What is Methadone?
Methadone is a synthetic opioid that has been used for the treatment of opiate/opioid dependence for decades. It was developed in Germany in 1937, and is a much cheaper alternative for both pain management and as an anti-addictive drug than most of it’s counterparts (i.e. vicodin, morphine and oxycodone).
Whether it’s a junkie who’s been shooting up heroin, or a pill-popping soccer mom, methadone has offered addicts a way to get out of their drug-seeking environment by replacing their illicit habit with a governmentally controlled substance that can be distributed at local clinics.
Because Methadone (brand names: Symoron, Dolophine, Amidone, Methadose, Physeptone, Heptadon and many others) has a longer duration of effect, patients can take the pill once a day, relieving them of their withdrawal symptoms, until the following day where they can get their next dose.
Methadone’s ability to remove the addict from the dangers of copping, shooting or popping opiates, is its main benefit, in my opinion.
However, methadone’s other benefit, the long duration of action, can be, in and of itself, an extremely difficult drug to kick. Thus, former heroin addicts become current methadone addicts, and the cycle of addiction continues.
In my next post, I’ll weight the pro’s and con’s of using methadone as both a maintenance drug and a way to detox from other opiates/opioids.
7 comments
Thanks for putting this together. I’m looking forward to reading the next posts about using methadone to detox from other drugs vs. other methods.
hi my boyfriend was on meth and he came off it and he is doing really well but lately he has been having cronic headaches and he has been off his meth for 3 weeks and yeah its hard and addictive but he done it
I’m into my ninth day of being methadone free. I feel as though I’m gonna die. My emotions r out of control. I’ve been to the hospital 3x in a month ie. blood pressure 282/158. I’ve gained 50 lbs in the 3yrs I was on the shit. I have a benzo habit. Detox was a joke cause no one wants a dually addicted person with this combination.
I’m down to .5 xanax 3xd daily but of course the first couple of days I did 4mg. I’m taking clonodine 4 my blood pressure, and maylox for my stomach. I feel like shit on a stick. I walked on 40 mg. I’ve seen my primary care doc, psyche, and heart. I’m not self medicating. 4 once. I’m 47 and have been using since 9. Need encouragement…….Also heed this warning!!!
I am going in for duel detox of meths 50 ml I have been on 9 years AND alcohol 5 years 3-5 litres strong cider a day also benzos 2 , 5mg a day. I am staying on my valium 4 and after detox …….. help…. has anyone done this ????
I hope everyone that has wrote in is still doing good. I”m almost 29 been doing pills for 8 years that time really flies when getting high all the time. I’ve detoxed plenty in the past now I’ve been on methadone for about 4 years and i”m ready to quit. I was on 100 – 160 mills now down to like 60 and plan on getting to 30 by Thu. or Fri. then taking suboxone for maybe 10 days, I think I’ve done this enough to be strong as far as the withdrawal. If anyone has advice or support I’ll take any help I can get. The whole trick is after the withdrawal is dealing w/ the mental addiction fighting the cravings and something as simple as saying no, one time is to much. GOOD LUCK to everyone going threw any kind of addiction god bless.
Hello my name is Franke and im a 35 yr male whos dieing to get off meth i started off on 100mg an now im down to 50 wat scares me tha most is all the horrible stories about coming off of meth i know people who went a way for a year or more and when i finally saw them they were still detoxing. I JUST WANT MY LIFE BACK, im grateful for the meth getting me off dope but if i knew then wat i no now NEVER would i got on it the meth clinics they dont care too them we are just money i think there bigger drug dealers then the ones on the corner do you think they really want to help peo ple heck no if they did they would go out of buisness
I HAVE BEEN ON THE METHADONE FOR ABOUT 4 YEAR AND HATE IT. IVE BEEN UP TO AS MUCH AS 190 ML AND IT STILL NEVER MADE ME FEEL 100 %. I HAVE A HIGH TOLERANCE TO OPIATES. DOES ANY BODY KNOW SOME ONE THATS BEEN TO ONE OF THEM DETOX PLACES WHERE YOU ARE SEDATED AND THEY SAY THAT YOU FEEL ALRIGHT AFTER 5 DAYS? JUST BECAUSE THIS IS SOME THING I HAVE SERIOUSLY BEEN THINKING ABOUT AND CONSIDERING IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY TO DO, I DONT WANNA GO IN TO ONE OF THEM PLACES LIKE DETOX 5 UNLESS I KNOW IT DEFINATELY WORKS? ANY 1 WHOS BEEN THERE OR KNOWS ANY1 WHO HAS, BIT INFO ABOUT IT WOULD BE GREAT. THANKS AND GOOD LUCK TO EVEYONE THAT HAS MADE THE EFFORT TO GET OFF OPIATES COS I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS AND THE PAIN AND HEAD MESS IT GIVES YOU !
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