Most methamphetamine use is illegal. Also known as speed or crystal, this central nervous system stimulant is inhaled, smoked or injected to produce a euphoric, addictive high. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), a brand-name methamphetamine such as Desoxyn has "very limited" use in the treatment of adult obesity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for children older than 6. The possible benefits of Desoxyn must be weighed against the potential risk of abuse and addiction.
Rapid Heart Rate
Methamphetamines cause the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain, triggering a burst of physical and mental energy. According to Drugs.com, stomach upset, headache, dizziness and tremors are common side effects. Elevated blood pressure, rapid heart rate or palpitations may be short-term effects. Rarely, abuse of methamphetamines has resulted in heart attack, stroke or sudden death.
Dry Mouth
Drugs.com also lists dry mouth, or xerostomia, as a common side effect of methamphetamine use. Researchers at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry called the dental management of methamphetamine users "challenging" in a paper published in the January 2009 issue of "Oral Diseases." According to the article, "meth mouth" is a nickname for worn surfaces and rampant tooth decay associated with methamphetamine use. Xerostomia indicates reduced saliva flow. Bacteria tend to proliferate rapidly without adequate saliva to clean the teeth and regulate oral pH.
Weight Loss
Ralph Weisheit and William White, authors of "Methamphetamine: its History, Pharmacology and Treatment," state that one of the earliest recognized effects of methamphetamine was suppressed appetite. Loss of appetite is short-lived, with tolerance developing in approximately 30 days at therapeutic doses. Obese adults should then be advised to stop taking the medication. Methamphetamine addicts continually use larger and larger amounts in response to mounting tolerance, accounting for the stereotypical anorexic appearance of drug abusers.
Sleeplessness
A side effect of the drug, sleeplessness may be followed by periods of somnolence during methamphetamine withdrawal. According to Weisheit and White, this unhealthy sleep pattern is probably a contributing factor to psychiatric side effects that occur after long-term use of high doses, such as paranoid psychosis, agitation, mood swings, aggression, irritability and depression. Lack of sleep and poor appetite are associated with slower growth patterns of children taking Desoxyn. To minimize this side effect of ADHD treatment, parents are advised to stop the medication on weekends and over school vacation breaks.
References
- DEA: Methamphetamine
- Drugs.com: Desoxyn
- "Oral Diseases"; Methamphetamine Abuse and Dentistry, Hamamoto DT, Rhodus NL; January 2009
- University of Iowa Health Care: Saliva, It Protects Our Mouth
- "Methamphetamine: Its History, Pharmacologyand Treatment"; Ralph Weisheit, Ph.D., William White, M.A.; 2009
