectively stop misusing oxycodone, so you don’t have to guard against the risk of oxycodone overdose in the future.