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Methadone Pain Management Side Effects

The drug methadone is often used as part of a pain management regimen by doctors for those recovering from surgery and those who need assistance managing the pain caused by opiate withdrawal. Methadone is a very powerful drug that should only be used under the supervision of a licensed medical professional. When used as directed by a physician, methadone in considered to be safe. Recreational use and misuse by patients whom are prescribed it can have dangerous, and in some cases, life-threatening side effects.

  1. Drug Interactions

    • Methadone can react with many other drugs. The use of alcohol should be completely stopped while taking methadone. Alcohol will cause the depressive effects of the methadone to become much more pronounced. Other narcotics, like tranquilizers and muscle relaxants, should be explicitly avoided while undergoing a methadone pain management program. All prescription drugs being used by a patient should be reviewed by a medical professional before the patient is administered methadone.

    Trouble Sleeping and Delirium

    • Patients in a methadone pain management program may report trouble sleeping, or insomnia while taking methadone. A related side effect, delirium, may be reported by a methadone user as well. If a patient reports feelings of delirium or insomnia while taking methadone, his dosage should be reviewed and reduced if necessary. Reducing the amount of methadone taken each day generally alleviates delirium and insomnia.

    Drowsiness

    • Most users of methadone can expect feelings of drowsiness to occur during the first 20 to 30 days of use. Over the course of the first month, the user should notice the feelings of drowsiness subsiding gradually. Dosage reduction should be considered if a patient reports extreme lethargy or sedation. In most cases, the alleviation of feelings of extreme lethargy will occur with a dosage adjustment.

    Nausea

    • Nausea is commonly experienced by patients on a methadone program. In most cases, the user will notice the feelings of nausea growing less apparent after the first week of use. In patients taking high amounts of methadone, tolerance to the methadone may take longer to develop. A reduction in dosage can be explored if the nausea persists for a longer than average time period (one to two weeks).

    Constipation

    • Constipation is a common side effect suffered by many methadone users. The effects of constipation can be relieved by consuming foods rich in fiber and drinking plenty of water. Avoiding the consumption of foods with high fat content also will help. The use of laxatives and stool softeners will aid the patient in the maintenance of regular healthy bowel movements.

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