A prescription drug, Percocet is a combination of an analgesic and an opioid. This guide completely answers all questions related to Percocet and treatment in case you want to know how long does Percocet stay in your system. From ways to come out of the addiction to knowing the nitty-gritties associated with Percocet, we will assist you through thick and thin.
Table of Contents
What kind of medicine is Percocet?
Percocet is an opioid-based medication consumed by people to get relief from pain. Doctors prescribe this medicine depending on the severity of the pain. Percocet is a combination medication consisting of the following two key ingredients:
Acetaminophen
Tylenol’s active ingredient, Acetaminophen is an excellent over-the-counter analgesic.
Oxycodone
A potent painkiller, oxycodone is a main ingredient in many pain-relieving medicines. Hillbilly heroin is its informal name. It is one of the drivers of the opioid endemic in the United States.
How long does Percocet stay in your system?
The simplest way to understand how long does Percocet stay in your system is understanding the half life of the drug. A substance’s half-life is the time it requires for half of its concentration/dose to leave your system.
Like most similar dugs, knowing its half-life of Percocet will help you estimate when the withdrawal symptoms can start. Oxycodone is an immediate-release drug. So, this short-acting drug’s half-life can be 3.2 to 4 hours.
Acetaminophen is the other component of Percocet. Its average half-life is similar to Oxycodone, which takes three hours approx. Percocet’s pain-relieving effects ideally last 4-6 hours. So, for someone in unbearable pain, doctors generally advise taking Percocet once every 6 hours.
So, how long does a Percocet stay in your system? Percocet takes 19 hours to get out of your body. Every person taking it must know this to avoid overdose. This information will be useful even if you have a drug test. You can schedule the drug test accordingly.
Note that the half-life period of Percocet is naturally longer in patients who are heavy users of this painkiller. That’s because they have been relying on it for a long time. So, their fatty tissues have already absorbed the opioids.
The fatty tissues lose Percocet slowly. Hence, traces of Percocet will remain in fatty tissues longer than they can stay in body fluids. Urine and blood are two such fluids.
How long will Percocet remain in your urine?
One of the most common methods of testing Percocet’s presence is by doing a urine test. It is a low-cost option and does not require much time. Urine tests are reliable as they can detect various substances like amphetamines and cocaine in the same sample.
How long Percocet will reflect on a urine test depends to an extent on kidney and liver functions. It is possible to detect oxycodone in your urine for up to four days if you have a weak pair of kidneys.
In general, it can be detected in most people for 48 hours after the intake of the drug. Detection cannot take place immediately after Percocet’s consumption. You have to wait at least 2 hours after taking the first dose of it.
How long will Percocet be present in your blood?
It is easy to detect Percocet in blood if the test is done within 24 hours of taking the drug. However, detecting it later won’t be that simple. Only an advanced drug screening will be able to identify oxycodone’s metabolites in Percocet, but not the drug itself.
How long can you trace Percocet in your saliva?
Did you know that oxycodone is detectable in saliva as well? Some of it stays in the saliva for a day or two after a person takes Percocet.
How long can Percocet be detected in your hair?
A hair test can detect Percocet for as long as a month after you have taken the medicine. This rule applies to many other drugs. The detection window in the hair follicles is larger. So, testing the hair follicles makes sense for a long-term test.
A hair test is an ideal way to detect long-term use of the drug. It will sufficiently prove that the individual has substance abuse behavior. This method fails to provide accurate results to test the short term use of Percocet.
Factors that determine how long Percocet will remain in your body
The answer to how long does Percocet stay in your system just got complicated with the above explanation.
Various factors can affect the duration of the drug’s stay in your body. Your overall health and genetics are two things that influence how fast your body can metabolize Percocet.
The other factors are:
Age
The more you age, the longer oxycodone will need to be out of your system. Research proves that oxycodone’s blood concentrations in people aged 65 or more are 15% higher than in young people.
Liver and kidney functions
The liver and kidneys play a crucial role in assisting the body to metabolize diverse drugs. So, Percocet will stay in your body for a longer duration if you have liver or kidney conditions. Any individual with poor liver or kidney function can’t metabolize Percocet at a quick rate.
Sex
A man’s anatomy is not the same as that of a woman. The blood concentration of the opioid oxycodone is up to 25% higher in the female body. There is no clear explanation behind it. But if you are a woman, you should have a mild dose of Percocet after consulting your physician.
Length of use
Studies have revealed that Percocet keeps building up in a person’s body. So, have you taken Oxycodone on a daily basis?
In that case, it has accumulated in the fatty tissues of your body. So, a drug test can detect its presence even if you did not take it recently. Your body needs a lot of time to be completely devoid of it.
