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Ratio-Oxycocet Side Effects

Ratio-oxycocet is one of many names for a mixture of acetaminophen and oxycodone. It is available as a prescription-only pain medication in numerous countries. It has many of the same side effects as over-the-counter pain medications, but also has additional side effects due to the presence of the narcotic oxycodone, an opioid with numerous side effects in and of itself.

  1. Side Effects of Oxycodone

    • Oxycodone is a regulated narcotic opioid, similar to morphine, and is used to treat moderate pain. Like all opioids, there are a slew of negative side effects the user must be aware of. Minor side effects include nausea, vomiting and constipation, as well as headaches, lethargy, dry mouth and sweating. More severe side effects include severe weakness, dizziness, a slowed heartbeat and confusion. While all of these side effects are severe, perhaps the most severe side effect of oxycodone is addiction.

    Addictive Properties

    • Because it is an opioid, oxycodone is a habit-forming drug if taken regularly. Because it often creates a feeling of euphoria as well as reducing anxiety and pain, it is commonly abused and when addiction occurs, numerous negative effects appear. This includes mood alterations, extreme lethargy and mood sings. When an addicted person ceases taking oxycodone, withdrawal symptoms appear, which include heart palpitations, chills, profuse sweating and irritability.

    Acetaminophen

    • Acetaminophen is an extremely common pain reliever, most commonly found in Tylenol-brand over-the-counter medications, but side effects do occur in patients, albeit rarely. These side effects include irritability, sweating, diarhea, loss of appetite, and nausea and vomiting. Most of these are minor and not serious, causing mostly only discomfort. In some extreme cases, it can also cause heart problems or seizures, as well as ulcers and bleeding in the digestive tract.

    Acetaminophen and the Liver

    • The most dangerous and well-known side effect of acetaminophen is the possibility of extremely adverse effects on the liver. If taken for extremely long periods of time, in too-large doses, or in combination with excessive alcohol abuse, it can leave to liver dysfunction or even outright failure. Symptoms of this include yellow skin and eyes (known as jaundice), as well a pain in abdomen, localized specifically near the liver.

    Acetaminophen and Children

    • Acetaminophen overdoses are much more common in children than adults, partly because of the lower overall body weight of children taking the drug. Parents should take steps to ensure that children do not have access to acetaminophen to avoid accidental overdoses. In several studies, acetaminophen has been shown to lead to a much increased incidence of asthma later in life. If taken as toddlers or when extremely young, an increased incidence of asthma as well as the risk of developing asthma in numerous patients has been noted.

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