How Long Does Oxycodone Stay In Your Body?
The United States is the world’s largest consumer of Oxycodone with Acetaminophen. This special formula is a regular drug prescribed in the country as confirmed by SAMSHA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Because of its popularity, a lot of people are curious about its specific duration of suspension in the system. If truth be told, this drug has no accurate timetables to provide a definitive answer. Yet, some general guidelines could help.
Oxycodone’s controlled-release formulation is called OxyContin. The characteristic component is able to supply the body with Oxycodone for 12 hours with an ability to remain in the urine for 1-3 days after the last dosage.
Some of the frequently asked questions about OxyContin are:
- What is the exact elimination time of the drug?
- Is it affected by the extended release formula?
- How is OxyContin detected in the body?
Some Factors Can Determine The Duration Of The Drug Inside The Body.
One of the primary factors to consider is the individual’s metabolism.
When the body is able to process food or drug intake quickly, excretion will be faster. However, other factors have to be considered also like hydration and body mass because fat deposits may accumulate chemicals compared to tissues.
Furthermore, keeping hydrated would mean less fluid retention. Finally, the amount and frequency of usage should also be accounted for as first time users who take the drug are cleared much faster than frequent users since the latter has become more tolerant to the drug. In comparison, those who take smaller dosage will be clear of the drug faster than those who took a higher dosage.
Detections also vary with different types of tests.
In blood tests, Oxycodone is detectable within 24 hours; saliva tests can detect Oxycodone after 1-4 days; urine tests can detect medication in 3-4 days; and hair tests can detect the drug in 90 days.
The data were supported by the study of Ron Flegal of SAMSHA, which was completed in 2014. In the study he conducted, there were two groups of participants; a total of 12 drug-free and healthy people. The first group was given a single dose of 20mg oxycodone, while the second group was given two tablet dose of hydrocodone 10mg each containing 325mg acetaminophen. Then the amount of the drug was tested through saliva, blood, and urine tests in a span of 50 hours.
In the results, both oxycodone and hydrocodone are detected in blood and saliva inside 15-30 minutes and is positive in urine within 0-2 hours. The two drugs were undetectable both in the blood test range in under 25 hours, while the saliva test took around 35-50 hours. It took about 50 hours with the urine test; it is the longest detection testing.
OxyContin Starts Working Within An Hour
The effects of OxyContin starts within one hour after ingestion and lasts up to 12 hours in the controlled release formula. Its peak plasma concentrations may vary by dosage, but can reach between 4 to 5.5 hours after consuming the drug. The stable plasma levels, on the other hand, reaches 24 hours. OxyContin’s half life with extended release oxycodone preparations is 4.5 hours.
