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Methadone

Methadone is a long acting synthetic opiate that is taken in a liquid oral form once per day. The proper dose of methadone remains effective for 24-36 hours and does not result in an altering of perceptions or euphoria. A person taking methadone is alert, energetic, able to function well, and feels no withdrawal symptoms between doses of the drug. It is important to note that a person with a pre-existing opiate or heroin dependency does not gain an additional addiction when he/she takes methadone. Methadone satisfies that person's pre-existing opiate dependency in a safe, legal, and responsible manner under the supervision of medical professionals. Here, patients must participate in treatment as planned and prescribed. Missing a methadone dose may result in discomfort and the start of withdrawal. Once stable on the proper methadone dose, a patient will most likely feel less of a need to inject heroin, thus minimizing the health risks of HIV and hepatitis B and C. Patients who stop using heroin and other drugs can altogether avoid the possibility of overdosing. Methadone treatment is provided in an environment where medical and counseling services are readily available. Here, many methadone patients make changes in their lives and build support systems that allow them to improve their health and stay sober.

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Interactions and Side Effects of Methadone

Methadone may be interactive with other drugs and alcohol. Please tell our physician if you are taking any prescriptions or have a dependency or addiction for another drug. The use of other opiates, benzodiazepines, and alcohol may be dangerous in combination with methadone. You may experience some side effects during treatment but these are usually minimal and short-lived. Please read the list below and notify the medical staff if you experience any of the following symptoms: light headedness, dizziness, extreme tiredness, nausea and vomiting, sweating, ankle swelling, skin rash, restlessness, malaise, weakness, headache, insomnia, agitation, disorientation, visual disturbance, constipation, dry mouth, flushing of the face, low heart rate, faintness and fainting, problems urinating, changes in sexual drive, irregular menstruation, joint pain, joint swelling, and numbness. 

Warning: (PENTAZOCINE) TALWIN and RIFAMPTIN cannot be used by patients on methadone.

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Your Methadone Dose

It is the intention of Organization for Recovery, Inc., to have every client on the correct dosage of methadone. We recognize that a dose too low produces unnecessary withdrawal discomfort and invites the risk of heroin use. We also know that a dose too high produces undesirable side effects and provides no additional benefit to the client. Achieving and maintaining the correct dosage requires cooperation between the client and the staff. All clients will be informed of their dosage upon request. Minor dosage adjustments may be made by the nurse in accordance with the standing orders of the physician. 

Where a requested dosage change does not fall within the parameters of the physician's standing orders, a medicating nurse must receive a new verbal or written order from the program physician to change a client's dose. If a client is experiencing physical discomfort and believes he/she needs a higher dose, the client may request an appointment with the program physician. If, after reviewing the physical symptoms with the client, the physician supports the need for a dose change, a new medication order reflecting the changed dose would be written and presented to the nursing staff.

In limited circumstances, the program physician may also change a medication order by issuing a verbal order to a nurse. Where a physician is providing a verbal order to change a dose without seeing a client, the client shall be required to meet with other involved staff (Clinical Supervisor or Primary Counselor and Nurse) so that additional information may be provided to the physician prior to his/her decision regarding a change in dosage.

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Withdrawal From Methadone

Because methadone has a longer half-life than heroin, withdrawal from methadone takes longer than withdrawal from heroin. With heroin withdrawal, the most substantial symptoms are over within the first three to five days. With methadone, the initial symptoms are frequently less severe, but they can last from ten days to two weeks. The longer duration of methadone withdrawal is not always well tolerated. However, if the patient follows a medically supervised tapering schedule that accounts for and is readjusted to received signs from the patient's body, withdrawal from methadone may be achieved without extreme discomfort.

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Pregnancy and Methadone

Federal Treatment Improvement Protocols state the following:

Pregnant women users who are in treatment with methadone deliver healthy babies. It is true that babies born to women on methadone sometimes experience some withdrawal symptoms during the first several days after birth. The symptoms are routinely treated by the baby's pediatrician and do not result in any long-term damage. In addition, babies born to women on methadone tend to have a slightly lower birth weight than babies of non-addicted control mothers. The most important comparison, however, is not how these babies compare with non-addicted controls, but rather how they compare with babies of mothers addicted to heroin. Studies that have compared babies born to mothers in methadone treatment with babies born to mothers who use heroin have demonstrated tremendous benefits from methadone.

Methadone treatment allows the mother to be followed in prenatal care, to receive nutritional supplements,  information and  to participate in parenting classes. The vast weight of evidence supports the use of methadone with heroin-addicted women to reduce the risk of miscarriage, increase birth weight, reduce infection and HIV risk to fetus, and generally produce a much greater chance for a healthy baby. 

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