How Long Does Percocet Stay in Your System

How Long Does Percocet Stay in Your System Addiction Drug Use Opioids Print How Long Does Percocet (Acetaminophen/Oxycodone) Stay in Your System? Percocet in Your Blood, Urine, Hair, Saliva By Buddy T facebook twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial policy Buddy T Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on October 06, 2019 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on February 12, 2020 familylifestyle / Getty Images More in Addiction Drug Use Opioids Cocaine Heroin Marijuana Meth Ecstasy/MDMA Hallucinogens Prescription Medications Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery In This Article Table of Contents Expand Effects Duration Factors That Affect Detection Time Elimination Symptoms of Overdose Getting Help View All Back To Top Percocet is a pain reliever thats prescribed for people with moderate to severe pain. It contains the narcotic oxycodone, an opiate analgesic medication, and acetaminophen (Tylenol), a non-narcotic pain reliever and fever reducer. Percocet is a Schedule II drug, meaning it has a high potential for abuse, potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence.?? Knowing how long Percocet remains in your system can help prevent an accidental overdose caused by taking your next dose of medication too soon or by interactions with other medications youre taking. How Long Does Percocet Stay in Your System? Blood: Up to 24 hoursUrine: Up to four daysSaliva: Up to four daysHair: Up to 90 days Percocet for Chronic Pain Management How Long Does It Take to Feel the Effects? Percocet is mostly known for pain relief but it also makes some people feel relaxed and even sleepy. The pain-relieving effects of Percocet can typically be felt about 20 to 30 minutes after taking the drug. Common side effects of Percocet include: ConstipationNauseaVomitingUpset stomachDrowsiness or sleepinessConfusion or muddy thinkingDizzinessHeadacheBlurred visionItching When taken in large doses or misused, Percocet can cause the following side effects: Low blood pressureSlowed breathingConfusionMood swingsDepressionFlushing or sweatingTrouble concentrationProblems with coordination Percocet After Surgery How Long Does Percocet Last? The half-life of a drug is how long it takes, on average, for half of the initial dose to be metabolized and leave your system. It takes several half-lives to completely eliminate the drug from your system. Understanding the half-life of Percocet can help you avoid an overdose. Percocet has a half-life in your blood of 3.5 hours, but that varies depending on your liver function. This means that it will take an average of 19 hours to eliminate all Percocet from your system. In urine tests, traces of Percocet can generally be detected for 48 hours, starting 2 hours after the initial dose.?? The average half-life of immediate-release oxycodone is about 3.2 hours in your bloodstream. Its metabolized in your body into noroxymorphone and oxymorphone and passes out of your body through your urine. For the majority of people, Percocet is out of your bloodstream within 24 hours, but its traceable in your saliva, urine, and hair for much longer. Blood In blood tests, the drug is detectable for 24 hours. Urine Percocet is detectable in a standard urine test for three to four days after your last dose. Saliva Percocet can also be detected by a saliva test for one to four days after use. Hair The drug can be detected in hair follicles for up to 90 days. False Positive Testing If you take a urine drug screen while taking Percocet, it will be positive for opioids, so let the clinic know what youre taking ahead of time. Its also always a good idea to disclose any drugs and supplements you are taking to the testing agency, in case they can trigger a false positive. Factors That Affect Detection Time Drugs stay in peoples systems for different amounts of time due to a multitude of factors, including metabolism, age, other medications youre on, how long youve been taking the drug, and overall health. Metabolism The faster your metabolic rate, which can be influenced by age, hydration, and physical activity, the quicker your body will excrete the drug. Age Adults over the age of 65 have been study-proven to clear the oxycodone in Percocet from their systems at a slower rate than younger adults.?? Kidney and Liver Function People with impaired kidney and liver function clear Percocet at a slower rate. Duration of Use Percocet can build up in your body, so if you have been taking it for pain for some time, it will be detectable for a longer period of time after your last dose. How to Get Percocet Out of Your System While drinking lots of fluids or exercising may help dilute your urine or speed up your metabolism slightly, these are not proven methods to get Percocet out of your system more quickly. Your best bet is to stop taking the drugâ€"but never without first talking to your doctor. Because Percocet can lead to physical dependence, you may experience  unpleasant symptoms of withdrawal if you stop cold turkey. Symptoms of Overdose The risks of overdose from Percocet come both from the oxycodone opiate and acetaminophen. If you take Percocet and get to the point where it feels like its no longer controlling your pain, dont increase your dose on your ownâ€"call your doctor and discuss the problem. Because acetaminophen is used in a large number of combination medications, an overdose can happen when you dont realize that youre taking it in more than one medication. Be sure to check that you arent taking acetaminophen in any other over-the-counter medications or prescriptions. Combination drugs like Percocet are now limited to no more than 325mg of acetaminophen per tablet, capsule, or dosage unit to help prevent these dangerous overdoses.?? If you suspect you have taken more than 4,000 milligrams of acetaminophen in 24 hours, contact your doctor immediately, even if you feel well and dont have any symptoms. An overdose of acetaminophen can result in irreversible liver damage and death.?? Some of the symptoms of Percocet overdose include: Difficulty breathingSlowed or stopped breathingExcessive sleepinessDizzinessFaintingLimp or weak musclesCold, clammy skinSlow or stopped heartbeatBlue color of skin, fingernails, lipsLoss of consciousness or coma If you suspect someone has overdosed on Percocet, call 911 immediately. First responders should be able to revive the overdose victim by using a medication called Narcan  (naloxone) if theyre notified quickly. Understanding Opioid Overdoses Dangerous Interactions When oxycodone is combined with alcohol, other opioids, benzodiazepines, or other central nervous system depressants like certain cold or allergy medicines, it can result in profound sedation, breathing suppression, coma, and even death.?? Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how other medications you may be taking could interact with Percocet. Oxycodone can also interact with the following medications, creating a potentially dangerous increase in the level of oxycodone when theyre taken with Percocet or discontinued while using Percocet.?? AntibioticsAntifungal agentsCYP3A4 and CYP2D6 inhibitors Let your doctor know about all the over-the-counter and prescription medications, herbs, and supplements youre taking so they can be monitored and adjusted. Its also important to tell your doctor if you have a history of breathing problems like bronchitis or asthma. The oxycodone in Percocet can produce serious or life-threatening breathing problems, especially after youve first started the prescription or when youre increasing the dosage. Getting Help Stopping Percocet suddenly can cause extremely unpleasant opioid withdrawal symptoms that can begin six to 30 hours after taking the drug. For most people, symptoms of withdrawal should markedly improve within five to 10 days. If your symptoms are lingering or getting worse, it’s important to seek medical help. Symptoms of Percocet withdrawal include: Feeling restlessSweatingYawningChillsRunny noseWeaknessFeeling irritable and/or anxiousMuscle or joint achesProblems sleepingDepressionIrregular heartbeatAppetite lossRapid breathingNauseaVomitingDiarrheaCramps How Long Does Withdrawal From Opioids Last? If you want to decrease or stop taking Percocet, your doctor can help you taper off the drug safely and prescribe other medications and lifestyle modifications to help manage your pain. Be honest with your healthcare provider if you think you may have developed a dependence or addiction to the drug. You may need long-term recovery support to cope with the physical and psychological effects of opioid use disorder. Addiction treatment may include maintenance medication, outpatient or inpatient treatment as well as a support group like Narcotics Anonymous or SMART Recovery. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is a great resource. Call 1-800-662-4357 or use their  online tools  to find treatment options in your area.