What Is Methadone Used For?

Methadone is a long-acting opioid agonist. It is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of opioid use disorder and pain management.

Methadone is a strong painkiller that can be habit-forming. It should be taken exactly as prescribed by your doctor. This drug comes in tablet, liquid, or powder form.

Brand names for this medicine include:

• Dolophine
• Methadose
• Physeptone

Taking high doses of methadone, or mixing it with other central nervous system depressants, can be dangerous. Methadone can also become addictive with chronic misuse.

Methadone Uses

Methadone is a synthetic drug that’s primarily used to provide pain relief and treat opiate addiction. It belongs to a class of drugs known as opiate (opioid) analgesics.

Although methadone is an opioid drug, it doesn’t act on the body’s opioid receptors in the same way that some short-acting opioids do. Compared to drugs like heroin and fentanyl, methadone is less likely to produce euphoric effects.

Methadone And Pain Relief

Methadone can be prescribed to treat severe acute and chronic pain. This medication is generally prescribed for those who do not respond to other pain medications.

Methadone acts on receptors in the brain that control our perception of pain. It does not treat the source of the pain. It can be prescribed to treat severe pain following an accident, surgery, medical procedure, or chronic pain conditions.

Methadone And Opioid Addiction

Approximately 6.1 million Americans aged 12 and older lived with opioid use disorder in the past year.

One of the most effective treatments for OUD is medication-assisted treatment, which utilizes medications such as methadone, buprenorphine (Suboxone), naltrexone, or lofexidine alongside behavioral therapy.

Methadone maintenance treatment is used to treat the following addictions:

• heroin addiction
• oxycodone addiction (OxyContin)
• hydrocodone addiction (Vicodin, Percocet)
• oxymorphone addiction (Opana)
• morphine addiction
• codeine addiction
• fentanyl addiction

Methadone maintenance therapy can help reduce opioid withdrawal, drug cravings, and the risk of overdose. This type of treatment is offered through methadone clinics and drug rehab programs.

Unlike buprenorphine (Suboxone), which can now be prescribed by any licensed healthcare provider, methadone must be dispensed through federally certified Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs), commonly called methadone clinics.

Patients typically attend the clinic in person, especially early in treatment, to receive their daily dose. As treatment progresses, patients may become eligible for take-home doses. This structure provides supervised treatment and support, though it can present access challenges for people in rural areas or those with transportation barriers

Methadone And Pregnancy

Methadone can pass into breast milk and through the placenta, which may cause neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS), sometimes also called neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), in newborns exposed during pregnancy or breastfeeding.r

Methadone may be prescribed for pregnant people with opioid use disorder. In this context, methadone maintenance helps prevent dangerous fluctuations in opioid levels, reduces the risk of relapse to illicit opioid use, and allows for a more stable, medically monitored pregnancy. Healthcare providers weigh the risks and benefits carefully for each patient.

Methadone Tolerance And Dependence

Taking methadone for an extended period of time can lead to drug tolerance and dependence. This can cause the drug to become less effective in small doses. Do not increase your dose without first speaking to your doctor.

Opioid dependence occurs when the body becomes used to having a certain drug in the system. This can cause withdrawal symptoms should you attempt to reduce or stop taking methadone.

Methadone Frequently Asked Questions

Before you begin taking methadone for either pain relief or as a way to overcome opioid addiction, you may have a few questions. Fortunately, you are not alone. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about methadone.

❓ Is Methadone Safe?

✔️ Methadone is commonly prescribed to treat several health conditions. However, it is important to take methadone exactly as prescribed.

Taking higher doses or taking it more often than prescribed may cause serious and potentially life-threatening side effects, including respiratory depression (slow or stopped breathing) and overdose.

Talk to your doctor about the safety of taking methadone if you:

• are pregnant
• are breastfeeding
• are under the age of 18
• have certain heart or lung conditions
• have a history of substance use disorder or mental illness
• have a family history of drug or alcohol use disorder

If you have concerns about methadone safety, seek medical advice from your healthcare provider to learn more.

Methadone Overdose: Signs And Symptoms

Overdose is a condition that can occur after taking too much of one or more drugs, including alcohol.

Do not take methadone with other drugs if they haven’t been prescribed by your doctor. This includes other opioids, sedatives, or benzodiazepines. This can lead to a life-threatening overdose.

Signs of a methadone overdose include:

• sleepiness
• confusion
• lightheadedness
• slow, shallow, or stopped breathing
• cold, clammy skin
• bluish lips and fingernails
• low blood pressure
• low heart rate
• nausea and vomiting
• stomach spasms
• tiny pupils
• sedation
• unconsciousness

If someone you know is having breathing problems or has passed out after taking methadone, call 911 or Poison Control for immediate medical assistance.

Deadly symptoms of overdose can be reversed by administering naloxone (Narcan) via injection or nasal spray.

Methadone Withdrawal

Taking methadone for more than a few weeks may cause drug dependence. Becoming dependent on methadone can cause you to experience symptoms of withdrawal within 36 hours of your last dose.

Withdrawal symptoms of methadone can include:

• nausea and vomiting
• teary eyes
• runny nose
• restlessness
• yawning
• dilated pupils
• muscle pain
• irritability
• stomach cramps
• sleep difficulties
• depression
• diarrhea

Do not try to adjust your dosing without first talking to your prescribing doctor. Your doctor may recommend that you begin an opioid detox program or gradually taper your dose.

Treatment For Methadone Abuse And Addiction

Overcoming a methadone addiction is possible. If you or someone you know is struggling with methadone addiction, treatment is available.

Treatment programs for methadone abuse and addiction include:

• medically supervised detoxification
• inpatient drug rehab programs
• outpatient rehab programs
• medication-assisted treatment programs (e.g., Suboxone MAT)
• aftercare programs

Treatment for methadone addiction may involve behavioral therapy, pain management services, and other substance abuse services.

For more information about methadone or to find addiction treatment options, call our helpline today.

Written by the Addiction Resource Editorial Staff