Oxycodone and Ibuprofen Combination for Pain Management: What You Need to Know

Have you recently undergone any surgery? If yes, then your doctor must have surely loaded you with pain relievers to help you deal with the severe post-surgery pain. Pain relievers are extremely helpful in dealing with any range of pain. They are, in fact, the first line of treatments. Opioids are the most widely used pain relievers, and from their family, Oxycodone is one such type that is commonly prescribed. It helps by blocking pain signals that provide relaxation. But in case of extreme pain, Oxycodone is often combined with another drug called Ibuprofen. The combination of Oxycodone and Ibuprofen is not common and is highly subjective.

If your doctor has also suggested the combination of these drugs and you are curious to know about all the details, then this blog is the perfect place for you. In this blog, we have discussed all the details regarding whether can you mix Oxycodone and Ibuprofen together, factors to consider before mixing them, results of Oxycodone and Ibuprofen interactions, required dosages, and some natural alternatives to consider for your pain.

Overview of Oxycodone

Oxycodone is an opioid analgesic used to treat moderate to severe pain in patients who are not able to tolerate other opioid medications. It has several brand names like OxyContin, Oxypro, Longtec, and Shortec. Oxycodone is available for use in various forms, including tablets, capsules, and oral solutions, and can be taken with or without food and water. This drug should not be used if you have slight pain, and if the pain occurs sometimes. Since Oxycodone belongs to the category of Schedule II drugs, you should deal with this with caution and avoid overuse. Some of the side effects caused by the overuse of the drug are

• Slow heartbeat
• Vomiting
• Unresponsive
• Cold skin
• Pale lips and fingernails
• Weakness

Overview of Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen is an NSAID used for relieving pain like arthritis, migraines, and menstrual pain. This drug is available for use in the form of tablets, capsules, liquids, and sprays. People with kidney, heart, and liver problems should not be given Ibuprofen. Regular and prolonged use of Ibuprofen can cause dependency in individuals, so act according to the instructions of the physicians. Some adverse effects of Ibuprofen are:

• Headache
• Stomach ulcer
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Bloating

Can You Take Oxycodone and Ibuprofen at The Same Time?

The drugs Oxycodone and Ibuprofen are often combined to provide relief to patients suffering from severe pain. This mixture is often used in the case of adults and has to be dealt with utmost care. In general, a small dose of this combination is given first, and later the doses are increased according to the requirement. Combining Oxycodone and Ibuprofen helps people from the overdose on Oxycodone, and also there is a lower chance of dependency because this is only taken for 7 days.

Points To Know Before Combining Oxycodone and Ibuprofen

It is important to be aware of all the important risks that can happen after taking Oxycodone with Ibuprofen together to avoid any complications afterwards. The decision is normally taken by the doctor and is to be followed strictly. The factors are:

Allergies

If you are allergic to any one of the products, then taking the combination will be deadly. Tell your doctor if you have any allergies and are taking drugs for that. This can help the doctor to prescribe you any other alternatives or maybe lower the dose of the medicine.

Lactating Mother

In the case of women who are breastfeeding, they should avoid this medicine. There are no such studies available that show the benefits or the risks associated with combining the two products. So, it is better to be safe and avoid taking these to prevent the risk of harming the baby.

Drug Interactions

There can be certain drugs that can interact with the mixture of Oxycodone and Ibuprofen and harm the body. It is better to be aware of those drugs from before if so that you do not mix them and create harm for yourself. The drugs to be avoided with the mixture are:

• Isocarboxazid
• Levoketoconazole
• Mavorixafor
• Naltrexone
• Phenelzine
• Safinamide
• Samidorphan

If you take any of this drug and are also planning to try the mixture of Oxycodone and Ibuprofen, or vice versa, then your doctor may adjust the dosage level or else have to prescribe you with alternatives of either of the two.

Required Dosages

The mixture of Oxycodone and Ibuprofen together is not common. If you are prescribed them, then your doctor will prepare the dose according to the requirements of your body. Let’s look into the average amount of the dose prescribed to the patient.

Oral dosage forms for moderate to severe pain:

• Extended-release capsules: 9 mg every 12 hours with food. For people switching from other opioids, the doctor will decide based on the type of opioids you were using.
• Capsules: The recommended dose at first is 5 to 15 mg every 4 to 6 hours, which can be changed according to the requirement.
• Extended-release tablets: 1 tablet every 12 hours is recommended at first, which can be adjusted as required by your doctor later.
• For the solution: The recommended dose is 5 to 15 mg every 4 hours or as needed.
• For tablets: It is suggested to take 5 to 15 mg every 4 to 6 hours at first, which can be changed later if required.

Side Effects

It is a very common fact that side effects happen after taking any kind of drug. But if you are planning to combine both drugs, which belong to the Schedule II category, for your condition, then you have to be ready to face a more enhanced version of each of their effects, along with some new effects developed due to the combination. The side effects faced by the body are:

• Chills
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Fever
• Twitching
• Cough
• Nausea
• Seizures
• Blurred vision
• Chocking
• Diarrhea
• Anxiety
• Weight loss
• Hiccups
• Indigestion

Precautions

Certain precautions should be followed while dealing with high-potency drugs like opioids to avoid harming others as well as yourself. There have been a significant number of deaths due to opioid overdosing or accidental intake, so we have to be very careful. The steps that must be taken are:

• Keep the drugs in a cool place away from direct sunlight.
• Always check the expiry date to avoid poisoning yourself.
• Keep the drugs out of reach of children.
• Consult your healthcare provider before taking any alcoholic beverages.
• Do not take medicine according to others’ prescriptions and visit a doctor to get a prescription of your own.
• Strictly follow the routine and do not double-dose or overdose without consulting healthcare providers.

Non-Drug Alternatives For Pain Management

Certain natural alternatives must be on the treatment list of anyone dealing with body pain. These can help you escape from the side effects caused by these high-power drugs, and are the safest option. You can try alternatives such as acupuncture, Various therapies, Yoga, meditation, and electrical stimulation. These are age-old methods and have proven themselves to be effective against pain since our ancestors. You should definitely try these to be able to live completely without pain.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that you can take Oxycodone and Ibuprofen together to get relief from pain. But this should be purely the decision of your physician and not your own. Take the doses according to your prescription and try not to overdose. If you accidentally mix the drugs or overdose, then contact your doctor immediately. Ask your doctor to lower the dosage level if you feel uncomfortable or to prescribe you any alternatives.