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Methadone is the #2 killer drug in America

What is Methadone?: Methadone is an opiate that was first introduced after World War II as an alternative to morphine. Methadone was originally thought to be less addictive because of its extremely long half life. Today, methadone is used as an analgesic for pain management and more popularly as replacement therapy for heroin and other opiate addictions. Methadone is a cheap alternative to other opiate based medications which outweighs it potency when prescribing.

In 2004 close to 4000 people died from methadone. In 2005 Methadone was implicated in over 4700 deaths. That does not include auto accidents caused by those driving under the influence of methadone.

Ask your doctor about alternatives

~ There are many other effective pain relievers on the market, do not just accept Methadone because it's cheaper...cheap is not always better

~ For addiction consider Suboxone, Buprenorphine, inpatient treatment, or detoxification...know that embarking on MMT is developing a new addiction that may be harder to overcome then your current one

Mixing other Medications or Drugs with Methadone can be deadly

~ Methadone is contraindicated with many medications you may need to take

~ Over the counter cough and flu medicines have been deadly mixed with Methadone

~ Benzodiazepines such as (Xanax, Klonopin, Valium, Restoril etc..) are the most common drugs found in the deceased victim

~ Even taking other medications as prescribed with Methadone can kill

~ Be wary of mixing certain herbal supplements and grapefruit juice with Methadone

Methadone is Cardio Toxic

~ Insist on regular EKG's and ECG's from your doctor while on Methadone

~ For additional information on the cardio toxicity of Methadone, QT Prolongation, and Torsades de Pointes please see the research articles

Medical Conditions

~ Notify your doctor if you have Asthma, Sleep Apnea or high blood pressure prior to accepting Methadone Treatment

~ If you are overweight you may have an increased risk for respiratory depression or sleep apnea while on Methadone

Support Systems

~ Notify your friends and family that you are taking Methadone

~ Ask your doctor for a prescription of NARCAN (this is the overdose antidote) during the induction phase (first 2 weeks of treatment) you are at increased risk for overdose and death

   Call your doctor ASAP if you are experiencing

   1. Migraines / Headaches

    2. Difficulty / Shallow or Slow Breathing

    3. Pinpoint Pupils

    4. Vomiting / Nausea

    5. Drowsiness

    6. Disorientation / Dizziness

    7. Limp Muscles

    8. Itching / Hives / Rash

    9. Seizures

~ Advise family and friends to call 911 immediately if they hear a loud, strange snoring or gurgling sound coming from you while you are sleeping

~ If you are feeling faint or nodding out (falling asleep spontaneously) do NOT take more Methadone ... contact your doctor and do NOT drive

I found this website called HARMD a while ago, the information in this website and the statistics about methadone are scary, and this does cover methadone maintenance and NUMEROUS people that died by taking one illicit 5 or 10 mg dose of methadone, JUST ONE PILL CAN KILL !!  and the facts are staggering...
if you are interested in any of my research about methadone...just let me know.  there is nothing safe about this medication at all, not even one songle dose is safe.
and as far as methadone maintenance therapy - I understand addiction and the facts that show and prove that addiction IS a disease. some people MAY require methadone for life.  but do know if you thinking about MMT as your way top treat your disease, your dose MAY be upped on a regular basis, most, not all, but most find after being on the same dose of methadone for an extended time, the dose will need to be increased over and over again, your dose is never enough to sustain you for life in most not all cases...
suboxone is NOT like this and is also a  preferred and recommended alternative to methadone in most if not all cases but HARMD.
HARMD also has a memorial page for any one that has lost a loved one to methadone, whether it be MMT or a 1 time illicit use of methadone.

METHADONE IS THE #2 KILLER DRUG IN AMERICA....FACT!



