Oxycodone Alternatives Compared

View side-by-side comparisons of medication uses, ratings, cost, side effects and interactions.
Oxycodone	Tramadol	Dilaudid (hydromorphone)	Enter another drug to compare

Oxycodone

Tramadol

Dilaudid (hydromorphone)

Prescription only

Oxycodone is a semisynthetic opioid medication with potent pain-relieving properties that may be used to relieve severe pain that is unresponsive to less potent pain-relieving medicines (analgesics)... View more

Prescription only

Tramadol is a strong opioid pain relieving medication that may be used to treat moderate to severe general and nerve-related pain. Tramadol may be habit-forming and misuse can cause addiction... View more

Prescription only

Dilaudid is a morphine-like pain-relieving medicine that may be given to relieve severe pain. It carries a high risk of respiratory depression (unusually slow or shallow breathing) and is... View more

More about Oxycodone

More about Tramadol

More about Dilaudid (hydromorphone)

Ratings & Reviews

Oxycodone has an average rating of 6.9 out of 10 from a total of 1146 ratings on Drugs.com. 61% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 25% reported a negative effect.

Tramadol has an average rating of 7.0 out of 10 from a total of 1884 ratings on Drugs.com. 62% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 23% reported a negative effect.

Dilaudid has an average rating of 8.2 out of 10 from a total of 330 ratings on Drugs.com. 78% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 13% reported a negative effect.

View all 1146 reviews

View all 1884 reviews

View all 330 reviews

Side Effects Experienced by Users Side effects are reported in Drugs.com user reviews and not clinically verified.

Nausea (4.5%)
Withdrawal (4.5%)
Pain (4.2%)
Constipation (3.7%)
Headaches (3.3%)
Itching (2.4%)
Sick (2.3%)

View all Oxycodone side effects

Nausea (6.4%)
Withdrawal (5.8%)
Headaches (4.7%)
Constipation (3.7%)
Dizziness (3.7%)
Anxiety (3.6%)
Depression (3.2%)

View all Tramadol side effects

Nausea (10.0%)
Drowsiness (3.3%)
Vomiting (3.3%)
Addiction (2.4%)
Hallucinations (2.1%)
Itching (2.1%)
Sleepy (1.5%)

View all Dilaudid side effects

Drug Class

Opioids (narcotic analgesics)

Opioids (narcotic analgesics)

Opioids (narcotic analgesics)

Generic Availability

Lower cost generic

Lower cost generic approved

Pricing and Coupons * Prices are without insurance

Quantity	100 each
Strength	5 mg
Per unit^*	$0.25
Cost^*	$24.88

View all Oxycodone prices

Quantity	9 tablet
Strength	50 mg
Per unit^*	$1.34
Cost^*	$12.06

View all Tramadol prices

Quantity	100 tablet
Strength	4 mg
Per unit^*	$4.52
Cost^*	$452.04

View all Dilaudid prices

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Dosage Forms

Oral capsule
Oral concentrate
Oral solution
Oral tablet
Oral tablet, extended release

Oral capsule, extended release
Oral liquid
Oral tablet
Oral tablet, extended release

Injectable solution
Oral liquid
Oral tablet

Half Life Drug half-life is the time required for plasma concentration to reduce to half its original value.

5.6 hours

5.2 hours

3.1 hours

CSA Schedule ¹ View glossary of CSA terms

High potential for abuse

Has a high potential for abuse. Has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions. Abuse may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.

Some potential for abuse

Has a low potential for abuse relative to those in schedule 3. It has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. Abuse may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to those in schedule 3.

High potential for abuse

Pregnancy Category

Category N Not classified

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Category C Risk cannot be ruled out

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Category C Risk cannot be ruled out

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Drug Interactions

A total of 617 drugs are known to interact with Oxycodone:

214 major drug interactions (777 brand and generic names)
400 moderate drug interactions (1554 brand and generic names)
3 minor drug interactions (7 brand and generic names)

A total of 713 drugs are known to interact with Tramadol:

318 major drug interactions (1228 brand and generic names)
392 moderate drug interactions (1576 brand and generic names)
3 minor drug interactions (7 brand and generic names)

A total of 441 drugs are known to interact with Dilaudid:

123 major drug interactions (491 brand and generic names)
317 moderate drug interactions (1365 brand and generic names)
1 minor drug interactions (3 brand and generic names)

Alcohol/Food/Lifestyle Interactions

Do not use alcohol or medications that contain alcohol while you are receiving treatment with... View more

Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of traMADol such as dizziness, drowsiness, and... View more

Do not use alcohol or medications that contain alcohol while you are receiving treatment with... View more

Disease Interactions

First Approval Date

October 26, 1998

March 03, 1995

December 07, 1992

WADA Class View classifications

S7 - Narcotics

S7 - Narcotics

S7 - Narcotics

More Information

Patient Resources

Oxycodone uses

Tramadol uses

Professional Resources

Prescribing information

¹ The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) schedule information displayed applies to substances regulated under federal law. There may be variations in CSA schedules between individual states.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer

Oxycodone Alternatives Compared

See also:

Paracetamol

Tylenol

Ozempic

Cymbalta

Diclofenac

Naproxen

Amitriptyline

Tramadol

Duloxetine

Ibuprofen

Further information

Oxycodone Alternatives Compared

See also:

Further information

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