Methadone and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• luv...
• March 13, 2013

Methadone for Chronic Pain "I've taken Methadone for 20 months now for chronic pain due to fibromyalgia, neuralgia, back and neck pain, and migraines. This has helped me incredibly well. I've been able to function and gain my life back again! The only drawback is some weight gain...not a lot though...about 15 pounds over the time span, which is not a bad trade-off for crippling chronic pain. Although there is a stigma connected to methadone users, it's worth it to finally be nearly pain-free and be living again!"

• 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."

• Lil...
• May 12, 2014

For Chronic Pain "I am prescribed 1-2 (10mg) tabs of Methadone, up to 6 times every 24 hours. On the 'good' days, I take a lower dose (like 3 (10mg) tabs in 24 hours) with pretty much complete relief & on the 'worst' of days, the max dose (12 (10mg) tabs in 24 hours) makes doing the everyday 'necessities' actually possible. The biggest negative I've experienced while on this medicine is a MAJOR WEIGHT GAIN of around 1-2 lbs a WEEK (So like 40 lbs in 6 months, before I started working out & dieting to compensate)! Also, this medication has COMPLETELY STOPPED my menstrual cycle! However, with these downsides, I'd still strongly suggest this medicine for those with chronic severe back pain!"

• sei...
• April 18, 2012

Methadone for Opiate Withdrawal "Methadone is wonderful for opiate withdrawal and pain management. My doctor had prescribed me Percocets and OxyContin for a year for pain. When she cut me off, the withdrawals were too much. She recommended methadone for the pain and withdrawals. I have been on methadone for 1 year 7 months and been clean for one year since May 2012. The benefits include withdrawal and pain management, but side effects may include weight gain, but it does subside once you are on a stable dose, eat properly, and exercise daily. Good luck to everyone who is on methadone, it works!"

• Chr...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 5, 2016

Methadone for Opiate Withdrawal "It's helped me with my dependence, and it really works well to stave off withdrawal. The negatives outweigh the positives for me. This drug has caused me to gain a lot of weight, mostly from fluid retention. It's very hard to come off, you have to taper very slowly, like a mg a week, or you'll feel like crap. If you don't have insurance, you have to pay $400 a month where I live to go to a methadone clinic. This drug also cuts off your sex drive, I used to be a very sexual person, and now I have little to no desire for sex anymore. If you're on a high dose, on most days you'll feel out of it and very sleepy, so it's important that you tell your doctor/nurse the truth about your dose, you don't want to be on too high, nor too low of a dose."

• try...
• October 21, 2014

For Chronic Pain "I have suffered from chronic back and neck pain since 2007 and have tried just about every pain medication on the market with little to no relief. Finally, my doctors tried methadone. It does not remove all pain but does provide enough relief so that I can function on a daily basis, there is no 'high' when taking this medication, and the need for dosage increases is much less frequent than with other pain medications. I did find that I had some weight gain, but with proper diet, that can be controlled. I also suffered from severe hot flashes, as a man, this was not expected and took a while before they figured out that the medications I was on dropped my testosterone level, but with injections, all that was corrected."

• 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."

• Lum...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 4, 2017

For Opiate Withdrawal "I am a 39-year-old female who has been taking 120 mg of methadone daily to help with opiate addiction. I was addicted to opiates for 8 years after having several different surgeries over a 5-year span. My addiction took over my life, I was doing things I'd never otherwise have done to support my habit, eventually losing custody of my son, which was my breaking point. I found a local methadone clinic, and it saved my life, and I got custody of my son back within the first two months of starting methadone treatment. The downside is the 80 lbs I've gained, and the loss of several teeth, but honestly, that's a small price to pay to be off the horrible rollercoaster ride that drug addiction becomes. I thank God every day for this second chance at life."

• 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'."

• pet...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 21, 2016

For Chronic Pain "I have been on 50 mg methadone oral liquid for 4 years, and it does nothing at all for pain. I was on morphine sulfate 10 mg for 3 years and was taking 30 mg a day after 2 years. My doctor died in a plane crash, and I was taken off morphine and suffered the worst 8 days of my life. No one can explain just how bad withdrawals can be unless you have been through them. Horrible. I was placed on methadone because I was coming off morphine. This medication does nothing for pain. I have lost testosterone, I can't work, I have to go to a drug store every day to dose. I have put on weight. I feel like crap, lazy, and tired. I have come down to 35 mg, but the thought of the withdrawals worries me. It's a long sickness to get off this rubbish. Hate it, bad."

• cha...
• March 19, 2008

For Opiate Withdrawal "Since Oct. 12, 2005, my boyfriend and I started taking methadone to treat our opiate addiction. It has completely changed our lives. We have been totally drug-free since we started. I have not had any huge side effects, but my boyfriend had slight hot flashes. We both also gained some weight, but I'm not sure if that is from the methadone or not. I would suggest methadone treatment to anyone that has an opiate addiction and wants help."

• kat...
• March 30, 2008

For Opiate Withdrawal "I feel like methadone saved my life. I was addicted to pain meds for years and saw no way out. After finding my way to a methadone clinic near my home, I can happily report I have been free for almost 2 years. Only side effects I have really noticed are weight gain."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 24, 2015

For Chronic Pain "Started on methadone in the hospital after 2nd laminectomy and fusion L-4 to S-1. I am on 30 mgs 4 times a day (120 mg in 24 hrs). I noticed an immediate weight gain of 20 lbs (that I can't get rid of) and complete cessation of my menses! I was NOT warned of these side effects! The extra weight adds to my back pain and depression. I just don't know what to do! I want off of this, but I have failed other medications! I just want my body back (20 lbs lighter) AND help with my pain!"

• 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."

• jim...
• February 15, 2010

For Opiate Withdrawal "I have been on Methadose for about 10 years. When I started treatment, I soon learned the good and bad sides of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). Yes, I have my life back, I am clean and sober... but methadone is a double-edged knife. I have tried to detox from it, I cannot begin to tell you the pain of detox, it's the worst detox I've ever had. It took me 1 year to feel normal! I've gained a ton of weight from methadone. I don't know if methadone causes you to gain weight, but I know many people that have gained 25-50 pounds after starting methadone. Also, my teeth are very bad. I need dentures, I'm not sure if methadone was the cause of my bad teeth, but I know many people with the same problem. I would tell people to think about MMT before starting it."

• 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."

• no...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 13, 2015

For Opiate Withdrawal "I hate it. I've put on 50 lbs even though I'm starving myself and not eating carbs or sugar, and everything I eat is fat-free. I've been detoxing, and I'm so tired, the only reason I get up is to get my dose. The person they gave me has no clue what he is doing. I've finally requested a new case worker. Also, I'm in more pain than ever. Everyone that's been going there for a long time is all bent over, in wheelchairs, and has no teeth. Now my bones are starting to crack when I walk, and I've aged 5 years looks-wise. Can't wait to get off this."