Precautions
Why would a patient be on methadone?
Methadone is a medicine used to treat heroin dependence. It is taken daily to relieve heroin withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings for heroin. The aim of methadone maintenance treatment is to help you reduce your illicit drug use.
How long is the average person on methadone?
For methadone maintenance, 12 months is considered the minimum, and some opioid-addicted individuals continue to benefit from methadone maintenance for many years.
Does methadone have to be taken for life?
Methadone maintenance can be a very long term commitment. Some people choose to stay on methadone for decades, some forever. For the first while (long while) you will have to go to a methadone clinic every day to take your dose under supervision. This can make work, travel and family life more challenging.
How long is too long for methadone?
In general, outpatient participation not exceeding 90 days can be considered inefficient with results not very significant to achieve long-term positive gains. When talking about methadone maintenance treatment, the minimum should be no less than 12 months.
What does it feel like to be on methadone?
Methadone is a man-made opioid, similar to morphine or heroin. Methadone will cause feelings of relaxation and reduce pain, but it will not give you the same high or euphoric feeling as heroin. It works in treating heroin addiction by reducing the withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
What is the success rate of methadone?
Methadone maintenance is associated with success rates ranging from 60 – 90%. The longer the people are in this modality the greater their chances are of achieving stable long-term abstinence.”
Is 20 mg of methadone a lot?
The initial daily dose of methadone should depend on the level of neuroadaptation to opioids. It should generally not be more than 20 mg, except in cases of higher tolerance to opioids, and even then should not be more than 30 mg.
What should you not take with methadone?
Drugs that you should not use with methadone Pentazocine, nalbuphine, butorphanol, and buprenorphine. These drugs may reduce methadone's pain-relieving effects. This can cause withdrawal symptoms.