my friend is on a methadone maintenance program?

PeaceGiver
#1. September 1st, 2009, at 1:44 PM.

Methadones usually don’t have that affect on MOST people..but, I guess it all depends on the dosage and person..
I’m supposing he has been given a high dosage, since he has been sleepy and having heavy breathing=severe side affect.
-Usually when people are having withdrawls to methadones, they get a little nervous and jittery..but thats just my expererience in knowing someone who takes them.

-note about overdose-
when having trouble breathing, especially slow.. that is a main symptom of an overdose. Also, did you say he was drowsy? Because if it was an overdose, then a person usually becomes very drowsy and it afftects the nervous system.

-Make sure to get his pulse and blood pressure checked out. If low, then that’s a sign of overdosing on it.

PontificalPape
#2. September 1st, 2009, at 1:47 PM.

I have two friends on methadone. At a high dosage they were drowsy. Maybe your friend is on a lot. Methadone is an opiate so that’s an effect of it. His drowsiness ought to get better as they slowly lower his dosage. My friends are both in different methadone programs but they both still get their vitals checked when they go in for their doses. If you’re worried you could go in there with him and talk to the person who hands it out.
It’s probably NOT a symptom of withdrawal-people withdrawing from heroin are the opposite of drowsy. They are extremely agitated, runny nose, flu-like symptoms, nausea, vomiting, can’t sit still, can’t stop talking about how they NEED heroin. One of my friends up and jumped out the flipping window once! When we got outside he was throwing up blood all over the lawn. Sheesh glad I was smart enough to never ever touch that shite!