Highlights for methadone 5 mg
- Methadone oral tablet is available as brand-name drugs. It’s also available as a generic drug. Brand names: Methadose and Dolophine.
- Methadone comes in the form of a tablet, dispersible tablet (tablet that can be dissolved in liquid), concentrate solution, and solution. You take each of these forms by mouth. It also comes as an injection that’s only given by your doctor.
- Methadone oral tablet is used to treat pain. It’s also used for detoxification or maintenance treatment of an opioid drug addiction.
What is methadone 5 mg?
Methadone is a prescription drug. It’s an opioid, which makes it a controlled substance. That means its use will be closely monitored by your doctor.
Methadone comes as an oral tablet, oral dispersible tablet (tablet that can be dissolved in liquid), oral concentrate solution, and oral solution. Methadone also comes in an intravenous (IV) form, which is only given by a healthcare provider.
Methadone is available as the brand-name drugs Methadose and Dolophine. It’s also available as a generic drug. Generic drugs usually cost less than brand-name versions. In some cases, they may not be available in every strength or form as brand-name drugs.
Uses of Methadone 5 mg
Methadone oral tablet is used to manage moderate to severe pain. It’s only given when other short-term or non-opioid pain drugs don’t work for you or if you can’t tolerate them.
Methadone is also used to manage drug addiction. If you’re addicted to another opioid, your doctor may give you methadone to prevent you from having severe withdrawal symptoms.
How it works
Methadone belongs to a class of drugs called opioids (narcotics). A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions.
Methadone works on pain receptors in your body. It reduces how much pain you feel.
Methadone can also replace another opioid drug that you’re addicted to. This will keep you from having severe withdrawal symptoms.
Overdose
The symptoms and signs of overdose and toxicity of methadone are essentially those for morphine, though respiratory depression may be more profound and prolonged than for an equivalent dose of morphine. Severe overdose is characterised by respiratory failure, extreme drowsiness that develops into stupor or coma, maximum pupillary constriction, skeletal-muscle flaccidity, cold and clammy skin and occasionally bradycardia and hypotension. Apnoea, cardiovascular failure, cardiac arrest and death may occur in serious cases of overdose, especially in intravenous administration.
Treatment is supportive and use of an opioid antagonist such as naloxone, nalorphine or levallorphan should be limited to those patients with demonstrated respiratory or cardiovascular depression due to methadone.
Naloxone is the preferred antagonist as there is less likelihood of further respiratory depression from the effects of the opioid antagonist. Use of an opioid antagonist may need to be continued for up to 48 hours due to the duration of action of methadone, and for this reason respiratory and cardiovascular monitoring is mandatory. Dialysis, CNS stimulation and respiratory stimulants are contraindicated. Acidification of the urine will increase the renal clearance of the drug.
Methadone side effects
Methadone oral tablet can cause extreme drowsiness and slowed breathing. This is more likely to occur during the first few hours after you take it and when your doctor increases your dosage.
Methadone can also cause other side effects.
More common side effects
The more common side effects of methadone can include:
- constipation
- nausea
- sleepiness
- vomiting
- tiredness
- headache
- dizziness
- stomach pain
If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Serious side effects
Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:
- Respiratory failure (not being able to breathe). Symptoms can include:
- shortness of breath
- chest pain
- lightheadedness
- feeling faint
- slowed breathing
- very shallow breathing (little chest movement with breathing)
- dizziness
- confusion
- Orthostatic hypotension (low blood pressure when getting up after sitting or lying down). Symptoms can include:
- low blood pressure
- dizziness or lightheadedness
- fainting
- Physical dependence and withdrawal when stopping the drug. Symptoms can include:
- restlessness
- irritability or anxiousness
- trouble sleeping
- increased blood pressure
- fast breathing rate
- fast heart rate
- dilated pupils (enlargement of the dark center of the eyes)
- teary eyes
- runny nose
- yawning
- nausea, vomiting, and a loss of appetite
- diarrhea and stomach cramps
- sweating
- chills
- muscle aches and backache
- Misuse or addiction. Symptoms can include:
- taking more of the drug than prescribed
- taking the drug regularly even if you don’t need it
- continuing to use the drug despite negative outcomes with friends, family, your job, or the law
- ignoring regular duties
- taking the drug secretly or lying about how much you’re taking
- Seizures
Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible side effects. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always discuss possible side effects with a healthcare provider who knows your medical history.
