Posted by spike4848 on December 30, 2001, at 21:13:27
In reply to Re: methadone? » Elizabeth, posted by shelliR on December 30, 2001, at 20:01:08
> > The one outwardly visible side effect that's caused by pretty much every opioid (although it's only a hint, not a positive sign, that a person is on opioids) in pretty much everyone who takes them (including people who are tolerant, such as MMT patients) is pinpoint pupils. (Demerol is a notable exception -- it tends to cause dilated rather than constricted pupils.)This is true. In the emergency room, you can look at patients pupil size if you suspect opiate use/abuse. Many opiate users have pinpoint pupils, also called myosis. From what I remember some people on methodone maintenance had myosis, about two-thirds. But many of them were takening additional opiates with their methadone. Some patient's pupils sizes were normal.
And methadone does not come up in standard urine drug screen. It must be added to the routine tests .... and often comes back a day later. And watch out for naltrexone ..... the opiate antagonist. A couple shot of that stuff will totally reverse any opiate effect.
Spike
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