Methadone

What is methadone?

Methadone is a medication that can help you with withdrawal symptoms you might have while you stop using opioids

Methadone is a replacement for heroin or other opioids. It can help you to withdraw from opioids you’ve become dependent on by reducing cravings and limiting your withdrawal symptoms.

When you stop taking an opiate, you might have withdrawal symptoms as your body returns to normal. They can include: sweating; feeling hot and cold; runny eyes and nose; yawning; losing your appetite; stomach cramps; feeling sick or vomiting; diarrhoea; tremors; poor sleep; restlessness; general aches and pains; and just feeling awful.

Withdrawal symptoms usually get a bit better within 5 days, but you might still notice cravings for opioids, tiredness, and restless sleep for a while afterwards.

How is methadone prescribed?

One of our recovery workers and someone from our clinical team will give you a full health and wellbeing assessment. If the assessment shows that methadone could be good for you, we’ll prescribe it. If you’ve ever injected drugs, we’ll help you to get a liver test, screening for any blood-borne viruses, and vaccinations that you might need.

Taking methadone safely

After your assessment you will see a prescriber and your recovery worker so you can work out the most appropriate treatment and your starting dose. Your prescriber will start with a relatively low dose and adjust this depending on how well it works. You will usually get your prescription as a liquid to take once a day.

For at least the first four weeks of your methadone prescription, the pharmacist who gives you your methadone will need to be there when you take it. This is to make sure you’re taking the right dose for the methadone to be safe and effective. Ideally, you should take your methadone at the same time every day.

How long will it take to work?

You’ll start on a low dose of methadone and work your way up to your regular dose. Methadone starts to work in half an hour and takes 2-4 hours to reach its peak effect once you have taken it. It builds up in the body so you will feel a bigger effect from the same dose over a few days.

It can take up to several weeks to find a dose that prevents all withdrawal symptoms. The correct dose varies person to person depending on how much opioids you were using before, and how your body processes the methadone.

Coming off methadone

Once you’ve settled into your regular methadone prescription, your recovery worker will talk to you about what your goals are for your treatment. One of the things you’ll talk about is how to reduce your methadone dose and eventually come off it completely. This is called a detox.

Your worker and prescriber will take a look at your dose every six weeks and see if they think it should be changed.

Information about taking methadone

• Extra support and counselling from groups such as NA can be really helpful when you’re trying to stay off opioids like heroin. Support from family, friends and other people close to you can also make a big difference.
• Every so often during your treatment, a member of our team will ask you to take a drug test to make sure your treatment remains appropriate and safe.
• You should refrain from drinking alcohol or using drugs during your treatment.
• If you drive and you are taking methadone, you should let the DVLA know.
• All drugs must be kept out of the reach of children and animals. Please ask your worker for a lockable box to store your medication (free of charge). Children should never be given your medication. They have no tolerance, and it could kill them. Always call 999 if you think a child has swallowed your medication. Talk to your Health Visitor or GP if your child has difficulty sleeping or being soothed.
• Speak to your recovery worker or doctor if you experience side effects or symptoms and wish to stop treatment.
• Read the information leaflet which will be given with your medication.