Monday, December 12, 2011

Side effects

Methadone, the treatment that's used at a Methadone detox rehab treatment center, has an alarming number of side effects.   Why I comment on this is because when I watching a TV ad last night in which they discussed medication you could take for depression, you could read along the bottom of the screen - if you were quick enough - so many side effects that you'd actually think twice about taking the drug. 

Of course, those lists of side effects are just what might happen in the worst of all possible worlds (although a person with depression doesn't really need to know any more about the worst of all possible worlds, they're often there already), and having taken two different kinds of medication for depression over the years (both of which worked, and neither of which appeared to give me any side-effects) I guess the cure is somewhat better than what might happen.   They've got to warn you, after all.   And then, like Russian roulette, you play the game. 

Here's a list of the possible side-effects of Methadone:

  • drowsiness
  • weakness
  • headache
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • constipation
  • loss of appetite
  • weight gain
  • stomach pain
  • dry mouth
  • sweating
  • flushing
  • difficulty urinating
  • swelling of the hands, arms, feet, and legs
  • mood changes
  • vision problems
  • difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
  • decreased sexual desire or ability
  • missed menstrual periods 
It certainly covers all the options:  difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep?  A bit like having your cake and eating it, isn't it?


No comments: