Why does methadone make you sweat

This is especially common when you take large, regular doses of opioids and can be a frustrating problem to deal with. Prevention is better than cure, so the simplest thing is to avoid constipation by eating more fibre wholegrain or multigrain bread, nuts and cereals , as well as lots of fruit and vegetables. Drinking lots of water is essential. Hot drinks, tea and coffee may also help get things moving.

Prunes or warm prune juice is famous or infamous for ending constipation. Exercising regularly will also help: a minute run, some light stretches and yoga are particularly good at helping with constipation.

Going to the toilet at the same time each day can also help. Some people experiencing a blockage will simply delay a shot or dose til they experience withdrawal symptoms, including loose stools.

A bit radical. We prefer you try this gold medal standard for helping to push out a blockage. Set the scene properly — give yourself time and privacy, flood your intestines by drinking heaps of water and do some butt squeezes. Then get on the toilet, raising your feet up off the floor by putting them on a low box. Even going tippy-toes can help.

You want to get all your muscles in the best place to push, and for that you need a position that is closer to squatting than sitting up straight on a seat. You can also try pharmacy medicines like laxatives and stool softeners. Then take every step to stop it happening again!

Methadone sweats seem to be much worse than sweating from bupe or other opioids. Note that excessive sweating is also a symptom for some people who have hepatitis C, so if you have hep C and get it treated, there is a good chance your sweating might stop or ease up. You may need to treat the side effects. When you sweat, your body loses fluids, so to avoid getting dehydrated you should aim to drink at least 2 litres of water each day. Note: anti-perspirants stop sweat; deodorants stop smell.

There is even a gel that stops your face sweating great for wearing under make-up. Talk to your doctor or chemist about the different sprays, gels and even tablets designed to help. Put products on when you wake up and before you go to bed and as many times during the day as you need it.

You can also apply talcum powder to your sheets and your body where you sweat the most. There are other things you can do to help. Think about your clothes and your sheets etc. Synthetic fabrics will make you sweat more and loose clothing will help you control your sweating better. Diet also makes a difference — do some research or get a referral to a dietician because some foods make you sweat more.

Subscribe to User's News. Order User's News for distribution. Current Issue. UN97 Survey. Recent Issues. Back Issues PDFs. Contact User's News. Jul User's News. OTP , UN92 , health. What can I do about it? Hormonal issues High doses of opioids can affect sex hormones — both street opioids e. Drowsiness Feeling drowsy is a common side effect of opioid use. When you first start on methadone, you will be asked to go to your pharmacy each day to drink the medication. After two months you may be able to begin to take home some doses.

These are called "carries. After you have made some changes in your life, you might want to stop taking methadone. Most people who are successful coming off methadone:.

Most people experience few, if any, side-effects from methadone. However, as with any medication, unwanted side-effects may develop. While these side-effects may be distressing, they are rarely dangerous and most lessen with time. Excessive sweating : This can be due to a methadone dose that is too high or too low. While the problem can be difficult to control, some things may help, such as wearing lighter, natural-fibre clothing or using strong antiperspirant and talcum powder.

Constipation : You can try increasing fibre such as bran in your diet if you have this problem. Regular exercise and drinking more fluids may also help. Changes in sex drive: Some people on methadone say they have little sex drive, and are unable to experience an orgasm. Others say that their sex life has improved. If you are having sexual difficulties, your doctor may be able to help. Sleepiness or drowsiness : This is common, and may be caused by too much methadone. Visit your doctor to see if your dose needs to be adjusted.

Don't drive a car or do other activities that require you to be alert while this is a problem. Weight change : People sometimes put on weight, but this may be because they're now eating properly and are healthier. Methadone is a very potent drug. It can interact with alcohol, non-prescription drugs including herbal medications , street drugs and even drugs your doctor may prescribe for you. These drugs can alter or interfere with the effectiveness of methadone.

Tell your pharmacist or doctor about all medications or other drugs you are taking. When taken as prescribed, it is safe to use methadone for many years. However, methadone is a powerful drug. It can be extremely dangerous if taken by someone for whom it is not prescribed.

Children are particularly at risk. Even a small amount can be fatal for a child. If someone takes your dose, especially if a child swallows methadone accidentally, seek emergency medical treatment immediately.

