What Is Roxicet Used For?
Roxicet™ (
oxycodone/APAP) is a prescription medication approved for the treatment of moderate to moderately severe pain. Although it can be quite effective at relieving pain, its usefulness is sometimes limited by its abuse potential.
Roxicet is typically used to treat short-term pain, such as pain after a surgery, dental procedure, or an injury. Sometimes, Roxicet is used to treat
migraines, chronic pain, or other types of recurring or long-term pain. It is often used (or rather, abused) inappropriately, as it contains
oxycodone, a narcotic medication
(see Roxicet Addiction).
Roxicet contains two different medications:
acetaminophen and
oxycodone hydrochloride. These medications work together to help relieve pain. Oxycodone is a narcotic, opioid pain reliever that is chemically related to codeine. Oxycodone is effective at decreasing pain and relieving coughing, but it also causes drowsiness and decreased breathing.
Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and fever reducer commonly found in non-prescription medications, such as
Tylenol®. Adding acetaminophen to oxycodone helps improve the effectiveness of both medications at relieving pain and may limit the abuse potential of oxycodone (the maximum dose of Roxicet is limited by the acetaminophen content). Make sure to carefully monitor your acetaminophen intake (including acetaminophen from other sources) while taking Roxicet in order to avoid toxicity
(see Roxicet Drug Interactions and Roxicet Dosage for more information).
