Methadone ( also known as Symoron, Dolophine, Amidone, Methadose, Physeptone, Heptadon and many other names ) is a synthetic opioid, used medically as an analgesic and a maintenance anti-addictive and reductive preparation for use by patients with opioid dependency.

Methadone is also used in managing severe chronic pain, owing to its long duration of action, extremely powerful effects, and very low cost.

Methadone is mainly used in the treatment of opioid dependence.

Methadone is approved for different indications in different countries.

Methadone can provide a method of stable treatment of the symptoms associated with withdrawal and mental anguish, and, with a proper slow taper, can be discontinued after the patient feels he or she is ready, often after a year or more, which gives the addict time to get away from old habits or triggers.

Methadone maintenance is rarely covered by private insurance and patients are encouraged to enroll in public welfare programs or face upwards of $ 500 USD per month.

When an individual is leaving the UK with an amount of Methadone that exceeds 500mg, a Home Office Export Licence is required which should be arranged by the prescriber.

In the UK, when a prescriber of Methadone uses form FP10 for the daily dispensing of the drug, the name of the allocated pharmacy that the user must go to is included.

Methadone, with its long half-life ( and thus long duration of effect ) and good oral bioavailability, is a common second-choice drug for pain that does not respond to weaker agonists.

The analgesic effect of Methadone has been known to mask the onset of malignant disease in patients undergoing treatment with Methadone, the disease only becoming apparent when the dose ( and pain-killing effect ) of Methadone is reduced.

When taken according to the prescribers instructions, Methadone is relatively safe, as the prescriber will have gradually built the dose up to avoid the danger of overdose.

One reason for use of Methadone is its advantages for opioid rotation.

Many patients report that Methadone's sedation effect is often less pronounced than with other opioids and cite this as a major argument for preferring Methadone as an analgesic .< ref > Persons reciveing MMT should not suffer from extreme sedation as a resullt of the treatment, due to the fact that a properly prescribed person will have had their dose titrated up to the optimal level to remove the effects of withdrawl, a point at which sedation should not be evident.

Methadone linctus, which is prescribed in 1mg / 2. 5ml strength is used where approved as a remedy for violent coughing.

Methadone usage history is considered in interpreting the results as a chronic user can develop tolerance to doses that would incapacitate an opioid-naive individual.

Methadone is metabolized by CYP3A4, CYP2B6, CYP2D6 and is a substrate for the P-Glycoprotein efflux protein in intestine and brain.

Methadone is a full µ-opioid agonist.

A common problem in treating methadone overdoses is that, given the short action of Naloxone ( versus the extremely longer-acting Methadone ), a dosage of Naloxone given to a Methadone-overdosed patient will initially work to bring the patient out of overdose, but once the Naloxone wears off, if no further Naloxone is administered, the patient can go right back into overdose ( based upon time and dosage of the Methadone ingested ).

The treatment of opiate addicted persons with Methadone will follow one of two routes.

With Invisible, they released the two EPs as Double Trouble in 1996, their third studio album, One for the Money and a remix collection, Never Mind the Methadone in 1997, and a live recording, Two for the Show in 1998.

In studies done on Methadone users going through detox, individuals experienced different withdrawal symptoms and withdrawal periods even though they received their last dose at the same time.

Methadone reduction programmes are suitable for addicted persons who wish to stop using drugs altogether.

Some patients will be prescribed as much as 325 mg of methadone a day ; though a dose as low as 30 mg can prove fatal in an opiate naive individual, or in individuals who lack cross-tolerance to other opioids .. Patients prescribed Methadone for pain control, are likely to be given Methadone tablets, that come in the strength of 5mg in the Uk.

After a patient has been on a maintenance programme for a period, they will be offered the opportunity to move over to a Methadone reduction programme.

Individuals who intend to undertake overseas travel should make contact with the embassy of the intended destination to arrange for the importation of the Methadone.

On November 29, 2006, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration issued a Public Health Advisory about methadone titled " Methadone Use for Pain Control May Result in Death and Life-Threatening Changes in Breathing and Heart Beat.

However, Methadone has much lower cross-tolerance, when switching to it from other opioids, than other opioids .< ref > This means that Methadone can start at a low dose, and the time for the next switch will be longer.

In 2006, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration issued a caution about methadone, titled “ Methadone Use for Pain Control May Result in Death .” The FDA also revised the drug's package insert.

In the UK, perons who are prescribed oral Methadone can continue to drive after they have satisfactorily completed an independent medical examination which will include a urine screen for drugs.

Methadone acts by binding to the µ-opioid receptor, but also has some affinity for the NMDA ionotropic glutamate receptor.

Methadone was developed in 1937 in Germany by scientists working for I. G.

Methadone was first manufactured in the USA by Eli Lilly, who obtained FDA approval on August 14, 1947, for their Dolophine 5 mg and 10 mg Tablets.

In chronic pain conditions that are opioid responsive a combination of a long-acting ( Oxycontin, MS Contin, Opana ER, Exalgo and Methadone ) or extended release medication is often prescribed in conjunction with a shorter-acting medication ( oxycodone, morphine or hydromorphone ) for breakthrough pain, or exacerbations.

*** Methadone can be used for either treatment of opioid addiction / detoxification when taken once daily or as a pain medication and as such is usually administered on an every 12-hour or 8-hour dosing interval.

Policies on dose reduction vary from clinic to clinic, from a focus on tapering the patient down to a low dose of Methadone so that they can be detoxified completely, to tapering the dose down to less than 10mg so that they are able to abstain completely.

Methadone can cause slow or shallow breathing and dangerous changes in heart beat that may not be felt by the patient.

Other substances can reduce the metabolism of Methadone and in such a situation, a patient who fared fine after the first few doses could reach high levels of the drug in his body without ever taking more than was prescribed.

** Phenylpiperidine derivative Opioids: Meperidine / Pethidine, Tramadol, Methadone, Fentanyl, Dextropropoxyphene, Propoxyphene.

Methadone was introduced into the United States in 1947 by Eli Lilly and Company.

When used correctly, Methadone maintenance has been found to be medically safe and non-sedating.

Methadone has traditionally been provided to people who are opiate dependent in a highly regulated methadone clinic, generally associated with an outpatient department of a hospital, though this varies country by country.

This licence allows the individual to export the licenced amount and import any remaining Methadone that has not yet been used. The granting of a licence does not guarentee that the Methadone or person will be allowed entrance into the country of travel.

Methadone clinics in the U. S. charge anywhere from $ 5 – 400 per week, which may be covered by private insurance or Medicaid.