Methadone and Constipation: What Users Say

• Pro...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 27, 2014

For Chronic Pain "Excellent! I have used high dose methadone for severe chronic pain treatment. I love the relief level after long-term use. Maintaining unimpaired cognitive function (no 'high'), no compromised respiratory function, no compromise of GI tract (nausea, constipation), no withdrawal effects, even with sudden total stoppage of the med. I have used for ten (10) years after three (3) on high dose sustained-release oxycodone (OxyContin). I suffered severe multi-traumatic injuries from an explosion and four-story fall in 1999 after nineteen (19) years as a professional Firefighter/Paramedic and have experienced severe chronic pain since regaining consciousness. Methadone should be the front line go-to medicine for more patients by physicians."

• Ang...
• November 30, 2016

For Chronic Pain "I was recently switched from 50 mcg of the Fentanyl patch (changed every 72 hours) to Methadone 10mg tablets 3 times daily for chronic pain. I was allowed to keep my Percocet, 10/325 up to 5 a day, for breakthrough. I did not want to switch off the Fentanyl patches, but I was told that even if it worked and provided no side effects, the CDC said that I don't have cancer. So I could take 50 micrograms of Fentanyl with no breakthrough meds or I could switch to Methadone. I have tried over 100 medications of all kinds and Fentanyl was the first to allow a life worth living. So far, the Methadone has been amazing! The downsides are: extreme constipation, some wheezing, and some Thanksgiving weight. I follow up in 2 days. Keep your fingers crossed."

• Tir...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 8, 2015

For Pain "This is by far the best medicine for chronic back pain. These pain doctors need to realize not everyone is a drug addict. All the other medications have serious side effects that they are substituting for narcotics. The only side effect is constipation, but they now have prescription medicine for this."

• Tnt...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 9, 2016

For Chronic Pain "Over half of my life has been spent in chronic pain. I had 2 disks fused and a pinched nerve fixed 20 years ago. I've had a pain pump and been put on everything you can imagine. I can promise you guys something, nothing is as good as methadone to help pain, in my opinion. I've been on it for 16 years now. It is hard to get used to though. You will get very drowsy in the beginning. I can tell you it's hard to have a bowel movement in the bathroom also. I would recommend stool softeners if you take methadone for that. I got caught in between doctors once and the withdrawal is hellish, no joking on that. I've seen heroin addicts say it was worse. I thank God and my doctor I get to take my Lyrica and methadone for my pain."

• Flo...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 4, 2017

For Chronic Pain "I have to say... the best thing for me. I've been on most kinds of pain medication because of back surgery, and methadone has saved my life. I take 80 mg a day. The government is making it harder to get, the pharmacy doesn't want to fill large amounts. I don't get high on the drug, but it helps tremendously with chronic pain. I am 68 years old and a liver transplant recipient. Been on it for 6 years. Constipation isn't a problem for me, it may have been at first, but my body has adjusted. Much better than morphine, dilaudid, or oxycontin. And cheaper by far."

• JoJ...
• October 7, 2015

For Chronic Pain "I find this to be the best and most affordable pain medicine on the market. I live with chronic pain from four abdominal surgeries for endometriosis and several broken/shattered bones in my wrist and foot since I have osteoporosis, as well as a torn rotator cuff injury now. I take 2-3 of the 10 mg tablets a day, which makes me a little tired some days and causes problems with constipation since I have loads of adhesions from stomach surgeries. That adds to the constipation, too, but I can live a normal life now, and I thank God that my doctor prescribes it for my pain, as some doctors would rather have me take eight Percocets a day or have more surgery, and they don't help half as much as the 2-3 methadone tablets I take as needed. They are also so cheap in price compared to other drugs."

• Dr ...
• March 25, 2017

For Pain "Methadone can be very useful for some types of chronic pain. For those who need larger doses of narcotics, methadone does not cause tolerance like morphine or oxycodone, so you do not have to keep raising the dose to keep your pain under control. It does take time to kick in, so be patient. Oxycodone or MS can be given to help until methadone kicks in. Any narcotic can have side effects like constipation. A good doctor will help you prevent such problems. As for comments about kickbacks and conspiring with drug companies, we are under intense monitoring as some people sell the drugs to others or overdose and die. We must see patients often to prevent problems like this. If not, we lose our license or get sued. It's called good medical care."

• Big...
• March 26, 2012

For Pain "About 15 years ago, I was diagnosed with lumbar stenosis and went through 12 epidurals over the first 5 years to avoid surgery. I tried all the pain medications out there but could not tolerate most of them due to a very low tolerance for pain medicines. I have bad nausea and/or constipation. Then finally, my pain doctor had me try a low dose of methadone, and it worked. It gives me no side effects, with enough pain to know my limits. I still play at a high level of softball for 13 more years and recover through two back surgeries. I just had my third back surgery and now have fibromyalgia, but I am still on the same 10 mg of methadone. Without this medicine, I would not be working today."

• Ada...
• July 3, 2017

Methadone for Chronic Pain "I've been on 60 mg/day for the last 17 years after I developed multiple neuropathy issues in my extremities after chemotherapy treatment. I've tried everything else on the market that I can legally try. Methadone is the only thing that works and doesn't get me high as a kite or knock me out. I will warn anyone that this medication is very dangerous as far as CNS depression goes for the first two weeks of use. I was nodding off all over the place! The great thing is that this goes away after the first few weeks. After the initial period, I have noticed very few side effects. The ones that I have are the usual constipation that all narcotics produce. This medication will lower testosterone levels after long-term use. (Longer than a year.)"

