How Do You Take Methadone and How Long Will it be Required?

If you are considering taking methadone for opioid or opiate addiction, you might have questions. Two of the most popular questions are how do you take methadone and how long will it be required. Unfortunately, these two questions do not have a simple answer.

How do you Take Methadone?

There are a few ways to take methadone. Essentially, you pick the way that works best for you and your individual needs. According to the National Library of Medicine, you can take methadone in:

Tablet – standard tablet form
Dispersible tablet – a tablet that can be dissolved in liquid
Wafer – a small tablet that dissolves under the tongue
Solution – a liquid that is mixed with other liquids
Liquid – a straight liquid form that you just drink

Methadone can be taken in standard tablet form.

If you are using dispersible tablets, you can mix your dose in 4 ounces (120 mL) of water or any other citrus drink. The reason why you should use citrus is that it masks the taste.

It is important to drink the entire thing right away. The medication is meant to be swallowed all at once; anything else reduces its effectiveness. This is true for the solution, the dispersible, and the liquid forms. To find a treatment center to start your methadone treatment, call 800-678-5931(Who Answers?) .

How Long will Methadone Treatment be Required?

How long methadone treatment will be required depends on a few things. These things are:

What type of treatment program you are on
What your goals are

Each of these is useful, when you are trying to determine how long you will be in methadone treatment.

How the Treatment program type affects how long you will be on methadone

There are two main types of treatment using methadone. These are methadone assisted and methadone maintenance.

During methadone assisted treatment you start to taper off methadone anywhere from a few weeks to several months depending on your treatment plan. Then you will spend several weeks to a few months tapering off the methadone so you can stop it without withdrawal symptoms.

During methadone maintenance treatment, you begin on methadone and then stay on a maintenance dose for as long as you still need it. It is possible to stay on methadone for years.

How Long Should I Stay on Methadone?

The length of time that any one individual should stay on methadone treatment depends on many factors, including the person’s addiction and its severity, their recovery trajectory, and whether or not the medication is still currently helpful to them. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Remaining in treatment for an adequate period of ….

How your goals effect the length of treatment on methadone

Your goals are very important to how long you stay on methadone. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, methadone maintenance treatment is effective when you want to:

Reduce illegal activity
Reduce drug use
Reduce needle sharing
Reduce infection risk
Improve health

Once these goals are accomplished, you can taper off methadone, if you are comfortable doing so. There is no time limit for reaching these goals.

Finding a Methadone Treatment Program

To find out exactly how you take methadone and how long it will be required, you need to speak with a treatment center. To find the treatment center that is right for you, call 800-678-5931(Who Answers?) . We can help.