hi there..

passin this important article on:

Title: Methadone Use for Pain Control May Result in Death and Life-Threatening Changes in Breathing and Heart Beat


"Methadone Use for Pain Control May Result in Death and Life-Threatening Changes in Breathing and Heart Beat"


BETHESDA, MD -- November 27, 2006 -- US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received reports of death and life-threatening side effects in patients taking methadone. These deaths and life-threatening side effects have occurred in patients newly starting methadone for pain control and in patients who have switched to methadone after being treated for pain with other strong narcotic pain relievers.

Methadone can cause slow or shallow breathing and dangerous changes in heart beat that may not be felt by the patient. Prescribing methadone is complex. Methadone should only be prescribed for patients with moderate to severe pain when their pain is not improved with other non-narcotic pain relievers.

Pain relief from a dose of methadone lasts about 4 to 8 hours. However methadone stays in the body much longer -- from 8 to 59 hours after it is taken. As a result, patients may feel the need for more pain relief before methadone is gone from the body.

Methadone may build up in the body to a toxic level if it is taken too often, if the amount taken is too high, or if it is taken with certain other medicines or supplements.

To prevent serious complications from methadone, health care professionals who prescribe methadone should read and carefully follow the methadone (Dolophine) prescribing information FDA is issuing this public health advisory to alert patients and their caregivers and health care professionals to the following important safety information:

Patients should take methadone exactly as prescribed.
Taking more methadone than prescribed can cause breathing to slow or stop and can cause death. A patient who does not experience good pain relief with the prescribed dose of methadone, should talk to his or her doctor.

· Patients taking methadone should not start or stop taking other medicines or dietary supplements without talking to their health care provider. Taking other medicines or dietary supplements may cause less pain relief. They may also cause a toxic buildup of methadone in the body leading to dangerous changes in breathing or heart beat that may cause death.

· Health care professionals and patients should be aware of the signs of methadone overdose. Signs of methadone overdose include trouble breathing or shallow breathing; extreme tiredness or sleepiness; blurred vision; inability to think, talk or walk normally; and feeling faint, dizzy or confused. If these signs occur, patients should get medical attention right away.

FDA recently approved new prescribing information for methadone products approved for pain control. The information in the new prescribing information is based on a review of the scientific literature completed by FDA. A Medication Guide for patients is planned.

SOURCE: Food and Drug Administration

I have been on Methadone for 3+ years now and I love it. I am on such a low dosage that even if I take extra I am ok doing it. My Dr. knows that I do it and as long as I can stay at the dosage I am at I am happy. I have been at the same dosage also for 3+ years. Every once in awhile I will up it and I always tell my Dr. I do and keep it there until I get my pain level back down from a flareup.

Methadone is getting to be the number one pain med in the country. It has so few side effects unless a person does take way to much.

I feel safer on it then I ever felt on any of the other meds I was on and that was most of them from Oxycontin to the Fentenal patch.

I have no side effects what so ever from my Methadone. The sweating seemed to be the worst side effect I notice on it when I got to a higher dosage.

There are side effects and problems with any meds. We have all seen that on here.

That's a good article to warn people of the Methadone. It lets people know what to watch out for.

Thanks,
Ada

I like Ada, took Methadone for well over 3 yrs, I think my dose was higher than yours Ada? I was on 20mg three times a day. Which is alot, I did not have side effects from it at all. It was ten times easier on my system than any other med I've been on with the RSD.

Things happen in life we can't control. But Methadone is such a strong drug, that if you took one pill you would know it, and if you had one side effect you would know it as well.

I know the warnings are out there about Methadone, but when you sit back and look, they are out there about every drug basically. So please use caution in any medication you take.

I heard on the local news today, one of the worst problems is people not telling their doctor everything they have taken, and then things counter, and death can happen. So if it's an herb, an over the counter drug, or something anothe doctor has given you, let each doctor know everything you have taken, and don't take a chance on loosing your life because of drug interactions.


Debbie