Methadone Use: Methadone Facts

Question: I am wondering what the long term side-effects of methadone use for treating heroin addiction are.?

(Posted by: birchfield62252 on 2006-02-26 11:50:30)

Posted by: methadonejake on 2006-03-09, 15:36:49

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.

Posted by: bhararra on 2006-02-27, 05:02:21

Methadone is synthetic opaite substitute for the natural opiate heroin and as such has many of the same side effects. Dryness, constipation, and addiction to the methadone are among the most significant. Tolerance to other opioid painkillers is also built up over time. There are few side effects spacific to methadone and it can provide a former heroine user with a much safer, leagal and socally acceptable alterative to heroin. The one single bigest argument and side effect to methadone treatment is that it really doesn't "treat " addicton. It simply substitues one substance for another and leaves the individual still an addict. The goverment just decides what substance is legal to be addicted to. Many treatment experts advocate detox, with or without sedation, to be the only true treatment for heroine followed by a lifelong 12 step program.