It appears the FDA agrees not taking this drug as prescribed can cause life threatening side effects and death :
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/advisory/methadone.htm
It appears the FDA agrees not taking this drug as prescribed can cause life threatening side effects and death :
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/advisory/methadone.htm
That advisory addresses methadone for pain management, and illustrates why the FDA imposes such significant restrictions on its use for pain management.
"Methadone maintenance" refers to the use of methadone in substitution therapy for opiate and opioid addiction. I suspect that Laura May's post is about pain management, not addiction management.
I agree. I think she is refering to pain management. The FDA Advisory is about Methadone for pain management.
It states that respiratory and cardio vascular effects can occur in newly prescribed as well as those patients who became opioid tolerant.
I read your response and I agree that many persons who are receiving methadone in clinics are receiving it for an addiction. It is abused for all the reasons you mentioned. And withdrawal from it is reported to be more dangerous that w/drawal from heroin. I think it was meant to be a method of withdrawal used by treatment centers under close supervision.