What's the strongest Oxycontin pill?
The standard highest-strength OxyContin pill currently prescribed is 80 milligrams (mg).
Key Details About OxyContin Strengths
- Available Doses: OxyContin comes in controlled-release tablets of 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, 60 mg, and 80 mg. (A 160 mg dose was historically listed in early FDA package inserts but was discontinued and is no longer available).
- Opioid Tolerance: Doses above 40 mg (such as 60 mg and 80 mg) are strictly reserved for opioid-tolerant patients who already regularly take moderate to large amounts of opioid medication.
- Safety Warning: OxyContin is an extended-release OxyContin (Controlled-Release) medication meant to be swallowed whole. Crushing, chewing, or breaking the pill ruins the extended-release mechanism, releasing all the medication at once and causing a high risk of fatal overdose.
Is there a 40 mg OxyContin?
Yes, a 40 mg dosage of OxyContin exists.
Key Details
- Type: It is an extended-release, oral formulation of oxycodone hydrochloride.
- Appearance: These tablets are typically round, color-coded based on the manufacturer specifications, and imprinted with the strength and identifying letters (such as OP or OC).
- Usage: It is prescribed for severe, around-the-clock, ongoing chronic pain that requires continuous opioid treatment.
- Safety Warning: Higher doses like 40 mg carry a severe risk of overdose and fatal respiratory depression. They should only be used by patients who have developed a tolerance to opioids. Tablets must be swallowed whole and never crushed, broken, or chewed.
Is there a 20 mg OxyContin?
Yes, a 20 mg OxyContin extended-release tablet does exist.
Details on 20 mg OxyContin
- Appearance: It is typically a pink, round, controlled-release tablet imprinted with "OP" (or older versions with "OC") on one side and "20" on the other (appearance can vary by manufacturer and generic equivalent).
- Active Ingredient: Oxycodone hydrochloride (20 mg).
- Usage: It is a strong opioid pain medication prescribed for around-the-clock, continuous, long-term management of severe pain. It is not meant for short-term or "as-needed" use.
- Safety Warning: Tablets must be swallowed whole. Breaking, crushing, chewing, or dissolving them can cause a rapid, potentially fatal release of the medication. It carries a high risk of abuse, addiction, and overdose.
You can read more about dosage and safety guidelines on the Drugs.com OxyContin Guide or through the DailyMed Prescribing Information.
Do they make 60 mg of OxyContin?
Yes, 60 mg of OxyContin is an officially manufactured extended-release dosage strength.
Key Details About 60 mg OxyContin
- Availability: OxyContin comes in extended-release oral tablets in strengths of 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, 60 mg, and 80 mg.
- Opioid Tolerance Requirement: Higher strengths, including 60 mg and 80 mg, are strictly for use in opioid-tolerant patients who regularly use around-the-clock opioid medication.
- Safety Warning: Taking a 60 mg dose if you are not opioid-tolerant can cause fatal respiratory depression (slow, life-threatening breathing).
- Administration: Tablets must be swallowed whole. Breaking, crushing, chewing, or dissolving them leads to a rapid, potentially fatal release of oxycodone.
Is 40 mg of OxyContin strong?
Yes, 40 mg of OxyContin is a very strong and potentially dangerous dose of a powerful opioid pain medication.
Strength and Risks
- High Potency: OxyContin is an extended-release formulation of oxycodone designed to deliver the medication gradually over a 12-hour period. A 40 mg tablet contains a significant quantity of the active ingredient.
- Overdose Risk: Clinical guidelines indicate that a 40 mg dose carries severe risks, including critical respiratory depression, particularly for individuals who are not already opioid-tolerant.
- Severe Adverse Effects: Ingesting high doses of opioids without an established tolerance can lead to life-threatening respiratory failure or fatal toxicity.
Clinical Safety Guidelines
- Proper Administration: The medication must be taken exactly as prescribed by a healthcare professional. Altering the integrity of an extended-release tablet disrupts the intended delivery mechanism, which can result in an immediate and dangerous release of the drug into the system.
- Indication for Use: This medication is indicated strictly for the management of severe, continuous pain requiring around-the-clock opioid treatment when alternative therapies are inadequate. It is not intended for mild or intermittent ("as needed") pain relief.
- Substance Interactions: Combining this medication with alcohol, sedatives, or other central nervous system depressants significantly amplifies the risk of profound respiratory depression, coma, or death. Always consult a medical professional regarding potential drug interactions and safety protocols.
Why OxyContin is different from other opioids
Do they make 80 mg of OxyContin?
Yes, manufacturers do make an OxyContin 80 mg extended-release tablet.
Key Details About 80 mg OxyContin
- Strict Restrictions: The 80 mg strength is only for patients who are "opioid-tolerant". This means your body is already used to regular, around-the-clock opioid treatment.
