Methadone is a medication that was first synthesized in 1939. Distribution and use of the drug began within just a few years and has continued to be a controversial treatment option for opioid addiction. Currently, methadone is only administered in the United States via licensed Methadone clinics. For the most part, methadone patients have to go to the clinic every day to receive their dosage. Only in some cases are patients able to pick up 2 or more days worth of this drug to be self-administered. As a drug that needs to be monitored so closely, how long does methadone stay in your system?
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How Long The Effects of Methadone Last
When detoxing from opioids, the withdrawal symptoms are severe and uncomfortable. Additionally, any underlying pain could quickly come back on top of the withdrawal symptoms. Methadone works by preventing opioid withdrawal symptoms and providing some pain relief. The effects of methadone set in within about 30 minutes of consumption. At the 8 hour mark, it is common to start noticing the effects of methadone to begin wearing down. However, the effects wearing off does not mean that the drug is anywhere near having left the body.
How Long Methadone Stays in Your Body
Methadone acts like an opioid in that it attaches to the same receptors in the brain, but it has a significantly longer half-life than other opioids. The half-life of an opioid is the amount of time that it takes for half of the dose taken to have been processed out of the body. Most opioids have a half-life between 2 and 4 hours. Methadone on the other hand has a half-life of about 15 to 20 hours.
This means that half of the dose taken is still in the body after 15 hours, even if the effects have started to wear off. Additionally, 25% of the dose could still be present in the body even after 40 hours have passed. This does not take into account how daily use affects how long methadone will stay in a patient’s system.
Testing for Methadone Use
As methadone is processed through the body, there are certain methods of testing that may or may not be able to detect it’s presence. This is approximately how long methadone can be detected via each method of testing:
- Blood: After 30 minutes and up to 3-4 days
- Saliva: After 30 minutes and up to 2-4 days
- Urine: After 1 hour and up to 2 weeks
- Hair: After a couple of weeks and up to several months
Factors to Consider
You may notice that there are ranges for how long most of these tests can detect methadone in an individual’s body. These factors include:
- Food and water intake
- Length of use
- Amount used
- Age and overall wellness
Risks of Methadone Overdose
As mentioned above, methadone can help in reducing pain and withdrawal symptoms, but the pain-relieving effects can begin to wear off in as little as 8 hours even though the substance is still in their system for much longer. This means that a methadone patient experiencing pain could feel the need for more methadone before even half of it has left their system. Taking too much methadone in a short period of time does carry a significant risk of overdose. The overdose risk and general risk of addiction to methadone are why the distribution of this medication is so highly regulated.
Methadone, Addiction, and Addiction Treatment
Although methadone is a medication that has helped countless people who were struggling with opioid addiction, it is not the best solution for many. Considering how long methadone does stay in your system and the associated risks, getting off this medication should always be the long term goal for opioid addiction treatment. A drug and alcohol rehab program can offer different recovery options that any opioid addict should consider. Sometimes individuals in treatment have to try different therapies or even go through multiple attempts to find what works for them. Ultimately, the goal is a better life free from drugs.
FAQs About How Long Methadone Stays in Your System
How is methadone different from other medicines?
Methadone is a very “slow-moving” medicine. Unlike some drugs that leave the body in just a few hours, methadone is designed to hang around for a long time. It attaches to parts of the brain to help people stop feeling sick when they quit other drugs. Because it moves so slowly, knowing how long methadone stays in your system is important for doctors to make sure the dose is safe.
How many days does it usually take to leave the body?
For most people, it takes about 2 to 13 days for methadone to fully leave the system. This is much longer than many other substances! The reason it takes so long is that the medicine hides in the body’s tissues and slowly leaks back into the blood. When people ask how long methadone stays in your system, they are often surprised to learn it can be detected for over a week.
Does a person’s health change how long it stays?
Yes, everyone’s body is like a different machine. A person with a fast metabolism or a very healthy liver might clear the medicine out quicker than someone else. Also, things like age, weight, and how much water you drink can change the timeline. This is why the answer to how long methadone stays in your system is a range of days rather than just one specific number for everyone.
Can methadone show up on a drug test?
Yes, it can show up on different types of tests. In a urine test, it can usually be found for about 3 to 4 days, but in a hair test, it can stay for up to 90 days! Because it lingers, doctors use these tests to make sure a person is taking their medicine correctly. Understanding how long methadone stays in your system helps patients understand why these tests are an important part of their check-ups.
Why is it dangerous to take other things while methadone is in your system?
Because methadone stays in your body for so long, it can “pile up” if you take other medicines or alcohol at the same time. This can make a person very sleepy or even stop their breathing. It is very important to talk to a doctor about anything else you are taking, because even if you don’t “feel” the methadone anymore, it might still be working deep inside your body.
What happens as the medicine slowly leaves the body?
As the amount of medicine drops, a person might start to feel “withdrawal” symptoms, like muscle aches or feeling very cold. This is why doctors usually lower the dose very, very slowly over many weeks or months. By letting the body adjust bit by bit, the person can stay comfortable and safe while the medicine eventually clears out of their system for good.
