Methadone

Another one of the drugs prescribed by doctors, methadone is a narcotic pain reliever similar to morphine. It is also used to reduce withdrawal symptoms in people addicted to narcotic drugs without causing the effects associated with the drug usage, considered very efficient as part of drug addiction detoxification and maintenance programs.

However, methadone is a strong drug, and used improperly will increase your risk of serious side effects or death. Like other narcotic medicines, methadone can slow your breathing, even long after the pain-relieving effects of the medication wear off. Death may occur if breathing becomes too weak. Never use more methadone than your doctor has prescribed and call your doctor if you think the medicine is not working.

Dangerous side effects or death can occur when alcohol is combined with methadone. Methadone can also cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. Methadone may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for, should never be given to another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction.

You should also not take methadone if you are having an asthma attack, if you have a bowel obstruction called paralytic ileus, if you have a personal or family history of “Long QT syndrome”, if you have asthma, COPD, sleep apnea or other breathing disorders, liver or kidney disease, underactive thyroid, curvature of the spine, a history of head injury or brain tumor, epilepsy or other seizure disorder, low blood pressure, gallbladder disease, Addison’s disease or other adrenal gland disorders, enlarged prostate, urination problems, mental illness or a history of drug or alcohol addiction.

As you can see, the list is pretty long. Methadone may also be harmful to an unborn baby. It could cause addiction or withdrawal symptoms in a newborn if the mother takes methadone during pregnancy, can also pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby.

We strongly recommend to everyone reading this article to use methadone only with medical prescription and under medical control, however, if you or someone close to you have problems with methadone addiction, we suggest you to visit DrugRehabServices.com.