Methadone may interact with other medications
Methadone oral tablet can interact with other medications, vitamins, or herbs you may be taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well.
To help avoid interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications, vitamins, or herbs you’re taking. To find out how this drug might interact with something else you’re taking, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Examples of drugs that can cause interactions with methadone are listed below.
Drugs that you should not use with methadone
Do not take these drugs with methadone. Doing so can cause dangerous effects in your body. Examples of these drugs include:
- Pentazocine, nalbuphine, butorphanol, and buprenorphine. These drugs may reduce methadone’s pain-relieving effects. This can cause withdrawal symptoms.
Interactions that increase your risk of side effects
- Increased side effects from other drugs: Taking methadone with certain medications raises your risk of side effects from those drugs. Examples of these drugs include:
- Benzodiazepines such as diazepam, lorazepam, clonazepam, temazepam, and alprazolam. Increased side effects can include severe drowsiness, slowed or stopped breathing, coma, or death. If you need to take one of these drugs with oxycodone, your doctor will monitor you closely for side effects.
- Zidovudine. Side effects can include headache, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting.
- Side effects from methadone: Taking methadone with certain medications raises your risk of side effects from methadone. This is because the amount of methadone in your body is increased. Examples of these drugs include:
- Cimetidine. Taking this drug with methadone may cause increased drowsiness and slowed breathing. Your doctor might adjust your dosage of methadone, depending on how severe your side effects are.
- Antibiotics, such as clarithromycin and erythromycin. Taking these drugs with methadone may cause increased drowsiness and slowed breathing. Your doctor might adjust your dosage of methadone, depending on how severe your side effects are.
- Antifungal drugs, such as ketoconazole, posaconazole, and voriconazole. Taking these drugs with methadone may cause increased drowsiness and slowed breathing. Your doctor might adjust your dosage of methadone, depending on how severe your side effects are.
- HIV drugs, such as ritonavir or indinavir. Taking these drugs with methadone may cause increased drowsiness and slowed breathing. Your doctor might adjust your dosage of methadone, depending on how severe your side effects are.
- Increased side effects from both drugs: Taking methadone with certain medications raises your risk of side effects. This is because methadone and these other medications can cause the same side effects. As a result, these side effects can be increased. Examples of these drugs include:
- Allergy drugs, such as diphenhydramine and hydroxyzine. Taking these drugs with methadone may cause urinary retention (not being able to fully empty your bladder), constipation, and slowed movement in your stomach and bowels. This can lead to a severe bowel obstruction.
- Urinary incontinence drugs, such as tolterodine and oxybutynin. Taking these drugs with methadone may cause urinary retention (not being able to fully empty your bladder), constipation, and slowed movement in your stomach and bowels. This can lead to a severe bowel obstruction.
- Benztropine and amitriptyline. Taking these drugs with methadone may cause urinary retention (not being able to fully empty your bladder), constipation, and slowed movement in your stomach and bowels. This can lead to a severe bowel obstruction.
- Antipsychotics, such as clozapine and olanzapine. Taking these drugs with methadone may cause urinary retention (not being able to fully empty your bladder), constipation, and slowed movement in your stomach and bowels. This can lead to a severe bowel obstruction.
- Heart rhythm drugs, such as, quinidine, amiodarone, and dofetilide. Taking these drugs with methadone may cause heart rhythm problems.
- Amitriptyline. Taking this drug with methadone may cause heart rhythm problems.
- Diuretics, such as furosemide and hydrochlorothiazide. Taking these drugs together can change your electrolyte levels. This can cause heart rhythm problems.
- Laxatives. Taking these drugs together can change your electrolyte levels. This can cause heart rhythm problems.
Interactions that can make your drugs less effective
When methadone is less effective: When methadone is used with certain drugs, it may not work as well to treat your condition. This is because the amount of methadone in your body may be decreased. Examples of these drugs include:
- Anticonvulsants, such as phenobarbital, phenytoin, and carbamazepine. These drugs can cause methadone to stop working. This could cause withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor may change your dosage of methadone.
