Short answer: Oxycodone is a strong prescription opioid used for pain severe enough to need an opioid when other treatments are not enough. It is sold alone (Roxicodone, OxyContin) and combined with acetaminophen (Percocet). It is a Schedule II controlled substance, and it carries a high risk of addiction, overdose, and withdrawal.
Key takeaways
- What it is: Oxycodone is an opioid agonist and a Schedule II controlled substance in the US.
- Main uses: Severe pain.
- Timing: effects start in 10 to 30 minutes and last 4 to 6 hours (immediate release); 12 hours (extended release).
- Most dangerous mix: Benzodiazepines (alprazolam, diazepam, clonazepam), which can cause profound sedation, slowed breathing, coma, death.
- Naloxone: it reverses an overdose.
- Dependence risk: High.
- Legal route: only with a prescription from a DEA-registered clinician, filled by a licensed pharmacy.
What is oxycodone?
Oxycodone is FDA-approved for pain severe enough to require an opioid and for which other treatments, such as non-opioid pain relievers, are inadequate. Extended-release forms such as OxyContin are only for severe, persistent pain that needs daily, around-the-clock opioid treatment over a long period.
It works by activating mu-opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord, which reduces how pain signals are felt. The same receptors control breathing, which is why too much can stop a person breathing.
Quick facts
| Fact | Oxycodone |
|---|---|
| Generic name | Oxycodone hydrochloride |
| Brand names | OxyContin, Roxicodone, Oxaydo, Xtampza ER; with acetaminophen: Percocet |
| Drug class | Opioid agonist |
| US legal status | Schedule II, prescription only |
| Approved uses | Pain severe enough to require an opioid, when alternatives are inadequate |
| Forms | Immediate-release tablets, capsules, and oral solution; extended-release tablets and capsules |
| Onset | 10 to 30 minutes (immediate release) |
| Half-life | About 3 to 4.5 hours |
| Broken down by | Liver enzymes CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 |
How long does oxycodone last?
- Starts working: 10 to 30 minutes
- Effects last: 4 to 6 hours (immediate release); 12 hours (extended release)
- Half-life: About 3 to 4.5 hours
Immediate-release oxycodone usually starts to relieve pain within 10 to 30 minutes and peaks after about 1 hour. Extended-release forms work over 12 hours and are not meant for fast relief.
Timing varies with the dose, the form, how it is taken, liver and kidney function, age, and other drugs taken at the same time.
What are the biggest risks of oxycodone?
The FDA requires boxed warnings, its strongest, on oxycodone products, including:
- Oxycodone exposes users to risks of addiction, misuse, and abuse, which can lead to overdose and death.
- Life-threatening slowed breathing can occur, especially when starting treatment or after a dose increase.
- Accidental ingestion, especially by children, can cause a fatal overdose.
- Use with benzodiazepines or other central nervous system depressants, including alcohol, can cause profound sedation, slowed breathing, coma, and death.
Common side effects include constipation, nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, itching, headache, dry mouth, and sweating.
Serious risks include slowed or stopped breathing, severe low blood pressure, adrenal insufficiency, serotonin syndrome with some antidepressants, and increased sensitivity to pain (opioid-induced hyperalgesia).
What should you never mix with oxycodone?
| Combined with | What happens | Label guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Benzodiazepines (alprazolam, diazepam, clonazepam) | Profound sedation, slowed breathing, coma, death | Boxed warning; avoid unless no alternative |
| Alcohol | Stronger sedation and slowed breathing | Avoid |
| Gabapentin, pregabalin, sleep medicines, muscle relaxants | Additive sedation and breathing problems | Use caution; lower doses |
| Ketoconazole, clarithromycin, ritonavir, grapefruit juice | Block CYP3A4 and raise oxycodone levels | Monitor closely; lower dose may be needed |
| Rifampin, carbamazepine, phenytoin | Lower oxycodone levels; stopping them raises levels | Monitor for withdrawal or overdose |
| SSRIs, SNRIs, triptans, MAOIs | Serotonin syndrome | MAOIs: avoid within 14 days |
Check any combination with the DoseUses combination checker or ask a pharmacist.
What are the signs of an oxycodone overdose, and what should you do?
Signs of an oxycodone overdose include pinpoint pupils, extreme sleepiness or inability to wake up, slow, shallow, or stopped breathing, gurgling or snoring sounds, limp body, and blue or gray lips and fingertips. Overdose risk is highest when oxycodone is combined with alcohol, benzodiazepines, or other sedatives, after a period without use, and with counterfeit pills.
