Drug info - methadone safety sheet. + all you need to know.

[adzket]

swim thought this info may be helpfull as they know alot of swiy's don't get given information on ingrediants or other drug interactions ect with there methadone, this will cover both sugared and sugar free 1mg/1ml methadone that is green and used in the u.k

sugared methadone ingrediance,
methadone hydrochloride bp 0.1% w/v
sucrose, e219, e217, e422, e507, e102, e110
cloroform, ethanol 2.14%, e142 & water

swim is more worryed about amount of e numbers in there both sugar and cloroform will make your veins collapse so don't inject this! also it is not recomended to operate macinery or drive while on methadone. also if on methadone one should inform the dvla about geting a reaction test done to keep there licence.

sugar free methadone ingrediance.
methadone hydrocholride ep.
hydroxybenzoate esters, propylene glycol,
liquid maltitol, e150, e131 & purified water.

both should be stored at or below 25~c

what methadone is used for?
it is used in treatment of drug addiction. also in the treatment of moderate to servere pain.

befor useing this medicine, do not use if answer yes to any of following?

do you have any breathing difficulties or a history of asthma? you must not use this during an astma attack. therefore if you self-addminister, wait untill atack has passed and you are fully recoverd.

are you takeing or have taken in last two weeks monoamine oxidase inhibitors (maoi) used for treatment of depresion.

are you dependant on other drugs

have ever had an unusual reaction to any of the ingredients listed above including methadone

are you currently takeing central nervous system depressants (medicines that dull the senses)

are you likely to go into labour? methadone can have serious effects on your baby.
is this medicine being given to a child.

you should consult your doctor befor taking this medicine if :

your liver or kiddneys are not functioning properly
you have epilepsy
you have alcoholism
you have a head injury
you have low thyroid function (hypothyroidism)
you have problems with your adrenel glands, these are linked to your kidneys.
you have prostate problems
you have low blood pressure
you are in shock
you have a muscle weekness disease called myasthenia gravis
you have a bowel disorder
you have a history of an irregular heart beat
you have heat disease
you have low potassium or sodium levels in your blood
you are extremely ill or an older person. you may be more sesitive to the medicine.
you are going to take a pregnancy test as methadone may interfere

you are taking any of the following medicines:
monoamine oxidase inhibitors (used to treat depresion)
other antidepressant drugs (e.g. fluvoxamine, fluoxetine)
cns depressants (e.g. drugs shuch as sedatives, tranquilisers, hypnotics, anaesthetics)
H2 antagonists (e.g. cimetidine, used to reduce stomace acid production)
rifampicin (used to treat tuberculosis)
medicines used to treat epilepsy (e.g phenytoin, carbamazepine)
medicines that make urine acidic (e.g. asorbic acid)
opioid agonist analgesics (e.g strong painkillers such as codeine, pentazocine)
medicines used to block or reverse the effects of opioids (e.g. naloxone, naltrexone, buprenophine)
antiretroviral agents (e.g. nelfinavir, nevirapine, efavirenz) - may affect blood concentrations of methadone and therefore, your doctor may consider methadone dosage adjustments if you are taking these drugs.
ciprofloxacin (an antibacterial medicine)
macrolide antibiotics (e.g. erythromycine)
azole antifungle agents (e.g ketoconazole, fluconazole)
st johns wort ( a herbal preparation)

some medicines can increase the risk of heart problems when used with methadone. see doctor or phamacist if you are taking any of the following:

medicines for heart problems (e.g verapamil, enalapril)
medicines which affect the electrolyte balance such as diuretics (water tablets) or lithium.

precautions whilst useing this medicine
this medicine will serverly affect your ability to drive or use machines, whilest taking it and afterwards. you should only resume these activities with permission of your doctor (in the uk you must inform the dvla if on methadone)

you should not use alcohol whilest taking this medicine.

this product contains hydroxybenzoates (preservatives) which may cause allergic reactions (possibly delayed).

it also contains liquid maltitol. if you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor befor taking this product.

how to use this medicine

take this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. the instructions will have been added to the dispensing lable by your pharmacist.
do not take more or less than stated dose. do not take it more or less often than perscribed.
do not take it for a longer time than your doctor prescribed.
do not stop taking this medicine unless your doctor tells you to due to the risk of withdrawal effects. it should not be stoped abruptly and your doctor will reduce your dose gradually.
this medicine is to be taken by mouth.

adults:
the usual dose for addiction is initially 10-20mg per day increasing to 40-60mg per day
pain: the usual dose for pain is 5 to 10mg 6 to 8 hourly.

the dose, however, should be taken as perscribed by your doctor. this medicine is not recomended for use in children. if you are elderly or very ill, you should be careful when taking repeated doses. if you miss a dose, do not take it when you remember. wait until the next dose is due then take only that dose. do not double dose.

if you take too much of the medicine, you should contact a doctact a doctor or hospital immedietely.

side effects of this medicine

along with its wanted effects, a medicine may cause some side effects.
these may include: nausea, vomiting, constipation, drowsiness, confusion, hallucinations, feeling elated, excessive sweating, increased pressure in the brain particulary in patients who already have this condition, difficulty in breathing, worsening of existing asthma, small pupils, increased level in the blood of a hormone called prolactin, low blood pressure (you may feel dizzy when standing up), irregular heart beat, palpitations, facial flushing, vertigo, headache, hypothermia, rash, restlessness, reduced sexual urge, unexspected secretion of breast milk, painfull or no periods, problems passing urine and dry mouth, eyes or nose.

tell your doctor immediatly or go to the casualty department at your nearst hospital if you notice any of the following:

changes in the way your heart beats, for exsample if you notic it beating faster.
breathing difficulties and dizziness.

when taken for a long period of time, it is possible that you may become dependent on the medication. if this occurs you might exsperience withdrawl symptoms if the treatment stops to suddenly. if this is the case your doctor will advise you to cut down gradually.

you may develop tolerance to the effects of methadone; this means you may notice thet your medicine is less effective at reliving your symptoms.

if you notice any unusual symptoms, particulary ones not listed, you should consult your doctor or pharmacist.

how to store your medicine
store at or below 25~c. protect from light
keep out of reach and sight of children.
the label on the bottle contains an expiry date (month, year). do not use this product after that date.
if you notice any defects or signs of deterioration in the medicine you should consult your pharmacist.

this patient information leaflet was revised in september 2007. please note you in this post does not relate to any persons on the forum, or any person reading the information. it is just how the leaflet was wrote. thanks.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Excellent informative and harm reducing post

[adzket]

any swiy have information on methadone from other countrys.
as swim knows it is clear in spain, and offen red in america.

[Spucky]

Originally Posted by adzket

any swiy have information on methadone from other countrys.
as swim knows it is clear in spain, and offen red in america.

In Germany it comes in Green, Red, Yellow as well as Clear!

But afaik. they have now a basics recipe,
ruled by Law to make a standard Melange,
because the Methadone is made "in" the Pharmacy!

[adzket]

swim has also be perscribed methadose which is blue and can be injected comes in eather 5mg/1ml or 10mg/1ml. also tetrazine free methadone sometimes given to those elergic to the cloring, can be given a clear subsitute but only on a daily basis as this to can be injected thus worth alot if was able to sell on black market thus very rare to get. (this does not meen all clear methadone is safe to inject)
also swim has recently found that interferon used for treatment for hep c & the like. can increase methadone levels by 10-15% while on low dose's this is not a problem on larger dose's it may well be.