Methadone Information
The heroin-like painkiller methadone is the fastest-growing cause of narcotic deaths, according to federal government statistics, and ranks high among drugs implicated in the soaring rates of prescription drug addiction across the country.
But the opioid methadone is more than just an addictive painkiller that has resulted in prescription drug addiction for thousands of people. It’s also a people-killer, plain and simple.
Methadone, which for decades has been used to replace heroin as an addiction treatment, now causes more than twice as many deaths as heroin itself. And because it is potent and long-lasting, and far less expensive than other prescription painkillers, it has become more and more popular among family physicians and other health care providers who hand it out for all kinds of chronic pain.
Methadone Facts
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, methadone overdoses increased 500% between 1999 and 2005 -- nearly 4,000 deaths, up from less than 800 in 1999.
Methadone, unlike other opioid painkillers, stays in the bloodstream long after pain relief has worn off. With the pain back, patients assume the drug has worn off and take more, leading to overdose, coma, respiratory failure, and death.
Click here to read about the History of Methadone.
Methadone Effects
What’s wrong with methadone treatment and maintenance?
- Methadone is a highly addictive drug, at least as addictive as heroin.
- Methadone generally stays in the system longer than heroin – up to 59 hours, according to the FDA, compared to heroin’s 4 – 6 hours.
- Unlike heroin, you can’t really tell it’s there. Users may take another dose, not knowing the previous dose is still affecting them and, dose after dose, the methadone accumulates to toxic levels.
- You never know if the next dose is going to be the one that tips those levels beyond what the body can tolerate. If it is, your body shuts down and you either get help quickly or you die.
- Methadone can also be deadly in combination with other drugs and with alcohol. Taken with other opiates—heroin, morphine, Vicodin or OxyContin, for example, which is not unusual for methadone users—the effects of the drugs combine to slow down your metabolism, put you to sleep, and can result in death.
- Methadone can adversely affect the health of innocent babies if you continue taking methadone while pregnant.
- Are methadone clinics a solution?
- Withdrawal from methadone is often even more difficult than withdrawal from heroin.
- Few methadone users have been successful in withdrawing from methadone on their own.
- The reasons are simple.
- When you’re withdrawing from methadone, medical drug detox may be required.
To understand why you have to get off methadone now, read The Methadone Prison.
Find out how Novus can safely
and more comfortably
get you through methadone detox
Do you or one of your family members need help?
Call Novus now at
Methadone Facts and Information
Statistical information from the Centers for Disease Control:
- The number of all poisoning deaths (that’s right, dying from methadone is considered being poisoned) increased 54 percent (to 30,308) between 1999 and 2004. The number of poisoning deaths involving methadone increased 390 percent.
- The number of methadone–related poisoning deaths were 4 percent of all poisoning related deaths in 1999, and by 2004 they measured 13 percent.
- Between 2003 and 2004, all poisoning deaths increased 6 percent, while methadone–related poisoning deaths increased 29 percent.
- Between 73 and 79 percent of methadone–related poisoning deaths were unintentional. Had they done a methadone detox program earlier, they might still be alive today.
Methadone Effects
Is Methadone Treatment Effective for Heroin Addiction?
Here are the side effects of Methadone:
- shallow breathing
- hallucinations or confusion
- fast or pounding heartbeats
- chest pain
- trouble breathing
- feeling light-headed
- fainting
- feeling anxious, nervous, or restless
- sleep problems (insomnia)
- dizziness, drowsiness, or weakness
- dry mouth
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- constipation
- loss of appetite
- decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm
What do you think? Would you be able to resolve your addiction issues if you had these symptoms?
Novus can safely and more comfortably help you
through methadone detox.
Call us today at
Find out about our 100% confidential treatment.
Calls from friends and family are welcome.
Click HERE for Information to Compare Drug Detox and Alcohol Detox Programs
The Novus Methadone Detox Solution:
- Uses medicines as needed to make the methadone withdrawal more comfortable.
- Understands that most people on methadone have serious physical problems that will make methadone withdrawal even more difficult and maybe impossible if done without medical supervision.
- Uses IV's to ensure hydration and that the body gets the vitamins, amino acids and other nutrients needed to strengthen the body to make the withdrawal process more easily done.
- Provides food that gets rave reviews from our patients.
- Provides 24-hour medical supervision, continual monitoring of the patient's progress and frequent adjustments to the rate of the patient's taper in accordance with the comfort and safety of the patient.
- Uses a methadone withdrawal protocol that allows a more comfortable withdrawal from even the highest doses of methadone.
- Has a more than 90% completion rate of people who start their medical detox at Novus Medical Detox Center.
- Provides for the completion of a lower dose methadone detox in from six to eight days and even people on high doses of methadone can generally be detoxed in less than fourteen days.
- Allows the patient to leave on no additional drugs.
- Provides a peaceful, home-like facility located on 3.25 treed acres where patients regularly take walks or sit outside.
- Provides several designated smoking areas.
- Provides private or comfortable shared rooms with telephone, television, DVD player and internet access.
- Getting off methadone has never been easier.
Do you need help?
Call Novus now at
Click HERE for Information to Compare Drug Detox and Alcohol Detox Programs
Methadone Detox & Addiction Resources:
- Read Novus Detox Methadone Success Stories
- Read Articles by the Director on Methadone Withdrawal
- Read Methadone Detox News
- Read Methadone Detox Blog
Do you need help with methadone detox?
Call Novus now at