If someone may have overdosed
- Call 911 if the person is unresponsive, cannot be woken, has blue or gray lips, or is breathing slowly or not at all.
- Give naloxone (Narcan or a generic nasal spray, sold without a prescription) into one nostril. If there is no response after 2 to 3 minutes, give another dose.
- If you are trained, give rescue breaths. Otherwise place the person on their side so they do not choke.
- Stay with them. Naloxone can wear off before oxycodone does, so the overdose can return even after the person wakes up.
- Most states have Good Samaritan laws that protect people who call 911 for an overdose from some drug charges.
What is oxycodone withdrawal like, and how long does it last?
People who take oxycodone regularly for more than a few weeks become physically dependent, even when they take it exactly as prescribed. Dependence is not the same as addiction, but it means stopping suddenly causes withdrawal.
- 6 to 12 hoursEarly symptomsAnxiety, restlessness, yawning, sweating, runny nose, watery eyes, and muscle aches.
- Days 1 to 3Peak withdrawalDiarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting, goosebumps, dilated pupils, fast heartbeat, and strong cravings. Rarely dangerous in healthy adults, but dehydration can be serious.
- Days 5 to 10, then weeksLingering symptomsPoor sleep, low mood, low energy, and cravings can continue for weeks. Tolerance falls quickly, which raises the risk of overdose if use restarts.
See the withdrawal timelines and the full oxycodone withdrawal guide.
Is oxycodone legal?
In the United States, oxycodone is a Schedule II controlled substance. The only legal way to get it is with a prescription from a clinician registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), filled by a licensed pharmacy. Depending on state law, that can be a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant.
- Refills: Schedule II prescriptions cannot be refilled. A prescriber can write several prescriptions at once, with dates when each may be filled, for up to a 90-day supply in total.
- Telehealth: federal flexibilities let DEA-registered clinicians prescribe Schedule II to V medicines after a telemedicine visit, without a prior in-person exam, through December 31, 2026. A permanent DEA rule was under final review in late 2026. State rules can be stricter.
- Monitoring: prescribers and pharmacists in most states check a prescription drug monitoring program, a database of controlled-substance prescriptions, before prescribing or dispensing.
Outside the United States
| Country | Status |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Class A; prescription only |
| Canada | Schedule I of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act; prescription only |
| Australia | Schedule 8 controlled drug; prescription only |
| International | Schedule I of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs |
Frequently asked questions about oxycodone
How long does oxycodone take to work?
Immediate-release oxycodone usually starts to relieve pain within 10 to 30 minutes and peaks after about 1 hour. Extended-release forms work over 12 hours and are not meant for fast relief.
How long does oxycodone stay in your system?
Its half-life is about 3 to 4.5 hours, so most of a dose is cleared within a day. Urine tests can usually detect it for 1 to 3 days, and longer after regular use.
What is the difference between oxycodone and OxyContin?
OxyContin is a brand of extended-release oxycodone that lasts about 12 hours. Plain oxycodone tablets are immediate release and last 4 to 6 hours.
Is oxycodone stronger than hydrocodone?
By weight, oxycodone is roughly 1.5 times as potent as hydrocodone by mouth. Both are Schedule II and carry the same boxed warnings.
Can you buy oxycodone online legally?
Only with a valid prescription, from a pharmacy licensed in your state. Sites that sell oxycodone without a prescription are illegal, and their pills are frequently counterfeit and contain fentanyl.
Is it safe to stop oxycodone suddenly?
After more than a few weeks of regular use, stopping suddenly causes withdrawal. A prescriber can plan a gradual taper.
Sources
- OxyContin (oxycodone) prescribing information, DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine.
- CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain, 2022, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MMWR.
- Information about naloxone and nalmefene, US Food and Drug Administration.
- Controlled Substance Schedules, DEA Diversion Control Division.
- 21 CFR 1306.12, Refilling prescriptions; issuance of multiple prescriptions (Schedule II), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.
- Prescribing controlled substances via telehealth, US Department of Health and Human Services.
- BeSafeRx: Your Source for Online Pharmacy Information, US Food and Drug Administration.
- Safe Pharmacy, National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.
This guide summarizes the sourced DoseUses Oxycodone profile, written from FDA labels, DEA rules, and federal health agencies. It is educational and is not medical advice. Last updated October 5, 2026.
