Is Methadone Meth?

The terms may be confusing, but “meth” is short for methamphetamine. Meth is a powerful stimulant that affects the central nervous system and is highly addictive. It is produced in a powder form that can also be made into a pill, a liquid for injection, or into a crystal form for smoking.

Methadone also has the potential to be misused when its use is not medically supervised. The drug can be known by its street terms, amidone, fizzies, or wafer. However, it’s important to note that methadone is not meth.

What is Methadone Used For?

Methadone is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat an individual’s opioid use disorder as part of a medication-assisted treatment method. Methadone can also be used for pain management, when under the supervision of a medical professional. The medication has been shown to help individuals achieve and sustain their recovery from an addiction to opioids. It is one component of a comprehensive addiction treatment plan, which also includes counseling and therapies.

Does Methadone Block Opiates?

A long-acting opioid agonist, methadone works to reduce opioid craving and withdrawal as it blocks or blunts the effects of those opioids. Methadone is in the same family as opioids, but it can be used safely under medical supervision as a way for a person to taper off the addictive and dangerous drugs. The use of methadone as well as the use of buprenorphine must be accompanied by professional counseling and other recovery support options.

How Long Does Methadone Last?

Methadone can remain active in a person’s system anywhere from 8 to 59 hours. This means that withdrawal is slow and lasts longer than with some other drugs. Acute methadone withdrawal symptoms can last as long as 14 days and many individuals experience symptoms for months after their last dose. Most people will experience withdrawal symptoms within two to four days after their last dose.

Is Methadone Addictive?

The medication can cause a physical dependency when taken on a daily basis for an extended period of time. A dependency means that an individual may experience withdrawal symptoms if the methadone is stopped abruptly. Methadone is a Schedule II substance, as classified under the Controlled Substances Act, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse. Cocaine and methamphetamine are also classified as Schedule II drugs. When these drugs are abused, it can lead to serious physical or psychological dependence.

The Advantages of Buprenorphine/Suboxone Over Methadone

Methadone and buprenorphine, also known as Suboxone, can be used to help a person overcome their addiction to opioids and sustain their recovery. Methadone is a Schedule II drug, while buprenorphine is a Schedule III drug. Schedule II drugs generally have a higher potential for addiction than Schedule III drugs.

Both medications are administered in conjunction with other treatment options under professional supervision, and both have the goal of eliminating withdrawal symptoms for a person who is addicted to opioids. However, buprenorphine is a partial agonist so there is a ceiling effect for the level of respiratory depression it can cause, so there is a reduced risk of overdose with the medication.

How Does Buprenorphine/Suboxone Work?

The FDA approved buprenorphine in 2002, which made it the first medication eligible to be prescribed by medical professionals under the Drug Addiction Treatment Act. As a partial opioid agonist, buprenorphine binds to the opioid receptors but activates them in a less strong manner than full agonists do. Similar to methadone, buprenorphine has been shown to reduce cravings and ease the withdrawal symptoms for an individual who is addicted to opioids and patients tend to tolerate the medication well.

Contact Recovery Without Walls for Opioid Addiction

The healthcare professionals at Recovery Without Walls offer personalized and confidential opioid addiction treatment, focused on providing comfortable, caring, physician-directed withdrawal management, medication management, and tapering protocols. Medication-assisted treatment at Recovery Without Walls involves much more than simply administering medications.

We are here to guide you through safe and effective withdrawal from prescription medications such as opioids. We personalize your treatment based on evidence-informed research, exceptional psychotherapy, nutritional support, and integrative healing methods designed to treat your whole body. Contact us today to learn how we can help you.

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Ketamine

Since the 1970s, ketamine has been used as an injectable, short-acting anesthetic. It is referred to as a dissociative anesthetic because it has hallucinogenic effects, making a person feeling detached from their pain and from their environment. The drug can be abused and misused and can lead to physical and psychological dependence. An overdose of ketamine can result in dangerously slowed breathing and unconsciousness.

Buprenorphine

An integral part of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for addiction, buprenorphine has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of opioid dependence as well as for acute and chronic pain. The medication is a partial opioid agonist, which means that it acts on certain opioid receptors in the brain and provides relief from opioid withdrawal symptoms.

Buprenorphine has been shown to be effective in decreasing mortality rates in patients by approximately 50%. In addition, individuals treated with the medication show improved social functioning with increased retention in treatment (67% at one year) compared to drug-free treatment, as well as reduced criminal activity, lower rates of substance abuse, and a reduced risk of HIV and hepatitis infection.

Can Ketamine and Buprenorphine Be Mixed?

These two medications should be administered by a medical professional, particularly when they are used together. An individual should never mix ketamine and buprenorphine on their own. The state-of-the-art providers at Recovery Without Walls have the expertise needed to know how to administer the drugs for the benefit of individual patients.

Very few practitioners have expertise in this area. At Recovery Without Walls, our founder and medical director, Dr. Howard Kornfeld, has pioneered the use of buprenorphine for the treatment of chronic pain. In fact, he is one of just a few doctors in the US who understand the safe and effective use of buprenorphine and prescribe it as a frontline medicine.

Can Ketamine Help You Get Off Buprenorphine?

The use of buprenorphine can result in a dependence. Under the professional supervision of a medical profession, ketamine can help with the symptoms of withdrawal from medications such as buprenorphine. In one study, it was found that patients who were taking buprenorphine for the management of pain responded to ketamine treatment with a rapid improvement in their suicidal thoughts.

The study showed that buprenorphine did not block ketamine’s effects on suicidal thoughts. In fact, the patients’ suicidal ideations decreased after the first treatment with ketamine and resolved after the second treatment while maintained on buprenorphine. The researchers concluded that ketamine treatment could be provided safely to individuals with substance use disorders or with chronic pain – in a controlled and professionally monitored environment – while they are being maintained on buprenorphine.

Benefits of a Ketamine Taper for Buprenorphine

When managing a patient who is undergoing opioid withdrawal, one effective strategy is providing gradually tapering doses of opioid agonists such as buprenorphine. The use of tapering doses has been shown to be superior in terms of retention and opioid abstinence. Tapering can help relieve the withdrawal symptoms often involved in stopping the use of a medication, particularly when the individual has developed a dependence on it. A ketamine taper for buprenorphine can also help prevent subsequent relapse.

Contact Recovery Without Walls for Prescription Drug Help

Ketamine and buprenorphine are effective in treating certain conditions but should only be used under the supervision of a medical professional. Each has side effects that will need to be monitored, particularly when used together. Medication-assisted treatment at Recovery Without Walls involves much more than simply administering medications. Our effective treatment approach includes a combination of therapies such as meditation, talk therapy, exercise, and nutrition for a safe and healthy recovery.

We understand that it can be difficult and even dangerous to stop abusing prescription drugs without help. We are here to guide you through safe and effective withdrawal from prescription medications such as antidepressants. We personalize your treatment based on evidence-informed research, exceptional psychotherapy, nutritional support, and integrative healing methods designed to treat your whole body. Contact us today to learn how we can help you.

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