Metabolism
People with faster metabolic rates have an advantage here. The faster the metabolism, the sooner Percocet or other similar drugs will exit your system.
Hydration, Percocet use history, physical activity, frequency, dose, hydration, and other medications you take are other factors that affect when Percocet leaves your body.
Is it in your hands to metabolize Percocet quicker?
Can you do something to metabolize Percocet faster than its usual pace? You might find suggestions on the internet regarding this.
There’s a popular misconception that drinking gallons of water will help you test negative. However, this does not work. Do not drink large quantities of water at once as it can be harmful and even life-threatening.
As per doctors, there is no guaranteed way to compel Percocet to leave your body immediately or quicker than it really can. It is not for you to decide how your body will metabolize Percocet.
If you experience any side effects after consumption, it is best to admit yourself in an emergency room for immediate check up and consultation.
Percocet Usage Disorder and Treatment
You need to know how long the drug will be active in your system to pass a drug test without trouble.
The reason why Percocet abuse is a matter of concern is because several prescription medicines like Percocet can be an illicit intoxicant. So, a lot of people try to obtain these medicines illegally. They end up taking more than the recommended dose.
People who take Percocet regularly admit that it increases the dopamine levels in their brains. So, a euphoric feeling or a sudden happiness is an immediate outcome. Taking an opioid for two weeks or more makes it difficult to stop.
Abusing Percocet can be fatal, if it reacts with alcohol or other drugs. A doctor refrains from prescribing Percocet if the patient is already taking some other opioid.
Keep reading to find out the risks associated with Percocet overdose and how to deal with its addiction.
What you should know about Percocet overdose
Want to know how long does Percocet 10 stay in your system? This question is bound to arise when you are worried about accidental overdose.
There can also be dangerous interactions of the drug with other medications/substances. And a lot of life-threatening medical complications often take place solely because of negligence regarding the medicines they consume.
Are you scared of Percocet overdose? Then you need to know about these health risks:
- Acetaminophen overdose can be accountable for liver damage
- If someone takes an excess of acetaminophen along with alcohol, it can cause liver failure
- Oxycodone present in Percocet can be responsible for chronic breathing problems
- If consumed daily for a long time, respiratory is a possibility
You must keep in mind that Percocet is a potent pain reliever. Narcotic in nature, you must not decide the right dose of this medicine. It is wise to ensure such consumption only with the confirmation of a healthcare provider.
Percocet withdrawal
There are certain adverse effects of extended use of a specific drug. The human body gets accustomed to its presence. So, over time, the person develops a dependency. The body becomes habituated to a drug and cannot go through withdrawal.
If you know a person who attempts to stop taking Percocet there are some common symptoms they have to go through.
The person will experience the following withdrawal symptoms for abruptly stopping the habit:
- Runny nose
- Rapid heartbeat
- Vomiting
- Watery eyes
- Sweating
- Joint aches
- Restlessness
- Fatigue and yawning
- Rapid breathing
- Muscle cramps
- Insomnia (the inability to fall asleep)
Dependence does not occur unless someone has been taking Percocet for several weeks. That’s why doctors don’t prescribe painkillers for more than a week after surgery.
Percocet Addiction: Is It Treatable?
There are specifically designed programs for people addicted to various prescription medicines. Detoxing from Percocet won’t be challenging in a well-equipped and welcoming treatment center.
First of all, a recovery program is mandatory for a person with a substance abuse disorder. This process eliminates any trace of the drug from the system within seven days. The program delivers therapies to teach people to live their lives without being addicted to opioids.
A supportive and comfortable environment is crucial in such a scenario. Irrespective of the stage of addiction, recovery is always possible. So, don’t hesitate to explore the treatment options, if necessary.
Final thoughts
Since you now know how long Percocet stays in your system, you must remember that you cannot take its power lightly. Only a certified medical professional or a licensed pharmacist should dispense it.
If yours is a case of Percocet overdose, you need to address it immediately. Consider it a medical emergency that will require medical attention at the earliest.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much Percocet is safe in 24 hours?
As Percocet is a painkiller, its job is to provide instant relief from pain. 1 tablet is effective for 6 hours. You should not have more than 6 Percocet tablets in a day. That’s the optimal daily dose.
2. Is Percocet hard on your body?
Don’t worry if your doctor prescribed a few Percocet tablets to you for a brief period. However, the long-term effects are many. So, yes, Percocet can be hard on your body if you don’t quit taking it. It can damage your kidneys, liver, and brain.
3. How long is it safe to take Percocet for pain?
One should use Percocet only when in acute pain. Doctors ask patients to use opioids for a maximum of five days. Repeated use can cause brain disease. So, don’t have Percocet for more than 5 days to reduce the chances of becoming dependent.