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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
ABOUT METHADONE

Is methadone addictive?
Physical dependence and addiction are not the same. Methadone will
produce physical dependence (tolerance and withdrawal upon abrupt
cessation) but does not fuel the compulsive need for continued use
despite adverse consequences, which is the cornerstone of addiction.

Do people who take methadone get high?
It was mentioned above that in order to experience the high, there
must be rapid uptake of the opiate in the brain. Methadone is taken up
slowly so it does not produce the high. An excess of methadone
results in sedation, or somnolence called "nodding".

What are the benefits of being on methadone? There are many
reasons. First, it avoids the dangers of transmitted viral diseases such
as Hepatitis C and HIV. It avoids the bacterial infections, some of
which can be life threatening, which result from the injection of
impure substances. Second, when a person is taking an appropriate,
therapeutic dose, they can function normally. They can drive safely,
they can do virtually any kind of work (including executive positions),
and they can begin to reconstruct their lives their families and their
self-esteem.

How safe is methadone?
Methadone has very few side effects. It can cause a decrease in libido,
which is common to all opiates. It can also cause some fluid retention,
usually early in treatment and spontaneously resolving. At very high
doses, and in unusual circumstances methadone can cause
irregularities of the heart beat. Methadone has now been prescribed on
a daily basis to millions of patients for forty years and the adverse
reactions are very few. Methadone does, however, interact with
certain other prescribed medicine, such as some antibiotics and
anticonvulsants. For this reason it is extremely important that patients
taking methadone make that fact known to any other physicians or
dentists who treat them.