Methadone is used to treat moderate to severe pain. However, methadone is also used to help opiate addicts taper off of narcotics such as Oxycontin, heroin and prescription medications. Methadone has a long half-life, so the drug user does not need to continue dosing several times a day. Unfortunately, the use of methadone, whether for pain or opiate tapering, can lead to addiction. Some signs of an opiate addict can be observed when patients use the drug more frequently or in higher doses than prescribed.
Short-Term Symptoms
Several short term symptoms are common when addicts go through withdrawal or take doses higher than recommended from a doctor. Once common side effect of an addict who has taken too much of a dose is vomiting and what is called "nodding." Nodding is an effect many addicts strive to achieve. It is exhibited by drooping eyes and sleeping. The addict slurs his speech and is unable to hold a conversation and stay conscious.
Slowed breathing and movements are also the short-term effects of methadone. Methadone addicts who overdose can have severe respiratory depression that slows breathing and causes hypoxia, which is a limited amount of oxygen to the cells. Severe short-term symptoms can also lead to death.
Long-Term Symptoms
Long-terms symptoms are observed in methadone addicts who continue to use methadone in higher doses or illicitly, without a prescription from a doctor. The most common types of symptoms noticed in long-term methadone addicts are respiratory and breathing problems. Methadone has a long half-life, so dosing the drug several times a day raises tolerance to the drug and makes it harder to breathe. The drug slows breathing, and can ultimately stop it altogether. If a drug addict has severe respiratory depression from too much methadone, it's imperative that emergency medical personnel are contacted.
Withdrawal
Withdrawal symptoms are seen in patients who decide to detox from the drug. Methadone has similar withdrawal symptoms to other opiates or opioid drugs. Withdrawal symptoms don't usually occur until approximately 48 hours after cessation from the drug. The severity of the withdrawal symptoms are dependent on the length of the addiction. The most common withdrawal symptoms are insomnia, vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite. Patients also feel restless and occasionally have perspiration outbreaks.
