Side Effects in Methadone Patients: A Survey of Self-Reported Complaints

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Abstract
Patients [51] in a methadone maintenance program completed a questionnaire containing 38 complaints upon admission and after 3 and 9 mo. in treatment. The questionnaire contained a graded scale of 5 possible responses from no problem to a very bad problem. Only 3 complaints at 3 mo. and 5 complaints at 9 mo. showed an increase in the percentage of clients reporting them as a problem compared to before methadone maintenance (BMM). When analyzed by summed mean, only 1 complaint at 3 mo. and 2 at 9 mo. showed an increase in severity on the graded scale compared to BMM. When each patient''s responses were analyzed as to whether problems showed no change in severity, were improved or increased in severity comparing BMM and after 9 mo. of methadone, 11 of 38 complaints showed a significant number of patients reporting them as more severe.