How to Detox from Percocet

Percocet is an opiate that is often prescribed by a doctor to treat moderate to severe pain. With its use, there is the potential, as with any narcotic pain killer, for a person to develop an addiction and dependency, as it alters the chemicals and receptors of the individual's brain. When you become addicted to any sort of drug, there is a process to a person's recovery. First and foremost, there will be a period of detox from the addictive substance.

Instructions

1. Reduce the amount of Percocet you take each day. As you start getting off Percocet, especially after long-term abuse, you should try to reduce the dosage you take each day. Sometimes, when you abruptly stop taking a narcotic like Percocet, you can experience convulsions and seizures. If you're trying to home detox on your own, gradual reduction is a safer approach.

2. Consult a medical professional. This is really the most effective and safest way to start a detox regimen for Percocet, as it can help avoid any medical complications that may occur during your withdrawal period, particularly if you're going cold turkey. A medical professional can prescribe the appropriate medication, like Librium, Quinine Sulfate and Baclofen, to ease the symptoms of withdrawal and treat certain complications.

3. Return to your doctor after a couple of days. Getting off of any sort of narcotic, including Percocet, can be extremely difficult. It's not really something you should do on your own. Actually, an unsupervised detox can be so problematic that it can result in death, so you should really keep in contact with your doctor when doing a home detox. Plus, doctors will typically only prescribe two days' worth of "detox medications." After that, you'll need to come back in for a urine test to get your next prescription.

4. Check in to a residential detox facility. When you go through withdrawal from Percocet, it is highly advisable to do so under the care of a trained residential detox facility. It is here that you'll find a better management of those symptoms that often accompany withdrawal and ensure that any complications you may experience are treated promptly and effectively.

5. Follow up with a drug rehabilitation center. After you've gone through detox from Percocet, which is usually no more than a total of seven days, you should move into a drug rehabilitation center to treat your addiction. This will help you complete your recovery process.

Tips & Warnings

• According to the Mayo Clinic, participation in a 12-step program that specializes in prescription drug abuse is one of the best approaches.

References

• Recovery Connection. (2007). "Percocet." Retrieved on May 18, 2009.
• Mayo Clinic. (2008). "Prescription Drug Abuse." Retrieved on May 18, 2009.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• The Canyon: Rehabilitation and Treatment Center