Opioids Methadone dosing

[jeff1110]

I am currently prescribed 40 mg. methadone per day, 4 x 10 mg. pills.
Right now I take 20 mg in the morning and 20 mg late afternoon. Does it matter if I take the entire 40 mg dose in the morning? Will it wear off by the evening? Thanks.

 

[missmeyet?]

Are you taking it for opioid/opiate replacement therapy or for pain management?

 

[sekio]

If you take all your methadone at once you could get uncomfortably high... taking it divided across the day leads to steadier blood levels, taking a bolus dose and then waiting 24 hours will encourage "peaks and troughs".

It is best if you continue taking them as directed. Taking 40mg at once could make you very, very sick.

 

[jeff1110]

Actually, I am prescribed for pain management, but I have had opoid dependence in the past, and it also helps to avoid cravings. Taking 40 mg all at once is not a problem as I have a big tolerance. My question is will it last longer splitting it up during the day.

 

[drscience]

it will last a bit longer splitting the dose (ie 20mg at breakfast and 20mg in afernoon) maybe last 8 hours longer just not as strong an effect

and if you take all 40mg in morning you wont have as pronounced an effect as you would at say 6 hrs after dosing...you are taking for pain management not MMT so you should take as prescribed (1 4x daily i assume?)

 

[jeff1110]

I guess that has to do with half life, which admittedly I don't understand. Anyway, I like the pronounced effect. I suffer from chronic depression which is why I started self medicating years ago in the first place. Besides treating the pain, the 40 mg methadone really helps lift me out of the depression and gets my day going. Seems to make me smoke a lot more cigarettes, though.