• Anonymous
• October 14, 2011

Methadone for Opiate Withdrawal "Only bad side effect... it takes all the water out of your intestinal tract, so when you go to take a dump, it's like squeezing out a very hard, dry brick! And it is NO JOKE! I highly advise drinking lots of water beforehand to lower the effects of this."

• Joe...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 8, 2014

For Chronic Pain "I took methadone for 2 years and finally had to give it up. Yes, it was effective against the pain, but I'd gained 40 pounds, very lethargic for 3-4 hours after the dose, developed uncontrollable jerking of my extremities, difficulty urinating (I am talking hours being unable to urinate), break out in sweats after taking the medicine, constipation, severe nausea, and occasional vomiting with taking the medicine. It didn't matter if I had eaten or not, and finally confusion for weeks when first starting. Yes, my doctor was aware of this all along the way and would have kept me on it, but I couldn't take it anymore. Now, back to more conventional treatment options. I had so hoped the methadone would be the long-term answer to my pain, and it DID help, BUT."

• Mom...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 15, 2016

For Opiate Withdrawal "I'm a mother of a patient, and I'm researching the effects of the use of the drug methadone as my daughter is getting the highest dosage allowed at the clinic in an upscale area of Southwest Ohio. I drive a semi-truck to support us. This drug seems to be making our relationship worse than I thought would be possible. I'm seeing an overall moody, irritable, overreacting person who doesn't want to make time for me when I get back from driving over the road for weeks at a time. My job affords us the most expensive place we have ever lived, a nice car, and plenty of food for both of us. I pray my daughter can be set free from the cycles of use and abuse of anything, but I don't think this medicine is the answer. Severe constipation throws a lot of toxins into the body."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 1, 2020

For Chronic Pain "I have experienced chronic pain issues for 18 years now. I was originally started on a sustained-release morphine product and stayed on it for approximately 7-8 years. I was then started on methadone. I cannot remember the dose I was converted to, but I was eventually taking 40 mg four times a day. After a few years, I was tapered down to eventually methadone 30 mg three times a day, where I remain to this day. I have found it more effective than either morphine or fentanyl patches. It is particularly effective for the radiculopathy that I have down the backs of each leg. Unlike morphine, there seems to be much less nausea and vomiting, constipation, and urinary retention. I would also like to add that I have not felt an increase in my pain that usually occurred when my next dose of MS Contin was due."

• Lol...
• February 10, 2012

For Pain "I have chronic pancreatitis, and over the last 23 years, I've had multiple surgeries, 14 ERCPs with stents, pain blocks, pump trials, but methadone is the only thing that touches the pain. I've taken it for over 16 years, and my dosage has reached 200 mg/day (40 5/day) and MSIR 120 mg/day (30 4/day) for breakthrough pain. The side effects are constipation and especially the severe sweating and facial flushing. Every 2-3 years, I have to do something else when the dosage loses its effect. I've taken MSER, MS Contin, and Kadian. Of the three, only Kadian has come close to giving me enough relief. Even so, I go through terrible withdrawal (worse than the worst flu) when I go off methadone, but switching back is a breeze, even at a lower dosage."

• Lar...
• July 24, 2011

For Pain "I have been on Methadone for almost a year now since coming off Oxycodone. It stopped working, and the dose could not be raised without hurting my liver because of all the Tylenol in it. I love this medicine and how it is long-acting, so there are no waiting periods for the pain to subside. I have chronic pain from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. My doctor mentioned Methadone, I was a bit miffed as it is usually for heroin addicts. He said it could be taken long-term with the least damage to my body, which is good because there is no current cure for my illnesses. I don't like the constipation, but other than that, it does an excellent job, and no more jitters and waiting."

• Anonymous
• September 5, 2011

For Pain "Methadone was wonderful to relieve pain after my laminectomy. Then its effectiveness decreased rapidly, and I do not want to increase the dose because, in a few months, I will have to increase it again. Besides its great decrease in effectiveness, constipation has been awful, resulting in a small umbilical hernia from straining. The heating pad has been the best."

• Fra...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 3, 2021

For Opiate Withdrawal "Yeah, it does what it's supposed to do, i.e., stops you from going into withdrawal - well, a full one anyway. The actual withdrawal symptoms of trying to come off methadone are far, far worse than coming off heroin. I don't think you ever feel 100% well, and that's why many addicts go back to using heroin on top of their methadone, thus creating two problems. I was addicted to both for the best part of 16 years. I'm clean off heroin but still on methadone after more than 17 years. The side effects of the methadone (far worse than heroin) are the chronic constipation, so bad it's caused me to prolapse. It's worn the enamel off my teeth, the sweating is unbelievable. It is a synthetic drug. I've worked with drug services. The doctors at these places say methadone does not work, but their hands are tied to prescribe something that would, like morphine, as they do in three countries. In these countries, crime rates are much lower, morphine has a success rate of around 80% where methadone's is as low as 20%."

• Chl...
• April 26, 2014

For Chronic Pain "It has really helped with my pain. The only side effect has been constipation."