Side Effects Of Methadone All About Them

Just as with many other medications, there are various side effects of methadone use. Doctors prescribe methadone to people to help them recover from opiate addictions. Many of the side effects are mild and barely noticeable; however, in some cases, they can be more serious. Following is a description of the various side effects associated with using methadone.

So long as people use methadone as their doctor prescribes, they can tolerate the medicine and live a normal life with a minimum of side effects. However, there is a small percentage of people that experience harsh side effects.
When taking methadone, patients often feel these effects more in the first few weeks or months of beginning the treatment; and, over some time, as the body gets accustomed to the medicine, the signs of methadone use weaken.

Some common side effects of methadone include sweating, constipation, dry mouth, sleepiness, dizziness, rashes on the skin, lowered sex drive, erectile dysfunction, retaining water and hot flashes. Probably, the most common signs of methadone use are constipation and sweating.

When men experience sexual dysfunction because of methadone use, they may experience such things as inability to get an erection, delayed ejaculation and a lowered sex drive. Women may experience a loss of menstruation while taking the drug.

Sleepiness, when taking this drug, is often the cause of improper dosage and can be remedied by adjusting the dosage. Rashes typically indicate an adverse reaction to the drug, in which case, patients should discontinue use of the drug and call their doctor immediately.

Methadone works by slowly secreting into the body and creating a stable level of the drug within the body. It usually takes about 5 to 7 days for a person’s body to store a proper level of the medicine. Until the body has enough methadone to provide for proper methadone activation, patients may experience mild withdrawal symptoms including anxiety, drug cravings, depression, restlessness, fatigue, nausea, insomnia, pains in the muscles and hot flashes.

Over the years, there have been many myths circulated concerning the side effects of using methadone. Some of these common myths are that methadone causes people to gain weight and that it rots people’s teeth or bones. These myths are simply not true.

In conclusion, in most cases, the side effects of methadone use are mild and extremely manageable. Only a small amount of persons taking methadone experience harsh side effects; and in most cases, these symptoms disappear within a few weeks. When taken properly, methadone can be a useful medication to aid people in recovering from opiate addiction.

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Methadone Side Effects part 3

This medication Methadone may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information about other uses..

Are there any special precautions you should follow before taking my methadone prescription?

 

Full disclosure of any and all medical/health problems are important for any medication being prescribed. It is your responsibility to inform the doctor of any health problems you are having or may have recently had

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1. You should tell your doctor if you are allergic to methadone or any other medications.

2. You should tell your doctor about any prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, and nutritional supplements you are taking or plan to take.

3. You should tell your doctor what herbal products you are taking, especially St. John’s Wort.

4. You should tell your doctor if you have or have ever had asthma or other breathing problems or a blockage in your intestine. Your doctor may tell you that you should not take methadone.

5. You should tell your doctor if you have or have ever had a head injury, a brain tumor, a stroke, or any other condition that caused high pressure inside your skull; irregular heartbeat; urethral stricture (narrowing of the tube that carries urine out of the body), enlarged prostate (a male reproductive gland), or any other condition that causes difficulty urinating; Addison’s disease (a condition in which the body does not make enough of certain natural substances); mental illness; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; a group of lung diseases); kyphoscoliosis (condition in which the spine curves abnormally); sleep apnea (condition in which breathing stops for short periods during sleep); low levels of potassium or magnesium in your blood; or thyroid, heart, liver, or kidney disease. Also, tell your doctor if you drink or have ever drunk large amounts of alcohol or if you use or have ever used street drugs or have overused prescription medications. You should tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking methadone, call your doctor. There should be no problems if you follow the guidelines presented to you.

6. If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking methadone.

7. You need to be aware that this medication may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you. You need to know that alcohol can add to the drowsiness that may be caused by this medication. You should tell your doctor if you use tobacco products. Smoking may be problematic for you.

8. You should be aware that one of the side effects of methadone may cause dizziness when you get up too quickly from a prone position. This is more common when you first start taking methadone. To avoid this problem, get out of bed slowly, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up.

