Oxymorphone - Illicit Use

Illicit Use

Like other effective centrally acting analgesics, some of the additional effects of oxymorphone can include euphoria, anxiolysis, promotion of sociability, and other similar effects that can cause psychological addiction to the drug. Also, like all other opiates, oxymorphone is physically addictive and can cause opiate withdrawal symptoms.

Opana does have euphoric effects, and they are short-lived. This is one of the crucial elements of a drug that can generate a serious narcotic habit rather quickly in those who take it for recreation and require more doses to maintain a stable level of euphoria. These effects however, barring enhancement with alcohol or other substances or means of administration other than oral, are less pronounced than that of morphine, fentanyl or dilaudid however, as mentioned previously, when taken intranasally the euphoric effects are far more pronounced.

The significant antidepressant and empathogenic properties of oxymorphone and other dihydromorphinone class semi-synthetic opioids is currently of interest to both the underground and the medical establishment, the latter of whom are "re-discovering" the anti-depressant effect and its relatively low ratio of toxic effects and lack of association with patient suicide attempts (see the oxycodone discussion for further information and footnotes) and Opana ER has been proposed as an alternative to methadone and other extended-release and/or long lasting drugs like Morphine, extended-release dihydrocodeine, buprenorphine, and 24-hour hydromorphone tablets for opioid detoxification and maintenance.

Endo withdrew the original Numorphan tablets from the market in 1972 as the result of regulatory and market pressures and other considerations as it was passionately sought, by any means necessary, by some narcotics addicts. Until its removal from the United States market at that point, oxymorphone in the form of Numorphan 10 mg instant-release tablets was one of the most sought-after and well-regarded opioids of the IV drug using community. Because of its low bioavailability, 10% when taken orally, a 10 mg tablet represents 10 times the average IV dose in a single tablet. Known popularly as "blues" or "Nu- Blues" for their light blue color, the tablets contained very few insoluble binders—making them easy to inject—and were extremely potent when used intravenously. "Blues" were also considered to be especially euphoric; comparable to or better than heroin. Numorphan tablets, and the oxymorphone they contained, are the "blues" referred to in the film Drugstore Cowboy.

Slang terms for oxymorphone include: blues, biscuits, blue heaven, new blues (although the immediate-release tablets are pink and off-white), octagons (extended release), octagons, stop signs, pink, pink heaven, biscuits (could also be Dilaudid tablets, meprobamate tablets, or formerly Quaaludes), pandas, pancakes, pink heaven, pink lady, Mrs O, Orgasna IR, OM, Pink O, The O Bomb (by analogy to the slang term for hydromorphone "H Bomb") and others.

Oxymorphone is not a component of "T's and blues", 1970s slang for a combination of pentazocine ("T's") and pyribenzamine ("blues"). Nor are "blues" 10 mg Valium tablets, which are known as Blue Bombers and BBs.

Rare cases of users baking their own at home by extracting oxycodone from pharmaceuticals and converting it to oxymorphone have been reported in a number of countries. In some cases, codeine is the starting material with morphine, or more rarely thebaine, being the intermediate. In those cases, the more common end products sought are morphine salts, morphine base, heroin, dihydromorphine, desomorphine, and hydromorphone.

The low bioavailability of oxymorphone after oral administration requires Opana extended-release to contain up to 40 mg of oxymorphone per tablet—almost as much as an entire case of Numorphan ampoules; attempts to circumvent the extended-release mechanism by injecting or snorting the tablets are therefore particularly dangerous. However, chewing the tablets and/or taking with alcohol for the 70 per cent bioavailability boost from the latter appear to be the only means successful Opana ER misuse aside from insufflation—the TIMERx system appears to be making the extended release tablets useless for preparing for injection, but injection is possible using a two-stage extraction/cooking process involving alcohol and water or a temperature independent water-only extraction process if prepared 12 – 24 hours prior to injection.