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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - and Answers

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Responses to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) were developed by the editorial staff of Addiction Treatment Forum and made possible by an educational grant from Mallinckrodt Inc., a manufacturer of methadone and naltrexone.

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Click here to view and print the 19 page FAQ PDF file. (PDF file size 542k)

CONTENTS

Understanding Drug Addiction

How is drug addiction defined?

Is addiction truly a brain disease?

Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT)

What are the benefits of Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT)?

How is success in MMT measured?

Does MMT just substitute one addictive drug (such as, heroin) with another (methadone)?

Is heroin the only drug for which methadone maintenance is a treatment?

How long does a patient need to stay in MMT?

How can I get off of methadone?

Why is methadone harder to “kick” than heroin?

Methadone Prescribing

What is the best dose of methadone?

What can be done about my methadone dose not holding me all day?

Does the particular formulation or brand of methadone make a difference?

Is it safe to take methadone with other medications?

Does methadone spoil or go bad?

Methadone Myths

Is it true that methadone was developed by the Nazis and originally named after Hitler?

Does methadone get in your bones and rot your teeth?

Health & Nutrition During MMT

Are there any long-term harmful effects of methadone?

Since I’m on methadone, and it’s also a painkiller, what happens if I need pain medication?

Is methadone safe during pregnancy?

Is methadone bad for the heart?

Should MMT patients have special heart-health tests?

Is methadone harmful for MMT patients with HIV/AIDS?

Do I have to get off of methadone to be treated for hepatitis C?

Are treatments for HCV effective in MMT patients?

Why does methadone make me put on weight?

What is the role of diet and nutrition in addiction recovery?

Are nutritional supplements, like herbal products, safe to use with methadone?

MMT & Lifestyle

Can MMT patients participate in 12-Step programs?

Is it safe for a methadone-maintained patient to drive a vehicle?

Can methadone be taken along during travel to other countries?

Could methadone be causing my sexual problems?

Are problems sleeping common during MMT?

Buprenorphine, Naltrexone

What is buprenorphine? Is it better than methadone?

What is naltrexone? Is it helpful for treating opioid addiction?

Miscellaneous

How can I find answers to other questions about methadone?

How can we have our site listed in ATForum.com “Related Web Sites” links?