- HIV drugs such as abacavir, darunavir, efavirenz, nelfinavir, nevirapine, ritonavir, and telaprevir. Your doctor will monitor you closely for symptoms of withdrawal. They’ll adjust your dosage as needed.
- Antibiotics, such as rifampin and rifabutin. These drugs can cause methadone to stop working. This could cause withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor may change your dosage of methadone.
Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs interact differently in each person, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible interactions. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always speak with your healthcare provider about possible interactions with all prescription drugs, vitamins, herbs and supplements, and over-the-counter drugs that you’re taking.
Methadone warnings
FDA warnings
- This drug has black box warnings. These are the most serious warnings from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Black box warnings alert doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.
- Addiction and misuse warning: Methadone comes with a risk of addiction even when it’s used the right way. This can lead to drug misuse. Being addicted to and misusing this drug can increase your risk of overdose and death.
- Risk Evaluation and mitigation Strategy (REMS): Because of this drug’s risk of abuse and addiction, the FDA requires that the drug’s manufacturer provide a REMS program. Under the requirements of this REMS program, the drug manufacturer must develop educational programs regarding the safe and effective use of opioids for your doctor
- Breathing problems warning: Taking long-acting opioids, such as methadone, has caused some people to stop breathing. This can be fatal (cause death). This can happen at any time during treatment, even if you use this drug the right way. However, the risk is highest when you first start taking the drug and after a dosage increase. Your risk may also be higher if you’re a senior or already have breathing or lung problems.
- Overdose in children warning: Children who accidentally take this drug have a high risk of death from overdosing. Children should not take this drug.
- Heart rhythm problems warning: This drug can cause serious heart rhythm problems, especially if you take doses greater than 200 mg per day. However, this can happen at any dose. It can even occur if you don’t already have heart problems.
- Pregnancy and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome warning: Children who are born to mothers who used this drug for a long time during pregnancy are at risk of neonatal withdrawal syndrome. This can be life-threatening to the child.
- Benzodiazepine drug interaction warning: Taking methadone together with drugs that affect the nervous system, or drugs called benzodiazepines, may cause severe drowsiness, breathing problems, coma, or death. Examples of benzodiazepines include lorazepam, clonazepam, and alprazolam. These drugs should only be used with methadone when other drugs don’t work well enough.
Important considerations for taking methadone
Keep these considerations in mind if your doctor prescribes methadone for you.
General
- You can take methadone with or without food. Taking it with food may help to reduce upset stomach.
- Take this drug at the time(s) recommended by your doctor.
- Don’t crush, dissolve, snort, or inject methadone oral tablets. This may cause you to overdose, which can be fatal.
Storage
- Oral tablet: Store at room temperature between 68°F and 77°F (20°C and 25°C).
- Oral dispersible tablet: Store at 77°F (25°C). You can store it briefly between 59°F and 86°F (15°C and 30°C).
- Keep both tablets away from light.
- Don’t store these tablets in moist or damp areas, such as bathrooms.
Refills
A prescription for this medication is not refillable. You or your pharmacy will have to contact your doctor for a new prescription if you need this medication refilled.
Travel
When traveling with your medication:
- Always carry your medication with you. When flying, never put it into a checked bag. Keep it in your carry-on bag.
- Don’t worry about airport X-ray machines. They can’t harm your medication.
- You may need to show airport staff the pharmacy label for your medication. Always carry the original prescription-labeled container with you.
- Don’t put this medication in your car’s glove compartment or leave it in the car. Be sure to avoid doing this when the weather is very hot or very cold.
Self-management
Don’t swallow the dispersible tablet before it has been dissolved in a liquid. You should mix it with 3 to 4 ounces (90 to 120 ml) of water or citrus fruit juice before you take it. It takes about one minute to mix.
Clinical monitoring
You and your doctor should monitor certain health issues. This can help make sure you stay safe while you take this drug. These issues include:
- kidney function
- liver function
- respiratory (breathing) rate
- blood pressure
- heart rate
- pain level (if you’re taking this drug for pain)
Prior authorization
There are restrictions on dispensing methadone for detoxification or maintenance programs. Not every pharmacy can dispense this medication for detoxification and maintenance. Talk to your doctor about where you can get this drug.
There are other drugs available to treat your condition. Some may be better suited for you than others. Talk to your doctor about other drug options that may work for you.
Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or other healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.
There are no reviews yet.