  



34 Responses
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306455 tn?1288862071
Strange, I know I posted to this, but its not here.  Anyway.......
Great post, and I'm gonna bool mark it so I can pull it up for people as needed.
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Avatar universal
you should check out the site magi...its scary and so sad...
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Avatar universal
BIG BUMP
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Avatar universal
sad to see that so many people are in an uproar over sub that the real danger is being neglected...but here it is...
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417564 tn?1287982827
Very informative post.  People have to be warned of the dangers of methadone.  Until we began educating ourself, we knew nothing but the doctors biased info.  It is sad but true that most doctors do not know near as much about that drug as many of us here.

I was a bit anger stricken at the post pushing methadone for detox,,,,the amounts she indicated taking could be lethal even to someone using opiates.  Now I understand the post was meant to help, but that doesn't change the fact someone could die taking her advice.  Am I just being a b*t*h?
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Avatar universal
no...you are right on target with that bit of info...check out that site i sent you...there are numerous people that have died from taking 1 methadone pill..1 pill can kill...its the truth...they also list the amout of deaths by state, and a lot of statistics...
i already lost a very close friend and ex-room mate to methadone, prescribed by a doctor in pill form...i cant get him back...but i can help warn people how utterly dangerous it is

i have NEVER seen you be a b***h...its not you, trust me...

xxxooo
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Avatar universal
this is no longer ture from what i have now read...methadone is now considered the #1 killer drug in the usa...
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Avatar universal
I am going from post to post. METHADONE IS THE MOST EVIL DRUG EVER MADE
Hi wait2long..lol
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Avatar universal
hey honey...
i KNOW you have your facts...LOL!  
much love hun
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Avatar universal
I just read  that in Europe methadone kills more drug users than heroin. That alone shows how evil it can be!
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Avatar universal
its is so true...i lost as dear and close friend on dec 5th to methdone...he was prescribed it by a doctor after back surgery...he died in his sleep, never woke up...
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Avatar universal
And to point out wait, wasn't that after just ONE?
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Avatar universal
That alone should tell it all, not to mention your journal!!
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Avatar universal
we dont know...it showed he had only taken 6 methadone tablets in about a 48 hour time frame ,according to the autopsey results...so its hard to say if it was just 1 pill or the toxicity of methadone, the build up because of the half life...we will never really know.
my kids were crushed though...he was a gifted artist and lived with us for over a year before he moved out and then passed away about 8 months later...


some people cant read well hun...lol!
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
Sad, very sad. There are many in your journal that only took one dose of methadone and it killed them right?
It is so inexcusable for Dr.'s to prescribe it for any old reason. I HATE METHADONE!!
DANGEROUS! DANGEROUS! DANGEROUS!!!!
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Avatar universal
yes...and there were so many more i could have posted...some were so sad to read...it s just unbelievable....
and my friend that died was a big man too...6'4"  about 270 lbs...so its not like he took too much for his body size or anything either...if that even matters...i miss him...my husband was and is devastated...
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Avatar universal
That is so sad. I am sorry for your loss. As I stated, I am fortunate to still have my friend after the methadone. I just get very angry over the whole methadone topic. I have to get some sleep now. Have a good night and a wonderful Easter!!
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Avatar universal
you too sweetie...good night!
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Avatar universal
bump.
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Avatar universal
There are also many people greatly helped by methadone. So long as it is licit and EKC/ECG are checked regularly, many people have been given their lives back by this drug. It is dangerous no doubt due to respiratory depression (all opiates #1 killing mechanism), but especially the long half-life.

6 x 10mg. pills in a 48 hour period would kill most opiate-naive individuals or come very close. It sounds as if his use was illicit.

Automobile accidents cause hundreds of thousands of deaths per year, yet automobiles continue to be legal because they are practical and people/economy benefit from them.   THe same objective analyses must be applied to methadone and it's place in society. I don't want my uncle going back to smack now that he's able to work as a network administrator due to methadone maintenance.

There are always multiple truths, and there are always multiple points of view. Let's keep it objective. Be safe out there!
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Avatar universal
Further, methadone is absolutely necessary for certain groups of chronic pain patients whom only respond to nmda-antagonist portion of the methadone, as well as the added potency (read: comfort) for end-stage cancer/renal patients on the precipice of death.

