Methadone Maintenance Program
Methadone Withdrawal Management Program
• 31-days
• 3-month
• 6-month
• Custom
The initial goal of methadone treatment is to free an opiate dependent person or heroin dependent person from the periodic withdrawal that prompts the regular use of illicit opiates or heroin. Along with irritability and cravings to use opiates, the most common signs of opiate withdrawal are runny nose, large pupils, eyes tearing, sweating, chills, diarrhea, yawning, nausea, cramps, insomnia, joint pain, and gooseflesh.
Methadone is a therapeutic tool of recovery for the opiate dependent person that may or may not be discontinued. For some people, the desired change in lifestyle may occur through a successful detoxification from heroin using decreasing doses of methadone. For other individuals, the use of a methadone maintenance program provides longer-term stability and the opportunity to slowly change many aspects of one’s life. We believe that you can have a happy and purposeful life while on a methadone maintenance program.
Prior to admitting any new patient for treatment, our physician will conduct a complete physical examination to determine whether methadone treatment is appropriate for that patient.
Methadone is a long-acting synthetic opiate that is taken in a liquid oral form once per day. The proper dose of methadone remains effective for 24-36 hours and does not result in an altering of perceptions or euphoria. A person taking methadone is alert, energetic, able to function well, and feels no withdrawal symptoms between doses of the drug. It is important to note that a person with a pre-existing opiate or heroin dependency does not gain an additional addiction when he/she takes methadone. Methadone satisfies that person’s pre-existing opiate dependency in a safe, legal, and responsible manner under the supervision of medical professionals. Here, patients must participate in treatment as planned and prescribed. Missing a methadone dose may result in discomfort and the start of withdrawal. Once stable on the proper methadone dose, a patient will most likely feel less of a need to inject heroin, thus minimizing the health risks of HIV and hepatitis B and C. Patients who stop using heroin and other drugs can altogether avoid the possibility of overdosing.
Methadone treatment is provided in an environment where medical and counseling services are readily available. Here, many methadone patients make changes in their lives and build support systems that allow them to improve their health and stay sober.
Pregnant women users who are in treatment with methadone deliver healthy babies. It is true that babies born to women on methadone sometimes experience some withdrawal symptoms during the first several days after birth. The symptoms are routinely treated by the baby’s pediatrician. In addition, babies born to women on methadone tend to have a slightly lower birth weight than babies of non-addicted control mothers. The most important comparison, however, is not how these babies compare with non-addicted controls, but rather how they compare with babies of mothers addicted to heroin. Studies that have compared babies born to mothers in methadone treatment with babies born to mothers who use heroin have demonstrated tremendous benefits from methadone.
The vast weight of evidence supports the use of methadone with heroin-addicted women to reduce the risk of miscarriage, increase birth weight, reduce infection and HIV risk to fetus, and generally produce a much greater chance for a healthy baby.
