Methadone Withdrawal Symptoms & Timeline

Dizziness or drowsiness can cause falls, accidents, or severe injuries. DSM‐5, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition; OUD, opioid use disorder. Patients should be observed every three to four hours to assess for complications such as worsening anxiety and dissociation, which may require medication. Patients with cognitive impairments methadone withdrawal as a result of alcohol dependence should be provided with ongoing vitamin B1 (thiamine) supplements. If agitation persists and the patient cannot be adequately sedated with oral diazepam, transfer the patient to a hospital setting for psychiatric care. Patients should be allowed to sleep or rest in bed if they wish, or to do moderate activities such as walking.

• In cases of severe dehydration, provide intravenous fluids with potassium and magnesium salts.
• When your body is dependent on a medication, your body can’t function normally without it.
• This is to make sure that the dose you take is right for you.
• If you have withdrawal symptoms, tell your healthcare team right away.
• Withdrawal symptoms are unpleasant, but they will eventually stop.

When to contact a doctor

You must tell the DVLA if you have used illegal drugs or misused prescription medicines. These attach themselves to your opioid receptors and block the effect of opioid drugs. Naloxone is an antagonist and is sometimes used to reverse a heroin or methadone overdose.

Alcohol Withdrawal Scale8

Experts say people who take methadone to treat an addiction should use it for at least a year while they work on recovery. When it’s time to stop, your doctor will help you do so slowly to prevent withdrawal. A significant complication that is a leading cause of opioid-related deaths is returning to drug use after detox.

How the U.S. is sabotaging its best tools to prevent deaths in the opioid epidemic

Treatment for these symptoms involves tapering off of opioids slowly. Get additional information on opioid addiction treatment options. If your methadone is expired or if you don’t need to take it anymore, find a safe take-back program or flush it down the toilet. Talk to your pharmacist or treatment provider if you have questions. Your doctor may diagnose withdrawal based on your symptoms and a physical exam.

Side Effects—How Does Methadone Make You Feel?

• Stopping or lowering the dose of opioids can cause physical withdrawal symptoms (such as vomiting, diarrhea, and sweating), and psychological symptoms (such as anxiety and agitation).
• The right treatments can help you avoid many of these symptoms.
• The severity of benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms can fluctuate markedly and withdrawal scales are not recommended for monitoring withdrawal.
• If the protocol in Table 11 does not adequately control alcohol withdrawal symptoms, provide additional diazepam (up to 120mg in 24 hours).

Methadone Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder