U15 Pill

Introduction

The U15 pill is a white-colored capsule-shaped pill with an imprint of "U15". It is known to contain the active ingredients acetaminophen in the strength of 325 mg and oxycodone hydrochloride in the strength of 5 mg.

This medicine is manufactured by the company Aurolife Pharma LLC. It is part of the narcotic analgesic class of drugs and is available only by prescription from the doctor. It is under the brand name Percocet.

Acetaminophen and Oxycodone Combination

A combination of acetaminophen and oxycodone is known to provide relief from chronic pain. Oxycodone is considered to be an opioid medicine for pain relief. Opioid is sometimes referred to as a narcotic drug. On the other hand, acetaminophen is the less potent pain reliever, which is known to increase the effect of oxycodone.

A combination of both these ingredients is said to provide relief from moderate to severe types of pain.

Before Usage

Before starting any of type of medications, there are certain things an individual should take note to properly inform the doctor of his or her condition and prevent future complications. 

Providing a detailed and correct information can be quite helpful for the doctor when it comes to the diagnosis and treatment of certain medical conditions. It can also help prevent unnecessary side effects or fatal consequences. Inform your doctor if you have the following conditions:

• An allergy towards oxycodone, acetaminophen, or any other ingredients of the medicine.
• If you have a specific allergic reaction towards other drugs, foods, or any substances. The symptoms of your allergic reactions can also be mentioned to the doctor. They can be hives, itching, fever, wheezing, coughing, or swelling of the lips, face, tongue, and throat.
• If you have other medical conditions such as breathing difficulties, sleep apnea, insomnia, asthma, and narrowing or blockage of the bowel.
• If you have recently taken any drugs or medicine, which may include drugs for depression and other medications such as phenelzine, isocarboxazid, or tranylcypromine as well as medications being used for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease such as rasagiline or selegiline. If any of these medications have been taken in the last 14 days, and if you have simultaneously taken U15 pills, then it can lead to serious high blood pressure levels.
• If you have been taking medicines such as methylene blue injections, butorphanol, pentazocine, linezolid, buprenorphine, or nalbuphine.
• If you are pregnant or planning for a pregnancy and also if you are nursing or breastfeeding a baby.
• If you have taken other prescription or nonprescription drugs, certain vitamins, dietary, and herbal supplements. 

Do not change the drug's dosage or start or stop any of your medications without the proper recommendation from your doctor.

Important Information

• This medicine can be habit-forming if taken on a regular basis for a prolonged period of time. Thus, this drug should only be taken when it is prescribed by the doctor. 
• During the course of treatment, avoid driving or carrying out any activity, which would need mental alertness until you are completely sure that this medicine works just fine and shows no problematic symptoms.
• Since this medicine can lead to symptoms of dizziness or passing out, try to slowly get up from a lying or sitting position. Moreover, be careful while taking the stairs.
• Withdrawal symptoms, which can be fatal, can be experienced if the medicine is suddenly stopped. Always follow your doctor's instructions when taking this medicine. 
• Taking this medicine for a longer time or at higher doses may increase your tolerance level. Avoid taking more than the drug's recommended dose since it can also lead to an overdose.
• Taking more than the required amount of acetaminophen can lead to an overdose, which can be life-threatening. Seek emergency medical help if you think you have consumed more than 4,000 mg of acetaminophen in a day.
• Avoid taking this pill along with other strong medicines or with a pain patch without consulting your doctor. 
• It is also not a good idea to switch between products that are known to have similar ingredients in them and without consulting your doctor about it. 

Serotonin Syndrome

In certain cases, serotonin syndrome can occur while taking this medicine. The condition happens when an individual takes this medicine along with other drugs such as antidepressants, migraine medications, and other drugs.

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Agitation
• A change in balance
• Confusion
• Hallucinations
• Sudden fever
• Abnormal heart rate
• Muscle stiffness
• Muscle twitching
• Seizure attacks
• Excessive sweating
• Severe diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Shivering or tremors
• A bad headache
• Stomach upset

If an opioid is used for a longer duration, then it can lead to certain side effects, which include:

• Low sex drive or lack of interest in sex
• The absence of menstrual periods in women
• Fertility issues

The doctor should be made aware of any of the above-mentioned side effects. The use of this medicine can lead to an increased risk of getting seizures for few individuals, especially those who had seizures in the past. Elderly individuals who take this medication should be more careful due to the age risk factor. 

Using this medicine during pregnancy can be habit-forming for the unborn child. Thus, the newborn baby would undergo withdrawal symptoms after delivery. In such cases, the baby must remain hospitalized and should be treated for it.

Usage

This pill should be exactly taken as prescribed by the doctor. You can also follow the instructions mentioned on the medicine label.

Make sure to follow all your doctor's instructions to avoid negative consequences. The U15 pill should be orally taken. It can be taken with or without food, but it is ideally taken with food to avoid having an upset the stomach.

Try not to inject or snort the medicine to avoid breathing difficulties or even death due to an overdose. The U15 pill should only be taken in the dose recommended by your doctor. Do not take larger amounts of this medicine since taking more of it can cause fatal side effects.

This medicine is known to affect certain laboratory tests. If you are taking this medicine on a regular basis, then try not to miss any dose. However, if you have missed a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is already time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume on your dosing schedule. 

Avoid taking two doses at the same time or taking any additional doses. Most of the time, the doctor would recommend this medicine on as needed basis. Thus, it should not be taken more often unless otherwise advised by the doctor.

The drug’s dosage must be appropriately adjusted according to the patient’s severity of pain and the patient’s corresponding response to the treatment. However, it is important to note that oxycodone tolerance can potentially develop with continued use and that any incidence of unpleasant side effects is usually dose-related.

This medication is not recommended in high doses for the treatment of severe pain. The usual dosage for adults is one capsule, which is orally taken every six hours or as needed for pain relief. 

Side Effects

The following side effects apply to acetaminophen/oxycodone in the form of an oral capsule, oral tablet, oral solution, and oral tablet extended release. This drug may cause certain unpleasant side effects. However, not all of its side effects can be experienced by individuals taking this drug. But when they do occur, they may need prompt medical attention.

Immediately inform your doctor if you experience any of the following side effects while taking acetaminophen/ oxycodone:

1. Most Common Side Effects

• Abdominal pain
• Dark-colored urine
• Light-colored or black, tarry stools
• Poor appetite
• Hematemesis (vomiting of blood)
• Nausea
• Bad breath
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and sclera)
• Fatigue
• Skin itching or rashes
• Headache
• Fever and chills
• Dizziness

2. Rare Side Effects

• Difficult or painful urination
• Unusual bruising or bleeding
• Fever with or without chills
• Cough or sore throat
• Ulcers, sores, or white spots around the lips or inside the mouth
• Body weakness
• Pain in the lower back or side

3. Incidence Not Known

• Pain in the abdomen, legs, or back
• Chest discomfort or pain
• Painful urination
• Numbness in the hands, feet, or lips
• Crawling or prickling sensations
• Bleeding gums
• Abdominal bloating
• Vision problems
• Blue discoloration of the fingernails and lips
• Light-colored stool or cloudy urine
• Hematuria (presence of blood in the urine)
• Blood in stool
• Confusion or clumsiness
• Constipation
• Breathing problems
• Difficulty swallowing
• Fainting spells or drowsiness
• Abnormal heartbeat
• Hives
• Muscle pain or weakness
• Epistaxis (nosebleed)
• Restlessness
• Weight gain

There some acetaminophen/oxycodone side effects that may not require medical attention since they usually go away during the course of treatment as the body learns to adjust to the drug. Moreover, your healthcare provider may tell you about the prevention and reduction of the drug’s potential side effects. 

Overdose Symptoms

Seek immediate medical help if any of the following signs or symptoms of acetaminophen/oxycodone overdose occur:

• Bluish discoloration of the skin or lips
• Excessive sleepiness
• Loss of consciousness
• Discomfort
• Feeling of general discomfort
• Slow breathing
• Low blood pressure
• Cold or clammy skin

Other Important Precautions

Individuals taking this medicine have an increased risk of opioid misuse, abuse, and addiction that can lead to overdose or even death. For this reason, each patient must be properly assessed before prescribing this medicine. Patients must also be regularly monitored for the development of any unusual behavior or conditions.

• Life-Threatening Respiratory Depression - It is a serious complication that may occur, especially at the start of medication or when the drug’s dose is increased.

• Accidental Ingestion - An accidental ingestion of this drug even with only 1 dose can result in a life-threatening or fatal overdose of oxycodone, especially in children.

Extensive data for dialysis is not available. 

Hepatotoxicity Warning

Acetaminophen is associated with liver issues such as acute liver failure, which at times, may result in liver transplant or death. It can be quite harmful to the liver when an individual takes an acetaminophen dose of more than 4,000 mg a day, which often involve more than one product that contains acetaminophen. 

Severe Skin Reactions

Acetaminophen may rarely cause severe skin reactions, which include:

• Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS)
• Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN)
• Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP)

Individuals who are taking this drug must be properly informed about the drug’s potential of causing severe skin reactions. It is important to promptly discontinue the use of this drug when any skin rash or skin hypersensitivity is observed.

Anaphylactic Reaction

Reports have been made about patients with hypersensitivity and anaphylactic reactions associated with acetaminophen use. However, reports of fatal anaphylactic reactions that require emergency medical help rarely occur. Some of the clinical signs of anaphylaxis include:

• Swollen face, throat, and mouth
• Respiratory distress
• Vomiting
• Skin rash
• Urticaria
• Pruritus

Patients must be instructed to discontinue taking oxycodone and acetaminophen capsules and seek immediate medical attention when they experience these serious side effects. Moreover, oxycodone and acetaminophen capsules should not be prescribed to patients who are allergic to acetaminophen.

Drug Dependence

Oxycodone has the potential for drug abuse. Upon repeated administration of oxycodone, physical dependence, psychic dependence, and tolerance may develop. This drug must be cautiously prescribed or administered like other medications that contain oral narcotics. 

Oxycodone and acetaminophen capsules are subject to the Federal Controlled Substances Act (Schedule II).

Use in Pediatric Patients

The drug’s effectiveness and safety in pediatric patients have not been established.

Special High-Risk Groups

Oxycodone and acetaminophen must be cautiously given to certain patients, which include:

• Older adults
• Debilitated patients
• Individuals with severe liver or renal impairment
• Individuals who have hypothyroidism
• Addison’s disease (rare endocrine disorder)
• Urethral stricture (narrowing of the urethra)
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate)

Monitoring

During initiation or an increase in the drug’s dosage, patients must be closely monitored for respiratory depression, especially those who are receiving concomitant medications, which increases the risk of respiratory depression.  Aside from respiratory depression, patients should also be monitored for any signs of:

• Hypotension (low blood pressure)
• Constipation
• The development of any unusual behavior, which highly suggests drug misuse, abuse, or addiction