Taking Methadone With Other Medicines And Herbal Supplements

Cautions with other medicines

Some medicines can affect the way methadone works and increase the risk of side effects or overdose.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting on methadone if you take any other medicines, including:

• medicines to help you sleep, such as temazepam, zopiclone or zolpidem
• gabapentin or pregabalin
• antidepressants (particularly monoamine oxidase inhibitors such as tranylcypromine, phenelzine or isocarboxazid)
• medicines for anxiety or stress, such as lorazepam or diazepam
• medicine for heart rhythm problems, such as amiodarone, verapamil or diltiazem
• medicines to help you stop feeling or being sick, such as metoclopramide
• medicines for infections, including fungal infections
• medicines for HIV
• medicines for epilepsy, such as phenytoin or carbamazepine

These are not all the medicines that may cause problems if you take them with methadone. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.

Important

Do not take morphine, buprenorphine, codeine or any other opioids while taking methadone.

Taking methadone with painkillers

It's usually OK to take methadone with paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin.

Do not take methadone with painkillers that contain codeine or dihydrocodeine. They make side effects more likely and increase the risk of overdose.

Some painkillers that you can buy contain codeine or dihydrocodeine along with other ingredients such as paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin. Some migraine treatments and cough syrups also contain codeine. Always check the ingredients on the packaging.

Speak to a pharmacist or a doctor before taking any painkillers, or if you need any advice about pain relief while taking methadone.

Mixing methadone with herbal remedies and supplements

There may be a problem taking St John's wort with methadone. It can stop the methadone from reducing your withdrawal symptoms properly.

There's not enough information to say that other complementary medicines, herbal remedies and supplements are safe to take with methadone. This is because they're not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements.

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