Methadone is an opioid medicine. Other opioids include codeine, morphine, fentanyl and oxycodone.
Methadone is one of the medicines that can be used to help you stop taking heroin. It works by reducing heroin withdrawal symptoms, such as feeling restless or anxious, a runny nose, sweating, feeling or being sick, diarrhoea, shaking and muscle cramps. It also helps stop cravings for heroin.
It can also be used to treat dependence on other opioids.
There are 2 main ways to use methadone to treat heroin dependence:
- maintenance therapy – you switch from heroin to methadone, then stay on it, usually long term
- detox (detoxification) – you switch from heroin to methadone, before gradually withdrawing from methadone until you're completely free from both
Some people start with maintenance therapy and go on to detox to help stop them using both heroin and methadone.
Methadone for heroin dependence is available on prescription only. It usually comes as a green liquid you swallow or an injection. It also comes as tablets but these are not given often.
You'll get your prescription from a prescriber at a local drug treatment service, or your GP.
Methadone is also used for end of life care and severe pain. This is usually prescribed by a specialist and comes as liquid, tablets or injections. It's also available as a cough medicine for end of life care.
If you use heroin and want to stop, ask a GP or local drug treatment service for help with heroin addiction. You're entitled to the same confidential care as anyone else.
Key facts
- The most common side effects of methadone, if you're not used to opioids, are constipation, feeling or being sick, and feeling cold and sweaty.
- It's best to avoid alcohol while taking methadone, as it can cause very serious side effects. It's important to tell your prescriber how much you drink.
- You may have a regular urine or saliva test at your local drug treatment service or GP surgery. This is to check for heroin, methadone and other drugs.
- Methadone is addictive, so you'll need to reduce your dose slowly if you want to stop taking it to prevent withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your GP or prescriber first.
- Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can affect how your methadone works. It may make side effects worse.