I have been taking methadone for IP ( Intractible Pain ) for a while and wanted to know if the negative side effects I am experiencing, along with the fact that it is not working properly is normal.
Answer :Here is what I found :
Side effects associated with methadone are similar to those incurred with other mu-opioid agonists, including pruritus, nausea, constipation, confusion, sedation, and respiratory depression. Excess sweating (diaphoresis) and flushing are common with oral methadone dosing. Caution should be taken with initiation of therapy and dosage increases because severe toxicities may not become apparent for two to five days. In a study of patients converted to methadone therapy in an outpatient setting, 20 of 29 participants experienced some degree of toxicity, most frequently mild drowsiness, during initial titration.29 Side effects such as sedation and respiratory
depression are increased when methadone is combined with alcohol or other drugs. An Australian study 30 found benzodiazepines present in 74 percent of deaths related to methadone and urged particular caution when methadone was prescribed with benzodiazepines.
As far as effectiveness, Un like morphine, it usually is not necessary to adjust the dosage of methadone in patients with renal insufficiency. The duration of analgesia is approximately three to six hours when
methadone therapy is initiated, and this duration typically extends to eight to 12 hours with repeated dosing. In a study of
cancer patients, an average of 2.4 doses per day was required to maintain adequate pain control.
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