Methadone 5 mg tablets are very useful when it comes to the treatment of chronic pain and addiction to opioids like heroin and morphine. However, being an opioid itself, the Methadone drug has great potential for being abused and misused for its euphoric effects. This can eventually lead to a Methadone addiction. Any opioid can be safe and effective when used strictly as directed. Methadone addiction develops when an individual takes it either without consulting a doctor or in larger, more frequent doses.

The Methadone drug is supplied in different forms and strengths for public use. The drug may be administered orally or through intravenous means. Methadone medication for pain relief comes in liquid and tablet forms. Primarily it is can be taken through the mouth, insufflation, intravenous, rectal, and sublingual. Apart from its generic form, Methadone is also supplied under the trade names:

• Dolophine
• Methadose
• Westadone
• Diskets

Apart from the 5 mg variant, our Rxpharmasmeds also supplies Methadone 10 mg tablets to meet the needs of every individual.

Maintenance Therapy Using Methadone 5 mg

Maintenance therapy helps to address patients with opiate addiction and consists of the administration of Methadone 5 mg for an extended period. What maintenance therapy does is prevent an individual from opiate withdrawal symptoms by blocking the high effect of heroin drug thus reducing its craving. Generally, the dosage used for such a situation starts with 10-20 mg of Methadone. It can be gradually increased up to 40 mg, or in some cases, even up to 80 mg a day.

Methadone 5 mg for Pain Relief

Another use of Methadone 5 mg tablets includes treatment for acute and chronic pain. Patients having severe health issues from using other prescribed opioid medications or drugs that do not prove to be effective can switch over to Methadone 5 mg. While switching to Methadone 5 mg medicines for pain relief, the transition is usually done by either rapidly discontinuing the previous opioid or by gradually tapering the previous opioid while steadily introducing Methadone.

Working of Methadone 5 mg

The Methadone 5 mg medication’s mechanism of action involves the active metabolites of the substance binding to mu-opioid and delta-opioid receptors in an individual’s system. This activity produces the effects common to all mu opioid agonists including analgesia, euphoria, constipation, sedation, respiratory depression, nausea, and miosis.

Additionally, the Methadone drug antagonizes N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, which may increase its effectiveness in the treatment of severe chronic and acute pain compared with other opioid medications.

Methadone is rapidly absorbed after the oral administration of Methadone 5 mg tablets. The time to peak concentration in the bloodstream varies from 1 to 5 hours. The analgesic effect of a single dose begins within 30 to 60 minutes after administration and it generally lasts for 4 to 6 hours.

The estimated half-life of Methadone may vary from 15 to 55 hours depending on the individual’s health. All the metabolization action takes place in the liver. Furthermore, the drug can stay in an individual’s system for around 5 to 59 hours. Additionally, the parent drug and its metabolites are eliminated in the form of feces and urine.

Methadone Poisoning

Poisoning on Methadone 5 mg tablets can occur not only from an overdose but also from prolonged usage of the drug. Unfortunately, the drug’s long half-life increases the chance of adverse health effects and drug accumulation due to frequent dosing. It can accumulate in various tissues of an individual.

In general, poisoning occurs when an addict combines Methadone 5 mg with psychotropic substances like Cocaine and Alcohol. A case of Methadone poisoning can be characterized by:

• Suffocation
• Oxygen starvation of the brain
• Severe bradycardia
• Hallucinations
• Coma

Drug Interactions with Methadone 5 mg

Methadone 5 mg pills can interact with several other medications and substances. Different types of drugs cause different interactions and effects. Some can interfere with the drug’s working, while others can produce increased side effects.

The risk for a drug interaction also depends upon certain factors such as:

• The number of medications you use
• The age factor of an individual
• An individual’s kidney and liver functioning
• Diet consumption
• Specific health conditions
• Genetics and metabolizing capacity of an individual

These drugs can affects the functionality of Methadone 5 mg medicine:

• Antibiotic medications such as rifampin and rifabutin
• HIV drugs such as abacavir, darunavir, efavirenz, nelfinavir, etc.
• Anticonvulsant medicines like phenobarbital, phenytoin, and carbamazepine

These medications and substances can induce serious side effects when used alongside Methadone 5 mg pills:

• Alcohol, marijuana, or other street drugs
• Benzodiazepines including diazepam (Valium, Diastat, and Diastat AcuDial), lorazepam (Ativan), clonazepam (Klonopin), temazepam (Restoril), and alprazolam (Xanax, Niravam, and Xanax XR.)
• Antifungal drugs like ketoconazole, posaconazole, and voriconazole
• HIV drugs such as ritonavir or indinavir
• Medications for heart rhythm syndrome, such as quinidine, amiodarone, dofetilide, etc.

Avoid using the above-mentioned medications and substances with Methadone 5 mg. You may consult with your concerned doctor and follow his/her advice if you are using any such medicines while on methadone treatment.