Opana – A Popular Substitute for OxyContin Users

  • Post author:
  • Post category:opana

 

Opana ER – Extended Release

Opana: A Powerful Prescription Opioid

Opana is a drug that was created initially to combat the abuse issues that arose with Purdue Pharma’s most popular and addictive drug, Oxycontin. Unfortunately, this drug is abused often just like its predecessor. People often crush the pills and then chew, inject or snort them.

Newer formulas have been made to be crush-proof, so they can’t be ingested quickly to get high. This version can drive a person with an opioid addiction to the streets to get their fix.

Facts About Opana

Opana is seeing a rise in popularity as a drug of choice among opioid users. Here are some facts about the drug:

  • Opana is the brand name for oxymorphone hydrochloride.
  • Like Oxycodone, Opana is a narcotic painkiller that is similar to morphine but much, much stronger.
  • Opana should never be taken with food. Opana levels can move dangerously high in the bloodstream if taken with food. This won’t enhance a user’s high, but it can lead to death.
  • When prescribed legally by a doctor, Opana is meant to help with the treatment of moderate to severe pain.
  • Opana also has an extended-release form known as Opana ER.
  • Opana is known to cause overdoses because it only gives the user a “quick” high, leaving them trying to maintain the high with extra amounts of the drug.
  • Although the high is relatively short-lived, the drug is twice as potent as Oxycontin.
  • Opana is frequently prescribed to burn victims, people coping with cancer, and others with serious pain.

Unlike Oxycontin, Opana is more of a sedative than a drug, which gets users “high”. While it has a period of euphoria when it is taken, it is much shorter than other pain pills. Users who are chasing this high will get addicted quickly as they develop a tolerance to the drug. It can be extremely habit forming as the user begins to develop a tolerance to the drug, requiring more and more of it to get the same feelings.

Street Names for Opana

Opana is frequently sold on the street by a variety of names, depending on where you’re located. Here are a few of the street names that are out there:

  • Pink lady
  • Pink heaven
  • Stop signs
  • Octagons
  • The O Bomb
  • Blue heaven
  • Blues
  • New blues
  • Biscuits

Most of these nicknames are based on the pill’s appearance.

People who use Opana and have used Oxycontin in the past may be unfamiliar with how strong Opana can be when it kicks in. This can lead to overdoses.

Signs and Symptoms of Opana Abuse

Opana users will often have side effects, even if they are not abusing the drug. People who abuse it will experience some of the following symptoms:

  • Disorientation, trouble keeping a conversation up.
  • Dry mouth
  • Headaches
  • Cold and clammy skin
  • Constipation or diarrhea
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nervousness and anxiety
  • Respiratory depression/slow, troubled breathing
  • Fatigue and extreme sleepiness
  • Dizziness, nausea and light-headedness
  • Stupor, lack of response, or coma

Opana overdoses are life threatening and can seem to happen quite suddenly. They can happen quite suddenly. If you or somebody you love takes Opana regularly, please make sure that you keep naloxone, an opioid antagonist that’s meant to reverse overdoses, on hand. While naloxone can help reverse an overdose, medical help is still necessary as the medication can wear off and other complications from overdose may occur.

Opana Abuse and Addiction

Opana abuse will often lead to addiction. As a highly potent narcotic, Opana is often abused by people trying to chase the “high” it gives. As a person uses the drug more and more, they need higher amounts to get the same effect. This causes changes in the body and the brain that lead to addiction on both a physical and mental level.

A person who is addicted to Opana or other opioids may exhibit changes in their lifestyle, appearance, and health. They may shun social events where they would be uncomfortable when high, and may spend more time alone. Some people seek out other drug users to get high with, and may even resort to criminal behaviors like stealing or doctor-shopping to get more of their drug of choice.

An Opana addiction can be quite uncomfortable when the user is unable to get their drug of choice. Withdrawal symptoms are painful and may feel extreme. Withdrawal can include sweating, shaking, mood swings such as anxiety or rage, diarrhea and painful cramps and other physical manifestations. For this reason, it’s recommended that a person who wants to get clean from Opana do so in a safe and therapeutic environment such as a detox facility.

Getting Help for Opana Abuse

Do you or somebody you love have a problem with Opana or other drugs? Hope is a phone call away and you don’t have to go it alone. Thousands of people break free from Opana or other opioid addiction every year and find a way to reclaim their lives. You can, too!

The treatment for Opana addiction is similar to treatment for other types of opioids. Detoxification is required to overcome withdrawal from physical addition, followed by residential drug treatment, addiction therapy and follow-up counseling.

Learn more about your options with a confidential phone call. Call one of our addiction specialists today to learn more about getting free from your addiction. For more information about the signs symptoms and dangers of opana click here.