Methadone provides relief for patients who do not respond to non-narcotic pain medicines and has also been used for decades to treat individuals who suffer from addiction and dependence on heroin and narcotic pain medicines. When taken as prescribed, methadone is safe and effective. But all medicines have risks. Patients and health care providers need to understand the power and physical effects of methadone in order to get the maximum benefits.
Whether known by Dolophine, Methadose or its generic name, methadone has provided relief to millions of patients. Methadone works by changing how the brain and nervous system respond to pain. It is also used in drug detoxification and treatment programs to lessen the symptoms of withdrawal and to block the effects of opiate drugs. Methadone allows individuals to recover from their addiction and to reclaim active and meaningful lives.
Patients being treated for pain generally receive a prescription from their doctor and take the medication at home. Patients taking methadone for addiction receive their doses at accredited programs under supervision. After a period of stability, these patients are given methadone to take at home between program visits. In all cases, if not taken correctly, methadone can be dangerous.
The Dangers of Overdose
Pain relief from a dose of methadone lasts about four to eight hours. But there are big differences in how each patient reacts to methadone. Even after the pain relief effects wear off, methadone remains in the body for much longer. Taking more methadone to relieve the pain can cause unintentional overdose.
Navigate the Risks: Two Simple Steps
- Take Methadone exactly as prescribed. To be safe, people must take only the dose prescribed, at the times prescribed. Methadone can build up in the body to a toxic level if taken too often, if the dose is too high, or if it is taken with certain other medicines or supplements.
- Know and share your complete health history. People who take methadone need to give health professionals every detail of what they are taking. This is especially important for a first-time user of methadone.
A long list of medications can interact with methadone. Methadone may be more hazardous when used with alcohol, other opioids (opium-like substances) or illicit drugs that depress the central nervous system.
- Be especially careful about other medicines that may make you sleepy, such as other pain medicines, anti-depressant medicines, sleeping pills, anxiety medicines, antihistamines, or tranquilizers
- Other medicines to watch out for include diuretics, antibiotics, heart or blood pressure medication, HIV medicines and MAO inhibitors
- If you are taking medicine that may cause disruptions in your heartbeat (known as arrhythmias), you should be especially cautious taking methadone
Even if a medication is not on this list, it could still be dangerous. Older adults and people with debilitating conditions may be more sensitive to methadone’s effects. To avoid danger, people should tell health professionals about any illnesses or conditions. Here are just a few that doctors must know about
- A history of drug or alcohol addiction
- Pregnancy and nursing(current or planned)
- Seizure disorders, such as epilepsy
- Cardiac conditions such as low blood pressure or long QT syndrome (racing heart)
- Breathing disorders such as asthma, sleep apnea or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Mental illness
- A history of head injury or brain tumors
- Other conditions, including liver or kidney disease, underactive thyroid, curvature of the spine, gallbladder disease, adrenal gland disorders such as Addison’s disease, prostate enlargement and urination problems.
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