Methadone Withdrawal and Detox Center in Dallas

Methadone is a highly addictive synthetic opioid that physicians commonly prescribe to relieve severe, persistent pain. That pain may stem from an injury, a surgical procedure, or a long-term illness like cancer. Methadone is available as a tablet, powder, or liquid.

Doctors may also prescribe methadone to treat addiction to heroin and prescription painkillers (opioids) like Vicodin and OxyContin.

Methadone relieves pain by changing how your brain and nervous system respond to it. It works slower than other opioids and acts as a barrier to the high you would get from using codeine, morphine, oxycodone, and other drugs. While people using methadone can feel pleasure, they won’t experience the same withdrawal and cravings as other opioids.

Because of this, many people believe they can use methadone risk free. However, it can be abused like any other high-risk drug, creating the need for an inpatient methadone detox program to safely end its use.

Methadone is an opioid-agonist drug like heroin or opium. Though milder, it is still a highly addictive narcotic that attaches to receptors in your brain, blocks pain signals, and releases large amounts of dopamine (the feel-good hormone), resulting in intense feelings of pleasure.

This surge of dopamine powerfully “teaches” the brain to seek drugs at the expense of other, healthier goals and activities. In fact, methadone, in any form, increases your risk of harmful physical and psychological effects.

Some mild effects of short-term use are

• Drowsiness
• Dry mouth
• Lightheadedness

• Urinary retention
• Gastrointestinal distress (e.g., nausea, vomiting, or constipation)
• Sexual impotence

Short-term side effects in some people may be more severe, including anaphylactic reactions, depressed respiratory function, fainting, irregular heartbeat, seizures, tremors, and an unstable gait. A methadone overdose can increase the potential for death. Talk to your doctor to see if you need to detox from methadone.

Severe side effects can include

• Irregular heartbeat
• Slowed breathing
• Depressed respiratory function
• Tremors
• Unstable gait
• Seizures

• Anaphylactic reactions
• Fainting
• Unconsciousness
• Coma
• Death due to overdose

Psychological side effects include

• Hallucinations
• Insomnia
• Depression
• Anxiety

• Paranoia
• Delusions
• Suicidal ideations
• Impaired concentration

 

Long-Term Effects of Methadone

Illegal or unmonitored use of methadone can contribute to serious health and medical issues. If you have been using this drug long term, supervised medical care during methadone detox is crucial.

If unlawful forms of methadone are injected, it can cause the following effects:

• Cardiovascular issues, collapsed veins, and arteriosclerosis
• Respiratory issues
• Menstrual cycle changes in women
• Sexual dysfunction in men
• Erratic judgment

• Risky behaviors
• Lack of self-care and personal hygiene
• Changes to learning and memory
• Physical dependence
• Development of an opiate use disorder

Most U.S. data sources quantify methadone drug abuse by combining it with other narcotics, so the precise effect of methadone can be hard to determine. However

• In 2017, methadone was responsible for 3,194 overdose deaths.
• In 2014, it accounted for 1% of all opioids prescribed but was responsible for 23% of all prescription opioid deaths.

• Per the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2017, about 261,000 people aged 12 and older reported using methadone for a nonprescribed purpose at least once.
• According to the University of Michigan’s Monitoring the Future Survey, nearly 1% of U.S. high school seniors in the United States abused the drug at least once in their lifetime.

Research on methadone’s potency, such as a study in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, has discovered that snorting a powered version can result in a rapid high with an opioid-like effect but ultimately lead to severe methadone addiction. Long-term methadone use can cause brain, nerve, and liver damage.

Signs that methadone use has moved beyond a safe place include

• Tolerance increases
  The person using methadone may feel their normal dose is no longer sufficient to achieve the same effect. They may talk about getting more methadone and finding additional resources for it.
• Methadone withdrawal symptoms persist
  When stopping the drug, a regular methadone user will experience withdrawal symptoms. Some may be apparent to others, such as sweating, sleeplessness, and depression.

• Methadone gets prioritized
  Behavior changes suggest a person has become excessively focused on acquiring and using methadone. They may neglect family and work commitments to use or seek out the drug.

Symptoms of methadone misuse include

• Reduced reaction time
• Limited attention span
• Visual difficulties
• Reduced mental processing
• Slower affect
• Drowsiness

• Droopy eyelids
• Dry mouth
• Muscle flaccidity
• Reduced body temperature
• Lowered blood pressure

To get high on methadone, you need to take abnormally high doses more frequently than prescribed. If you inject or snort methadone, the drug is released into your body over time and builds up in the tissues, causing long-term toxicity.

Overdose symptoms include

• Low blood pressure and a weak pulse
• Constricted or pinpoint pupils
• Body spasms
• Dizziness

• Cold, clammy skin
• Blue lips and fingernails
• Absence of breathing or consciousness

Although methadone may be used to ease heroin and prescription painkiller withdrawal symptoms, the use of methadone itself may lead to dependence.

Like other opioids, methadone detox symptoms include

• Agitation, restlessness, and anxiety
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Yawning
• Increased tearing or watery eyes
• Runny nose

• Sweating
• Shivering, trembling, or goosebumps
• Muscle aches or joint pain
• Nausea or vomiting
• Abdominal cramps
• Diarrhea

Methadone is considered a long-acting drug, which means it remains active in the body for one or more days.

Once methadone stops being active, withdrawal symptoms begin. Here is a typical methadone withdrawal timeline:

• Early withdrawal symptoms begin 1-3 days after last use (e.g., agitation, insomnia, sweating, anxiety, etc.)
• Additional, and often more uncomfortable side effects begin 3-5 days after last use (e.g., stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, elevated blood pressure, etc.)

• Methadone withdrawal symptoms begin to taper 5-10 days after last dose and may continue for up to one month

As strong cravings and mental health changes occur with methadone withdrawal, the risk of relapsing is high if trained medical professionals do not monitor detox.

Discomfort can be significant, and patients may feel unable to stay motivated to quit using. Left untreated, cravings and other symptoms can last for several weeks.

One of the most significant risks of stopping using methadone all at once is relapse. Other health complications may require immediate medical attention, including

• Dehydration and electrolyte imbalance
• Aspiration and infection

With medical detox, a person wanting to end their methadone use is provided round-the-clock monitoring and care. Existing physical and mental health conditions get attention as well.

During methadone withdrawal, your doctor may prescribe other medications and dosage taper to help ease symptoms should they occur. These medications include

• Clonidine for high blood pressure, nausea, cramps, and rapid heart rate
• Over-the-counter pain medications for headaches, muscle aches, and bone pain

• Bismuth subsalicylate to help with diarrhea
• Benadryl or trazodone to help with insomnia

 

Tapering methadone use can help prevent severe withdrawal symptoms and decrease the risk of potential withdrawal-associated medical problems. Our medical team will determine and supervise a schedule for reducing your methadone dosing.

Many people attempt to ride out methadone withdrawal on their own. Let us help you with safe, effective, medically monitored detox.

Restored Path Detox is DFW’s premier location for sophisticated medical detox from methadone. Conveniently located in Frisco, we are a methadone detox center and sanctuary for healing that is also a state-of-the-art detoxification facility for a wide range of substances.

Our compassionate physicians and therapists want you to get well and are committed to removing any existing barriers to your care. Restored Path’s team of board-certified physicians and highly qualified RNs have extensive critical care experience. They are available to monitor your detox program 24 hours a day, seven days a week.