Methadone Addiction: What to Know

Methadone, an opioid itself, can be dangerous in large amounts. When taken correctly, it can stop drug cravings without causing a high. Numerous studies have shown it reduces the risk of overdose and the spread of hepatitis C and HIV. But it cannot be prescribed for opioid addiction outside of the nation’s 2,100 methadone clinics, which on a given day treat nearly 500,000 U.S. patients with the drug. Effects of illicit opiates on the menstrual cycle are well-documented, with early studies reporting that 30–54% of heroin-using women to have secondary amenorrhea59, 132.

Opioid Agonists and Partial Agonists (Maintenance Medications)

Current data suggest monitoring of liver enzymes with the use of buprenorphine/naloxone for better liver outcomes. In light of the analyzed data, the authors conclude that methadone should still methadone withdrawal be considered the preferred treatment mode in comparison to slow-release oral morphine and heroin. Undergoing methadone maintenance treatment while pregnant does not cause birth defects.

What is methadone?

Across the review of various articles, it was seen that different researchers employ a wide array of survey formats and units for measuring baseline drug use and addiction treatments. Development and use of standard questionnaires and charts for this purpose will help promote greater usability and better analysis of RCTs. Saxon et al17 measured changes in liver enzyme levels and used five categories of changes as the primary outcomes for performing a shift-table analysis on data from “evaluable” participants (defined earlier in the review). Beck et al16 used a crossover design to compare SROM with oral methadone in 276 participants randomized to one of two sequences of medication administration (SROM → MET; MET → SROM). Participants were administered experimental or control medication for 11 weeks in Period 1 and crossed over to the other medication for the next 11 weeks. Data from all randomized participants (276) have been analyzed in the ITT analysis, and data from 157 participants meeting protocol criteria have been analyzed as per protocol sample.

• A sample patient information statement is shown on page 89.
• Breast feeding is safe for women in MMT and their babies and supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics64.
• Methadone may cause a life-threatening heart rhythm disorder.
• Methadone is a long-acting opioid drug used to replace the shorter-acting opioids that someone may be addicted to, such as heroin, oxycodone, fentanyl or hydromorphone.
• Avoid drinking alcohol or taking illegal or recreational drugs while taking methadone.
• This is in contrast to heroin and morphine, which have a rapid onset of action and are short-acting37.

A movement to ‘liberate methadone’

• As such, professionals will assist you in making decisions about methadone treatment as part of detox and/or ongoing opioid use disorder treatment.
• It’s 30 times more potent than morphine but can be effective when used properly.
• Grapefruit may interact with this medicine and cause side effects.
• Getting treatment that combines medication and psychotherapy can help improve your chances of recovery, so talk to your doctor about which options are right for you.
• In the late 1990s, pharmaceutical companies were confident that opioids, when prescribed for pain, would not lead to addiction.
• Data from all randomized participants have been analyzed by intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis.

A community liaison officer is employed specifically to assist patients to transfer to community-based MMT programs on their release from the closed setting. This person may have skills or training in social or welfare work. Indonesia established a pilot methadone maintenance program in prison in 2005. The program was started as part of Indonesia’s comprehensive HIV prevention strategy for prisons. Other components of the strategy include distributing condoms and bleach (for cleaning used needles and syringes) in prison and providing free antiretroviral treatment for HIV-positive prisoners. Research has shown that the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the effect of the small amount of methadone that enters the breast milk.

If you’re healing from opioid use disorder, methadone may help you taper off the substance. A maintenance dose may help decrease the physical need for the substance you’re used to, without developing psychological or physiological dependence. Tennessee officials have drafted new rules that are stricter than the federal government’s.

Tip 63: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (

You will get your first prescription (or script) from your GP, or a prescriber at your drug treatment service. Many people then take a regular dose of between 60mg and 120mg a day. I. More intervention-based clinical trials are needed to provide a strong alternative candidate therapy for management of opiate use disorder. Five RCTs meeting eligibility criteria for the search were analyzed in detail for design, methods, participants, outcomes, assessments, and results. Careful examination of quality was carried out to identify and define bias and evaluate significance and worth of evidence reported by each study. Demaret et al18 used subjective (subject to participants’ reporting and judgment) but standardized scales.

• Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it.
• In contrast, a person who uses short-acting opioids to avoid withdrawal must use three to four times a day.
• You will have a special care plan and will also need extra monitoring from your doctor, midwife or key worker.
• Studies reporting treatment outcomes with methadone maintenance have shown that overall use of cannabis, similar to that of other illicit drugs, declines with long-term methadone treatment120.
• Practitioners in the clinic aim to get a comprehensive picture of the individual’s life—psychosocial factors, community support, history with addiction and substance abuse, and other mental health factors, such as trauma.

Serious methadone side effects.

Methadone is prescribed for moderate to severe levels of pain, usually for terminal or chronic conditions, such as cancer. “It really is up to states to adopt these changes in order to increase access to care,” said Mark Parrino, president of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence. — Nurse practitioners and physician assistants — not just doctors — can start people on methadone. New York’s Medicaid program uses a bundled payment model so there’s no financial incentive for in-person dosing. “This is the only medication where you have to disrupt your life by going someplace every day,” she said. It’s important to be honest with your doctor about your methadone use.