Facts about Methadone

By Jill Gonzalez

Developed in Germany in the late 1930s, methadone is a synthetic opioid that is primarily used as an anti-addictive and maintenance medication for patients who are undergoing treatment for opiate addiction. Methadone has been used for drug addition treatment in the United States since the 1960s, and the overall results have been quite impressive.

Methadone maintenance treatment is one of the most successful and beneficial options available to people who are addicted to opiates and who are looking for a way to get off of these drugs. Even though methadone mimics the effects of other opiates such as heroin or morphine, methadone does not create feelings of sedation or euphoria within patients.

Methadone is dispensed in three different forms:

• Liquid, which is dispensed with an automated measuring pump so that dosages can be calculated with precision.
• Tablets, which are dissolved in water and then administered orally.
• Powder, which is also dissolved in water and administered orally.

The active ingredient in all variations of methadone (regardless of manufacturer) is methadone hydrochloride. The only slight anomalies that exist between different manufactured forms of methadone are the fillers, preservatives and flavorings that each manufacturer uses in creating their product.

These differences are all minor and none of them contain any active ingredients that might affect how methadone treatments work.

Methadone's Effect on the Body

Methadone does not "cure" a person of an opiate addiction. What it does is act as a replacement opiate that takes less of a toll on the body, both physically and psychologically, and does not impair a person's ability to function.

Once ingested, methadone is metabolized in a different way than the body processes other opiates, such as heroin or morphine. Through regular, prescribed doses, the body gradually begins to store methadone so that the effects of the drug last longer. This carries people safely through their maintenance period, which aids in ensuring that relapses do not occur.

Single doses of methadone generally last patients for about 24 hours, but in some instances methadone doses last for up to 36 hours. The variations in effects are believed to be caused by metabolic differences that exist between people.

When methadone is prescribed correctly, it is rare for patients to report feeling sick or high, because the methadone actually helps to stabilize the opiate's effects in the body.

Side effects may occur when using methadone, though most people do not report experiencing any symptoms that are extreme or unbearable. The following are among the most commonly reported side effects of methadone use:

• Headache
• Itching
• Flushing
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Blurred vision
• Sedation
• Mood changes

These symptoms are generally only present during the first few weeks of methadone use, as a tolerance for the medication usually builds up over a fairly short period of time. Some of the possible side effects, such as nausea and sedation, are usually only present during the first five to seven days, before the body adjusts to the medication.

Withdrawal Symptoms

Methadone itself does not cause the same withdrawal symptoms that patients would experience if they were withdrawing from heroin, morphine, or other opiates, but there is an eventual withdrawal from the methadone drug once full treatment has been completed and patients are ready to be completely free of opiates.

Withdrawal symptoms while coming off of methadone treatment are not as severe as those that are experienced from heroin or morphine, but they can be rather intense for some people. Withdrawal symptoms from methadone can last from several weeks to a few months, and their severity can vary greatly.

The following are among the most commonly reported withdrawal symptoms from methadone:

• Anxiety
• Panic disorder
• Lightheadedness
• Rapid heart rate
• Sweating
• Chills
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Depression

As is the case with all other medical situations, the best thing methadone patients can do is discuss their particular situation with their health care provider so that the best course of treatment can be determined.

Once a person has advanced into the methadone maintenance treatment program, he or she will be ready to start completely eliminating opiates from their bodies. This is normally done in conjunction with counseling to help patients transition from the turmoil of being addicted to drugs to once again being a fully functioning adult.