- High Risk: Taking an 80 mg dose if you are not used to opioids can cause severe, life-threatening breathing problems and fatal overdose.
- Intended Use: It is prescribed for severe, long-term pain that needs continuous, round-the-clock management. It is never used on an occasional or "as needed" basis.
- Design: Modern versions of these high-strength tablets are formulated to be harder to crush or tamper with to reduce the risk of misuse.
How much does 10 mg of OxyContin go for?
The average retail price for 60 tablets of 10mg generic OxyContin (oxycodone extended-release) is about $260.32, but you can pay around $229.09 using a GoodRx coupon.
Price Breakdown
- Average Retail Price: ~$260.32 for 60 tablets (10mg)
- Discount / Coupon Price: ~$229.09 with a GoodRx savings coupon at major pharmacies like CVS
- Alternative Discount Programs: Prices via providers like WebMD Rx can range from roughly $53 to over $160 for a 60-count supply depending on the specific participating pharmacy (such as Albertsons or Walgreens).
Important Details
- Insurance and Location: Final out-of-pocket costs vary based on your local pharmacy, insurance coverage, and quantity prescribed.
- Generic vs. Brand: Asking your doctor or pharmacist about generic extended-release oxycodone can often significantly lower the cost compared to the brand-name OxyContin formulation.
What is the highest OxyContin?
Disclaimer: This information is for general knowledge and should not be taken as medical advice. Consult with a healthcare provider before starting or altering any medication regimen.
OxyContin is available in multiple tiered tablet strengths for the management of severe, persistent pain. Higher standard tablet formulations represent upper-tier sizing within standard clinical distribution, following historical manufacturing adjustments where higher experimental or ultra-high tiers were withdrawn.
Available Tablet Strengths
- Lower and intermediate tiers
- Higher standard single-tablet tiers
Safety and Usage
- Opioid Tolerance: High-strength formulations are strictly reserved for patients with severe, chronic pain who are already opioid-tolerant, meaning their bodies are physiologically accustomed to a regular daily opioid regimen.
- Risk of Overdose: Tampering with extended-release tablets, such as crushing or chewing, or misusing higher formulations can lead to fatal overdoses, severe respiratory depression, and addiction.
For official safety guidelines and prescribing details, visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
What drug is equal to OxyContin?
OxyContin is a brand name for extended-release oxycodone, meaning other extended-release oxycodone products or long-acting opioids of similar strength are equivalent.
Direct Equivalents (Extended-Release Oxycodone)
- XTAMPZA ER: An extended-release oxycodone capsule that works over 12 hours, similar to OxyContin.
- Generic Extended-Release Oxycodone: Other FDA-approved generic long-acting oxycodone hydrochloride tablets.
Other Long-Acting Opioids (Comparable Strength)
Doctors may use other extended-release opioid medications to manage chronic pain, though milligram conversion rates differ:
- Morphine SR/ER (sustained-release morphine)
- Fentanyl patch (transdermal system for continuous release)
- Methadone (long-acting synthetic opioid)
Note: Opioids are powerful controlled substances with a high risk of overdose and addiction. Always consult a doctor or pharmacist before switching medications or changing doses.
How much is 80 mg of OxyContin?
The price of a single 80 mg OxyContin tablet varies drastically depending on whether it is purchased legally through a pharmacy or illegally on the street:
- Licit Retail (With a Prescription): Legally, a single 80 mg tablet has a base manufacturer/retail cost of roughly $6.00. However, pharmacies rarely sell single tablets; a standard prescription of 20 to 60 tablets can range anywhere from $200 to over $500 out-of-pocket depending on insurance, pharmacy coupons (like GoodRx), or generic availability.
- Illicit Retail (Street Value): On the illegal market, prescription opioids traditionally trade for roughly $1 per milligram. Because 80 mg is a highly potent dose, a single authentic pill generally commands between $50 and $80 on the street. In some regions, reformulated "abuse-deterrent" versions (which turn into a paste when crushed to prevent snorting or injecting) may trade at lower values ($20 to $40).
⚠️ Critical Health and Safety Warning
An 80 mg tablet of OxyContin is an exceptionally high dose of a powerful Schedule II narcotic. According to the FDA Package Insert, doses above 40 mg are strictly restricted to opioid-tolerant patients.
If an individual who does not have a well-established tolerance to high-dose opioids takes a single 80 mg tablet, it can cause fatal respiratory depression (slowing or completely stopping breathing). Furthermore, an overwhelming majority of "OxyContin" or "Oxy" pills sold on the illicit street market today are counterfeit pressings laced with lethal amounts of illicit fentanyl.
If you or someone you know is struggling with opioid use or substance dependency, free, confidential, and anonymous support is available 24/7. You can contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA National Helpline) at 1-800-662-4357.