I am wondering what the long term side-effects of methadone use for treating heroin addiction are.?
138285
It is actually very easy on your body and doesn't affect your kidneys and rarely affects your liver.  The only side effects really are dependence, and if you are on them for years it starts to lower your testosterone and you may have to get put on a testosterone patch to keep it up, otherwise you will gain weight and lose your ability to maintain erections and build muscle and such.  I have been on it for about seven months now, it's a lot better than being a junkie.
367084
Ok im actually  a doctor... people should pay me for this info, but anyway...you may experience any combination of the following:\n      · slow, weak breathing; \n      · seizures; \n      · cold, clammy skin; \n      · severe weakness or dizziness; \n      · unconsciousness; \n      · yellowing of the skin or eyes; or \n      · unusual fatigue, bleeding, or bruising. \n      · constipation; \n      · dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, or decreased appetite; \n      · dizziness, tiredness, or lightheadedness; \n      · muscle twitches; \n      · sweating; \n      · itching; \n      · decreased urination; or \n      · decreased sex drive. \n\n•  Hydrocodone is habit forming. It is possible become physically and/or psychologically dependent on the medication. Do not take more than the prescribed amount of medication or take it for longer than is directed by your doctor. Withdrawal effects may occur if Lortab is stopped suddenly after several weeks of continuous use. Your doctor may recommend a gradual reduction in dose. \n\nif you want my professional opinion... try weed.. good effect.. not may side affects!!\n\n-shamar ph.D. [just trying to help]
322959
1. Bi-polar has Extreme Highs and Extreme lows.  Methadone will only bring the highs down but will intensify the lows.\n\n2. If the methadone disk is created to have a "time-release" breaking it up will counter act the time release and you would not get the correct dosage distributed through your system as designed.
565738
hard question because heroin is an addiction than can be overcome.thinking about the pain that those babies go through when they are born then i would say yes,but only if it could be reversed if they ever kick the habit.
560433
Methadone is a narcotic and is used to help with narcotic withdrawal.  By giving it to an addict one can avoid the withdrawal reactions once the addict stops the narcotic.  In such cases only a registered drug abuse center can dispense the medication.  Also, methadone is very effective for people with chronic pain because it lasts longer than painkillers such as codeine, hydrocodone (Vicodin) and oxycodone (Percocet).
1047489
You should try switching from methodone to suboxone. You take it at home and dont have to stand on line, its a small pill that dissolves under your tongue. I heard it s better and not as addicting as taking methodone, which is easier to come off of.
309273
I always laugh at the word treatment when it comes to methadone because really it should be called methadone addiction.  Users go from an illegal pusher to a legal one overnight and of course the drug companies earn a fortune too. Ask any ex user and they wont describe using methadone as getting high.  Methadone is very difficult to come off of because the withdrawal symptoms are far greater.  We can thank the NAZI's for methadone because it was developed for the battle field because germany's borders were closed and they could not get any morphine.\n\nMethadone alone is not of any benefit to users except reducing the criminal aspects of their use.  \n\nFunding for proper treatment is dire to say the least and the government should fund more resources.  In November 2005 last year i was unable to refer any clients onto residantial rehab because there was no funding until April 2006. How sad  is that that even though people want to gave up using there is no help for them.  After all it is cheaper for the government to give users methadone rather than spend up to £500.00 per week on resi-rehab.\n\nIf the government really truly wanted to reduce crime and empty prisons over night all they need to do is implement decent rehabilitation pathways that actually help drug addicts.  But they need crime and addiction to have soemthing to develop fear in society so they will get the votes that they need.\n\nMethadone can and does work sometimes but not nearly good enough, it is important to realise that it must be done with other alternatives such as Naltraxone and subutex as part of the detox program.
291557
addiction would be the first I think of.  I know a female who has become addicted and it tore up her life and her body is a wreck.  After that I wouldnt take the pills unless I was DESPERATE.\n\ndifferent pills have different individual side effects.
129393
I don't think so, but heroin can easily stop pissing and shitting.  The former can be frightfully painful and may need catheterisation (even more painful).
237996
well you being there helps, but if you can no longer take it you may just have to leave and he might straighten up. I had to attend NA after I was arrested for meth possession. When I started attending I was clean for 3 months already. So the program did not do anything extra for me. My biggest support group was my girlfriend. She always told me I could tell her anything but in past relationships this was always crap. So I was fearful to tell her that I was an addict. She has never used so it was easy to hide. I was damn lucky she was still there for me after I got popped. And she is still here for me 5 years later. Besides I am too damn small to go to prison.
241104
http://www.stopmethaddiction.com/effects-of-meth.htm\n\nYou need to get him in Re-hab.
687397
Heroin abuse is associated with serious health conditions, including fatal overdose, spontaneous abortion, collapsed veins, and, particularly in users who inject the drug, infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. The short-term effects of heroin abuse appear soon after a single dose and disappear in a few hours. After an injection of heroin, the user reports feeling a surge of euphoria ("rush") accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin, a dry mouth, and heavy extremities. Following this initial euphoria, the user goes "on the nod," an alternately wakeful and drowsy state. Mental functioning becomes clouded due to the depression of the central nervous system. Long-term effects of heroin appear after repeated use for some period of time. Chronic users may develop collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, cellulitis, and liver disease. Pulmonary complications, including various types of pneumonia, may result from the poor health condition of the abuser, as well as from heroin’s depressing effects on respiration. Heroin abuse during pregnancy and its many associated environmental factors (e.g., lack of prenatal care) have been associated with adverse consequences including low birth weight, an important risk factor for later developmental delay.
954991
Methadone tends to make a lot of people sleepy. This goes away after a short period. Taking oxycodone for breakthrough pain won't really cause any added side effects. The combo does make some people more sleepy, some people actually get hyper. Methadone stays in your system for 72 hours, so you MUST take it as directed. The oxycodone only stays in your system for a short period and they work very well when used together. I am guessing you probably have trouble with your back to be on such a combo. They are safe to take together and work very well, but be careful with the methadone!
1117499
A good friend of mine was an active heroin addict for many years, and had a few felonies and did some jail time as well-she went to 40 detoxes/drug treatment programs before finally getting clean.She got her record sealed, then went to nursing school, got her R.N. and now she is coming up on 20 years of recovery.She has been a Director of Nurses (in extended care)for the last 5 years,and is great to her employees as well as her residentsShe also was a single mom with twins who are now adults.She is a huge power of example to me!She is still active in a 12 step program and helps out alot of other women. She remembers where she came from and is very down to earth,too.
309175
Like other opiates, morphine acts directly on the central nervous system (CNS) to relieve pain, and at synapses of the arcuate nucleus, in particular. Side effects include impairment of mental performance, respiratory depression, euphoria, drowsiness, lethargy, and blurred vision. It also decreases hunger, inhibits the cough reflex, and produces constipation.
300915
No, there is no methadone in suboxone.  While both are used to treat narcotic addiction, they are both separate and distinct medications.
851960
Drug abuse is horrible.  Complications are weight loss, if using a needle there could be damage to arteries,  damage can be done to all your inside organs, such as heart, lungs, liver, etc.  Family of the abuser can also have complications to their health from stress.  Some people die, others could have a stroke.  My son had a lot of complications but luckily he is alive and in a half way house.  He just went threw 70 days of detox and maintenance.\nMemory loss and dysfunctional thoughts can occur.  Depression and anxiety also.