Methadone
Pronunciation:METH-a-dohn (also pronounced METH-a-don)
Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number: 76-99-3. (Hydrochloride form
1095-90-5)
Formal Names:Amidone, Dolophine, Eptadone, Heptanal, Ketalgin, Mephanon,
Methadose, Physeptone, Symoron, Tussol
Informal Names:Balloons, Breeze, Burdock, Buzz Bomb, Cartridges, Dollies,
Dolls, Done, Fixer, Fizzies, Juice, Juicer, Jungle Juice, Medecina, Meth-A-Done,
Mud, Phyamps, Pixie, Red Rock, Tootsie Roll, Wafers
Type:Depressant (opioid class).Seepage 24
Federal Schedule Listing:Schedule II (DEA no. 9250)
USA Availability:Prescription
Pregnancy Category:B
Uses.This drug was invented by Germany’s Nazi regime in 1941 as a sub-
stitute for inadequatemorphinesupplies. Today methadone is best known as
a legal substitute forheroin. In addition to that use in addiction treatment
programs, methadone is given to adults and children as a pain reliever for
surgery, cancer, burns, and other conditions. The substance is used as a cough
suppressant and also has calming qualities. In racehorses the drug can pro-
mote running ability and is banned from the sport. A human dose can last
for 24 hours, rather long for a drug of this type and class. For pain relief a
dose of methadone may be roughly 2.5 to 14.3 times stronger than morphine,
depending on how and why the drug is administered.
Drawbacks.Some persons experience euphoria from methadone. Unwanted
effects can include vitamin deficiency, constipation, sleepiness, breathing dif-
ficulty, and low blood pressure. People may feel faint if they suddenly stand
up from a sitting or prone position. Nausea, vomiting, constipation, urinary
difficulty, sweating, lowered sex drive, and impaired sexual performance are
other well-known problems. Liver disease may allow dangerous buildup of
methadone levels from normal doses.
Abilities to operate dangerous machinery such as automobiles may be re-
duced. Tests of persons undergoing methadone maintenance therapy indicate
they may be able to drive satisfactorily if they use no other drugs, but most
methadone maintenance patients also use other drugs that worsen driving