Types of Side Effects

Common side effects of Oxycontin include constipation, nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, vomiting, itching, headache, dry mouth, sweating and asthenia.

Time Frame

The common side effects of Oxycontin are most likely to occur when you first begin taking the drug and gradually diminish as your body becomes acclimated to the effects of the drug, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Risks

Oxycontin poses a risk of respiratory depression, a condition in which the body does not receive enough oxygen. The drug can also cause chemical dependence in some patients and may result in severe hypotension, or low blood pressure, warns the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Drug Interactions

Taking Oxycontin with other drugs that inhibit brain activity and spinal cord function increases your risk of respiratory depression, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Such drugs include muscle relaxants, alcohol, sedatives, hypnotics, general anesthetics, phenothiazines, tranquilizers, antihistamines, other narcotic pain relievers and medications used to prevent seizures.

Considerations

Because the drug is known to cause fetal harm in laboratory animals, doctors rarely prescribe Oxycontin to pregnant women. If you have a history of chemical dependence, depression, head injury, emphysema, asthma, lung disease, gallbladder disease, colitis, heart disease, kidney or liver disease, hypothyroidism or seizures, it may not be safe for you to take Oxycontin, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Source:

Daily Med: Oxycontin

Mayoclinic.com: Narcotic Analgesics---For Pain Relief