Get Informed: Methadone
Active Ingredient(s)
Methadone
What does it do?
This product is used for the treatment of severe pain. It is also used in the treatment of opioid addiction. It works by binding to opiod receptors which causes sedation without the 'high' associated with opioids.
- Last Text Update:
- 2010-Mar-20 5:21 PM
- Last Data Update:
- 2010-Mar-19 9:03 PM
Other Names
- Methadone
- Methadose
- Dolophine
- Physeptone
- Eptadone
- Metharose
- Synastone
How Safe Is It?
- Your Risk Rating
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- Average Risk Rating
-
- Pregnancy Category:
- C
Black Box Warning
This product has a black box warning relating to the increased risk of potentially fatal respiratory depression or cardiac arrhythmias.
Facts & Figures
- Date Approved
- 15 Dec 1947
- Est US Patients*
- 954,900
- Generic Available
- Yes
- OTC Available
- No
User Age Distribution*
< 21
21-39
40-59
60+
Age (Years)
* Estimated number of US people currently taking Methadone or its active ingredient based on population adjusted patient numbers registered with iGuard.org.
Methadone Safety Report
Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings
- Please login or register (it's free) so iGuard can check how Methadone interacts with other drugs and diseases in your profile.
What is Methadone used for?
iGuard is currently tracking more than 6,300 patients that use Methadone (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)). Use the table below to learn why iGuard users take this product; click on any underlined condition to get information on other medications used for treatment.
| Disease / Condition | % | Average Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Back/Neck Pain | 59% | 
|
| Pain-Generalized | 44% |
|
| Neuropathic Pain | 22% |
|
| Opiate Addiction | 19% | 
|
| Fibromyalgia | 7% |
|
How well does Methadone work?
iGuard regularly polls our more than 6,300 users taking Methadone (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM) . This feedback is continuously updated in tables below for the benefit of the iGuard community. To request scores for specific patient subgroups, please contact research@iguard.org.
Average Satisfaction Score
(out of 10)
Average Effectiveness Score
(out of 10)
- 74%
- of patients are confident that the good things about Methadone outweigh the bad things.
- 11%
- of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Methadone.
Common Side Effects of Methadone
iGuard regularly polls our more than 6,300 users taking Methadone (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) to monitor the development and frequency of side-effects. This feedback is continuously updated in tables and graphs below for the benefit of the iGuard community.
67% of patients experience side-effects on Methadone
14% of patients experience signifcant side-effects on Methadone
Most Common Side Effects...
-
Drowsiness
-
Constipation
-
Grogginess/Confusion
-
Fatigue
-
Itch/Rash
-
Sweating
-
Low Testosterone
-
Dizziness
-
= 10%
Less than 1%: , Dental Problems, Hair Loss, Loss of Libido, Memory/Speech Problems, Nausea/Vomiting, Weight Gain, Withdrawal Problems
Global Patient Feedback for Methadone ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
Ive been going to the Methadone clinic now for 3 years. I was addicted to pain pills like Percocet,Vicodin,Oxycontin,pretty much anything I could find. The Methadone has really helped me. I am on 100mg a day. As far as coming off it Im not ready yet. My boyfriend weaned himself off and had bad withdraws but then Ive seen people have mild withdraws. I think it really depends on your mindset.
32 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-03-10 15:48:32
Question/Comment:
I have been on methadone for about 10 years and I am pretty sure that methadone saved my life! I am addicted to pain meds, vicodin, oxycontine, etc. I was hooked for over 20years and I thought I would never be free from this addiction. Thank goodness I decided to try methadone because now I don't have to live in that hell any longer!! Life is so much better now, I can concentrate on my family instead of worrying about where I was going to get my next pill.
50 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-02-17 01:10:24
Question/Comment:
I have severe nuropathic pain, caused by unual pain from CMT1A. I have been takeing methadose since 2001. I have found with a little more H20 intake and mild excersise (walking for 1/2 hr) and keeping my diet balanced with fresh fruit and fresh veg. and minimize my cheese intake I do quite well. I also have to be alert of drowzieness, as I have a tendacy to loose intrest or be sleepy. However if I am doing an activity I have no problems.(such as driving, internet etc) Methose is good for me.
61 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-02-16 14:38:17
Question/Comment:
I have been on 65mg by 4 x a day Methadone for chronic pain and it works wonders. It's been 2 years now. I have been told that Methadone is extremely hard to wean off if the time comes that I would want to. Almost impossible I've heard. Anyone have any experience with this. I've also been reading here where people say that taking oxycodone with meth for breakthrough pain is useless but when I've done it sure seems to help and it was a pain specialist who prescribed the two. I'm not on the oxy now but was I just getting a placebo effect. Hate to waste money if that is all it is. Thanks anyone who can help. Bob
57 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-02-13 16:02:22
iGuard Answer/Reply:
Oxycodone is a very potent medication used to treat pain, and you are likely not having a placebo effect. Methadone can be difficult to wean off of, but everyone is different and with the right support, medical and emotional, you can do what you need to do. The most important issue would be to speak with your pain management specialist, since he/she knows your medical history. You would want to do it under medical guidance because in some cases weaning can cause physical symptoms like vomiting and the like.
Posted: 2010-02-21 14:07:39
Answer/Reply:
Hi Bob,
I have been living with chronic severe back pain now for over 5 years and I was taking 40mg 3x's a day along with hydrocodone for break threw pain. I knew I had to do something to lower the meth dose because I was in a drug stuper most of the time but it did help with the pain. I weaned myself off the methadone. I stopped taking just one pill for 10 days and then I would stop taking another pill for ten days etc.... I am now down to 20mg 2x a day and things are good! I still have to take the other pills for break through pain but I feel alive again and I didn't go through any kind of withdrawel symptoms at all.
51 Year old Female - IGuard NY
51 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-03-06 19:42:57
Answer/Reply:
Yes it is very hard to wean off of especially if you try to do it all at once i came off of 200mg a day all at once for 6mths and it was hell i lost 100pds i could not eat had diarrea and am now back on it for 1year i was on oxycontin for migraines and got pregnant and the doc said if i wanted to keep the baby i need to go on methadone if i stopped the baby would die so i did it at a clinic so i could be monitored and it helpes my pain i got lumbar disc disease without it i can not work it is a life saver it is a miricle drug i think as far as oxycontin not working it just does not get people high but it helps pain my husband was on both from a pain doc too and he says it worked and i asked the clinic and they said you just wont get high
also if you are weaned 1mg a week its supposed to be ok
31 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-03-14 13:23:56
Question/Comment:
I have been taking Methadone (5mg) 4 times a day for about 6 yrs for pain. I was also taking Vicoden when needed for break through pain. I have now changed to taking Methadone (10mg) 2 times a day and very rarely take extra medication for my pain.
69 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-02-12 04:34:09
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291
Patient Comments about
Methadone