Is It Normal to Stop Menstruating While on Methadone?
Question by Katherine: Is it normal to stop menstruating while on methadone?
I have been doing the methadone program for a little over two months now (got my first carry today, yay!) I’m recovering from oxycontin and dilaudid addiction. Anyways, I haven’t had a period since the first week of august and it is now mid october. I am slightly underweight, but always have been for most parts of my life. (I looked up my bmi today just to figure shit out and its 17.9) I had been overeating at the beginning of the year and gained twenty pounds, and when I started eating normal I lost more weight than I wanted to and can’t gain any back now for some reason. But I’ve never had a problem menstruating at this weight, its been the same mostly for the last five years, as it is quite natural for my frame and genetics. So I’m wondering, is it the methadone or the sudden weight loss? And when should I be expecting it to come back? Will it come back when my body gets used to the methadone for longer or gets used to being my usual weight again? If I could get a doctor, nurse or someone who’s experienced this to give a detailed answer of what I should expect that’d be great.
Best answer:
Answer by Sandra
Irregular menstruation seems to be a side effect in some people. Rapid weight loss also contributes to menstrual irregularity. The combination is probably what is doing it.
You may find that your period returns after you have been in the program for a longer time. That is the conclusion of an article I found (the second one below):
“FINDINGS: In the 133 women for whom menstrual patterns could be determined, cycle-length irregularity was common: irregular, 62 (46.7%); regular, 37 (27.8%); cycle restart, 16 (12%); persistent amenorrhea, 11 (8.3%); transient amenorrhea, seven (5.3%). Each additional week on methadone maintenance was associated with decreased risk of long (OR = 0.96, P < 0.01 and short (OR = 0.92, P < 0.01) cycles. Of 27 women with secondary amenorrhea pre-study, 16 (59%) restarted menses. Positivity for opioids or cocaine was not significantly associated with short or long cycles. CONCLUSIONS: Cycle length begins to normalize during methadone maintenance. Menses resumption may occur. Methadone maintenance, despite interfering with menstrual function in an absolute sense, may interfere less than illicit heroin abuse." You should be able to find out more from the doctors in your program.
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YOU’re agruments are illgoical and irrational.? You are devoid of the facts surrounding methadone’s ability to save lifes. You’ve yet to give me your solutions to people who are addicted to heroin. How would the MAMAORG treat heroin addiction? What methods of detoxification do you support? Subxone doesnt work for everyone, and you’d know this if you ever worked in a clinic or detox hospital.
The numbers and the facts prove you wrong. Addicts dont go on methadone as? a replacement drug for addiction and methadone has no effect on a person in maintance. Have you even read any govt studies on methadone? If you did you’d know that methadone is a great tool that helps people get off drugs. If methadone is this wonderful drug that gets people high and addicted, why arent people on the streets beggin for meth over heroin?
first off a person on methadone doesnt get “high”. Do you even know how methadone works compared with heroin? The reason why heroin works soo well is that? it hits you instantly and spikes the dopeamine rectors in your brain. Methadone is the opposite, it’s effects dont cause a spike in your dopemaine levels and doesnt get you high. You speak out of scientfic ignorance but mostly you just speak irrationally.
sorry you feel that way. It’s people like you that want to keep drugs illegal and make drug abuse a? criminal problem instead of a medical one which it is. Fact if a paranoid, idiot like Glenn Beck can get into yale, anyone with good grades and a decent sat score can get in. What do you know about heroin addiction? You offer no solutions to help prevent drug addiction and use.
love how you do all the name calling, and you? call yourself a client, please!! You can make yourself sound glorified if it makes you feel better but bottom line is your an addict who can not come clean but have found a legal source to stay high the rest of your damn life by claiming you are in treatment. MMT=replacing one drug for another, bottom line. Supporters of METHADONE are often user’s and/or affiliated with clinics or drug companies. Client, lol
WOW, you are an addict, student at YALE and seem to have all the answer but it sounds like you have more BS then anything else….sorry but your? rants are ludicrouse and very common coming from a user which with an altered state of mind we know you maybe delusional….almost positive you are….sorry sell your story to someone who believes your BS>
– Actually THEY are NOT using Methadone to treat withdrawals of HEROIN but using it as a replacement drug for addiction…and the user’s love it. Every addict that I have interviewed has said they would rather detox off heroin then methadone anyday and I have watched this for myself. By the way NO ONE mentioned SUBOXONE but since you brought it up…..it gets you high too !!! but does not kill like METHADONE so in? most cases is much safer….
Methadone, when taken as prescribed, can help individuals gain their lives back! My sympathies for those families who have lost loved? ones…but it’s not because of methadone…it;s because that person abused methadone!
What do you and your organization belive is the best treatment for heroin addicts? How should you detox a heroin addict? (if you say suboxone then you’ve never been a heroin addict and experienced withdrawals cause any person in the “addiction” field knows that suboxone? is’nt effective for treating withdrawal symptoms for all users.
you are dead dead dead dead dead wrong. I was a heroin addict and i turned my life around cause of methadone. I’ve tried every kind of rehab, out patient and inpatient program in the United states. I’ve tried every kind of detox pill or program. First off doctors should be given methadone for back pain management. Why dont you go? after the medical profession for finding better ways at treating pain?
I’m a student at yale for drug and alchol abuse and i work at a methadone clinic. THIS ORGANIZATION has no logical facts and data. METHADONE HAS HELPED AND SAVED MORE LIVES (WORLD WIDE) then it has hurt or killed or injured. ALL THIS ORGANIZATION IS DOING IS KEEPINIG ADDICTS A WAY FROM GETTING INTRODUCED TO HEALTH CARE ADOVOCATES? AND GETTING HELP. METH DOESNT KILL.
Intolerant and offensive. I am a parent on MMT. I am a great father and husband. Who are you to judge me? My guess is you are one of the following: gambler, drinker, smoker, prescription drug user, fast food consumer, diamond-buyer,? SUV driving, shopaholic, bingo freak, something. If so you have NO ROOM to say anything to a MMT client.
janet7378 I happen to be in the medical field as well as the founder and director of an organization that specializes in this information. It is you who is misinformed and “Finding Normal” is a video that makes excuses to continue being an addict which? is what one is doing while using Methadone. There is no proof that Methadone reduces crimes but is now involved in more crimes. Trading one drug for another is not treatment, you are just feeding your addiction.
I need to clarify that my reply is to MAMAORG…and? other less then informed people……..props to CarmenStone 25 & cobb864
you are obviously very ill informed…i recommend that you watch “finding normal” a highly educational video. It would be beneficial for you to get your facts straight. Methadone is a very effective and efficient way to undo the damage caused by drug addiction, and to allow people who have had the misfortune to be afflicted with it to get their lives back. In this way? it reunites families, and lowers crime rates. Thank god for methadone.