Each Percocet tablet contains an opioid (oxycodone) and an anti-inflammatory (acetaminophen). Both immediate-release and extended-release forms are available.
Percocet remains active in your body for 6 to 12 hours, depending on the formulation.[1] But traces of the drug can linger for much longer. In fact, some forms of drug tests can pick up Percocet for 90 days.
Percocet addiction is driven by the opioid inside the medication. Opioid overdoses can be life-threatening, and they’re common in people with opioid use disorder (OUD).
Percocet Misuse Statistics
Close to 40% of trauma patients have active drug or alcohol addiction.[2] They visit hospitals and clinics hoping to get more Percocet.
More than 2,100 people in one New England area were prescribed Percocet for more than nine months between 1998 and 2001.[3]
In head-to-head studies of drug likeability, oxycodone is more popular than both morphine and hydrocodone.[4]
What Is the Half-Life of Percocet?
Half-life is a measurement of the time needed to process half of a dose. Oxycodone’s half-life is about 4 hours.[5] Acetaminophen’s half-life is up to 3 hours.[6]
Understanding a drug’s half-life is important. When five of these intervals have passed, the drug is likely not active within your body.
Percocet Detection Timeline
The oxycodone inside Percocet is the target for many types of drug tests. Employers want to ensure you’re not intoxicated while doing something dangerous (like driving). And law enforcement officials want to understand how drugs might impair the choices you make.
The detection period varies by the sample type the company uses.
Sample Type
Detection Period
Urine
1–3 days
Blood
3–6 hours
Saliva
Up to 36 hours
Hair
Up to 90 days
Source: [10]
Urine Tests
In a urine-based drug test, you’re given a small receptacle and some privacy to fill it. Teams test your urine’s temperature and color, and they look for contaminants. It’s very hard to fake clean results. And this test can detect drugs you took days ago.
Blood
Hospitals and clinics often use this method to test their patients, as the results are extremely accurate. But the detection window is too short to be meaningful for employers and law enforcement officers. It’s rare for anyone to test your blood for drugs.
Saliva
Some companies use saliva tests in place of urine screenings. The method is less invasive, and the results come back almost immediately. But this type of testing requires modern equipment that some companies haven’t bought quite yet.
Hair
A hair-based drug test is one of the least invasive methods available. A tiny snip of your hair is all that’s required for an analysis.
This method can also detect drugs you took almost 90 days ago. But this detail might not be enough for employers or law enforcement to understand what you took recently.
Things That Influence How Long Percocet Stays in Your System
While experts can estimate how long Percocet stays in your system, your timeline can vary. Factors you can control (like your diet) and those you can’t (like your age) all play a role in how quickly the drug leaves your body.
Known factors involved in Percocet metabolization include the following:[7,8]
Age: Older people often need more time to metabolize drugs when compared to the young. Poor organ health or a lack of exercise could be to blame.
Sex: Hormones can influence how quickly we metabolize drugs. Women often need more time than men do.
Weight and height: People with smaller bodies often clear drugs quicker than larger people. Fat distribution could play a role.
Diet: A poor diet could impact your organ health, allowing drugs to linger longer than they should.
People who use Percocet for long periods feel sick when they quit abruptly. In some cases, they feel ill between their drug doses. Withdrawal symptoms are hard to cope with, and they can lead to drug relapse.[9]
Percocet Withdrawal Symptoms
Percocet withdrawal can begin within a few hours of quitting the drug. Common symptoms include the following:[5,6]
Nausea
Vomiting
Anxiety
Drowsiness
Tips for Curbing Withdrawal Symptoms
The best way to address Percocet withdrawal symptoms is to get help from a treatment team. Medications like buprenorphine and methadone latch to opioid receptors, easing withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings.
The following self-care tips may also help:
Stay hydrated
Get plenty of sleep
Exercise (if you feel comfortable doing so)
Maintain a regular, healthy diet
It’s hard to quit using Percocet alone. A treatment program can ease the chemical imbalances that support your ongoing opioid abuse.
Finding Addiction Treatment
Boca Recovery Center offers robust treatment programs for opioid addiction. Compare treatment options and find one that’s right for you.
An inpatient program for Percocet can help you step away from your triggers and focus on your addiction treatment in a safe, supportive environment. An outpatient program can help you get better while you live at home. We’d love to help you.
Mangoni AA, Jackson SH. Age-related changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics: basic principles and practical applications. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2004;57(1):6-14. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2125.2003.02007.x
Soldin OP, Mattison DR. Sex differences in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Clin Pharmacokinet. 2009;48(3):143-157. doi:10.2165/00003088-200948030-00001
Opioid use disorder. Dydyk AM, Jain NK, Gupta M. StatPearls. Published January 2023. Accessed July 26, 2023.
