6 Situations When Avoiding Methadone May Be a Better Idea

While methadone has helped millions of substance abusers since its inception in the 1960s, it’s not the right choice for everyone.

There’s no shame in admitting methadone might not be right for you. Instead of wallowing in despair and giving up all hope of recovery, simply look into other treatment options.

Need help finding which treatment might be the best for you? Call us now at 800-678-5931(Paid Advertiser) to learn about available clinics, facilities, counseling, and doctors in your area.

You Can’t Follow Dosage Instructions

Methadone is an opioid drug. While it’s commonly prescribed as an addiction treatment, it can become a source of addiction if not taken correctly.

If you think you’ll have problems following your doctor’s dosage pattern, then you should simply avoid methadone altogether. Because methadone has such a long half-life, it can stay in the body for up to 36 hours at a time.

During this period, if you try taking more methadone than your doctor has prescribed, you risk overdosing, which can increase your chances of death.

Instead of methadone, consider looking into behavioral therapy and counseling to help alter your decision-making process.

You Are Taking Certain Medications

You shouldn’t take methadone if you’re on certain medications for depression or anxiety.

Unfortunately, methadone can have an adverse reaction when mixed with certain medications. These can include:

Certain antibiotics, like erythromycin, clarithromycin, or troleandomycin
Certain heart medications, like amiodarone, disopyramide, or procainamide
Certain fungal infection medications, like fluconazole, ketoconazole, or voriconazole
Certain malaria medications, like halofantrine or chloroquine
Certain medications for cancer, like sunitinib, lapatinib, or dasatinib
Certain medications for depression or anxiety
Certain medications for sleep or seizures
Certain medications for irregular heartbeat or nausea

If you’re not sure if your medication could pose a problem when mixed with methadone, just consult your doctor.

You Have Certain Medical Conditions

Some medical conditions may limit you from taking methadone. These include:

Hypothyroidism
Asthma
Adrenocortical insufficiency
Diabetes
Hypopituitarism
Liver or kidney problems
Urethral stricture
Prostatic hypertrophy

Again, it’s important to communicate with your doctor, as only they know your medical history well enough to determine if your health issues will be a deterrent for methadone treatment.

You Are Having Severe Side Effects

Most patients will experience mild side effects, such as constipation or body aches, when taking methadone. However, for some patients, these side effects can get out of hand.

Signs of a more serious reaction to methadone include:

Chest pain
Hallucinations or mental confusion
Problems breathing or respiratory depression
Feeling faint or dizzy
Developing a rash, hives, or swelling
Fast heartbeat

During your first dose of methadone, you will be closely monitored to ensure you aren’t having any of these side effects.

Suboxone vs Methadone: Which is Best for Me

Learn the benefits of both methadone and suboxone treatment so you can decide which medication will be best for your recovery.

You Can’t Make Daily Trips to the Clinic

One big drawback about methadone maintenance treatment is that it requires daily visits to a methadone clinic.

For patients without reliable transportation or with jobs that don’t accommodate an hour break in the morning, this can be hard to manage.

If you don’t think you’ll be able to commit to this type of schedule, it’s probably best to seek another type of treatment, such as buprenorphine.

You Can’t Handle Stigmatization

Unfortunately, there’s still a fair bit of stigmatization around the use of methadone as a treatment for addiction.

Many people simply see it as replacing one addiction for another, which couldn’t be farther from the truth.

However, until this public opinion is altered, it may keep people away from methadone due to the fear of being called out or thought less of.

The best way to determine if methadone is right for you is to visit your doctor.

However, if you’re still afraid to admit you have a drug addiction, we can help you over the phone.

By telling us your story, we can help to recommend treatment options in your area and give you the encouragement you need to take the next step. Just call us at 800-678-5931(Paid Advertiser) now to get started.