Most other opiates except buprenorphine and laam are mu-agonist only; the nmda-antagonist portion of the methadone etiology is a life saver for certain groups with severe intractable pain, and end stage patients.  The long half-life helps keep the patient from experiencing daily roller-coasters of euphoria and dysphoria. In fact, methadone can barely produce a "high" at all, such as those compared with hydrocodone/oxyocodone.

I suspect the cardiotoxicity/torsades issue will be dealt with once the scientists circumvent the potent potassium blocking mechanism indigenous to methadone.

It is so sad that so many people are dying from prescription drugs. Is it because there are more people in the world? Or more ways to report and discover the trends ? Or is it because pills are en vogue right now ? (hollywood is all vicodin all the time these days).

Our most important issues are to stop diversion ( stopping most deaths) while making sure that accessibilty remains for those whos quality of life would otherwise be nil to unbearable.

Opiates are an enigma. It's OK to be mad when bad things happen, but make sure you move past that and continue to use reason and rational thought when approaching an issue that affects so profoundly hundreds of thousands (million(s) ?) quality of life.

Always more than one truth. Examine from ALL sides, not just YOUR side.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Just wondering, if someone could glean the stat... .how many people die each year from being hit by drunk drivers ?  How much irrepairable damage done by alcoholic behavior and poor decisions on alcohol ?

Alcohol doesn't even have any positive effects for patients!!!!!   Something to chew on.....
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Avatar universal
One 5mg or 10mg methadone pill is physically incapable of killing anyone, even if they are 100% opiate naive. The only realistic way would be allergy/anaphylactic shock, which is exceedingly rare for anyone to be allergic. Even if, 5-10mg would probably not cause anaphylaxis serious enough to cause death.

A 40mg. 'wafer" (which have now been restricted to clinic/in-person use only, which I wholly approve of BTW), could very well stand a chance of approaching LD50 for an opiate naive person.

6 pills in 48 hours for a relatively opiate naive person could also enter ld50 territory.

Weight doesn't much to do with propensity to die from N dose. 80-90% of a methadone dose is absorbed via po (oral) use (a VERY efficient percentage for oral medication), placing it rapidly into contact with the blood/brain barrier.

Interestingly, while the half-life carries on for 18-100 hours, the effective analgesia only lasts up to 8 hours; which is why physicians titrate pain mgmt. patioents up to tid or bid 10-20mg. usage per day in a 3-4 week period; and then continue to carefully titrate up from there as the patient describes symptoms.

The DEA does not however practice medicine, so they or lay people may see #180 10mg. methadone tabs per month as excessive, when in fact, that is a perfectly normal pain mgmt. prescription for intractable moderately-severe intractable pain (especially neuropathic pain that doesn't respond as welll to mu-agonists only).

Life is full of pros and cons, they must be very carefully weighed. I know this much, much like the automobile, there is far more good being done by methadone than there is harm. I would LOVE to see a nano-technology be invented to identify who is diverting their prescriptions and lock them up.  What was alcohol good for again ?  
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Avatar universal
Don't forget, most overdoses are polydrug abuse situations. You see "METHADONE OVERDOSE" in the headlines, but the sensationalist article fails to mention that valium, or xanax, or ativan, or many times another opiate, usually heroin;  was found along with the <<<<<>>>>> that caused the death.

poly drug overdoses comprise 90%, methadone singly only 10%, according to my sources, which may not be entirely on point. It certainly indicates a trend towards polydrug abuse being the primary situation where death occurs though. Methadone is taking over as whipping boy where "hillbilly heroin" oxycontin once stood before purdue settled.  Hillbilly Heroin, such a class-warfare term, and misnomer to boot; most people with the money to pay illicit prices were quite affluent and decidely NON hillbillyish. Rush Limbaugh anyone ?
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