Always check with your doctor before adjusting your dosage either up or down — do not change your dose without checking first. If you have kidney problems or your kidney function is impaired, your doctor will need to adjust your dosage of methadone. If a person is not breathing, or if they are unresponsive, seek help straight away.
What are the risks associated with methadone?
This can cause uncomfortable symptoms including respiratory depression (slowed breathing) or death. Do not stop taking methadone, even when you feel better. Only your health care provider can determine the length of treatment that is right for you.
Generic Name(S): methadone
This medicine is a white, round, scored, tablet imprinted with « T 293 ». This medication has been prescribed for your current condition only. Do not use it later for another condition unless told to do so by your doctor.
Drugs that you should not use with methadone
The American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists disclaims any and all liability alleged as a result of the information provided herein. Tell all of your providers and pharmacists that you are on methadone. You should not take other medications with methadone without talking to your methadone withdrawal provider. Talk to your doctor, a pharmacist or your key worker if you’re unsure whether it’s safe for you to drive while using methadone. Even if your ability to drive is not affected, the police have the right to request a saliva sample to check how much methadone is in your body.
How Is Methadone Used?
Methadone has also drawn scrutiny because of its role in increasing rates of overdose deaths. An estimated 25 percent ofprescription opioid deaths are caused by methadone, according to a 2017 report by the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention. Tapering is recommended only for patients who have a history of abstinence, a strong support system and a motivation to discontinuemethadone therapy.
- It’s important that you dispose of unwanted opioid medicines safely.
- A person caring for you can give the naloxone if you stop breathing or don’t wake up.
- The dose is usually adjusted based on how a person feels within two to four hours of receiving methadone.It isn’t adjusted based on when the effects of methadone wear off.
- Get additional information on opioid addiction treatment options.
- If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Take-Home Medication
These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions. This means this drug has a risk of misuse and may cause dependence. Methadone withdrawal symptoms are reported as being significantly more protracted than withdrawal from opioids with shorter half-lives.
What other drugs will affect methadone?
- Methadone is one component of a comprehensive treatment plan, which includes counseling and other behavioral health therapies to provide patients with a whole-person approach.
- If you are planning on becoming pregnant, notify your health care provider to best manage your medications.
- Cancer pain doesn’t affect all people with cancer, but for those who do have pain it can be controlled with medicines and other therapies.
- Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you should have naloxone available to treat opioid overdose.
- This risk is increased when methadone is injected into the body or when it is mixed with other depressants including benzodiazepine medications and alcohol.
- Opioid medicine can slow or stop your breathing, and death may occur.
Maintenance Phase
- If you become pregnant while taking methadone, speak to your doctor or prescriber.
- Frequent abuse can lead to dependency andprescription drug addiction.
- This means this drug has a risk of misuse and may cause dependence.
- Obtain the patient’s consent to release information and speak with treating providers to coordinate care for patient safety.
- The parent clinic must provide counseling and other required services.
- Unlike methadone, its effects taper off after a certain dosage amount (called the ceiling effect).