Methadone and Sweating: What Users Say

• 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."

• Eaz...
• March 1, 2020

For Opiate Withdrawal "I tried Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) for an addiction/dependency to opiates and fentanyl. It unfortunately only lasted a month because I reached the highest dose of 24 mg, and it didn’t get rid of my cravings. After telling my clinic doctor that I relapsed despite trying so hard not to while taking the Suboxone, I was put on 30 mg of methadone and have since increased to 50 mg = 80 mg/day. It got rid of my cravings, anxiety, and helped my depression. This drug has helped me so much in my road to getting off illicit drugs, including opiates, benzodiazepines, and prescription amphetamines. (Recovery) There are cons/negatives to this drug that I do have to deal with every day. I have loads of sweat coming off me with only a 15-minute walk with my dogs, I feel sleepy several hours after taking my dose (also annoyed having to show up to the clinic every day to take it), and my dose sometimes doesn’t last the entire 24 hours like the doctor said it would."

• dru...
• February 8, 2012

Methadone for Opiate Withdrawal "Methadone Maintenance Therapy, or MMT, quite literally saved my life. Yes, there are side effects such as weight gain, low testosterone levels, and excess sweating or flushing. But now I am back in college majoring in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience. I had been treated inpatient at one of the best hospitals in the country. They used Methadone initially to get me over withdrawal symptoms, along with other medicines such as clonazepam and clonidine. Sadly, I eventually relapsed, and it eventually took MMT to help me get back on track. I hope to use what I know about addiction to help others. It's not perfect, but MMT saved me and my relationships with my family. MMT should only be used as a last resort, it is not an 'easy way out'."

• 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."

• Con...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 1, 2016

For Opiate Withdrawal "I have been using opiates since I was 22. I will be 27 this year, and I need to QUIT, it's affecting my daily life, my relationship, and my pockets!! I started on hydrocodone about 30 mg a day, now I'm at Percocet/Roxy at least 50-60 mg a day. A friend of mine gave me methadone to see how it works for me. I'm not sure if methadone is what's BEST, but I woke up sick this morning (stomach cramps, anxiety, sweats), took a methadone, and 30 mins later I felt better. I'm not sure if it will help me not crave the high, but I sure hope so. Good luck to everyone, we can do this!!"

• met...
• September 28, 2010

For Opiate Withdrawal "Methadone works great to stop withdrawal from all sorts of opiates, but it's also very hard on the body. Everyone that I have spoken to that attends the same clinic as I do has said that they all have experienced the same side effects: excessive weight gain (I've gained 100 lbs plus without much change in diet), excessive sweating, sugar cravings, and no sex drive. Started out fine and just went away, some depression. You have to work to keep yourself busy and motivated. If your dose is not right, it is almost impossible to stay awake and alert, which makes driving dangerous. Methadone is also addictive, and you have to be weaned off from it too."

• BRR...
• April 14, 2011

For Pain "10 years ago, I injured my back. I have had 4 back fusions. I have been on every narcotic and opiate at their highest possible dose. This is because I have an extremely efficient liver (doctors are baffled). One year ago, I was at my wit's end. I went to a new pain management doctor. He asked if I had ever tried methadone. Nope, no one ever suggested it. Well, he prescribed it, and I am currently on 120 mg a day, and it has saved my life. Two problems: weight gain, excessive sweating. Anyone else with these problems?"

• Sha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 4, 2015

For Opiate Withdrawal "This is my 2nd time in MMT, and I wish I had never quit the first time. Methadone is a lifesaver! The only downside is the weight gain and sweating, but I'm working out this time around to try and avoid the weight gain. I used a gram and a half of heroin a day, now I'm on 100 mg methadone and doing great."

• Sam...
• May 25, 2020

For Chronic Pain "My GP put me on hydromorphone, and it changed my life, pain tolerance went up, etc. After 1.5 years, she sent me to a pain clinic. There, doctors bridged the HM with the methadose (MD) by increasing the MD and decreasing the HM slowly. We went up to 100 mg MD, and it didn't work. He lowered it to 10 mg, and it still didn't work. Somehow, both decided to keep it at 35 mg twice (75 mg total) a day. I feel a bit better, but after like a month of taking it and so on, I've started having vision problems, tiredness, sleep days/nights, body flashes, sweating all the time, lack of energy, low mood, depression, loss of appetite, gained weight somehow, no more sex, loss of memories, and hard to focus. So, I asked the pain clinic to change the MD for a better solution, and now it's been a month since I'm on Suboxone. Uh, you don't know whether it is how useless the Suboxone is or how much withdrawal I am having. Plus, having a severe headache, and I don't have tolerance anymore for my back pain, lose my patience too fast, swearing, and a lot more."

• Sco...
• February 22, 2016

For Opiate Withdrawal "I have been on methadone for about 2 years. I get terrible sweats and hot and cold flashes every day. I am now waiting to go back into rehab to detox from this drug completely, along with the antipsychotic quetiapine and antidepressant mirtazapine. I hear they want to put me on venlafaxine when I'm off those other drugs. I'm not sure how I feel about this."

• ran...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 8, 2023

For Opiate Withdrawal "I have been taking 100 mg of methadone per day for 10 years for opioid addiction. I have experienced many side effects, such as heavy sweating, blurred vision, and difficulty breathing. Although I managed to not use for over a year, I am now ready to come off it and get back to real life. Methadone has many side effects that affect the body, and it should only be used for the short term to get off drugs. If you stay on it for more than a year, it can have bad side effects. The doctors at the methadone clinic seem to be oblivious to the side effects. I have been to more than one methadone clinic, so I know this is true across the board. I believe addiction is a state of mind. Once the physical withdrawal is over, it is definitely a mindset. It is very difficult to quit using drugs when your partner is using them too. It's much easier to quit when you're away from them. I learned that the hard way."

• 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%."