Methadone Oral Concentrate
- Generic Name: methadone oral concentrate
- Brand Name: Methadone
Methadone (Methadone Oral Concentrate) side effects drug center
Methadone Oral Concentrate Side Effects Center
What Is Methadone Hydrochloride Oral Concentrate?
Methadone Hydrochloride Oral Concentrate is a mu-agonist, a synthetic opioid analgesic, indicated for detoxification treatment of opioid addiction (heroin or other morphine-like drugs), and for maintenance treatment of opioid addiction (heroin or other morphine-like drugs), in conjunction with appropriate social and medical services. Methadone oral concentrate is available in generic form.
What Are Side Effects of Methadone Hydrochloride Oral Concentrate?
Common side effects of methadone oral concentrate include:
- lightheadedness,
- dizziness,
- drowsiness,
- nausea,
- vomiting, and
- sweating.
Dosage for Methadone Hydrochloride Oral Concentrate
The dose of methadone oral concentrate to initiate detoxification and maintenance treatment is a single dose of 20 to 30 mg that may be sufficient to suppress withdrawal symptoms.
What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Methadone Hydrochloride Oral Concentrate?
Methadone oral concentrate may interact with antiretroviral drugs, rifampin, phenytoin, St. John's wort, phenobarbital, carbamazepine, azole antifungals, macrolide antibiotics, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), voriconazole, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), desipramine, antiarrhythmics, neuroleptics, tricyclic antidepressants, calcium channel blockers, alcohol, other opioids or CNS depressants, or with illicit drugs that cause central nervous system depression. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.
Methadone Hydrochloride Oral Concentrate During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or become pregnant before using methadone oral concentrate. Babies born to mothers who have been taking opioids such as methadone oral concentrate regularly prior to delivery may be physically dependent. Methadone oral concentrate passes into breast milk and may cause unwanted side effects in a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding. Withdrawal symptoms may occur if you suddenly stop taking methadone oral concentrate.
Additional Information
Our Methadone Hydrochloride Oral Concentrate Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.
Methadone Oral Concentrate Consumer Information
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Opioid medicine can slow or stop your breathing, and death may occur. A person caring for you should seek emergency medical attention if you have slow breathing with long pauses, blue colored lips, or if you are hard to wake up.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- weak or shallow breathing, breathing that stops during sleep;
- severe constipation;
- a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
- fast or pounding heartbeats, fluttering in your chest, shortness of breath; or
- low cortisol levels--nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dizziness, worsening tiredness or weakness.
Seek medical attention right away if you have symptoms of serotonin syndrome, such as: agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, shivering, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Serious side effects may be more likely in older adults and those who are malnourished or debilitated.
Long-term use of opioid medication may affect fertility (ability to have children) in men or women. It is not known whether opioid effects on fertility are permanent.
Common side effects may include:
- dizziness, drowsiness;
- nausea, vomiting;
- increased sweating; or
- pain, redness, or swelling where the medicine was injected.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Read the entire detailed patient monograph for Methadone Oral Concentrate (Methadone Oral Concentrate)
Methadone Oral Concentrate Professional Information
SIDE EFFECTS
Heroin Withdrawal
During the induction phase of methadone maintenance treatment, patients are being withdrawn from heroin and may therefore show typical withdrawal symptoms, which should be differentiated from methadone-induced side effects. They may exhibit some or all of the following signs and symptoms associated with acute withdrawal from heroin or other opiates: lacrimation, rhinorrhea, sneezing, yawning, excessive perspiration, goose-flesh, fever, chilliness alternating with flushing, restlessness, irritability, weakness, anxiety, depression, dilated pupils, tremors, tachycardia, abdominal cramps, body aches, involuntary twitching and kicking movements, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, intestinal spasms, and weight loss.
Initial Administration
The initial methadone dose should be carefully titrated to the individual. Too rapid titration for the patient's sensitivity is more likely to produce adverse effects.
The major hazards of methadone are respiratory depression and, to a lesser degree, systemic hypotension. Respiratory arrest, shock, cardiac arrest, and death have occurred.
The most frequently observed adverse reactions include lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, nausea, vomiting, and sweating. These effects seem to be more prominent in ambulatory patients and in those who are not suffering severe pain. In such individuals, lower doses are advisable.
Other adverse reactions include the following: (listed alphabetically under each subsection)
Body as a Whole: asthenia (weakness), edema, headache
Cardiovascular:(also see WARNINGS: Cardiac Conduction Effects): arrhythmias, bigeminal rhythms, bradycardia, cardiomyopathy, ECG abnormalities, extrasystoles, flushing, heart failure, hypotension, palpitations, phlebitis, QT interval prolongation, syncope, T-wave inversion, tachycardia, torsade de pointes, ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia
Digestive: abdominal pain, anorexia, biliary tract spasm, constipation, dry mouth, glossitis
Hematologic and Lymphatic: reversible thrombocytopenia has been described in opioid addicts with chronic hepatitis
Metabolic and Nutritional: hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, weight gain
Nervous: agitation, confusion, disorientation, dysphoria, euphoria, insomnia, seizures
Respiratory: pulmonary edema, respiratory depression (see WARNINGS: Respiratory Depression)
Skin and Appendages: pruritis, urticaria, other skin rashes, and rarely, hemorrhagic urticaria
Special Senses: hallucinations, visual disturbances
Urogenital: amenorrhea, antidiuretic effect, reduced libido and/or potency, urinary retention or hesitancy
Maintenance on a Stabilized Dose
During prolonged administration of methadone, as in a methadone maintenance treatment program, there is usually a gradual, yet progressive, disappearance of side effects over a period of several weeks. However, constipation and sweating often persist.
Drug Abuse And Dependence
Methadone hydrochloride oral concentrate contains methadone, a potent Schedule II opioid agonist. Schedule II opioid substances, which also include hydromorphone, morphine, oxycodone, and oxymorphone, have the highest potential for abuse and risk of fatal overdose due to respiratory depression. Methadone, like morphine and other opioids used for analgesia, has the potential for being abused and is subject to criminal diversion.
Abuse of methadone poses a risk of overdose and death. This risk is increased with concurrent abuse of methadone with alcohol and other substances. In addition, parenteral drug abuse is commonly associated with transmission of infectious disease such as hepatitis and HIV.
Since methadone may be diverted for non-medical use, careful record keeping of ordering and dispensing information, including quantity, frequency, and renewal requests is strongly advised.
Proper assessment of the patient, proper prescribing practices, periodic re-evaluation of therapy, and proper dispensing and storage are appropriate measures that help to limit abuse of opioid drugs.
Methadone, when used for the treatment of opioid addiction in detoxification or maintenance programs, may be dispensed only by opioid treatment programs certified by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (and agencies, practitioners or institutions by formal agreement with the program sponsor).
Infants born to mothers physically dependent on opioids may also be physically dependent and may exhibit respiratory difficulties and withdrawal symptoms (See PRECAUTIONS : Pregnancy, Labor and Delivery).
Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Methadone Oral Concentrate (Methadone Oral Concentrate)
&Copy; Methadone Oral Concentrate Patient Information is supplied by Cerner Multum, Inc. and Methadone Oral Concentrate Consumer information is supplied by First Databank, Inc., used under license and subject to their respective copyrights.