Methadone Side Effects, Overuse
Methadone side effects include severe heart and breathing problems.
It is essential to attend all doctor and lab appointments
that monitor your health. Ask your physician about any concerns
to clarify in our own mind all the
risks and benefits of using Methadone.
Methadone reacts differently in each patient. Although you
may have built up some tolerance to narcotic drugs, you can
still experience serious Methadone side effects.
Methadone Side Effects
Methadone side effects worsen when combined with alcohol
or certain medicines. Common Methadone side effects include:
- Anxiety
- Blurred vision
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness, drowsiness
- Dry mouth
- Euphoria
- Fainting
- Headache
- Increased sweating
- Indigestion
- Irregular heartbeat (inc. fast or slow)
- Lightheadedness
- Loss of appetite
- Moodiness
- Mental changes
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Weakness
Seek urgent help for persistent Methadone side
effects:
- Severe allergic
reactions, such as
- Airway obstruction
- Breathing difficulties
- Hives, itching, rash
- Swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue
- Tightness in the chest
- Confusion
- Dark urine
- Dizziness (severe or persistent), lightheadedness
- Excessive drowsiness
- Clay-colored stools
- Fainting, coma, unconsciousness
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea, vomiting
- Pinpointed pupils
- Seizure, convulsions, tremors
- Shortness of breath
- Slow or shallow breathing
- Slow heartbeat
- Stomach pain
- Swelling of the arms, feet, or legs
- Trouble sleeping
- Trouble urinating
- Unusual bruising or bleeding
- Unusual thoughts or behavior
This list may be incomplete. Please report additional
side effects to your physician, or to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088).
Methadone is not advised for patients
with:
- Severe asthma, or respiratory problems
- Stomach, blockage, or severe bowel problems
- Diarrhea from food poisoning or antibiotics
- Sodium oxybate, monamine oxidase type B inhibitor (MAOI),
or other drug intake.
Do not drive or perform other hazardous tasks (inc. machine
operation) unless advised by your doctor. Alcohol, sleep
aids or other medicines (e.g., muscle relaxers) may magnify
Methadone side effects.
Inform your doctor or dentist of your Methadone use before
medical or dental care, including urgent care and minor
or major surgery.
The following is an incomplete list of contraindicated
medications that aggravate Methadone side effects:
- Barbiturate anesthetics
- Benzodiazepines
- Carbamazepine, efavirenz
- Diuretics
- H1 antagonists
- HIV protease inhibitors
- Macrolide antibiotics
- MAO-B inhibitors
- Narcotic antagonists (e.g., naloxone)
- Narcotic agonists/antagonists
- St. John's wort
- Neuroleptics
- Quinolones
- Sodium oxybate
- Tricyclic antidepressants
- Zidovudine, Fluconazole, fluvoxamine, ketoconazole
- and other brand or generic drugs that your doctor should
discuss with you.
Benefits of use typically outweigh the risk of serious Methadone
side effects. However, please contact your physician
immediately if any reactions occur, remain,
or worsen. Seek urgent
medical help for any
allergic reaction.
| Please call
(310)
205-0808 or (888)
987-HOPE (4673).
during business hours for more information about Methadone
addiction and rapid
detox treatment for prescription pain
medications.
Please call (310)
927-7155 after hours
and on weekends.
Or send us a confidential
email. |
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