It can also be given to newborn babies in hospital, to help with heroin or methadone withdrawal symptoms. Methadone may not be suitable for some people. Tell your doctor before starting methadone treatment if you:. With liquid methadone, swallow the medicine in one go.

You can have a drink of water afterwards if you like. You will usually start on 10mg to 30mg, taken once a day. This can be increased slowly, until your withdrawal symptoms are under control and your cravings stop.

Many people then take a regular dose of between 60mg and mg a day. However your dose may be different. Always follow your treatment plan. You will get your first prescription or script from your GP, or a prescriber at your drug treatment service. This may be a nurse, doctor or a prescribing pharmacist. They will ask you to choose a pharmacy to take your prescriptions to.

You can pick a pharmacy near your home or work. You may be given your medicine to take home, instead of having supervised doses at a pharmacy. It's important to store your methadone safely. Your key worker will discuss storage options with you and can offer advice. When you start your treatment, and until your dose is stabilised, a key worker or pharmacist will usually supervise you as you take methadone.

This can take up to 3 months. When you have stabilised on methadone, it may be possible to take some of your doses at home. This can take up to 12 weeks. In this case, skip the missed dose and take your next one at the usual time. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose. Tell your key worker or your doctor that you missed a dose. They may ask you to return the leftover liquid. If you cannot get to your pharmacy or drug treatment centre until the next day, they may not be able to give you any methadone.

They may need to speak to your prescriber first. Always check your treatment plan. It is important to take the right dose, according to your treatment plan and prescription. If you take too much methadone you could be at risk of overdose. Too much methadone may make you very sleepy, and can slow down or stop your breathing. This can be life-threatening. Follow the instructions you have been given. Naloxone is a medicine that is sometimes used to reverse a methadone overdose.

This is because you will run out of methadone before you get your next supply. Like all medicines, methadone can cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only minor ones. You are more likely to get side effects if you are on a high dose of methadone. Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or key worker if the side effects bother you or do not go away:.

In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to methadone. These are not all the side effects of methadone.

For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet. Some of these side effects usually improve with time, as you get used to methadone. If recreational drugs are part of your life, getting help can really improve the outlook for you and your baby. You can take methadone when you are pregnant, to help you stop taking heroin and having withdrawals.

You will have a special care plan and will also need extra monitoring from your doctor, midwife or key worker. If you become pregnant while taking methadone, speak to your doctor or prescriber. You may need to have more appointments. This is to make sure that the dose you take is right for you.

Sometimes your dose may need to be adjusted as your pregnancy progresses. If you take methadone at the end of pregnancy, your baby may be born dependent on methadone. Your midwife will check your baby for any withdrawal symptoms.

They can be treated in hospital if they need it. Talk to your doctor, midwife or health visitor if you want to breastfeed while taking methadone. If your baby is healthy and you are stable on methadone, you will usually be able to breastfeed while continuing your treatment. It may also help reduce withdrawal symptoms in your baby.

Small amounts of methadone pass into breast milk. This has been linked to breathing problems and drowsiness in a few breastfed babies. Breastfeeding will also benefit you and your baby. Your midwife, or health visitor, together with your prescriber can advise you how to wean your baby gradually.

Tell your midwife, health visitor or doctor immediately if you notice your baby is not feeding as well as usual, seems unusually sleepy or has difficulty breathing, or if you have any other concerns about your baby.

Some medicines and methadone can affect each other and increase the risk of side effects or overdose. Do not take morphine, buprenorphine, codeine or any other opioids while taking methadone.

It's usually ok to take methadone with paracetamol , ibuprofen or aspirin. Do not take methadone with painkillers that contain codeine. You will be more likely to get side effects and increase the risk of overdose.

Painkillers that contain codeine include co-codamol codeine and paracetamol , Nurofen Plus codeine and ibuprofen , co-codaprin codeine and aspirin and Solpadeine codeine, paracetamol, ibuprofen and caffeine. Some migraine treatments and cough syrups also contain codeine. Always check the ingredients on the packaging. Speak to a pharmacist or a doctor if you need any advice about pain relief while taking methadone. There may be a problem taking St John's wort with methadone.

It can stop the methadone from reducing your withdrawal symptoms properly.