Consumer Information

Percocet

Generic Name: acetaminophen and oxycodone (a SEET a MIN oh fen and OX i KOE done)
Brand Names: Endocet, Magnacet, Narvox, Percocet, Roxicet, Tylox

What is Percocet?

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Oxycodone is in a group of drugs called narcotic pain relievers. Acetaminophen is a less potent pain reliever that increases the effects of oxycodone.

Percocet is used to relieve moderate to severe pain.

Percocet may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about Percocet?

Tell your doctor if you drink more than three alcoholic beverages per day or if you have ever had alcoholic liver disease (cirrhosis). You may not be able to take medication that contains acetaminophen.

Oxycodone may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it. Percocet can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Percocet?

Do not use Percocet if you are allergic to acetaminophen (Tylenol) or oxycodone. Oxycodone may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Percocet should never be given to another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it.

Before using Percocet, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

asthma, COPD, sleep apnea, or other breathing disorders;
liver or kidney disease;
a history of head injury or brain tumor;
epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
low blood pressure;
a stomach, intestinal, or pancreas disorder;
underactive thyroid;
Addison's disease or other adrenal gland disorder;
enlarged prostate, urination problems;
curvature of the spine;
mental illness; or
a history of drug or alcohol addiction.

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take Percocet.

FDA pregnancy category C. Percocet may be harmful to an unborn baby, and could cause breathing problems or addiction/withdrawal symptoms in a newborn. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Percocet may pass into breast milk and could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take Percocet?

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take it in larger amounts, or use it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain.

An overdose of acetaminophen can cause serious harm to your liver. The maximum amount of acetaminophen for adults is 1 gram (1000 mg) per dose and 4 grams (4000 mg) per day. One Percocet tablet may contain up to 650 mg of acetaminophen. Know the amount of acetaminophen in the specific product you are taking. Drink 6 to 8 full glasses of water daily to help prevent constipation while you are taking Percocet. Do not use a stool softener (laxative) without first asking your doctor. You may have withdrawal symptoms when you stop using Percocet after using it over a long period of time. Do not stop using Percocet suddenly without first talking to your doctor. You may need to use less and less before you stop the medication completely.

This medication can cause you to have unusual results with certain urine tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using Percocet.

If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using Percocet. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.

Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Keep track of how many tablets have been used from each new bottle of Percocet. Oxycodone is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if any person in the household is using Percocet improperly or without a prescription.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since Percocet is taken as needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you are taking the medication regularly, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and wait until your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much Percocet. An overdose of Percocet can be fatal.

Overdose symptoms may include extreme drowsiness, pinpoint pupils, nausea, vomiting, dark urine, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), confusion, cold and clammy skin, muscle weakness, fainting, weak pulse, coma, blue lips, shallow breathing, or no breathing.

What should I avoid while taking Percocet?

This medication can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. Do not use any other over-the-counter cough, cold, allergy, or pain medication without first asking your doctor or pharmacist. Acetaminophen is contained in many medicines available over the counter. Read the label of any other medicine you are using to see if it contains acetaminophen. Avoid drinking alcohol while taking Percocet. Alcohol may increase your risk of liver damage while taking acetaminophen. Cold or allergy medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety can add to sleepiness caused by oxycodone. Tell your doctor if you regularly use any of these medicines, or any other narcotic pain medicine.

Percocet side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

shallow breathing, slow heartbeat;
feeling light-headed, fainting;
confusion, unusual thoughts or behavior;
seizure (convulsions); or
nausea, stomach pain, loss of appetite, itching, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Less serious side effects include:

feeling dizzy or drowsy;
mild nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, constipation;
blurred vision; or
dry mouth.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

What other drugs will affect Percocet?

Before taking Percocet, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

glycopyrrolate (Robinul);
mepenzolate (Cantil);
atropine (Donnatal, and others), benztropine (Cogentin), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), methscopolamine (Pamine), or scopolamine (Transderm-Scop);
bladder or urinary medications such as darifenacin (Enablex), flavoxate (Urispas), oxybutynin (Ditropan, Oxytrol), tolterodine (Detrol), or solifenacin (Vesicare);
a bronchodilator such as ipratropium (Atrovent) or tiotropium (Spiriva); or
irritable bowel medications such as dicyclomine (Bentyl), hyoscyamine (Anaspaz, Cystospaz, Levsin, and others), or propantheline (Pro-Banthine).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Percocet. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about Percocet.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use Percocet only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects.