Percocet: What You Should Know

Percocet Is Commonly Prescribed for Pain After Surgery

Pain, abdominal pain image
Percocet is Used For a Many Types of Pain.

Percocet is a pain medication commonly prescribed for moderate pain after surgery. It is a narcotic and only available by prescription. It is also known as oxycodone and contains two medications, Tylenol (acetaminophen) and oxycodone.

Percocet is an opioid, which means that is a morphine-based medication and should be taken with caution. It is known by several brand names, including Endocet, Percodan, Roxicodone, and Roxicet.


Percocet is used for the treatment of mild to moderate pain, and after surgery is typically used for a short time during the early days of recovery. 

Percocet is prescribed for both acute pain, such as the days following surgery, as well as chronic pain that is ongoing for weeks or even years. 

Patients may have difficulty coughing or performing small amounts of exercise like short walks due to pain, which increases the risk of pneumonia and blood clots. Decreasing pain helps make these routine tasks tolerable, and can decrease the risk of side effects.




How Does Percocet Work?



Side Effects

  • Along with pain relief, some patients will feel very relaxed when taking Percocet. 
  • Individuals who are taking this type of medication for the first time, or who rarely take this type of medication, may feel sleepy. 
  • Blood pressure is often lower when taking medication, as blood pressure is often increased in response to pain.
  • Decreased respiratory drive, which results in breathing slower and less deeply, is a known issue when taking Percocet. 

Tylenol Issues

Tylenol, also known as paracetamol or acetaminophen, can be dangerous in high doses. Too much Tylenol can cause permanent liver damage, liver failure, or even death. 

The maximum recommended dosage of per day is 4,000 milligrams (4 grams). This maximum dosage is safe in the short term but should be avoided in the long term. 

When taking Percocet, do not take any other medications that contain Tylenol. Tylenol is present in many medications, including over the counter cold and flu remedies, sleep medications and other types of pain relievers

If you have liver disease, you should avoid Tylenol when possible, unless directed by your healthcare provider. 


  • Percocet is a Category C medication, it should not be taken by a pregnant woman unless deemed necessary. Prolonged use by a pregnant woman can result in addiction for the newborn. Breastfeeding mothers should not use Percocet as both the oxycodone and acetaminophen portions of the medications can pass to the infant and can lead to significant breathing issues. 
  • Constipation is common with all opioid-based medications. Drinking more water and eating high fiber foods may help, but a stool softener may still be necessary while taking this medication. 
  • Patients with liver disease may require smaller doses than typical or less frequent dosing.
  • This medication should not be combined with other pain medications that cause respiratory depression (decreased breathing) or medications that are sedating, such as sleeping pills. The combination of several medications that induce sleep or decrease breathing can be life-threatening. 
  • Percocet should not be taken while drinking alcohol.
  • Percocet should not be taken with an MAO Inhibitor.
  • This medication may need to be slowly decreased if taken for an extended period of time as physical addiction may be present. 
  • Percocet should only be taken as directed and only as long as your pain makes it necessary. 


When taken over time, the effects of Percocet are decreased as you become used to the medication. You may require a higher dose, long-term, to obtain the same level of pain relief. 

One way of dealing with tolerance is a drug holiday. Your healthcare provider may request that you take a drug holiday, meaning you refrain from taking Percocet for a period of time or you take a smaller dose, in order to decrease your tolerance for the medication. After this period your original dose will likely be more effective again. This reduction in dosage may also be done prior to surgery. 

If you routinely take Percocet for pain, reducing your dose prior to surgery will make the original dose more effective for your surgical pain. 

Physical Dependence

Percocet can be physically addicting. Physical dependence happens when your body becomes accustomed to taking this medication for an extended period of time.

You may experience symptoms of withdrawal when you stop taking Percocet, but this does not mean you are addicted.

Withdrawal means that your body has started to expect Percocet to be available routinely. Using this medication as directed is key to preventing addiction and abuse. 

Percocet does have a high potential for abuse. This is when individuals seek out Percocet even though they are not having pain. They are seeking the high that comes with the medication, or the sedative effects. This type of addiction may require professional treatment.

You should not share any Percocet that you may have left over after a procedure, and you should not sell your medication. This is illegal and has the potential to harm others. Discard leftover medication, as it can be harmful if taken by children, and is often stolen. 

You may want to refrain from telling people you are taking pain medications as home invasions have been reported by individuals with prescription narcotics in the house.

A Word From Verywell

While many people have concerns about the addictive nature of Percocet, when used as directed and for only as long as is necessary to recovery from acute surgical pain, the risk of addiction is low. Appropriate pain management can speed the healing process and make the return to normal activities both quicker and less painful.

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Article Sources

  • Oxycodone Monograph.