Interactions are possible:

Any of the following may cause negative interactions: antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), amoxapine (Asendin), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Adapin, Sinequan), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Ave nty I, Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), and trimipramine (Surmontil); certain antifungals such as fluconazole (Oiflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), and voriconazole (Vfend); antihistamines; buprenorphine (Subutex); butorphanol (Stadol NS); calcium channel blocking agents such as amlodipine (Norvasc), diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac, others), felodipine (Plendil), isradipine (OynaCirc), nicardipine (Cardene), nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), nimodipine (Nimotop), nisoldipine (Sular), and verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan); diuretics (‘water pills’); erythromycin (E.E.S., E-Mycin, Erythrocin); laxatives; medications for anxiety, mental illness, nausea, or pain; medications for HIV including abacavir (Ziagen), amprenavir (Agenerase), didanosine (Videx), efavirenz (Sustiva), lopinavir (in Kaletra), nelfinavir (Viracept), nevirapine (Viramune), ritonavir (Norvir, in Kaletra), stavudine (Zerit), and zidovudine (Retrovir); certain medications for irregular heartbeat such as disopyramide (Norpace), f1ecainide (Tambocor), mexiletine (Mexitil), moricizine (Ethmozine), procainamide (Procanbid, Pronestyl), propafenone (Rythmol), propranolol (Inderal), quinidine (Quinidex), and tocainide (Tonocard); certain medications for seizures such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek); phenobarbital nalbuphine (Nubain); naloxone (Narcan);naltrexone (ReVia, Depade); pentazocine (Talwin); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, in Rifamate); risperidone (Risperdal); sedatives; certain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRls) such as fluvoxamine (Luvox) and sertraline (Zoloft); sleeping pills; certain steroids such as cortisone, fludrocortisones (Flurinef), and hydrocortisone (Cortef); and tranquilizers. Also, you should tell your doctor if you are taking the following medications or have stopped taking them in the past 14 days: monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors including isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelpar), and tranylcypromine (Parnate). Many other medications may also interact with methadone, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.

Are there any special dietary instructions should I need to know?

Talk to your doctor about eating grapefruit and drinking grapefruit juice while taking this medicine. You should not eat or drink either.

What should I do if I forget or miss a dose?

If your doctor has told you to take methadone regularly, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

What storage conditions are needed for this medicine?

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throwaway any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication. You should store methadone in a safe place so that no one else can take it accidentally or on purpose. Keep track of how many tablets or how much solution or concentrated solution is left so you will know if any is missing.

 

In case of emergency/overdose

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911. Symptoms of overdose may include:

• Small, pinpoint pupils (black circles in the center of the eyes)

• Slow or shallow breathing

• Drowsiness

• Cool, clammy, or blue skin

• Loss of consciousness; coma

• Limp muscles

 

What other information should I know?

You should keep all appointments with your doctor, laboratory, and clinic staff. Your doctor will want to check your response to methadone. It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and non-prescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies. You should also try make yourself as knowledgeable as possible about everything you taking. You should not be afraid to ask questions.

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What is the possible side effects methadone can cause?

Methadone may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• Drowsiness

• Weakness

• Headache

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Constipation

• Loss of appetite

• Weight gain

• Stomach pain

• Dry mouth

• Sweating

• Flushing

• Difficulty urinating

• Swelling of the hands, arms, feet, and legs

• Mood changes

• Vision problems

• Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep

• Decreased sexual desire or ability

• Missed menstrual periods

Some side effects of methadone can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms or those mentioned in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:

• Seizures

• Itching

• Hives

• Rash

Methadone may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while you are taking this medication.

Forms of methadone and some general information:

Methadone comes as a pill, a dispersible tablet (it can be dissolved in liquid may be white or orange depending on pharmacy company of origin), a solution (liquid may be red or clear depending on company of origin), and a concentrated solution (liquid that must be diluted before use) to take by mouth.  Typically the pill form will be prescribed for pain management and the other forms are usually prescribed in the treatment of opiate addiction.  When methadone is used to relieve pain, it may be taken every 4 to 12 hours. If you take methadone as part of a methadone maintenance treatment program, your doctor will prescribe the dosing schedule that is best for you. This is usually one dose per day. Your doctor may change your dose of methadone during your treatment. Your doctor may decrease your dose or tell you to take methadone less often as your treatment continues. You should ask your doctor if you have any questions about how much methadone you should take or how often you should take the medication. Methadone is considered to be in the class of habit-forming drugs. You should notify your doctor if you find that you are experiencing cravings and/or experience pain or notice any other unusual changes in your behavior or mood. Do not abruptly stop taking methadone without talking to your doctor (you are likely to have severe withdrawal symptoms). Your doctor will probably want to decrease your dose gradually. If you suddenly stop taking methadone or start gradually decreasing your dose, you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as restlessness, teary eyes, runny nose, yawning, sweating, chills, muscle pain, cramps, and widened pupils (black circles in the middle of the eyes)

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